Ethnic Studies 119: 3 Units
FILIPINO AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Professor: James Sobredo, Ph.D.
Lecture: T. Thurs, 9 - 10: 15 a.m., EUR 114
Office: Amador Hall 563A, Hours. 9:15 – 12:15 Wed.
Telephone: (916) 278-7566
Web Address: http://www.csus.edu/aas/sobredo

IMPORTANT ITEMS

 

*DROPPING Prof. Sobredo’s ETHN or any class at Sac State:
The Professor is NOT responsible for ADDING or DROPPING you
from this course or any other course. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to file the appropriate paper work with the Registrar’s Office to add or drop Dr. Sobredo’s ETHN or any other class.
* For more INFO on dropping individual classes, see: http://www.csus.edu/acad/faq/drp.stm


Course Description

Historical documents provide us archival evidence that Filipinos have been immigrating to the Americas since the 16th century and forming permanent settlements in the United States since the mid-1800s. Their experience and contributions, however, have been minimized and generally received very little attention in history books. Moreover, whenever mentioned, Filipino Americans have been stereotypically constructed as either "cheap" labor who were a threat to white workers or as successful "model minorities."

This course will provide an introduction to the history of Filipinos in America. Beginning in the 16th century and extending to the present (1990s), we shall examine the immigration and settlement histories. Their experience in America will be examined within the context of historical, social, economic, and political forces in American society. We shall also critically examine how their labor market status, race, class, and sex/gender relations affected the evolution and formation of Asian American communities. Finally, this course approaches the discussion and analysis of Filipinos in America from a world history and global migration point of view.

Course Objectives

By the end of the class, students will learned about:

  1. The history of Filipino American immigration and settlement in the U.S. (16th century - present),

  2. Historical context within which these immigrations/settlements have occurred,

  3. Social science theories in analyzing and interpreting Filipino American history.



COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In order to pass the class, students must complete all the mid-terms, final, and oral history interview project. Students are also required to attend all the class lectures, arrive to class on time, and are responsible for all the readings and lectures.

Only medical and family emergencies will be considered by the instructor. Students are allowed 2 absences, after which their grades will be significantly affected. The instructor does not tolerate disruptive classroom behavior. Consult the UC-Davis Student Handbook for policies governing student conduct and responsibilities. Late work will be assessed a reduction in grade points. Students are expected to be at class on time. The instructor does not give "make-up" exams or grade on a curve.

Course Evaluation & Grading

2 Midterms

FORMAT: True or False, Multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, short interpretive essay

200 pts
2 Midterms=100 pts
Objective Exam (T/F, multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks) & Essay

Online SacCT Class Discussion: dates will be announced one week prior.

40 points

Oral History Interview

FORMAT: interview transcript & narrative.

Students are required to (1) conduct a two-hour interview of a Filipino American "adult," (2) transcribe (type) the entire interview into a transcript [single-spaced, 6 pages minimum], and (3) write a 1,200-word oral history essay (typed, single-spaced, 2 pages) about the person and his/her community—write the number of words on the bottom of the essay. Here is a list of questions to use as a "guide" to your oral history project.

DUE: Last Thursday of class

60 pts
Transcript = 25 pts

Narrative = 25 pts

Photos = 10 pts


TOTAL

300 pts

 

 

GRADING SCALE   300 pts Total

300-282 points.... A, 281-270...A-, 269-260... B+, 259-250...B, 249-240... 

B-, 239-230...C+, 229-220...C, 219-210...C-, 209-179...D, 178 and below... "E" [not passing] 

Asian American Studies 150: TEXTS/READINGS

·        Evangeline Canonizado Buell, Twenty-Five Chickens and a Pig for a Bride: Growing Up in a Filipino Immigrant Family (San Francisco: T’Boli Publishing, 2006).

·        Carlos Bulosan, American is in the Heart (University of Washington Press, 1995).

·        Class Reader in Library Reserve: indicated by *.

SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY TOPICS & READINGS

 

  1. Introduction: Historical "Invisibility" to a Critical Mass

*“Filipina Activist Buell Writes Family History to Understand Herself,” San Francisco Chronicle, 8 March 2007.

  1. Pre-Spanish Society: Datus and Caracoas

    Felice Noelle Rodriguea, “Juan de Salcedo Joins the Native Form of Warefare,” Journal of Economic and Social History of the West, Vol. 46:2 (2003). Available via Sac State Library: JSTOR (Library Database).

 

  1. The Galleon Trade and Early Filipino Immigration, 16th-19th Century

Flynn, Dennis  and Arturo Giraldez, "Born with a 'Silver Spoon': The Origin of
World Trade in 1571," Journal of World History, 6:2, 1995. Available via Sac State Library: JSTOR (Library Database).

James Sobredo, “Filipino Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stockton and Seattle,” July 1999.

 

  1. American Colonialism: 1899-1902 FA War and "Benevolent Assimilation"

    Benjamin Pimentel, “’White Man’s’ Forgotten War,” San Francisco Chronicle, 31 March 1999.

    Carl Nolte, “U.S. War  with Philippines told in Presidio Exhibit,” San Francisco Chronicle, 14 November 2008.

    *Luzviminda Francisco, “The Philippine-American War” in Daniel B. Schirmer & Stephen Rosskamm Shalom, The Philippines Reader: A History of Colonialism, Neocolonialism, Dictatorship, and Resistance (Boston: South End Press, 1987). *Library Reserve.

  2. Context of Filipino Labor Migration to the United States

“Introduction” and Chapters 1-7. Carlos Bulosan, America is in the Heart (Seattle: Univ. of Washington Press, 2000).

  1. Filipino Migrant Workers: Hawaii's Sugar Plantations

    Chapters 7-12. Carlos Bulosan, America is in the Heart (Seattle: Univ. of Washington Press, 2000).

    “Labor Migration in Hawaii” and “Plantation Life” from The Philippine History Site (University of Hawaii). 

    Rosemarie Bernardo, “Filipino Americans have Rich Isle History,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 June 2002.  

    * * * Mid-term I (7th week): Tuesday,  2 March 2010) * * *

  2. Filipino Migrant Workers: San Francisco, Seattle & Stockton

    Finish reading Carlos Bulosan, America is in the Heart (Seattle: Univ. of Washington Press, 2000).

    *Carey McWilliams, “Our Oriental Agriculture,” Factories in the Field (Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1939).

  3. Stopping the "Third Asiatic invasion"

    *James Sobredo, "Stopping the 'Third Asiatic Invasion': the 1934 Tydings-McDuffie Act and Filipino Exclusion," in Studies in Pacific History (London: Ashgate, 2002).

    Evangeline Canonizado Buell, Twenty-Five Chickens and a Pig for a Bride: Growing Up in a Filipino Immigrant Family (San Francisco: T’Boli Publishing, 2006)—finish reading.

  4. World War II and the Filipino American Community

    *"California's Filipino Infantry," Dr. Alex Fabros, California State Military Museum, http://www.militarymuseum.org/Filipino.html


  5. SPRING BREAK: 29 March  - 4 April

  6. Filipinos and the United Farm Workers Union (UFW)


Emelyn Cruz Lat, “Paving the Way for the UFW,  San Francisco Chronicle, 19 October 1997.

  1. Post-1965 Immigration and Community Formation

    Diane I. Wolf, “Family Secrets: Transnational Struggles among Children of Filipino Immigrants” (Sociological Perspectives: 40:3, 1997). Available via Sac State Library: JSTOR (Library Database).

    * * * Mid-term II (13th Week): Tuesday, 20 April 2010 * * *

  2. Filipino American Communities Today

    *James Sobredo, “From Manila Bay to Daly City: Filipinos in San Francisco” in James Brooks, Chris Carlsson & Nancy J. Peters (eds.), Reclaiming San Francisco: History, Politics, Culture (San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1998).

  3. Filipino American Communities Today

    Annie Nakao, “US Filipinos try to Live in Two Worlds,” SF Examiner, 31 May 1995.

    Ellen Nakashima & Edward Cody, “Troubling Exodus of Philippines’ Best and Brightest,” Washington Post, 30 May 2004.

  4. Filipino Global Migration

*Rhacel Salazar Parrenas, “Introduction” and Chapt. I, Servants of Globalization: Women, Migration, and Domestic Work (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001).

  1. Pilipino, kahit saan, kahit kailan 

    *Rene P. Ciria-Cruz, “Italian Hours,” Filipinas, February 1999.


* * * CLASS ENDS: 14 May 2010 * * *

 

 

Furlough 2009-2010 Schedule & Disclaimer: Due to the massive budget cuts in the State of California, faculty have been furloughed for 2 days per month.  Some of these days may be instructional days, and, as the CSU administration and the faculty labor union said, “cuts of this magnitude will naturally have consequences for the quality of education.”  Furlough days will be announced ahead of time and will be taken when class would normally have met. Alternative assignments may be given to make up for the lost classes.

 

CLASSROOM POLICIES

 

1.           Only medical and family emergencies will be considered as legitimate excuse by the instructor. Unless prior arrangement has been made with the class instructor, the professor does not accept late assignments.

2.           The professor does not tolerate disruptive class behavior. For example, it is disruptive to come in fashionably late, hold private conversations, let your cell phone ring or have a cell phone conversation in class (turn off your cell phone, beeper, or put it on silent).

3.           Inappropriate classroom behavior: It is disruptive to have a private conversation with other students, to walk in “fashionably” late to class (let me know ahead of time if you’re going to be late and go to the back of the class and quietly find a seat). It is disruptive to the instructor if you fall asleep in class (this particular instructor spends many long hours preparing for his class lessons)—let me know ahead of time if you work nights/evenings or have children and other pressing responsibilities.

4.           Professional Ethics. Students are expected to behave and conduct themselves in a polite and professional manner. The course instructor is to be addressed as “Dr. Sobredo” or “Professor Sobredo.”

5.           Plagiarism. The professor does not tolerate academic dishonesty--consult the CSUS Student Handbook (http://www.csus.edu/admbus/umanual/UMA00150.htm) for policies governing student conduct and responsibilities. It is the student’s responsibility to understand what plagiarism is and how to provide the appropriate and correct citation of ideas and sources that are not their own. An “F” grade will be given to any student who plagiarizes by (a) passing another person’s idea or work as theirs or (b) failing to provide to provide the appropriate citation for original theories/concepts, quotes or research data—I will also write a letter about the incident to the Dean of Student Affairs.

6.           Unless prior arrangements has been made with the professor, late work will be assessed a 10-point reduction in grade.

7.           The instructor does not give "make-up" quizzes, exams or grade on a curve. 

8.           DO NOT use the instructor’s private email address to send communicationsinstead use WebCT communications & email.

9.           Do not call or email the instructor regarding homework assignments. All homework assignments are available online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7). Should any mistakes occur regarding online postings of assignments, the instructor will make the appropriate changes and adjustments.

10.              EXTRA CREDIT: The professor will allow students no more than 1 (ONE) extra credit assignments (short paper, 2 pages minimum)—submit your work ONLINE (SacCT) in the Extra-credit Section. [*Exceptions: no extra credit work is accepted during the shortened online and summer sessions.]

11.              Your final grade will reflect your ability to follow these classroom policies, to follow and complete class assignments, and to follow professional ethics.