Focuses on historical, social, and cultural issues in Chicano and Latino communities and surveys scholarship in Chicano and Latino studies.

This introductory level course is designed to acquaint students with the most important social, political, economic, and historical aspects of Chicana/o-Latina/o experiences in the region known today as the United States. This class reflects the interdisciplinarity of the field of Chicana/o-Latina/o Studies, drawing on a range of historical, literary, ethnographic, and visual texts in order to develop a fuller understanding of the history and contemporary communities of people of Latin American descent. Topics include conquest and resistance, immigration, segregation and discrimination, community and cultural formation, and the formation of civil and human rights movements. The course will also examine the relations between Chicana/os and Latina/os, European immigrants, and other communities of color living in North America. This course will also provide necessary foundations for students wishing to pursue more disciplinarily-focused advanced courses.