Welcome to

American Studies 201: 
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
                      

 

Fall 2010                   Tues/Thurs. 3:30-4:45                        TLC 149
 

Final Project Suggestions

Employ concepts we've learned from our text to focus your research topics, such as stratification, stereotyping, institutional racism, colonized group, white privilege, resistance, resilience, etc. Find a topic you can be passionate about and want to teach us about. Here are potential topics:

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Research the current state of immigration reform

Research current responses to illegal immigration and undocumented workers

Idaho's "Welcoming America" program for immigrants. See welcomingamerica.org and immigrationpolicy.org. Who are Idaho's immigrants? What challenges do they face?

Research the Dream Act. Why is it important?

Research the current state of migrant farm work: who does it, where, and under what conditions? What legal protections do migrant workers have? Have the conditions of migrant workers improved? Have farm workers waged effective political action campaigns that have improved their conditions? When and where?

Explore the cause of Mexican migration to the US, including the effects of NAFTA and drug wars.

Speaking of drugs, what is fueling the Mexican/US border drug wars?
 

Research the movement to ban the teaching of Ethnic Studies in Arizona (and elsewhere). What is the history of Ethnic Studies as a fieldin the US? See  the Ethnic Studies organization website.

Compare and contrast the Black, Red, and Hispanic Power movements of the 1960s/early 70s. What were their goals? What were there successes and failures? Are these kind of movements needed today?

Research current hate groups in the US: use Southern Poverty Law Center websites for help. Who are they? Where are they? What are their arguments? Are they growing/ shrinking? Are they dangerous?

Explore Japanese American internment during WWII from survivors' stories. See www.densho.org

Or watch the documentary "Conscience and the Constitution" and other films on Japanese American internment during WWII.

Consider analyzing film:

Feature and Documentary Film
How does film address the issues of this course?

African American history and culture
Malcolm X
White Man's Burden
Higher Learning
Mississippi Burning
A Raisin in the Sun

Native Americans
Smoke Signals
Skins
Westerns such as The Searchers

Mexican Americans
Salt of the Earth
And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him
Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Born in East L.A.
Carlito's Way
Crossover Dreams
Duel in the Sun
El Norte
Vida Loca
West Side Story
Zoot Suit
A Day Without a Mexican
Lonestar

Asian Americans
The Joy Luck Club
Snow Falling on Cedars

OR,  watch a documentary and present on it. Is documentary more or less effective than feature film in addressing issues and inspiring change?:

Welcome to Shelbyville (adjusting to immigrant communities in a white town)

Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle, The Road to Brown--The Man Who Killed Jim Crow, Strange Fruit (on lynching/Billie Holiday), Two Nations of Black America, When the Levees Broke or Still Waiting (on Hurricane Katrina)

Incident at  Oglala, Trudell, American Holocaust (you can borrow this from me), In the White Man's Image (also from me)

Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Union, Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, Mixed Feelings (Tijuana and San Diego's relationship; see www.latinola.com)

MUSIC: 
What is the role of music in addressing issues of American cultures and social injustice?

Analyze music lyrics from artists such as Public Enemy, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Rage Against the Machine, Coolio, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan ("The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol" and "Hurricane"), or songs of your choice. How do they address issues of injustice, stratification, dominant-minority relations.?

 *  Explore the history of lynching in America and resistance to it. See www.withoutsanctuary.org/main.html and the Film and song "Strange Fruit"

*  Purchase and play "Life as a Black Man" (http://www.blackmangame.com). Using concepts from the Healey text, explain if the game accurately reflects the experiences of African American men. If so, why? If not, why not?

Investigate the idea of Asians as the "model minority"

Research the debate over American Indian mascots. Watch In "Whose Honor?".

What is American Indian sovereignty?

What is American Indian land-based religion? How is it threatened? See the documentary "In the Light of Reverence."

Investigate racial and ethnic stereotyping. Is it still prevalent? Watch the documentary "Ethnic Notions" and search www.youtube.com for excellent clips.