Race and Ethnic Studies Program
This interdisciplinary academic program focuses on developing students' intercultural competencies through the lens of race, ethnicity, and social justice. The goal of the program is to cultivate the intersectional thinking necessary to address systemic differences in power in order to pursue the work of equity and inclusion in conjunction with experiential learning as a means to forward the University’s anti-racist mission of serving the common good.
Race and Ethnic Studies Committee
Tom Morgan (English), Director
Allen (Associate Dean of Students/Executive Director Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center), Amin (History, Alumni Chair in the Humanities), Burnley (Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion), Cox (Music), Damasco (University Libraries), James (Philosophy, Women and Gender Studies Director), Keen (Director of Assessment and Student-Centered Analytics), Lawrence-Sanders (History), Picca (Sociology, Roesch Chair in the Social Sciences), and Velasquez (Philosophy)
Minors:
Minor in Africana Studies (AFS)
The Africana studies minor offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the peoples of Africa and African descendants in the Americas, Africa, and throughout the diaspora. Through its courses, the minor encourages service at the local, national, and international level. The minor prepares distinctive graduates to develop and use analytical skills and approaches to understand historical and contemporary issues associated with the experience of Africans and African descendants. The minor is interdisciplinary and structured to incorporate teaching and research methodologies and materials from disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences and other schools throughout the University.
| RCE 200 | Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Select one Theory course from the following: 1 | 3 | |
| African American Literature | ||
| History of Africa - 19th Century to the Present | ||
| African American History before 1877 | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Afro-Caribbean Philosophy | ||
| Racial & Ethnic Relations | ||
| Select three Elective courses from the following: 1 | 6-9 | |
| Educating Diverse Student Populations in Inclusive Settings | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Human Rights and Development in Africa | ||
| History of Africa I: Pre-history to the 19th Century | ||
| History of Africa - 19th Century to the Present | ||
| History of the Caribbean | ||
| The Atlantic World, 1492-1800 | ||
| History of South Africa: From Prehistory to Present | ||
| Black Women in America | ||
| African American History before 1877 | ||
| African American History Since 1877 | ||
| Seminar in African History | ||
| African-American Sacred Music | ||
| History of American Jazz | ||
| Special Topics in Music | ||
| Ensembles | ||
| Hip Hop and Philosophy | ||
| African Philosophy | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Afro-Caribbean Philosophy | ||
| Experiential Learning and/or Independent Study 2 | ||
| African-American Religion | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Racial & Ethnic Relations | ||
| Special Problems | ||
| Total Hours | 12-15 | |
- 1
Students may not double-count Theory and Elective courses.
- 2
Experiential Learning (if selected, identify an appropriate experiential component in conjunction with Director).
Minor in Latinx and Latin American Studies (LLA)
The Minor in Latinx and Latin American Studies offers interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to the study of these identities and their complex socio-historical contexts. Through its courses, the minor encourages service at the local, national and global level. The minor prepares distinctive graduates to develop and use analytical skills and approaches to understand historical and contemporary issues associated with the experiences of Latinas/os and Latin Americans across space and time. The minor is interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary and structured to incorporate teaching and research methodologies and materials from various disciplines in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, other schools throughout the university, as well as non-disciplinary knowledge formations independent of university sites.
| RCE 200 | Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Choose one Theory course from the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Cultures of Latin America | ||
| US Latinx Literature | ||
| Social & Cultural History of Latin America | ||
| Latina Philosophy | ||
| Latin American Philosophy | ||
| Liberation Theologies | ||
| Choose three Elective courses from the following: 1 | 6-9 | |
| Cultures of Latin America | ||
| Educating Diverse Student Populations in Inclusive Settings | ||
| US Latinx Literature | ||
| Colonial Latin America | ||
| Environmental History | ||
| Modern Latin America | ||
| Social & Cultural History of Latin America | ||
| History of Mexico | ||
| History of the Caribbean | ||
| Economic History of Latin America | ||
| Hip Hop and Philosophy | ||
| Latina Philosophy | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Afro-Caribbean Philosophy | ||
| Latin American Philosophy | ||
| Comparative Politics: Latin America | ||
| United States - Latin American Relations | ||
| Experiential Learning and/or Independent Study 2 | ||
| Latino/Latina Religious Experiences | ||
| Liberation Theologies | ||
| Immigration & Immigrants | ||
| Intermediate Spanish II - Medical | ||
| Spanish for the Health Professions | ||
| Latin American Culture & Civilization | ||
| Performing Human Rights in Latin/x America | ||
| The Hispanophone Caribbean | ||
| Revolt and Change in Latin American and Latinx Communities | ||
| Survey of Spanish Literature I | ||
| Survey of Spanish Literature II | ||
| Survey of Latin American Literature I | ||
| Survey of Latin American Literature II | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Spanish-American Literature and Film | ||
| Latin American Art | ||
| Global South Feminisms | ||
| Total Hours | 12-15 | |
- 1
Students may not double-count Theory and Elective courses.
- 2
Experiential Learning (if selected, identify an appropriate experiential component in conjunction with Director).
Minor in Race and Social Justice (RSJ)
The Race and Social Justice minor is designed to develop students’ intercultural competencies by focusing primarily on the experiences of American-based domestic racial and ethnic populations. By giving students the awareness, context, and theory necessary to help them engage racial issues in a thoughtful and respectful manner, students will develop an understanding of systemic impact of race on American life, as well as the way race functions as a social construct, one directly connected to systems of power and privilege. This knowledge will allow students to better incorporate race into the larger social justice mission of the Marianist charism, and to also better value the diversity of cultural experiences that make up American life.
| RCE 200 | Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Choose one Theory course from the following: 1 | 3 | |
| African American Literature | ||
| African American History before 1877 | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Gender, Women’s Rights and Global Politics | ||
| Racial & Ethnic Relations | ||
| Choose three Elective courses from the following: 1 | 6-9 | |
| Criminal Justice Ethics | ||
| Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Educating Diverse Student Populations in Inclusive Settings | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| American Indian Literature | ||
| Asian American Literature | ||
| Literature & Human Rights | ||
| US Latinx Literature | ||
| Introduction to Human Rights | ||
| Moral Courage Project | ||
| Native American History | ||
| History of South Africa: From Prehistory to Present | ||
| Black Women in America | ||
| African American History before 1877 | ||
| African American History Since 1877 | ||
| African-American Sacred Music | ||
| Understanding Sacred Music & Worship in the Local Church | ||
| Hip Hop and Philosophy | ||
| Race, Gender and Philosophy | ||
| Afro-Caribbean Philosophy | ||
| Philosophy & Cultural Diversity | ||
| Politics of Human Rights | ||
| Gender, Women’s Rights and Global Politics | ||
| Independent Study & Research | ||
| Standing Rock: Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights | ||
| Experiential Learning and/or Independent Study 2 | ||
| Latino/Latina Religious Experiences | ||
| African-American Religion | ||
| Liberation Theologies | ||
| Racial & Ethnic Relations | ||
| Social Inequality | ||
| Bioessentialism and Constructions of Bodies | ||
or BIO 362 | Bioessentialism and Constructions of Bodies | |
| Hip-Hop Culture and Dance | ||
| Social Justice & Dramatic Literature | ||
| History of Art and Activism | ||
| Latin American Art | ||
| Comparative Visual Culture in Film | ||
| Feminist Social Change | ||
| Total Hours | 12-15 | |
- 1
Students may not double-count Theory and Elective courses.
- 2
Experiential Learning (if selected, identify an appropriate experiential component in conjunction with Director).
Courses
RCE 200. Introduction to Race and Ethnic Studies. 3 Hours
Introduction to key concepts, themes, and debates in Race and Ethnic Studies. Focus is on developing a transdisciplinary and intersectional perspective for exploring the social construction of race and connected racialized ideologies such as colonialism, slavery, and settler colonialism.
RCE 301. Africana Studies Theories and Methods. 3 Hours
Review of the theoretical development of Africana Studies as an interdisciplinary academic field that focuses on the history, culture, and politics of the African diaspora.
Prerequisites: ASI 110, ENG 100, ENG 100B, ENG 114, ENG 198, REL 103, REL 1HC, HST 103, HST 1HC, PHL 103, or PHL 1HC (may be taken at same time).
RCE 303. Latinx and Latin American Studies Theories and Methods. 3 Hours
Review of the nature, language, and processes of inquiry involving language, critical historical perspectives, movements of justice in areas of Latinx and Latin American Studies.
Prerequisites: ASI 110, ENG 100, ENG 100B, ENG 114, ENG 198, REL 103, REL 1HC, HST 103, HST 1HC, PHL 103, or PHL 1HC (may be taken at same time).
RCE 305. Indigenous Studies Theories and Methods. 3 Hours
Review of the theoretical development of Indigenous Studies as an interdisciplinary academic field that focuses on the history, culture, politics, religion, sociology and contemporary experience of Indigenous peoples, with a specific focus on the tension between national and international law while also focusing on how Indigenous peoples continue to mobilize in defense of their lifeways, sovereignty, and cultural rights.
Prerequisites: ASI 110, ENG 100, ENG 100B, ENG 114, ENG 198, REL 103, REL 1HC, HST 103, HST 1HC, PHL 103, or PHL 1HC (may be taken at same time).
RCE 310. Standing Rock: Sovereignty and Indigenous Rights. 3 Hours
This course will develop the intercultural competencies and cultural knowledge necessary to foster a successful immersion trip to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. The course will cultivate the skills and knowledge needed to deepen student engagement and understanding on-site, and the immersion experience will provide an opportunity to apply that knowledge in an experiential context. The historical and cultural knowledge explored in the classroom will be applied to actual experiences in the Dakotas, including comparing the way that history is remembered and publicly presented in both indigenous and mainstream contexts (in, for example, museums and other cultural sites), and the way that cultural practices and epistemologies are manifested as a part of everyday life.
RCE 380. Experiential Learning and/or Independent Study. 0-3 Hours
Transcriptable course connected to experiential learning for Race and Ethnic Studies minors. Students will be required to provide guided self-reflections on the impact of their experiential learning experiences, specifically as it applies to both their minor, but also as it applies to their major. Can also be used for Independent Study credit.
Corequisites: Students must be enrolled in a course with an experiential learning component, or participating in some other curricular or co-curricular experience (Study Abroad, Internship, of Semester of Service, for example) that includes an experiential learning component.
RCE 490. Capstone in Race and Ethnic Studies. 3 Hours
Examination and reflection on experiences as a Race and Ethnic Studies major, specifically as it applies to linking their experiential learning experience with their future professional goals. Emphasis on integration of theories, methods, and practices of Race and Ethnic Studies with other areas of academic interest (i.e. other majors and minors) in conjunction with single or group research in order to connect work in major with a critical evaluation of our times. Exploration of advocacy as a means of developing their professional aspirations through a vocational lens.
Prerequisites: RCE 301, RCE 303, or RCE 305.