Through an interdisciplinary approach, this course introduces students to the field of Ethnic Studies, focusing on the historical and contemporary experiences of Native Americans, Chicana/o and Latina/o/x Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. Special attention is given to systems of oppression foregrounding race and ethnicity, including histories and legacies of settler colonialism and indigenous dispossession, militarized capitalism, chattel slavery and coerced labor, immigration and citizenship laws, and artistic and intellectual expressions. In addition, students will be introduced to the activism and cultural production of those groups in the struggle for social justice, self-determination, and political representation. The course will provide a foundation for understanding the major contributions of historically aggrieved racialized groups and communities that have challenged the status quo in a racist society.

This course provides an introduction to the historical roots of race and racism, and how it has been, and continues to be, a powerful force that shapes American society. Students will closely examine race and ethnicity, and the impacts of racism upon Native Americans, Chicanas/os and Latinas/os, African Americans, and Asian Americans. This course includes an analysis of the economic, political, social, and cultural impact of racial attitudes, behaviors, practices, and public policy. The course will highlight the ways that race and ethnicity intersect with gender, sexuality, class, citizenship, and nation in order to better understand how systems of power and inequality are constructed, reinforced, and challenged. Informed by multiple disciplines, the course will provide a foundation for understanding the impact and role of race and racism in major U.S. institutions.