Ethnic Studies Concentration

The Ethnic Studies Concentration at Davidson College fosters the interdisciplinary study of race and ethnicity in the United State of America, with an emphasis on African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans. The Concentration includes courses that address concepts, themes, histories and theories applied broadly to communities of color, as well as courses that focus more specifically on a particular ethnic and racialized population. Approved courses approach these topics through critical, transnational, diasporic, decolonial, feminist, queer, historical and/or comparative perspectives.

By examining these topics and communities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the legacy and nuance of racism in the United States, develop knowledge of existing and emerging minority U.S. populations, communicate effectively across cultural differences and learn to think critically about the contexts that shape and influence contemporary struggles of living and participating in a multicultural democracy.

1. Completion of six courses to include:

a. One Ethnic Relations Course

b. Track Selection

Three courses from one track and one course from a second track. At least two of these four courses must be at the 300 level or higher. An approved independent study course may substitute for one of these four courses.

Africana Track

ANT 222 - African Civilizations
ANT 232 - Contemporary Ghanaian Society and Culture
EDU 320 - Growing up Jim Crow
EDU 340 - Education in African-American Society (=SOC 340)
ENG 282 - African American Literature
ENG 297 - Caribbean Literature
ENG 382 - African American Literature 1955-2000
ENG 393 - Studies in Literature and the Visual Arts
Only one section of ENG 393, “Hip Hop, Gender, and Sexuality” taught by Prof. Smalls in Fall 2012, counts toward the Ethnic Studies Concentration.
ENG 400-494 - Seminars
Only ENG 493, “Modernism, Magazines & Media,” counts toward the Ethnic Studies Concentration.
FRE 322 - North Africa in Novel and Film
FRE 361 - Francophone Africa and the Caribbean
FRE 362 - Maghreb: Francophone Authors
HIS 168 - African Civilizations Through the Era of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
HIS 302 - African American History to 1877
HIS 303 - African American Society & Culture since 1877
HIS 350 - African American Intellectual History
HIS 357 - The Civil Rights Movement in the United States
HIS 368 - Apartheid and the New South Africa
HIS 440 - Slavery in the Americas
HIS 451 - African American Cultural History
MUS 232 - Jazz
POL 240 - Politics of Africa
PSY 350-380 - Advanced Seminars in Psychology
Only PSY 353, “The Psychology of Prejudice,” counts toward the Ethnic Studies Concentration.
REL 261 - African American Religious Traditions
SOC 105 - Topics in Race and Religion
SOC 340 - Education in African American Society (=EDU 340)

Native American Track

Latino American Track

c. Choose one elective from the following

One course from among the following electives that emphasizes comparative ethnic studies or a course from one of the above tracks (provided that no more than three courses are chosen from a single track). An approved independent study course may substitute for this requirement.

Electives

d. Concentration Satisfaction

Of the six courses applied to the concentration no more than three may also satisfy the student’s academic major. The six courses must also represent no fewer than three academic disciplines.

2. An approved essay

An approved essay based on a first-hand experience directly related to the student’s special focus—Africana, Native American, or Latino. Topics may be related to participation in an internship, field research, or international study. The essay is due to the faculty liaison no later than the fifth week of classes in the semester following the completion of the first-hand experience. Standards for the paper are established by the faculty liaison.

3. A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses applied toward the concentration.

4. Only one course in any track can be taken pass/fail, and this depends on GPA.

Application Procedure:

The Ethnic Studies Concentration is administered by the Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee, including Dr. Melissa González, Dr. Ernest Jeffries, and Dr. Tae-Sun Kim. The interim faculty liaison is Dr. Melissa González. Students must submit a written proposal to the Ethnic Studies faculty liaison by the last day of the fall semester of the junior year. The proposal must specify the courses to be used to satisfy the concentration requirements. Certification of completion of all the requirements for the concentration is made by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the Ethnic Studies faculty liaison.

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