Ethnic Studies
Ethnic studies is the study of the social, cultural, and historical
forces that have shaped the development of America's diverse ethnic
peoples over the last 500 years and which continue to shape our future.
Focusing on immigration, slavery, and confinement, those three social
processes that combined to create in the United States a nation of nations,
ethnic studies intensively examines the histories, languages, and cultures
of America's racial and ethnic minority groups in and of themselves,
in their relationships to each other, and, particularly, in structural
contexts of power.
The curriculum of the Department of Ethnic Studies is designed to 1)
study intensively the particular histories of different ethnic and racial
groups in the United States, especially intragroup stratification; 2)
to draw larger theoretical lessons from comparisons among these groups;
3) to articulate general principles that shape racial and ethnic relations
both currently and historically; and 4) to explore how ethnic identity
is constructed and reconstructed over time both internally and externally.
A degree in ethnic studies offers training of special interest to those
considering admission to graduate or professional schools and careers
in education, law, medicine, public health, social work, journalism, business,
city planning, politics, psychology, international relations, or creative
writing. A major in ethnic studies is designed to impart fundamental skills
in critical thinking, comparative analysis, social theory and research
analysis, and written expression. These skills will give students the
opportunity to satisfy the increasingly rigorous expectations of graduate
admissions committees and prospective employers for a broad liberal arts
perspective.
An ethnic studies major offers excellent preparation for teaching in
the elementary schools. If you are interested in earning a California
teaching credential from UCSD, contact the Teacher Education Program for
information about the prerequisite and professional preparation requirements.
It is recommended that you contact TEP as early as possible in your academic
career.
The Major
To receive a B.A. degree with a major in ethnic studies, students must
meet the following requirements:
- A three-quarter course lower-division sequence (Ethnic Studies 1A-B-C).
Ideally this sequence should be taken during the sophomore year as an
intensive introduction to the history and theoretical dimensions of
ethnic diversity in the United States. Ethnic Studies 1A-B-C, Introduction
to Ethnic Studies, will consist of the following three courses: Population
Histories of the United States, Immigration and Assimilation in American
Life, Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States.
- A minimum of twelve four-unit upper-division courses in the Department
of Ethnic Studies must be completed from the following five categories:
- One four-unit upper-division course that intensively explores
the theory and comparative methods of ethnic studies (Ethnic Studies
100: Theories and Methods of Ethnic Studies). All ethnic studies
majors should complete this course before proceeding with the other
requirements listed below.
- Four upper-division ethnic studies history and social science
courses from those listed below:
ETHN 105: Ethnic Diversity and the City
ETHN 106: Ethnoracial Transformations of U.S. Communities
ETHN 107: Field Work in Racial and Ethnic Communities
ETHN 112: History of Native Americans in the United States
ETHN 118: Contemporary Immigration Issues
ETHN 119: Multiracial Societies in the Americas
ETHN 120: Comparative Asian-American History, 1850–1965
ETHN 121: Contemporary Asian-American History
ETHN 123: Asian-American Politics
ETHN 125: Asian-American History
ETHN 130: Social and Economic History of the Southwest I
ETHN 131: Social and Economic History of the Southwest II
ETHN 134: Immigration and Ethnicity in Modern American Society
ETHN 150: Politics of Cultural Pluralism and National Integration
ETHN 151: Ethnic Politics in America
ETHN 152: Law and Civil Rights
ETHN 160: Black Politics and Protest in the Early 20th Century
(1885–1941)
ETHN 161: Black Politics and Protest Since 1941
ETHN 162: Cultural Contact and Exchange
ETHN 163: Leisure in Urban America
ETHN 165: Sex and Gender in African American Communities
ETHN 166: The Black Press and Social Change
ETHN 167: African-American History in War and Peace: 1917 to
the Present
ETHN 170A: Origins of the Atlantic World, c. 1450–1650
ETHN 170B: Slavery and the Atlantic World
ETHN 197: Field Work in Racial and Ethnic Communities*
ETHN 198: Directed Group Studies*
ETHN 199: Supervised Independent Study and Research*
*Only two will be counted in fulfillment of this requirement
Colloquia
ETHN 180: Topics in Mexican-American History
ETHN 181: Topics in the Comparative History of Modern Slavery
ETHN 182: Segregation, Freedom Movements, and the Crisis of
the Twentieth Century
ETHN 183: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class
ETHN 184: Black Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century
ETHN 186: The Ethnic Press in the United States
ETHN 187: Black Nationalism
ETHN 189: Special Topics in Ethnic Studies
- At least three upper-division courses that focus on language and
ethnicity:
ETHN 140: Language and American Ethnicity
ETHN 141: Language, Culture, and Inequality
ETHN 142: Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
ETHN 145: Spanish Language in the United States
ETHN 185: Discourse, Power, and Inequality
Due to the limited course offerings in this general area during
the 2001–2002 academic year, students may petition to count
courses on language and ethnicity offered by other departments.
Some courses in foreign language at the upper-division level or
area studies (Latin American Studies, Third World Studies, Japanese
Studies, etc.) may be counted in partial fulfillment of this requirement,
with the consent of the department. Students must seek faculty advice
on which courses would best satisfy the requirement and yield the
most rigorous training.
- At least three upper-division ethnic studies courses on the literature
and cultural expressions of American racial and ethnic minorities:
ETHN 101: Ethnic Images in Film
ETHN 110: Cultural World Views of Native Americans
ETHN 111: Native American Literature
ETHN 122: Asian-American Culture and Identity
ETHN 124: Asian-American Literature
ETHN 132: Chicano Dramatic Literature
ETHN 133: Hispanic-American Dramatic Literature
ETHN 135: Development of Chicano Literature
ETHN 136: Themes and Motifs in Chicano Literature
ETHN 137: Chicano Prose
ETHN 138: Chicano Poetry
ETHN 139: Chicano Literature in English
ETHN 146A: Theatrical Ensemble
ETHN 164: African Americans and the Mass Media
ETHN 168: Comparative Ethnic Literature
ETHN 172: Afro-American Prose
ETHN 173: Afro-American Poetry
ETHN 174: Themes in Afro-American Literature
ETHN 175: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance
ETHN 176: Black Music/Black Texts: Communication and Cultural
Expression
ETHN 177: African Heritage in Contemporary Drama: African,
Caribbean, and African American
ETHN 178: Blues: An Oral Tradition
ETHN 179A: Jazz Roots and Early Development (1900–1943)
ETHN 179B: Jazz Since 1946: Freedom and Form
- One four-unit field methods course (Ethnic Studies 190: Research
Methods: Studying Ethnic and Racial Communities).
- Since the goal of the Department of Ethnic Studies is to intensively
study both the particular histories of various ethnic and racial groups
in the United States and to draw larger theoretical lessons from comparisons
among and between groups, students may not fulfill requirements 2B and
2D by focusing all of the seven required courses on only one ethnic
or racial group.
The Honors Program
Consistent with other research opportunities offered to undergraduates
on the UCSD campus, the department offers the Honors Program to ethnic
studies majors in their senior or junior year the opportunity to conduct
original research using interdisciplinary methodologies in the comparative
study of race and ethnicity. To enroll in the Honors Program, an undergraduate
must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in ethnic studies classes
counted towards the major. Students with a GPA in the major of lower than
3.5 may be admitted by exception if they show promise of success in research.
The Honors Program will be an extension of current departmental offerings
using existing faculty resources. Ethnic studies and affiliated faculty
will choose to advise students who successfully complete ETHN 191 and
continue in the Honors Program based related research interests. The student
will enroll in ETHN 192 and ETHN 193 with the appropiate faculty adviser.
Students who complete the sequence ETHN 191, ETHN 192, and ETHN 193 will
receive one credit towards the "B" (Social Studies/Humanities)
requirements for the ethnic studies major.
191. Undergraduate Research in Ethnic Studies (4)
This course is designed to help conduct their own research rather than
merely read the research of others. The course will introduce students
to research paradigms in ethnic studies, familiarize them with finding
aids and other library resources, and involve them in the design of research
plans.
192. Honors Research in Ethnic Studies (4)
This course is a continuation of Ethnic Studies 191- Undergraduate Research
in Ethnic Studies. Students who have completed ETHN 191 and selected a
faculty research adviser may enroll in this course. During the quarter
the research for the honors project will be completed under the faculty
adviser's supervision. Faculty advisers will meet weekly with their
honor students to oversee the progress made in carrying out the plan of
research.
193. Honors Research in Ethnic Studies (4)
This course is a continuation of Ethnic Studies 192 Honors Research in
Ethnic Studies. Students who have completed ETHN 192 and are continuing
to work with a faculty research adviser may enroll in this course. During
the quarter the written drafts and final honors paper will be completed
under the faculty adviser's supervision. The student will meet weekly
with the faculty adviser in order to prepare drafts and the final version
of the honors paper.
Ethnic Studies 191, 192, and 193 must be taken for letter grade only.
The Minor
Students may minor in ethnic studies. Students wishing to minor in ethnic
studies must take seven four-unit upper-division courses from the department's
offerings. The department offers several options that allow students to
take courses about a variety of ethnic groups or about one group. But
all students minoring in ethnic studies must enroll in our two courses
in analytic and comparative study of ethnicity—Theories and Methods
of Ethnic Studies (ETHN 100) and Research Methods: Studying Ethnic and
Racial Communities (ETHN 190.) The minor also requires that at least two,
but no more than three of the five remaining courses be selected from
either the ethnic studies history and social studies courses (listed above
as 2B), or the ethnic studies literature and cultural expressions courses
(listed above as 2D.) While the language and ethnicity courses currently
offered may also be used to satisfy this requirement, foreign language
and area studies courses from other departments may not.
Students interested in the African-American experience should consider
the following courses:
ETHN 160: Black Politics and Protest in the Early 20th Century (1885–1941)
ETHN 161: Black Politics and Protest Since 1941
ETHN 164: African Americans and the Mass Media
ETHN 165: Sex and Gender in African American Communities
ETHN 166: The Black Press and Social Change
ETHN 167: African-American History in War and Peace: 1917 to the
Present
ETHN 170A: Origins of the Atlantic World, c. 1450–1650
ETHN 170B: Slavery and the Atlantic World
ETHN 172: Afro-American Prose
ETHN 173: Afro-American Poetry
ETHN 174: Themes in Afro-American Literature
ETHN 175: Literature of the Harlem Renaissance
ETHN 176: Black Music/Black Texts: Communication and Cultural Expression
ETHN 177: African Heritage in Contemporary Drama: African, Caribbean,
and African American
ETHN 178: Blues: An Oral Tradition
ETHN 179A: Jazz Roots and Early Development (1900–1943)
ETHN 179B: Jazz Since 1946: Freedom and Form
ETHN 181: Topics in the Comparative History of Modern Slavery
ETHN 182: Segregation, Freedom Movements, and the Crisis of the Twentieth
Century
ETHN 184: Black Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century
ETHN 187: Black Nationalism
LTEN 188: Contemporary Caribbean Literature
THHS 153: Dance History: Jazz Dance and Related Ethnic Studies
Students interested in the Chicano Experience should consider the following
courses:
ETHN 132: Chicano Dramatic Literature
ETHN 133: Hispanic-American Dramatic Literature
ETHN 135: The Development of Chicano Literature
ETHN 136: Themes and Motifs in Chicano Literature
ETHN 137: Chicano Prose
ETHN 138: Chicano Poetry
ETHN 139: Chicano Literature in English
ETHN 145: Spanish Language in the United States
ETHN 180: Topics in Mexican American History
Students interested in the Asian-American experience should consider
the following courses:
ETHN 120: Comparative Asian-American History
ETHN 121: Contemporary Asian-American History
ETHN 122: Asian-American Culture and Identity
ETHN 123: Asian-American Politics
ETHN 124: Asian-American Literature
ETHN 125: Asian-American History
Students interested in the Native American experience should consider
the following courses:
ETHN 110: Cultural World Views of Native Americans
ETHN 111: Native American Literature
ETHN 112: History of Native Americans in the United States
SOCD 181i: The Sociology of Indian-White Relations
The Graduate Program
The UCSD Department of Ethnic Studies emphasizes comparative, analytic,
and relational study of ethnicity and race in the United States. Our fields
of emphasis include intercultural communication and conflict, population
histories of the Americas, ethnicity and identity, immigration and assimilation,
ethnic politics and social movements, race and racism, urban ethnicity,
gender and ethnicity, intellectual and cultural histories of ethnic groups,
cultural pluralism, national integration, language and ethnic life, and
mass media representations of ethnic identity.
Admission
New students are admitted in the fall quarter of each academic year.
Prospective applicants should submit the official application for admission
and awards (same form), one set of official transcripts from each institution
attended after high school, official scores from the Graduate Record Examination,
application fee, at least three letters of recommendation, and one or
more samples of the applicant's own writing, such as term papers.
Additionally, foreign applicants must submit official scores from the
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants are encouraged
to visit the department to talk with faculty and graduate students. The
application deadline is January 15.
Program of Study
Students are required to enroll as full-time graduate students, to carry
a minimum enrollment of twelve units of graduate-level courses each quarter,
and to maintain a grade-point average of 3.2 or better. To obtain an M.A.
degree students must take fifty-one units of course work and write a master's
thesis.
Core Curriculum Sequence Requirements
- Ethnic Studies 200A-B-C, Core Seminar
All graduate students will be required to take the introductory three-quarter
core seminar (four units each, twelve units total) during their first
year in the program. This course covers ethnic studies theory , the
history of ethnic studies, and controversies in ethnic studies.
- Ethnic Studies 210, Research Seminar
During the first year of graduate study, all students will be required
to take (1) one-quarter of the research seminar (4 units). This course
introduces students to the practice of original discovery research in
the field of racial and ethnic studies, including articulating a research
problem, placing it within theoretical discussions, selecting appropriate
methods, and analyzing data.
- Ethnic Studies 230, Department Colloquium
During the first two years of graduate study, all students will be required
to enroll in three one-quarter colloquia required by the department.
In Ethnic Studies 230, department faculty and visiting lecturers will
make presentations about research in progress in our field. This colloquium
is a one-unit course and must be taken for a total of three quarters.
- Ethnic Studies 240, Multidisciplinary Research Methods in Ethnic
Studies
During the first two years of graduate study, students must enroll in
two (2) four-unit disciplinary methods courses. The first course must
be Ethnic Studies 240; Multidisciplinary Research Methods in Ethnic
Studies. Depending upon the student's research interests, the second
course will be selected (in consultation with the student's graduate
adviser) from those graduate methods courses offered by UCSD Humanities
and Social Science Departments.
- Ethnic Studies 290A-B, Master's Thesis Preparation
Students are required to write a master's thesis as part of the
requirements for the master of arts in ethnic studies. Students should
enroll in thesis preparation courses in the fall and spring quarters
of the second year of graduate studies.
- Ethnic Studies 295A-B-C, Dissertation Seminar
By the end of their fourth year, all candidates for the Ph.D. degree
must take Ethnic Studies 295A-B-C, the Dissertation Seminar. This is
a three-quarter seminar about all phases of dissertation research and
writing. Students will begin their dissertations while taking this seminar.
Foreign Language Requirement
Competence in one or more foreign languages is encouraged but not required
at the M.A. level. All doctoral candidates must satisfy the department's
graduate committee that they have adequate linguistic competence in one
foreign language relevant to their area of research by translating three
pages of scholarly text written in the designated foreign language. The
graduate committee may waive the language requirement and test the candidate
on other specialized skills in instances where knowledge of a foreign
language is not relevant to the candidate's areas of research.
Instruction in Quantification
The department encourages graduate students to employ quantitative methods
where appropriate. Instruction in quantitative methods can fulfill elective
requirements; recommended courses include Sociology 205 and 206—Survey
and Demographic Methods, Political Science 270—Quantitative Methods
in Political Science. In cases where a reading knowledge of evidence assembled
through quantitative methods would be useful, students who obtain the
permission of the director of Graduate Studies may fulfill elective requirements
by taking no more than two selected undergraduate courses including Sociology
103—Computer Applications to Data Management in Sociology, Sociology
107—Demographic Methods, Sociology 108—Quantitative Analysis
of Survey Data, Sociology 109—Quantitative Analysis of Sociological
Data, Political Science 170—Quantitative Political Science, among
others.
The Master's Degree
Students entering the ethnic studies doctoral program must first complete
a master's degree before continuing toward the doctorate. University
regulations prohibit entering students who already have a master's
degree from receiving a second master's degree. Nonetheless, students
who are admitted to the ethnic studies doctoral program with a master's
degree must complete all the requirements for the ethnic studies master
of arts degree. The M.A. will also be a terminal degree for those students
denied admission to candidacy.
To obtain the M.A. degree, students must complete the department's
course requirements satisfactorily. At the end of the second year in the
graduate program, students must submit a written thesis to their Master's
Thesis Committee (MTC). The committee will assess the quality of the work
and determine whether it demonstrates the likelihood of success in conducting
doctoral research.
The final decision regarding the M.A. degree is based on grades, the
master's thesis, and yearly faculty evaluations. The Graduate Program
Commitee awards three possible grades: Pass, M.A. Only, and No Pass. All
passing students (with the exception of those who already have a master's
degree in ethnic studies from another institution) receive the master
of arts degree and proceed in their course of studies for the doctorate.
Students who receive M.A. Only evaluations gain the master's degree
but may not continue in the department's Ph.D. program. Students
who receive a No Pass evaluation must withdraw from the program without
a graduate degree.
The master's degree is earned as one of the requirements for the
Ph.D. and is based on the quality of the student's work during the
first two years in the graduate program. At the end of the second year,
students are evaluated by the Graduate Program Committee for the master's
degree. At that time, the committee (GPC) ascertains the student's
suitability for doctoral work and recommends either advancement to Ph.D.
work or termination.
Requirements for the Qualifying Examinations
When students complete all the core curriculum requirements and have
taken five four-unit elective courses in appropriate areas or disciplines,
they are eligible to take the qualifying examination for the Ph.D. degree.
Students will be encouraged to take the exam by the end of their third
year in the program, but this examination must be completed by the end
of the student's fourth year in the program. The qualifying exam
is both written and oral; it consists of two parts. Part one tests the
student's basic competence and knowledge of ethnic studies scholarship
as spelled out in the Department of Ethnic Studies required graduate reading
list. The reading list will be distributed to every student entering the
graduate program. Over the next three years, students are required to
read all of these books and articles, and to have their mastery of these
readings tested during the qualifying examination. Part two of the examination
requires the submission of a dissertation prospectus. The dissertation
prospectus is a written document that 1) specifies the dissertation research
topic; 2) places the dissertation research in the context of the relevant
literature in the field; 3) identifies the significance of the project
as original discovery scholarship; 4) explains and justifies the research
methods to be employed; 5) establishes the feasibility of the research
and identifies the primary sources or data bases to be used;6) indicates
the anticipated steps leading to completion of the project; and 7) provides
a timetable for the research and writing phases of the project.
The Doctoral Committee consists of five persons proposed by the student
and accepted by the department chair and the office of Graduate Studies
and Research according to graduate council regulations. A sixth member
of the committee may be added with the approval of the department chair.
Students are expected to select the chair of their examination committee
by the winter quarter of the third year of study. The chair of the Ph.D.
Examination Committee serves as the student's adviser for the remainder
of the student's graduate program. Three of the Examina-tion Committee
members must be Department of Ethnic Studies faculty; the other two must
be from other departments.
Fourteen days before the scheduled qualifying examination, the student
must submit the written dissertation prospectus to the examination committee.
On this same day, the student will receive from the chair of the examination
committee a three-question written exam testing knowledge of the required
graduate reading list. Seven days before the scheduled qualifying examination,
the student must submit written answers to the questions that have been
posed, distributing copies of these essays to all examination committee
members. A two-hour oral examination will occur on the appointed date.
At the two-hour oral exam, the student will answer questions posed by
the committee about the student's dissertation prospectus, mastery
of the required graduate reading list, answers to the written part of
the exam, and comprehensive knowledge of ethnic studies scholarship. Based
on written papers and on oral performance, three possible grades will
be selected by the examination committee: No Pass, Pass, and High Pass.
Students who receive a No Pass must retake the qualifying examination
within one year and obtain a Pass grade to remain in the doctoral program.
The Doctoral Dissertation
Once students pass the qualifying exam, they may begin dissertation
research. Students are expected to consult with their committee members
on a regular basis during the research process. All Ph.D. candidates must
take Ethnic Studies 295A-B-C by the end of their fourth year.
All doctoral students will be evaluated annually by the doctoral committee
and given a written report signed by the thesis adviser according to campus
policy.
When the dissertation has been substantially completed and once committee
members have had the opportunity to review drafts of the written work,
the committee meets (with or without the student present at the discretion
of the committee chair) to consider the progress made and to identify
concerns, changes to be made, or further research to be done. Once the
committee members are substantially satisfied with the written work, the
student, in consultation with the committee, schedules the oral defense
of the dissertation. By university regulation, the defense is open to
the public.
The final version of the dissertation must be approved by each member
of the doctoral committee. Having successfully defended the dissertation
in oral examination, the student is eligible to receive the Ph.D. degree.
The final version of the dissertation is then filed with the university
librarian via the office of Graduate Studies and Research. Acceptance
of the dissertation by the university librarian is the final step in completing
all requirements for the Ph.D.
Departmental Ph.D. Time Limits Policy
Pre-candidacy status, that is, the registered time before a student
passes the qualifying examination and thereby advances to Ph.D. candidacy,
may not exceed four years. Normative time for a Ph.D. in ethnic studies
is six years. Normative time is defined as that period of time in which
students under normal circumstances are expected to complete their doctoral
program. To provide an incentive for students to complete the Ph.D. within
normative time, students will only be eligible for departmental financial
support for six years (eighteen quarters). By university policies, the
doctoral dissertation must be submitted and defended within eight years.
To meet this normative time limit, and to meet departmental requirements,
students must complete the Qualifying Examination by the end of the fourth
year.
In the spring quarter each year, the Graduate Program Committee will
assess the progress of each pre-candidacy student on the basis of evaluations
submitted by three faculty members chosen by the student. The committee
will establish that the student is in good standing, recommend additional
course work, or recommend dismissal. The committee may wish to meet with
some students in person to discuss the student's evaluation and progress
toward the degree.
Courses
Lower-Division
1A. Introduction to Ethnic Studies: Population Histories of the United
States (4)
This course examines the comparative historical demography of what is
today the United States, focusing on the arrival, growth, distribution,
and redistribution of immigrants from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin
America.
1B. Introduction to Ethnic Studies: Immigration and Assimilation in
American Life (4)
A history of immigration to the United States from colonial times to the
present, with emphasis on the roles of ethnic and racial groups in economics,
power relations between dominant and subordinate groups, and contemporary
ethnic and racial consciousness.
1C. Introduction to Ethnic Studies: Race and Ethnic Relations in the
United States (4)
This course examines the theoretical literature on race and ethnicity,
focusing on issues of domination and subordination, and the historical
emergence of racism and ethnic conflict. Attention is given to class and
gender differences within racial and ethnic groups.
90. Undergraduate Seminar (1)
A seminar intended for exposing undergraduate students, especially freshmen
and sophomores, to exciting research programs conducted by department
faculty. Enrollment is limited.
Upper-Division
Prerequisite: upper-division standing or consent of instructor.
100. Theories and Methods in Ethnic Studies (4)
An introduction to research in ethnic studies with special emphasis on
theories, concepts, and methods. Students will explore how racial and
ethnic categories are shaped by gender, class, and regional experiences
and will study ethnicity and race in comparative perspective.
101. Ethnic Images in Film (4)
An upper-division lecture course studying representations of ethnicity
in the American cinema. Topics include ethnic images as narrative devices,
the social implications of ethnic images, and the role of film in shaping
and reflecting societal power relations.
105. Ethnic Diversity and the City (4)
This course will examine the city as a crucible of ethnic identity exploring
both the racial and ethnic dimensions of urban life in the U.S. from the
Civil War to the present.
106. Ethnoracial Transformations of U.S. Communities (4)
Course examines the rapid growth of ethnic/racial minority populations
in U.S. cities; how long-term residents respond to these ethnoracial transformations;
how ethnic/racial groups are/are not being incorporated into American
institutions; and implications of these transformations for the nation.
107. Field Work in Racial and Ethnic Communities (4)
This is a research course examining social, economic, and political issues
in ethnic and racial communities through a variety of research methods
which may include interviews, and archival, library, and historical research.
110. Cultural World Views of Native Americans (4)
Using interdisciplinary methods, this course examines the cultural world
views of various Native American societies in the United States through
an exploration of written literary texts and other expressive cultural
forms such as dance, art, song, religious and medicinal rituals.
111. Native American Literature (4)
This course analyzes Native American written and oral traditions. Students
will read chronicles and commentaries on published texts, historic speeches,
trickster narratives, oratorical and prophetic tribal epics, and will
delve into the methodological problems posed by tribal literature in translation.
112. History of Native Americans in the United States (4)
This course examines the history of Native Americans in the United States,
with emphasis on the lifeways, mores, warfare, and relations with the
United States government. Attention is given to the background and evolution
of acculturation up to the present day.
118. Contemporary Immigration Issues (4)
This course examines the diversity of today's immigrants—their
social origins and contexts of exit and their adaptation experiences and
contexts of incorporation. Prerequisite: upper-division standing or
consent of instructor.
119. Multiracial Societies in the Americas (4)
This course explores the genesis, evolution, and contradictions of racially
heterogeneous societies in the Americas, from European conquest to the
present. Topics: the social history of Indians, blacks, Asians, and their
interactions with Europeans, and racial, sexual, and class divisions.
120. Comparative Asian-American History 1850–1965 (4)
Using comparative methods of analysis, this course will examine the historical
experience of Asian-Americans in areas such as immigration, settlement
patterns, labor, economic development, race relations, community institutions,
and occupational patterns between 1850 and 1965.
121. Contemporary Asian-American History (4)
The course will study changes in Asian-American communities as a result
of renewed immigration since 1965; the influx of refugees from Vietnam,
Kampuchea, and Laos; the impact of contemporary social movements on Asian-Americans'
current economic, social, and political status.
122. Asian-American Culture and Identity (4)
A survey of Asian-American cultural expressions in literature, art, and
music to understand the social experiences that helped forge Asian-American
identity. Topics: culture conflict, media portrayals, assimilation pressures,
the model minority myth, and interethnic and class relations.
123. Asian-American Politics (4)
This course will examine the development of Asian-American politics by
studying the historical and contemporary factors, such as political and
economic exclusion, that have contributed to the importance and complexity
of ethnicity as a mobilizing force in politics.
124. Asian-American Literature (4)
Selected topics in the literature by men and women of Asian descent who
live and write in the United States. May be repeated for credit when topics
vary. (Cross-listed with LTEN 181.)
125. Asian-American History (4)
Explore how Asian Americans were involved in the political, economic and
cultural formation of United States society. Topics include migration;
labor systems; gender, sexuality and social organization; racial ideologies
and anti-Asian movements; and nationalism and debates over citizenship.
(Cross-listed with HIUS 124.)
130. Social and Economic History of the Southwest I (4)
This course examines the history of the Spanish and Mexican Borderlands
(what became the U.S. Southwest) from roughly 1400 to the end of the U.S.-Mexican
war in 1848, focusing specifically on the area's social, cultural,
and political development. (Cross-listed with HIUS 158.)
131. Social and Economic History of the Southwest II (4)
This course examines the history of the American Southwest from the U.S.-Mexican
War in 1846-48 to the present, focusing on immigration, racial and ethnic
conflict, and the growth of Chicano national identity. (Cross-listed with
HIUS 159.)
132. Chicano Dramatic Literature (4)
Focusing on the contemporary evolution of Chicano dramatic literature,
the course will analyze playwrights and theatre groups that express the
Chicano experience in the United States, examining relevant actos, plays,
and documentaries for their contributions to the developing Chicano theatre
movement. (Cross-listed with THHS 110.)
133. Hispanic-American Dramatic Literature (4)
This course examines the plays of leading Cuban-American, Puerto Rican,
and Chicano playwrights in an effort to understand the experiences of
these Hispanic-American groups in the United States. (Cross-listed with
THHS 111.)
134. Immigration and Ethnicity in Modern American Society (4)
Comparative study of immigration and ethnic-group formation in the United
States from 1880 to the present. Topics include immigrant adaptation,
competing theories about the experiences of different ethnic groups, and
the persistence of ethnic attachments in modern American society. Requirements
will vary for undergraduate, M.A., and Ph.D. students. Graduate students
may be required to submit a more substantial piece of work. (Cross-listed
with HIUS 180.) Prerequisites: upper-division standing and department
stamp.
135. Development of Chicano Literature (4)
A cross-genre survey of major works in Chicano literature from its beginning
to the present with primary emphasis on contemporary works. Speaking,
writing, and reading knowledge of Spanish is required. (Cross-listed with
Lit/Sp 150.)
136. Themes and Motifs in Chicano Literature (4)
This course is organized around some of the significant themes and ideas
expressed in specific Chicano writings. The importance of these themes
to particular Chicano experience is considered. Speaking, writing, and
reading knowledge of Spanish is required. (Cross-listed with Lit/Sp 151.)
137. Chicano Prose (4)
A study of the different genres of Chicano prose: novel, short story,
poetry, autobiography. Attention is given to Chicano prose styles and
the historical and cultural movement in which they develop. Speaking,
writing, and reading knowledge of Spanish is required. (Cross-listed with
Lit/Sp 152.)
138. Chicano Poetry (4)
An analysis and discussion of major forms and modes of Chicano poetry,
with primary emphasis on the developing styles of the poets and on the
study of texts' and authors' historical moments. Speaking, writing,
and reading knowledge of Spanish is required. (Cross-listed with Lit/Sp
153.)
139. Chicano Literature in English (4)
Introduction to the literature in English by the Chicano population, the
men and women of Mexican descent who live and write in the United States.
The primary focus is the contemporary period. (Cross-listed with Lit/En
180.)
140. Language and American Ethnicity (4)
This course examines the intersection of language and ethnicity in the
United States, focusing on the social and political impact of bilingualism,
ethnically based English dialects, and standard and nonstandard English.
141. Language, Culture, and Inequality (4)
A critical review of conceptions of language and how they have been deployed
in constructing images of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality,
and class. Topics include cultural and linguistic relativism, structuralism,
symbolic and cognitive approaches, ethnomethodology, sociolinguistics,
ethnography of speaking, performance, and ethnopoetics. Prerequisite:
upper-division standing.
142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality (4)
Globalization fosters both the transmission of AIDS, cholera, tuberculosis,
and other infectious diseases and gross inequalities in the resources
available to prevent and cure them. This course focuses on how race, ethnicity,
gender, sexuality, class, and nation both shape and are shaped by the
social construction of health and disease worldwide. Prerequisite:
upper-division standing or consent of instructor.
145. Spanish Language in the United States (4)
A sociolinguistic study of the popular dialects in the United States and
their relation to other Latin American dialects. The course will cover
phonological and syntactic differences between the dialects as well as
the influence of English on the Southwest dialects. (Cross-listed with
Lit/Sp 162.)
146A. Theatrical Ensemble (4-4)
An intensive theatre practicum designed to generate theatre created by
an ensemble, with particular emphasis upon the analysis of text. Students
will explore and analyze scripts and authors. Ensemble segments include:
black theatre, Chicano theatre, feminist theatre, commedia dell'arte
theatre. (Cross-listed with THAC 120.)
150. Politics of Cultural Pluralism and National Integration (4)
This course comparatively analyzes the problems posed by subnational loyalties
founded on ethnic, linguistic, racial, religious, and caste identities
in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. Particular attention
will be given to the processes of national integration in multicultural
politics.
151. Ethnic Politics in America (4)
This course will survey the political effects of immigration, ethnic mobilization,
and community building in America, and the contemporary role of ethnicity
in politics and intergroup relations.
152. Law and Civil Rights (4)
In this course students explore the relationship between race, class,
and law as it applies to civil rights both in an historical and a contemporary
context. Topics include racism and the law, history of the 14th Amendment,
equal protection, school desegregation, and affirmative action.
160. Black Politics and Protest 1885–1941 (4)
An examination of the evolution of black thought and activism from Booker
T. Washington's Atlanta Exposition Address to A. Philip Randolph's
March on Washington Movement. Particular attention paid to black institutions
and their relationship to the federal government.
161. Black Politics and Protest Since 1941 (4)
Discussion of black social, political, and intellectual experiences since
the publication of Richard Wright's Native Son. Close examination
of blacks' involvement in and relationships to Second World War,
Cold War, Civil Rights Movement, Black Power Movement, Reagan Revolution,
and Underclass Debate. (Cross-listed with USP 135B.)
162. Cultural Contact and Exchange (4)
An examination of the comparative histories of cultural contact and exchange
between indigenous peoples and "outsiders." Particular attention
will be paid to the way in which social hierarchy and cultural belief
systems guide the balance of power between dissimilar societies.
163. Leisure in Urban America (4)
Historical examination of how leisure has shaped the American urban landscape.
Course will explore connections between spectator sports and the rise
of "urban mentalities"; sports franchises, urban redevelopment
schemes, and racial and ethnic communities; and sports mythology and civil
pride.
164. African Americans and the Mass Media (4)
This course will examine the media representations of African Americans
from slavery through the twentieth century. Attention will be paid to
the emergence and transmission of enduring stereotypes, and their relationship
to changing social, political, and economic frameworks in the United States.
The course will also consider African Americans' responses to and
interpretations of these mediated images.
165. Sex and Gender in African American Communities (4)
This course will investigate the changing constructions of sex, gender,
and sexuality in African American communities defined by historical period,
region, and class. Topics will incude the sexual division of labor, myths
of black sexuality, the rise of black feminism, black masculinity, and
queer politics.
166. The Black Press and Social Change (4)
An investigation of the black press—including newspapers, periodicals,
and electronic media—as agents for social change in African American
history. The course will consider the changing cultural and political
functions of the black press, economic forces, and the work of influential
journalists, artists, and intellectuals.
167. African-American History in War and Peace: 1917 to the Present
(4)
The social, political, economic, and ideological pressures generated during
the international conflicts of the twentieth century have had an enormous
impact on American life. This course examines how the pressures of "total
war" and "cold war" shaped the African-American experience
in both war and peacetime. (Cross-listed with HIUS 138)
168. Comparative Ethnic Literature (4)
A lecture-discussion course that juxtaposes the experience of two or more
U.S. ethnic groups and examines their relationship with the dominant culture.
Students will analyze a variety of texts representing the history of ethnicity
in this country. Topics will vary.
170. Origins of the Atlantic World, c. 1450–1650 (4)
An examination of interactions among the peoples of western Europe, Africa,
and the Americas that transformed the Atlantic basin into an interconnected
"Atlantic World." Topics will include maritime technology and
the European Age of Discovery, colonization in the Americas, the beginnings
of the transatlantic slave trade, and early development of plantation
slavery in the New World. (Cross-listed with HIUS 135A.)
170B. Slavery and the Atlantic World (4)
The development of the Atlantic slave trade and the spread of racial slavery
in the Americas before 1800. Explores the diversity of slave labor in
the Americas and the different slave cultures African Americans produced
under the constraints of slavery. (Cross-listed with HIUS 135B.)
172. Afro-American Prose (4)
Students will analyze and discuss the novel, the personal narrative, and
other prose genres, with particular emphasis on the developing characters
of Afro-American narrative and the cultural and social circumstances that
influence their development. (Cross-listed with Lit/En 183.)
173. Afro-American Poetry (4)
A close reading and analysis of selected works of Afro-American poetry
as they reflect styles and themes that recur in the literature. (Cross-listed
with Lit/En 184.)
174. Themes in Afro-American Literature (4)
This course focuses on the influence of slavery upon African American
writers. Our concern is not upon what slavery was but upon what it is
within the works and what these texts reveal about themselves, their authors,
and their audiences. (Cross-listed with Lit/En 185.)
175. Literature of the Harlem Renaissance (4)
The Harlem Renaissance (1917–39) focuses on the emergence of the
"New Negro" and the impact of this concept on black literature,
art, and music. Writers studied include Claude McKay, Zora N. Hurston,
and Langston Hughes. Special emphasis on new themes and forms. (Cross-listed
with Lit/En 186.)
176. Black Music/Black Texts: Communication and Cultural Expression
(4)
This course explores the role of music as a traditional form of communication
among Africans, Afro-Americans, and West Indians. Special attention given
to poetry of black music, including blues and other forms of vocal music
expressive of contestatory political attitudes. (Cross-listed with Lit/En
187.)
177. African Heritage in Contemporary Drama: African, Caribbean, and
African American (4)
From Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun to the latest plays of
Ed Bullins, black drama has mirrored and, occasionally, forecast the mood
and aspirations of black people in America. The course examines plays,
playwrights, and participants in contemporary black theatre. (Cross-listed
with THHS 109.)
178. Blues: An Oral Tradition (4)
This course will examine the development of the Blues from its roots in
work-songs and the minstrel show to its flowering in the Mississippi Delta
to the development of Urban blues and the close relationship of the Blues
with Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, and Rock and Roll. (Cross-listed with Music
126.)
179A. Jazz Roots and Early Development (1900–1943) (4)
This course will trace the early development of Jazz and the diverse traditions
which helped create this uniquely American art form. We will witness the
emergence of Louis Armstrong in New Orleans and examine the composer's
role in Jazz with Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. (Cross-listed
with Music 127A.)
179B. Jazz Since 1946: Freedom and Form (4)
This course will examine the evolution of Jazz from 1943 to the present.
The course will survey the contrasting and competing styles in Jazz from
BEBOP to COOL to the avant garde and fusion. (Cross-listed with Music
127B.)
Colloquia
180. Topics in Mexican-American History (4)
This colloquium studies the racial representation of Mexican-Americans
in the United States from the nineteenth century to the present, examining
critically the theories and methods of the humanities and social sciences.
(Cross-listed with HIUS 167.)
181. Topics in the Comparative History of Modern Slavery (4)
Slavery was both a thread of continuity in the history of the Americas
and distinctive institution in the specific social settings. The purpose
of this course is to examine and discuss readings that explore topics
in the Caribbean and the U.S. Because topics will vary, the seminar may
be taken more than once for credit, with permission of the instructor.
Requirements vary for undergraduates, M.A., and Ph.D. students. Graduate
students are required to submit a more substantial piece of work. Prerequisite:
upper-division or consent of instructor. (Cross-listed with HIUS 164.)
182. Segregation, Freedom Movements, and the Crisis of the Twentieth
Century (4)
A reading and discussion seminar that views the origins of segregation
and the social movements that challenged it between 1890 and 1970 in a
comparative framework. (Cross-listed with HIUS 165.)
183. Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Class
Gender is often neglected in studies of ethnic/racial politics. This seminar
explores the relationship of race, ethnicity, class, and gender by examining
the participation of working class women of color in community politics
and how they challenge mainstream political theory.
184. Black Intellectuals in the Twentieth Century (4)
An analysis of black cultural and intellectual production since 1895.
Course will explore how race and race-consciousness have influenced the
dialogue between ideas and social experience; and how other factors—i.e.,
age, gender, and class—affected scholars' insights.
185. Discourse, Power, and Inequality (4)
While discourse analysis has transformed numerous disciplines, a gap separates
perspectives that envision discourse as practices that construct inequality
from approaches which treat discourse as everyday language. This course
engages both perspectives critically in analyzing law, medicine, and popular
culture.
186. The Ethnic Press in the United States (4)
Readings and research on news media institutions established in ethnic
communities since the nineteenth century. The course will trace the emergence,
development, and longevity of ethnic presses, their role in cultivating
and maintaining ethnic identity, and their attempts to respond to and
resist images in mainstream media.
187. Black Nationalism (4)
This course will investigate the ideologies and practices of black nationalist
movements in the United States and/or across the black Diaspora, focusing
on their political philosophy, political culture, and gender and class
structure.
189. Special Topics in Ethnic Studies (4)
A reading and discussion course that explores special topics in ethnic
studies. Themes will vary from quarter to quarter; therefore, course may
be repeated for credit.
Seminars and Independent Studies
190. Research Methods: Studying Racial and Ethnic Communities (4)
The course offers students the basic research methods with which to study
ethnic and racial communities. The various topics to be explored include
human and physical geography, transportation, employment, economic structure,
cultural values, housing, health, education, and intergroup relations.
197. Fieldwork in Racial and Ethnic Communities (4)
This course comprises supervised community fieldwork on topics of importance
to racial and ethnic communities in the greater San Diego area. Regular
individual meetings with faculty sponsor and written reports are required.
(May be repeated for credit.)
198. Directed Group Studies (4)
Directed group study on a topic or in a field not included in the regular
department curriculum by special arrangement with a faculty member. (May
be repeated for credit.)
199. Supervised Independent Study and Research (4)
Individual research on a topic that leads to the writing of a major paper.
(May be repeated for credit.)
Graduate
200A. History of Ethnic Studies (4)
This course charts the origins of ethnic studies research, the emergence
of dominant paradigms, and the history of race and ethnic issues across
and within disciplines.
200B. Theories of Ethnic Studies (4)
A critical exploration of the ways in which theories of ethnic studies
have constituted as well as analyzed knowledge and ethnic identity.
200C. Controversies in Ethnic Studies (4)
This course is structured around contemporary events and debates over
theories, methods, and objects of inquiry in ethnic studies.
210. Research Seminar in Ethnic Studies (4)
This course introduces students to the practice of original discovery
research in the field of racial and ethnic studies, including articulating
a research problem, placing it within theoretical discussions, selecting
appropriate methods, and analyzing data.
230. Departmental Colloquium (1)
This course is a forum for the presentation of recent research by guests,
faculty, and students. This course may be repeated three times for credit.
240. Multidiciplinary Research Methods in Ethnic Studies (4)
A critical introduction to the broad range of methods used in ethnic studies
research and how they have shaped social constructions of race, ethnicity,
gender, class, and sexuality.
250. Panethnicity in the United States (4)
This course compares and contrasts the experiences of the major panethnic
groups in the United States, paying particular attention to the construction
of ethnicity within contexts of power.
251. Cultural Pluralism and National Integration (4)
This course explores the ways in which nations and states around the world
have imagined and managed the linguistic, racial, and religious differences
of their citizens.
252. Ethnic Leadership in Comparative Perspective (4)
Readings and discussion on political and intellectual leadership in racial
and ethnic communities. A critical focus will be placed on the tensions
underlying leadership formation.
253. Mass Media and Ethnic Identity (4)
This course examines the ways that ethnic identity influences the practices
of mass media, and the ways in which mass media shape and reflect ethnic
identity.
254. Race and Racism (4)
This course examines inequality based on race with a focus on the institutions,
symbols, and social practices which structure and maintain racism. Particular
attention is given to laws and social policy which reinforce racial inequality.
255. Diaspora, Migration, and Return in the Post-Fordist Age (4)
This course studies the relationship between the transnational economy,
new technologies, and mass migration in the contemporary world.
256. Gender, Sexuality, and Ethnic Identity (4)
This course studies the body cross-culturally as a site for the construction
of gender, sex, ethnic, and racial identities.
257A-B. Social Theory (4-4)
An intensive survey of social and cultural theory, focusing on how constructions
of science, language, politics, and social inequality shaped early modernity,
Romantic Nationalism, Marxism, cultural relativity, psychoanalysis, and
fin de siècle social thought. The second quarter surveys poststructuralist,
postmodern, feminist, Subaltern Studies, globalization, and other critiques.
ETHN 257A is not a prerequisite for ETHN 257B.
258. Ethnic Conflict and Cooperation (4)
This course critically examines theories and research on racial and ethnic
relations. In particular, it will address how such relations are linked
to, and emerge from, everyday activities and structural factors.
259. Comparative Conquests, Colonization, and Resistance in the Americas
(4)
This course will offer a comparative survey of the impact of European
interactions with Native nations and populations in the New World, from
Peru to Canada. Readings will emphasize modes of initial interaction,
patterns of European colonization, and Native adaptation and resistance,
and broader changes in Native culture and cosmology as a result of conquest
and colonization.
289. Topics in Ethnic Studies Research (4)
This course is a research seminar on themes of contemporary and historic
importance in ethnic studies. Themes will be determined by instructor.
Course may be repeated three times for credit.
290A-B. Master's Thesis Preparation (4-4)
All graduate students are required to write a master's thesis as
part of the requirements for the master of arts in ethnic studies. Students
should enroll in the thesis preparation courses in the fall and spring
quarters of the second year of graduate studies.
298. Directed Reading (1-12)
This is an independent research or individual guided tutorial in an area
not covered by present course offerings. This course may be repeated for
an indefinite number of times due to the independent nature of the content
of the course.
299. Thesis Research (1-12)
Open to graduate students conducting doctoral thesis research. This course
may be repeated for an indefinite number of times due to the independent
nature of thesis research and writing.
500. Apprentice Teaching in Ethnic Studies (4)
A course in which teaching assistants are aided in learning proper teaching
methods by means of supervision of their work by the faculty: handling
of discussions, preparation and grading of examinations and other written
exercises, and student relations.
