Introduction to Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies ((3))

Catalog description

This course will offer students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to understand the historical, cultural, political, and economic experiences of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NH/PI's). We will cover a brief history and selected issues of NH/PI's and introduce students to the recent field of Critical Pacific Islands and Oceania Studies (CPIOS). This course will center discussions and lectures through the prism of power as it relates to the critical examination of indigeneity, race, class, gender, sexuality, militarism, nation, capitalism, and colonialism. Drawing from a myriad of research, literature, and collective experiences, this course will provide practical tools that allow students a chance to better understand NH/PI's in the academy and US society at large by introducing them to the interdisciplinary field of Critical Pacific Islands & Oceania Studies (CPIOS). CPIOS is not the same as Asian American Studies, and neither are the communities they represent! We'll learn more about this throughout the semester.