Minor in Ethnic Studies - 18 Credits

The Multicultural and Ethnic Studies minor is designed to promote an understanding of and appreciation for the richness of differences among the people of the world. Promoting this understanding involves exploring the nature of difference and examining its impact on our lives and our ways of thinking. It also involves analyzing the sources of conflict among different groups and the structures of power that determine which cultures are validated and are invited into power and which cultures are oppressed and silenced. The goal of all ethnic studies courses is for students to develop critical perspective – that is to go beyond the limits of our own cultural and social background to see the world from different points of view. Such skill is critical for anyone who wants to make informed personal, professional, and political choices in the complex global community. Students will learn methodologies that challenge racism, classism, homophobia, and ethnocentrism. They will use this awareness to critique the assumptions and belief systems that shape social institutions and to investigate the complexities of both systems of oppression and various practices of resistance and revolt.