Hope College | Ethnic Studies

ETHNIC STUDIES MINOR

A minor in ethnic studies is designed to introduce students to critical methodologies and scholarly approaches to understanding the diverse historical and cultural issues relating to ethnicity in the United States. At a time when America is becoming increasingly multicultural and when Americans are increasingly aware of the values of multiculturalism, participants in a minor in ethnic studies, both faculty and students, are encouraged to gain and develop skills to research, analyze, and reflect on the heritage of ethnic cultures in America. Such study will develop citizens, participants, and activists who have views of their larger mission in life and who strive daily, both locally and globally, in the pursuit of justice and equality.

A minor in ethnic studies consists of 24 credits:

12 credits of basic courses:

IDS 210 (Intro to Ethnic Studies) - 4 credits
IDS 200 (Encounter with Cultures) - 4 credits and 4 credits of course(s) from sociology, psychology and communication with practical, experiential, and involved materials/methodology.

Possible courses:

SOC 151 (Cultural Anthropology) - 4 credits
PSY 295 (an appropriate variant of Studies in Psychology) - 2 credits
SOC 269 (Race and Ethnic Relations) - 2 credits
COM 371 (Intercultural and Gender Communication) - 4 credits

After a student has completed the basic courses, she/he will choose an emphasis in Studies in the Americas or African and African-American Studies. Students will take 4 credits in a course or courses with a global perspective and 8 credits in courses with an American perspective. Students will coordinate their emphasis with the director of ethnic studies.

Studies in the Americas Emphasis

ENGL 375 U.S. Latino Literature Montaño
HIST 362 U.S. Immigration History Petit
POL 262 Latin American Politics Dandavati
PSY 305 Latino Child (2 credits) Jarvis
REL 369 Latino Theology
SPAN 344 Modern Hispanic American Literature André

African and African-American Emphasis

ENGL 375 African Literature B. Mezeske
ENGL 375 African-American Literature Hemenway/Young/Jeffrey
HIST 280/310/312 African History
HIST 295 African American History Johnson
HIST 351 Slavery and Race Johnson
SOC 312 Urban Sociology Nemeth
SOC 356 Social Movements (2 credits) Swanson

In addition it is recommended that students take as their last course an independent study project or internship. The independent study should be an in-depth study of an ethnic group (preferably one involving the emphasis chosen by the student). The internship should be one in which students are immersed in a minority culture or in an issue surrounding a “minority experience.” The internship could involve an analysis of the institution where the internship takes place from the perspective of race, class, and/or gender. The internship could involve the Philadelphia, Chicago, or Borders Programs. It also could involve a placement in the West Michigan area. The projects/internships will be approved by the ethnic studies program director.