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St. Cloud State University
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Prepared by: Kelly Branam
Phone: 8-2772
General Education Goal Area 7
Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the U.S.
Proposal Number:
Email: kmbranam@scloudstate.edu
Requesting Unit: Sociology and Anthropology
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Department, Course Number, Title: ANTH 188 Indians of the Americas
New Course Existing Course
Is this course already designated as a Racial Issues course?
No Yes RIS Proposal Accompanying This Form
6. Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
Origins, distribution and development of the human cultures found in North, Central, and South America.
Impact of European contact on the indigenous people of the Americas. 3cr. ALT.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain signatures from any affected departments.
It is designed for general education and counts as an elective for the American Indian Studies minor.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other departments by offering this course.
None
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
N/A
10. Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s) for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
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11. Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 7: Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the U.S.
Examine patterns of racial and ethnic inequality in the United States; the heritage, culture, and contributions of racially subordinated groups; and how race and ethnic relations are embedded in the institutions that structure our lives.
Race construction in the Americas began with colonization. Eurpeans and later the United States needed a way to justify their land acquistion, one of the ways they did this was through the construction of Race and creating a racial hierarchy that oppressed the indigenous peoples within these lands. This course examines this colonization process and race construction as well as looking at how American Indian communities structure their lives, communities, and history pre and post-contact with Europeans. This course then examines the way federal, state, and local governments and other institutions such as education, media, politics and the law have reenforced this racial heirarchy and continued subordination of indingenous peoples. The class analyzes the ways in which indigneous peoples have fought against assimilation and subordination.
12. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 7, it must address at least 5 of the 6 student learning outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of historical and current race relations in the United States.
2. Explain the concept of “race.”
3. Analyze current events and conditions at the local, statewide, and national levels using course theories and concepts.
4. Identify forms of institutional discrimination in areas such as education, media, housing, employment, economics, politics, and the legal system.
5. Describe the basic history of discrimination against and contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans,
American Indians, Latinos, and recent immigrants of color.
6. Engage in dialog and self-reflection concerning racism, racial oppression, and white privilege.
13. Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.)
Students achieve SLO 1 by first examining and then demonstrating their understanding of the colonization of the Americas and how race construction began in the United States. The students then examine
U.S. history and race relations through indigenous perspectives.
SLO 2 is achieved through the critical analysis of the concept of "race" drawing on the four fields of
Anthropology, which include biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropoogy and archaeology. Students will examine biological anthropological studies of race, the history of race construction in the United States, and federal policies using blood-quanta as racial markers to determine membership in race categories and be able to demonstrate that "race" is a cultural construction and a biological myth.
Students achieve SLO 3 first through the analysis of early treaty negotations between the U.S. federal government and then through the analysis of particular treaties throughout the history of the U.S. to contemporary times. Through the analysis of the federal relationship with American Indian nations students then examine the ways state, local, and tribal governments interact with each other.
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SLO 4 is achieved through discussion of case-studies, such as Indian boarding schools, economic development on reservations, and treaties. Students then are able to indentify forms of institutional descrimination in areas such as education, media, housing, employment, economics, politics, and the legal system.
Students are able to achieve SLO 6 through the constant engagement in dialog and self-reflection concerning American colonialism, racism, racial oppression, and white privilege.
14. List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes checked above are being met.
Introduction to Anthropology 5% (SLO 1, 2 )
Introduction to ethnographic methods and to ethnography 10% SLO (1,2,4)
Introduction to ethnohistory and the data collected through ethnohistoric methods 10% (SLO 1,2,4)
History of colonization of the Americas including the construction of treaties 15% (SLO 3,4,6)
U.S. history from an indigenous perspective 10% (SLO 3,4,6)
Diversity of indigenous cultures throughout the Americas 10% (SLO 3,4,6)
Discussion of culture, social organization and culture change 10% (SLO 2,4,6)
Discussion of race, race configuration, and use of blood-quanta in the United States 10% (SLO 2,6)
Social issues facing native peoples today 10% (SLO 4,6)
Responses to these issues by indigenous peoples 10% (SLO 3,4,6)
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Academic Affairs Use Only:
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Effective Date:
Department:
Course or Course(s):
Proposal Number
Department or Unit Chair Signature
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Approve
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Disapprove
Date
Remarks:
Chairperson
Committee
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Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Chairperson
Committee
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Signature
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Approve Disapprove
Date
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FA Senate
Signature
Approve
Action of Academic Vice President:
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Entered in Curriculum Data File
Date
Date
Remarks:
12/11/2009