List of Courses

Introduction to Asian Pacific American Studies (APAM 117)

Relying on an interdisciplinary reading list and a comparative framework, this course will provide a survey of the Asian Pacific American (APA) experience in the United States. The first part of the course will examine the history of APAs from their arrival to the United States during the mid-nineteenth century to the 1960s. While recognizing the unique historical experiences of each of the major APA groups, this part of the course will focus on the following themes that permeate the “first-wave” experience: the role of imperialism in shaping the conditions of emigration in Asia and Pacific Islands, the development of agrarian and industrial capitalism in the United States and Hawaii, the politics of race and ethnicity in the building of the nation, and the role of U.S./Asia international relations in shaping the APA experience. The first part of the course will end with the examination of World War II and the Civil Rights Movement—two historical events that fundamentally changed the social realities of APAs and ushered in the contemporary experience. The second part of the course will examine the contemporary APA experience from a topical perspective. The topics for this semester include racial and ethnic identity, new immigrant communities and urban change, and economic and social inequality. Finally, the third part of the course will examine how the most recent U.S. immigration policies are dramatically reshaping the APA community.

Multicultural America (AMCS 100)

Race and ethnicity have played powerful roles in shaping the American experience. This course will examine the important historical period from 1830 to 1945 that laid some of the most significant foundation for contemporary American society. During this time, the nation would move from an agrarian to an industrial economy, from a nation of small towns and rural communities to large and complex cities, and from a newly independent nation to the most important global power. The nation would also experience some of the most important and defining moments including the Civil War, the Great Depression, and World War II that transformed the U.S. in fundamental ways. At the same time, the nation also experienced one of the greatest demographic changes in the world, incorporating millions of people through international migration and conquest, and bringing them into contact, conflict, and, ultimately, common fate. At the heart of this course is to examine how different racial and ethnic groups encountered, experienced, and redefined America.

Immigration and Los Angeles (APAM 398 and AMCS 398)

This three-part course will examine the role of immigration in Los Angeles. The first part of the course will focus on the history of immigration in Los Angeles. This section of the course will examine the role of immigration in the transformation of Los Angeles as a Spanish pueblo into a global city.  The second part of the course will focus on current state of immigration in Los Angeles. This section of the course will focus on the economic and political impact of massive immigration into the region as well as how immigration into the region itself has changed since the Immigration Act of 1990. The third part of the course will address the future of immigration in Los Angeles, including the social and cultural formations and patterns shaped by immigrants in Los Angeles. In all three sections, the course will place the Los Angeles experience within the broader experiences of California, the nation, and the world, drawing important lessons on movements of people across national boundaries.

Race and Power in Los Angeles (APAM 398 and AMCS 398)

This three-part course will examine the relationship between race and power in Los Angeles. The first part of the course will focus on the history of electoral politics in the City of Los Angeles. This section of the course will examine the issues of racialization of urban politics, the political exclusion of racial minorities, the rise and the demise of the Bradley Coalition, and the current political landscape including the election of Antonio Villaraigosa. The second part of the course will focus on the politics of race and representation in Los Angeles. This section of the course will critically examine and evaluate how race and ethnicity have become inscribed in urban space in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan region, both reflecting and reproducing entrenched patterns of social inequality. The third part of the course will examine race and power in Los Angeles from perspectives of urban policy and social movements. In all three sections, the course will draw from the Los Angeles experience broader lessons on racial politics and race relations, cultural and social (re)production of urban space, and demographic change and globalization.

Globalization and Migration--North America and East Asia (APAM 398)

The twin processes of globalization and migration are changing the contemporary world. As transnational corporations invest their capital across national boundaries at a push of a button, thousands of mangers and millions of workers are uprooting their lives and becoming migrant workers. While globalization and migration have impacted all parts of the world, the networks that bind the metropoles across the Pacific are remarkable for both their size and intensity. From Los Angeles to Tokyo, San Francisco to Beijing, and Vancouver to Hong Kong, the flow of capital and the migration of people are remaking the Pacific Rim. The purpose of this course is twofold: first, to examine and analyze the underlying social forces that are fueling the contemporary process of globalization and migration; and second, to comparatively examine the specific experiences of globalization and migration through case studies of cities, communities, and cultures from North America and East Asia. 

Capstone Course (APAM 500)

The purpose of this course is to provide Asian Pacific American Studies Minor students with an opportunity to conduct original and extensive research. Ideally, the research project should build on previous research project(s) and coursework. Students have successfully used the thesis as a writing sample for graduate and professional schools and to obtain jobs that involve research and service in Asian Pacific American communities. The format of the course is independent studies—students are required to regularly meet with the instructor throughout the semester to develop their topics and to complete their drafts. In appropriate cases, and with explicit permission, you may write an expanded research paper for a class you are currently taking.