Minor in American Indian Studies

Program Description

The minor in American Indian Studies is intended to impart knowledge of the diverse cultures and histories of the Indigenous peoples of the United States. Students can learn of the many challenges overcome by American Indian communities, including those in Los Angeles, and gain an appreciation of the many accomplishments of American Indian activists, spiritual leaders, artists, writers, and scholars. The minor emphasizes the importance of tribal sovereignty in the face of continued settler colonial practices in the United States.

Students who complete the minor in American Indian Studies will be able to:

1. Explain critical concepts in American Indian Studies, including tribal sovereignty, settler colonialism, kinship epistemology, relational accountability, and decolonization.
2. Apply critical concepts in American Indian Studies to understand past and current events involving American Indian communities.
3. Describe contemporary challenges facing American Indian communities, including food security/sovereignty, educational equity, environmental justice, treaty rights, and other movements in self-determination.
4. Analyze cultural expressions by or about American Indians, including literature, art, and film.
5. Demonstrate active engagement with California Native communities.

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