CSP2003 Introduction to Ethnic Studies
4 Intermediate Liberal Arts Credits
This course will introduce students to the academic field of Ethnic Studies, raising questions about the ways that race and racism shape our experiences and world across a range of time and places: When and how did the concept of race arise? How does race connect with other forms of difference such as class, gender and sexuality? How do our personal experiences with racial identity and racism relate to the structure of our society? What does it mean to claim racial “colorblindness”? How have Ethnic Studies scholars explored areas such as immigration, popular culture, education, imperialism, war, and labor? How have concerns for social justice and equity shaped the field of Ethnic Studies? We will be reading a variety of academic and cultural texts which illustrate the interdisciplinarity of the work undertaken in Ethnic Studies. We will explore these issues through readings, discussions, lectures, films, short stories, and music. No introductory course can comprehensively examine all these topics or claim to represent all prevailing perspectives. Instead, this course surveys a variety of issues, topics and debates to introduce you to this field and encourage future research and inquiry during your college career and beyond.
Prerequisites: FCI 1000 and WRT 1001