ETHN 100: ETHNIC America Prof. Fabionar CSUS Department of Ethnic Studies

1. ETHN 100: ETHNIC AmericaProf. FabionarCSUS Department of Ethnic Studies Week 1 Session 1 Welcome and Course Overview

2. Overview • Introduction • Goals – What are we here to learn? • Organization – How will we learn? • Materials – What texts will we engage? • Assignments – What work will we produce? • Grading – How will our work be evaluated? • Expectations – How will we insure a good experience?

3. Course Website • www.ethn100W13.weebly.com

4. Online Hybrid Course • 3-unit course = 3 instructional hours (50 min) • Tuesday and Thursday we meet in class for 50 minutes each. • The third instructional hour will be online.

5. Course Goals –What are we here to learn? • Important concepts, themes, and theories in ethnic studies • Population histories in the United States with special focus on four groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Chicano/as, and Asian and Pacific Islander Americans • Our own experience in the context of national and global ethnic diversity • Critical thinking, reading, and writing skills

6. Organization – How will we learn? Final Paper Topic Develop a thesis that addresses the following questions: What trends or patterns with regards to inequality and conflict have you observed among the four groups we studied this semester? What lessons can be learned from ethnic group experiences in the United States that can help to address issues in other nations and regions?

7. Three parts to the course: • Part 1: Important Themes and Concepts (Weeks 1-2) • Goals: To understand the emergence of the field of ethnic studies, nature of its scholarship, and foundational ideas and concepts. • Part 2: Population Histories (Weeks 3-14) • Goals: To compare groups according to crosscutting themes associated with ethnic experiences. • Part 3: Synthesizing for Theory on Conflict and Inequality (Weeks 15-16) • Goals: To analyze, using ideas and concepts from Part 1, histories of different racial and ethnic groups in the United States presented in Part 2. To develop a theory of social inequality.

8. Materials – What texts will we engage? • Two required texts: • Takaki’sA Different Mirror: History of Multicultural America. • Primary historical text • Yang’s The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir. • Cultural text • Videos: documentaries and feature films • Other readings: short stories, literature, historical documents.

9. Assignments – What work will we produce? • Writing Assignments (4) • Online session work – A variety of activities such as brief quizzes, essays, and reflections about materials presented via the internet. • Reflexive Commentaries – Online postings with a small group of peers. • Reading Notes (RN) – Each session you are expected to bring one page of notes on the session’s readings. • Notes should include: summaries, questions, and reflections.

10. Grading – How will our work be evaluated?   In-Class Participation* 10%                                            Online Work                        10%                                                                   Writing Assignment 1            15%                                                                 Writing Assignment 2            15%                                                                                                                                                     Writing Assignment 3            15%                                                                 Writing Assignment 4            15%                                                                        Final Paper                           20%                                                                  *Participation is a combination of attendance, preparation, and engagement.

11. Expectations – How can we ensure a good experience? • Attendance: Consistent attendance is crucial for success in this class. Students are expected to attend each class session. Please email the instructor in the event that you have an emergency or are ill and cannot attend class. An attendance sheet will be passed around each session.  • Participation: Students are expected to actively and respectfully engage in all course activities. Unlike courses that focus on scoring well on quizzes and exams, this course is concerned with developing reflexive, concerned, and conscientious thinkers.

12. Preparation: Students are expected to bring in at least one page of readings notes to each class session.   • Electronic Devices: Technology can be used to enhance learning. However, cell phones, computers, and other advancements can pull focus and undermine our work together. If your devices are not being used solely for the sake of engaging in the course, they should be turned off and stowed away. • Email: I check email once a day and generally respond within two days. I do my best to be accessible to students via office hours,   before and after class, and by appointment.

13. Next Session: • Complete Online Session for Week 1: Student Survey • Prepare reading notes on the Munoz. Focus on key ideas, questions that surface, and what you learned that was new.