Intro Asian American Studies

This course examines how U.S. institutions ideologically constructed the category of Asian-ness and materially engaged with people from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia (five regions of Asia), and the Pacific Islands within the United States and its territories. Ethnic Studies theory will be applied to describe critical events in Asian American histories, cultures, immigration experiences, settlement patterns and intellectual traditions including an examination of how "Asian" communities interact with each other and other racialized/ethnicized communities. This includes a focus on topics ranging from self-determination to imperialism in a move toward building a just and equitable society. Special attention will be given to major Asian communities in the Inland Empire (Filipinos, Cambodians, Laotians, Hmong, Indonesians, and Thai). Transfer: CSU; UC