Introduction to Chicanx/Latinx Studies

This course draws on intersectional and interdisciplinary approaches to introduce students to the range of issues, experiences, and methodologies that form the foundation of Latina/o/x studies. By considering the relationship between the creation of "Latinx" and "American" identities, students will critically reconsider the borders that constitute the U.S. as a political and cultural formation. The course balances depth and breadth in its study of the variety of perspectives and experiences that come to be associated with U.S. Latinxs. Thus, we will analyze the histories of predominant U.S. Latinx sub-groups, such as Mexicans/Chicanxs and Puerto Ricans, while also incorporating considerations of the ways in which broader populations with ties to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean play crucial roles in constituting U.S. Latinx identities. Topics include the U.S./Mexico border and the borderlands; (im)migration and diaspora; literary and cultural traditions; music and expressive practices; labor and structural inequality; social movements; Latinx urbanism; gender and sexuality; political and economic shifts; and inter- and intra-group relations. Sources include a range of social science and humanities scholarship. This course will meet at Sequoia High School. Transportation will be provided.