Course Description: Introduction to Ethnic Studies is planned to develop an understanding of how race, ethnicity, nationality, and culture have shaped and continue to shape individuals and society in the United States. The course prepares students to participate in concurrent or subsequent social studies and literature courses with a solid understanding of historical trends and historical thinking. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge to achieve an understanding of and an appreciation for the various cultures in their community. The focus is around the experiences of Indigenous, African American, Asian American, Latino/a, and other racialized peoples in the United States.* Students will be engaged in rigorous content constructed around issues of ethnicity, identity, service, and social justice. Students will research and examine how twentieth century events reveal power, privilege, ethnocentricity, systemic oppression, and cultural hegemony that influence their individual experiences into the twenty-first century.Â