DEPARTMENT CURRICULUM DIRECTIONS

 

A. Our department is configured around subject matter/courses exploring the social,

historical and cultural experiences of ethnic groups in the United States who have

been and continue to be socially scripted as "minorities". Our approaches to teaching

can be described as comparative and integrative ethnic studies. This is to say that the

faculty tends to present the content material using strategies which allow students to

draw comparisons and understand distinctions between and among various ethnic

groups. We attempt to provide the level of instruction which will allow all students to

critically engage, interpret, and understand the reality of this society. Further, we

wish to incite students' imaginations and sense of social responsibility to the extent

that they will become actively involved in changing those aspects of society which

continue to negatively frame the human experience.

 

B. For the last two years we have what can be characterized as an on going conversation

regarding our curriculum. Our discussions have seriously addressed curricular and

program areas needing developing and or strengthening. Each of the four program

areas has given serious attention to where they wish and need to develop on the way

to becoming the most vital programs in Ethnic Studies in California. These

conversations have always started and ended with the recognition that we cannot

venture too far from offering a minimalist curriculum in Ethnic Studies without

serious attention being given to hiring new faculty.

 

Each of the four program directors has taken leadership positions on behalf of their

respective areas in this discussion. They have each identified specific curricular

initiatives they believe warrant attention.

 

They each have taken into account such important variables as actual and projected

retirements, curriculum trends and directions in Ethnic Studies, emerging and new

bodies of knowledge regarding the experiences of ethnic groups, subject matter

competencies of extant faculty and measures for making the major, more attractive to

students.

 

C. Examples of curricular areas where we have identified a need for programmatic

development include:

** Course work addressing transnational, migrations and diasporic issues.

** Course work addressing popular images of ethnic groups in various media.

** Course work addressing multiraciality.

** Course work focusing on ethnic politics and public policy making.

** More course work on the social histories of women of color.

** Course work addressing ethnic group experiences in U.S. education.

** Course work focusing on contemporary issues and the ethnic group experience.

** Course work focusing on sovereignty, reparations and redress issues.

** Course work addressing the role of ethnic groups in agriculture.

** Course work examining ethnic institutions and institution building, e.g., social

and civic and social organizations/movements, religion/church, families, etc.

** Development of graduate program in Ethnic Studies.

** Course work which will be required for students in the social science single

subject major and other teacher preparation options.

 

D. Curricular directions which have thus far been identified over the next five years, and

about which a degree of consensus has emerged are:

• Further development of Chicano/a Studies/concentration /major in gender studies
• Development of curriculum in diasporic, migration, transnational studies; curriculum needs exist in Asian American Studies, Chicano/a Studies and Pan African Studies and the major;
• Development of curriculum in ethnic politics/policy making
• Development of a graduate program;
• Development of curriculum to include course work in mixed heritage/multiraciality

 

In response to these curricular directions we have already begun new course development

activities. New course proposals are now before Department and College curriculum

committees. The following courses have been developed, revised, and/or proposed.

 

Ethn xx Intro to Chicano Studies

Ethn 112 Contemporary Asian American Issues

Ethn xxx Asian American Communities

Ethn xxx Asian American Women

Ethn xxx Native American Women

Ethn xxx Contemporary U.S. Mexico Border Relations

Ethn xxx Race and Ethnicity in Latin American and the Caribbean

 

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