Listening and learning: 21 ASU classes on race, history, culture and gender to take this fall
In the midst of worldwide Black Lives Matter protests and a reenergized focus on creating more inclusive, equitable environments, many are seeking out more resources on race, history, culture and gender. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University offers a wide variety of courses on these topics. Whether you’re interested in exploring African American history or delving into feminist theory; expand your knowledge this fall with these featured courses from The College.
1. AFR 200: Intro to Africana Studies: Study African and African-descended peoples and delve into theories, themes and perspectives.
2. AFR 210: Intro to African American Studies: Examine the political, historical and cultural origins of African American studies as an academic discipline.
3. AFR 305: Global History: Slave Trade: Employ critical thinking while looking at the origins, development, abolition and impact of the Atlantic slave trade as a global economic enterprise and great human tragedy.
4. AFR 363: African American History to 1865: Take an in-depth look at African Americans' roles in American history, thought and culture spanning from slavery to 1865.
5. AFR/WST 394: Black Feminisms: Focus on the oppression that Black women face and develop an understanding and appreciation of the depth and breadth of contemporary Black feminist thought. Explore core themes and critical issues within the context of Black feminist theoretical perspectives through lecture and discussion formats as well as videos.
6. APA 210/AFR 212/JUS 210/TCL 210: Intro to Ethnic Studies: Learn about the diversity of experiences and relations among racial and ethnic groups within the United States.
7. ASB 202: Immigration and Ethnic Relations in the U.S.: Focus on the ethnic and social consequences of international migration in the United States and examine the impact of immigration on both American society and immigrant ethnic minorities over time.
8. ASB 322: Peoples of Latin America: Learn about historic and contemporary events and cultures within Indigenous, mestizo and national cultures, rural and urban peoples in Latin America. Explore Latin America in anthropological terms by focusing on the key debates that have motivated anthropologists who conduct fieldwork in Latin America.
9. COM 263: Elements of Intercultural Communication: Delve into basic concepts, principles and skills for improving communication among individuals from different minority, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
10. COM 323: Communication Approaches to Popular Culture: Explore popular culture within social and political contexts, emphasizing multicultural influences and representations in everyday life.
11. FAS 370: Family Ethnic and Cultural Diversity: Take an integrative approach to understand historical and current issues related to the structure and internal dynamics of diverse American families.
12. FAS 591: Race and Discrimination: Utilize research from psychology, history, sociology, economics and public health to articulate key constructs and empirical research within racism literature.
13. HST 230: Introduction to Jewish Civilization: Explore Jewish civilization from antiquity to present day by asking questions like: Who are the Jews? What do Jews believe? How did Jews interact with non-Jews? What was the lasting contribution of Jews to the world? Learn how Judaism is an evolving civilization.
14. HST 323: Historical Studies in Race, Crime and Law: Examine the criminal justice system in the United States and segments of the population that have faced discrimination. Evaluate present-day movements and study the history of policing and mass incarceration, the laws used to police communities of color and how BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) resisted institutional racism.
15. HST 598: Race and Ethnicity: This graduate readings seminar examines recent scholarship on the topic of anti-Black racism and the ways in which it has shaped — and been shaped by — anti-Indigeneity and racism against Latinos, Asians and other people of color. Analyze the global and transnational dimensions of white supremacy, slavery, empire and settler colonialism.
16. PHI 306: Applied Ethics: Take part in philosophical discussions on contemporary moral and political issues such as abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, affirmative action and sexual rights.
17. POS 394: Religion and Politics: Examine the power of religion in contemporary public life and the historical forces that have helped to shape it. Consider the ways that religious beliefs, values and communities become actors in the public spheres of law, electoral politics, public morality and social policy. The fall 2020 class will focus on the power of religion in movements for equality, particularly anti-racism, and the power of religion in electoral politics.
18. POS 439: Minority Group Politics in America: Address issues of African Americans in the U.S. political system while specifically looking at the politics of public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the upcoming presidential election.
19. SGS 344: Facing the Past: Truth, Memory, Denial After Atrocities: Over the last two decades, the world has shown an increasing interest in uncovering the hidden and forgotten histories of state-sponsored atrocities and acknowledging the fate of victims and survivors. Examine this movement for the recovery of truth, memory and moral responsibility.
20. WST 300: Women & Gender in Contemporary Society: Examine topics such as gender, intersectionality, media and representations, sexuality, politics, health, violence and feminism.
21. WST 380: Race, Gender and Class: Make an in-depth examination of how social inequalities are reproduced and perpetuated through the intersections of race, class and gender in culture and society.
This is not an exhaustive list of courses offered on topics of race, history, culture and gender available this fall. Browse the full offering of courses.
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