Fall 2015 Courses

AMST 127. Women and War.
J. Um, SC, TR 1:15-2:30 p.m.
This course examines the impact of war on women’s lives and gendered logic and consequences of war. We will explore these and other related topics, such as race, sexuality, militarism, empire, labor, and activism through readings in feminist scholarship, literature, film, oral history, and other materials.

ASAM 090. Asian American and Multiracial Community Studies.
Staff, PZ, M 7:00-9:50 p.m.
Introduces students to studying and working beside Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through the exploration of the politics of place. Issues to be addressed in the course include ethical considerations of community projects and social topography as it changes in the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander diasporas. Course will be project-based and working with community-based organizations.

ASAM 094. Community Health.
K. Yep, PZ, TR 1:15-2:30 p.m.
This course explores the struggle for social justice and health equality for and with underserved Asian American communities and Pacific Islander communities. Through participatory teaching strategies, the class will examine health care as a basic human right and analyze movements working towards eliminating disparities in health. Fulfills Pitzer social responsibility requirement.

ASAM 095. Asian Americans and Non-Profits.
Staff, PZ, T 2:45-5:30 p.m.
The class seeks to explore the intersections of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) activism and the non-profit industrial complex (NPIC). Through in-depth readings, case studies, field observations, writings, discussions, and guest speakers, students gain an understanding of the mechanisms and ideologies of non-profit organizations that serve, empower, and constrain AANHPI communities. In this class, students will learn skills applicable to a career in the non-profit sector. This class will focus heavily on community building amongst the class as an essential method for teaching and learning.

ASAM 103. Asian American Voices.
K. Yep, PZ, TR 9:35-10:50 a.m.
This introductory course uses Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experiences to explore the politics of silence, storytelling, and collective voice. Through feminist pedagogies and community-based learning, we will examine creating counterpublics and a sense of place amidst displacement.  Class includes community engagement, co-creating an anthology, and public presentation.

ASAM 179D. Mixed Race Experience.
E. O’Brien, HM, F 1:15-4:00 p.m.
This course looks at Asian American mixed race experience through history, literature, video, film, visual art and contemporary pop culture. We will examine the diversity of Asian American mixed race identities and racial formation and identifications in the United States; gender and sexuality; pervasive stereotypes; family; ethnic and interethnic communities. This class will examine the socio-political implications of mixed race identities and honor the voices of the mixed race communities and cultural expression. Field trips and guest lectures will highlight the vibrant voices and communities active in the Southern California area and beyond.

ASAM 190a/190PO. Asian American Studies Senior Seminar: Applications, Analysis, and Future Directions.
S. Goto, PO, MWF 11:00-11:50 a.m.
This is the capstone seminar for senior Asian American Studies majors (minors optional). The seminar is designed to bring seniors together to discuss and assess their understanding of Asian American Studies practice and theory at the Claremont Colleges and beyond. We will engage in minor research activities, read & analyze provocative books and articles, and revisit key issues & controversies.

ENGL 180. Asian American Fiction.
W. Liu, SC, TR 1:15-2:30 p.m.
This course will focus on Asian American Fiction and will explore the function of representation (both political and aesthetic) in relation to questions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. The course will involve readings in both primary and secondary texts including critical and theoretical work in Asian American studies.

HIST 128. Immigration and Ethnicity in America.
H. Barron, HM, MW 1:15-2:30 p.m.
A study of the experiences of different ethnic groups in the U.S. from the colonial period to the present, which addresses the meanings of cultural diversity in American history.

MS 100AA. Asian Americans in Media:  A Historical Survey.
M. Ma, PZ, TR 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m., T 7:00-9:50 p.m.
This is a historical survey of Asian American involvement in media production, beginning with the silent film era and ending with contemporary projects in film, video, and new media. In this course, we will focus on the shifting yet continuous participation of Asians in the production of media in North America, and look at how changing political, social, and cultural discourses have shaped media representations of Asians throughout this period.  Prerequisites: any intro-level Media Studies or Asian American Studies course.

POLI 118. Politics, Economics and Culture of Korea.
T. Kim, SC, MW 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
This course is an intensive introduction to North and South Korea, with their interlocking histories and greatly divergent economic, political, and social realities. The course pays special attention to the impact of U.S. foreign policy on Korean national formation and Korean American identity and community formation.

PSYC 155. Seminar in Ethnic Minority Psychology and Mental Health.
W. Hwang, CMC, MW 2:45-4:00 p.m.
This course examines the roles and influences of ethnicity, race, and culture on psychology and mental health.  Students will learn about intergroup dynamics, racism and White privilege, ethnic identity development, acculturation and immigration, ethnic differences in the expression of distress, differential patterns and barriers to help-seeking, mental health disparities, and ethnocultural issues that influence treatment processes.

SOC 095. Contemporary Central Asia.
A. Junisbai, PZ, M 2:45-5:30 p.m.
In this course, students will learn about the five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.  The “Stans” are majority Muslim, were part of the Soviet Union until 1991, and are ruled by authoritarian leaders today. The course will start out with a brief overview of the region’s history before, during, and after the USSR. Topics will include social and economic stratification, gender, interethnic relations, political inequality, and religion.

SOC 150AA. Contemporary Asian American Issues.
H. Thai, PO, M 1:15-4:00 p.m.
Survey of contemporary empirical studies focusing on Asian American experiences in the U.S. and globally; major themes include race, class, gender, sexuality, marriage/family, education, consumption, childhoods, aging, demography, and the rise of transmigration. Readings and other course materials will primarily focus on the period since 1965.

THEA 001G. Acting for Social Change.
J. Lu, PO, TR 9:35-12:05 p.m.
Acting for Social Change is an introduction to the fundamentals of acting, drawing upon different techniques such as psychological realism and physical theatre. Students will perform a self-written monologue, a documentary monologue transcribed from a live interview, and a two or three person scene from a play. They will also be introduced to Playback Theatre and Theatre of the Oppressed, two forms of theater that are applied commonly today to create dialogue, heal conflict and trauma, and build community.