Ethnic Studies
15 courses · Antelope Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Winter 2027 · Spring 2027
ETHN 101 Introduction to Ethnic Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101) This Ethnic Studies course utilizes a comparative and interdisciplinary approach to introduce students to the field of Ethnic Studies, focusing on the historical and contemporary development of theories, philosophies, concepts, issues, social movements, and lived-experiences of Native Americans, Chicana/o and Latina/o/x Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Students explore the intersectionality of race and racism with class, gender, religion, and sexuality in both a historical context and in contemporary U.S. society. The course brings attention to systems of oppression foregrounding race and ethnicity, including histories and legacies of colonialism and indigenous dispossession, racial capitalism, chattel slavery and coerced labor, immigration and citizenship laws, and artistic and intellectual contributions. Moreover, students examine the effects of institutional racism and marginalization along with challenges against the status of racism in society and struggle for social justice, self-determination, liberation, anti-racism, decolonization, identity, and political representation by historically aggrieved racialized groups and communities.
ETHN 102 Introduction to Chicana and Chicano Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101) This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary survey of struggles and contributions in the Chicana/o experience as it relates to self-determination, liberation, anti-racism, decolonization, identity, and political representation.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
The survey will include an analysis of the economic, political, social, and intellectual elements of the culture of the Mexican American/Chicano community, and a study of the changing demographics of the community as a result of migration from the Caribbean and Central America. In addition, the course explores social movements that have contributed to the changing relationship of Latina/o/x and Chicana/o/x communities and cultures with the broader society of the United States.
ETHN 103 Introduction to Black Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course introduces African American Studies through an interdisciplinary survey of African American struggles, contributions, and intellectual traditions. Students examine key concepts such as self-determination, liberation, anti-racism, and decolonization to analyze African American history, culture, and social movements from the 1600s to the present. Attention is given to systemic oppression alongside African American cultural production, scholarship, and resistance.
ETHN 104 Introduction to American Indian Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course introduces American Indian Studies through the histories, cultures, intellectual traditions, and contemporary struggles of Indigenous peoples in North America, with emphasis on the United States. Students examine colonization, sovereignty, and U.S. federal policies such as Indian Removal and boarding schools, alongside Indigenous resistance, cultural survival, and movements for self-determination. Special attention is given to Southern California tribes, including the Gabrielino-Tongva and Chumash, while broader themes include race, racism, settler colonialism, decolonization, environmental justice, Indigenous feminism, and activism for equity and justice.
ETHN 105 Introduction to Asian American Studies
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary survey of struggles and contributions highlighted in Asian American Studies, with attention given to issues as race, racism, racialization, self-determination, and citizenship within Asian American communities. The course analyzes the economic, political, and social factors that have shaped these communities, with a focus on changing immigration patterns before and after 1965. Additionally, the course explores how intersections of class, gender, sexuality, and national origin influence identity formation. Special attention is given to social movements, such as post-1965 Civil Rights activism, that have reshaped the relationship between Asian Americans and broader U.S. society.
ETHN 110 Chicana and Chicano History: Pre-Cuauhtémoc to U.S.-Mexico War
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course utilizes an interdisciplinary approach in Chicana/o Latina/o Studies to introduce students to the histories and contributions of Chicana/o languages, cultures, and societies up to 1850. The course reviews historical and contemporary theories, philosophies, and methods to assess the political, economic, and social influences of Pre-Cuauhtémoc tribes, city-states, and civilizations on critical events, cultures, intellectual traditions, lived-experiences, and the contested meanings of America, Spain, Mexico, and United States. Attention is given to racism and racialization in respects to imperialism, colonization, White Supremacy, racism, dispossession, systemic oppression, identity and solidarity, racial justice, decolonization, liberation, and self-determination grounded in theories and methodologies in Chicana/o Latina/o Studies.
ETHN 111 Chicana and Chicano History: Post U.S.-Mexico War to the Present
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 of ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course utilizes an interdisciplinary approach in Chicana/o Studies to introduce students to a detailed history of the contributions and experiences of Chicana/o and Latina/o communities from 1848 to the present. The course centers the Chicana/o experience to understand critical events, social movements, issues, and decolonization within the context of both Mexican and U.S. cultural influences in the United States. The course brings attention to systems of oppression foregrounding race and ethnicity, including histories and legacies of colonialism and indigenous dispossession, imperialism and immigration, and the artistic and intellectual contributions of Chicanas/os and Latinas/os/x. In addition, the causes and significance behind Central American immigration is explored as part of contemporary Chicana/o History. Moreover, the course highlights the contributions made by Chicanas/os and Latinas/os/x in addressing systemic inequality and racism in society and struggle for social justice, self-determination, liberation, anti-racism, decolonization, identity, and political representation.
ETHN 112 Introduction to Chicanas and Latinas in U.S. Society
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the histories, contributions, and lived experiences of Chicanas and Latinas in U.S. society. Grounded in Chicana and Indigenous feminist theories, the course progresses from foundational concepts and historical legacies of colonization, patriarchy, and eurocentrism to cultural archetypes, labor, education, health, and artistic expression. Students analyze how gender, sexuality, race, class, religion, immigration status, and ability intersect to shape social conditions and community struggles. Emphasis is placed on contemporary scholarship and activism addressing reproductive justice, immigration policy, environmental justice, and transnational politics. The course concludes with a praxis-oriented project that applies anti-racist and decolonial practices to real-world contexts in pursuit of equity and social justice.
ETHN 113 Introduction to the Central American Experience
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the Central American experience in the United States, emphasizing the historical and transnational connections between countries of origin and diaspora communities. Students analyze colonization, independence, dictatorships, civil wars, and U.S. foreign policy to understand the forces driving migration and displacement. The course examines the lived experiences of Central Americans in the U.S. through themes of race, racism, racialization, equity, white supremacy, decolonization, sovereignty, and anti-racism. Students analyze cultural productions such as literature, art, and film alongside community-based activism, and organizations that support Central American populations. The course concludes with an applied project that connects historical and cultural analysis to contemporary struggles for equity, self-determination, and social justice affecting Central American populations.
ETHN 114 Chicana/o Culture
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGLC1000 (ENGL 101) This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary survey of the cultural production, struggles, and contributions within the Chicana/o experience, focusing on self-determination, liberation, anti-racism, decolonization, identity, and artistic expression.
- Transfers to
- CSU
The course explores how art, music, film, and literature have played a pivotal role in the expression of identity, resistance, and community. The course critically engages with historical and contemporary cultural movements, such as the Chicano Renaissance and the Chicano Movement, as well as current issues of race, racism, decolonization, and anti-racism. Through interdisciplinary analysis, the course underscores how Chicana/o/x communities have used culture as a tool for social and racial justice, and self-determination in the U.S.
ETHN 140 Introduction to Pacific Islander History
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101) This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary survey of struggles and contributions highlighted in Pacific Islander Studies.
- Transfers to
- CSU
It explores key issues such as race, racism, colonialism, self-determination, and citizenship, with a focus on the experiences of Pacific Islanders in U.S. history. The course analyzes the economic, political, and social factors that have shaped Pacific Islander communities, examining how class, gender, and national origin influence identity formation. Special attention is given to the impacts of U.S. imperialism, transnational migration, and the ongoing struggles for sovereignty and social justice within Pacific Islander communities.
ETHN 200 History of U.S. Racism
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 (ENGL 101) This Ethnic Studies course utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to introduce the historical roots of race and racism, and how it has been, and continues to be, a powerful force that shapes American society.
- Formerly
- ETHN 106
- Transfers to
- CSU
The course closely examines race and ethnicity, and the impacts of racism upon Native Americans, Chicanas/os and Latinas/os, African Americans, and Asian Americans. This course includes an analysis of the economic, political, social, and cultural impact of racial attitudes, behaviors, practices, and public policy. The course will highlight the ways that race and ethnicity intersect with gender, sexuality, class, citizenship, and nation in order to better understand how systems of power and inequality are constructed, reinforced, and challenged. Informed by multiple disciplines, the course will provide a foundation for understanding the impact and role of race and racism in major U.S. institutions.
ETHN 233 Chicana/o/x Religions
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Advisory
- Completion of ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000H.
- Transfers to
- CSU
This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to Chicana/o/x religions, spirituality, and cultural practices, examining their roles in shaping identity, community, and social justice struggles. Students analyze historical and contemporary religious movements, including Catholicism, Protestantism, Indigenous spiritual practices, and popular religious expressions, through frameworks of decolonization, feminism, and intersectionality. The course highlights how religion and spirituality have informed Chicana/o/x literature, art, politics, and activism, from the Chicano Movement and Católicos Por La Raza to contemporary movements for equity and liberation. Students engage primary and secondary sources alongside community-based research to interpret how religious organizations, practices, and leaders impact Chicana/o/x communities. The course culminates in a Community Impact Assessment Project, where students critically assess the role of a religious organization or movement in advancing or challenging equity, anti-racism, and decolonization.
ETHN 237 Chicana/o/x Arts and Resistance
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Transfers to
- CSU
This Ethnic Studies course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to Chicana/o/x artistic expression as a reflection of identity, culture, and resistance. Students analyze visual arts—including murals, painting, photography, digital media, and performance—as aesthetic forms rooted in Indigenous, Mexican, and U.S. traditions. Emphasis is placed on how Chicana/o/x artists engage themes of race, ethnicity, colonialism, gender, sexuality, migration, and community affirmation to challenge dominant narratives and promote cultural survival. Through close study of artworks, aesthetic theories, and community-based practices, students develop skills in interpreting art both as creative expression and as anti-racist, anti-colonial praxis. The course fosters critical aesthetic appreciation and interpretation by examining Chicana/o/x cultural production as a site of historical memory, social justice, and self-determination.
ETHN 239 Chicana/o/x Visual Art and Culture
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 lecture hours, 54 contact hours total
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course examines the development of Chicana/o/x art from Pre-Cuauhtémoc (Pre-Columbian) visual traditions to contemporary practices, focusing on painting, murals, sculpture, installation, and digital media. Students learn cultural criticism through Chicana/o/x visual art in its historical, political, and cultural contexts. Emphasis is placed on how art reflects and shapes identity, community, and resistance to colonialism, racism, and inequality. The course highlights major artists, movements, and public art traditions, while critically assessing the role of art in social movements, decolonization, and community empowerment in local, national, and transnational contexts.