The Origins and Afterlives of Ethnic Studies

This seminar traces ethnic studies from its political and intellectual origins in the late 1960s through its contemporary forms and futures. We will examine how the field has transformed academic disciplines, met institutional (and outside) resistance, and navigated scholarly debates about methods, boundaries, and commitments. Students will engage genealogies of key concepts and scholarly traditions while considering the broader stakes of engaged research in higher education. The seminar is intentionally collaborative: students will work together throughout—thinking, researching, and producing collective work—while reflecting on the efforts and challenges of those who established and sustained the field. Guest scholars will share diverse specializations and methods. Through collaborative projects and presentations, students will develop informed perspectives on ethnic studies' significance and relevance today.