Academic Programs
| ES Programs | ES Courses | Forms |
|---|---|---|
The Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers an integrated program of academic instruction to students interested in the role of ethnicity in Hawaiian and American society, history and culture. The Department is designed to bring together resources at the University and in the community in a way that facilitates a thorough understanding of the historical and contemporary experiences of a multiethnic community.
We provide introductory and advanced courses on theories and practices of ethnicity, race, and class. The program also offers courses on the history and experiences of specific groups, including African Americans and Native Americans. Among groups in Hawai'i, Hawaiians, Caucasians, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, and Koreans are subjects of separate courses. There are also courses dealing with central subjects such as ethnic identity, land tenure, social movements, globalization, transnationalism, and labor history.
Our faculty believes that the classroom should not be separated from the community. Thus, much learning occurs through interaction with individuals from the community who gives guest lectures, open their communities for tours and participate in other innovative teaching methods. Library research materials are extensive. The Hawaiian and Pacific Collections at Hamilton Library have valuable historical and contemporary materials. The Ethnic Studies Resource Center contains unique materials of interest to students, researchers and the community. Every semester the Ethnic Studies Colloquium Series provides a forum for the discussion of recent Ethnic Studies research with special emphasis on current community issues in Hawai'i.
Students may earn a Bachelor's Degree (BA) or the Certificate in Ethnic Studies. Graduates have gone on to successful work in public service, social service, business, law, labor organization, education, and other fields that require sensitivity to people and their backgrounds.
Undergraduate Teaching / Lab Leaders
One of the unique features of Ethnic Studies is the role of undergraduate students in the courses and the governance of the department. Undergraduate students benefit enormously from the lab leader program and contribute to the academic process to the extent that they become direct participants of the enterprise.
To that end, undergraduate students are encouraged to develop the academic knowledge, personal skills, and community experience requisite for the position of lab leader. Lab leaders perform a variety of tasks in the department and courses: (a) assist in the development of curricula; (b) conduct research and help prepare selected lectures; (c) coordinate resources and maintain archival collection including audio-visual presentations; (d) arrange and guide student on-site visits to communities and advocacy groups; (e) arrange appropriate guest lectures from off-campus resources, and (f) lead small group (10 to 20) discussions to allow intensive student exploration of issues provided by lectures and assigned readings.
The personal, career and academic benefits to undergraduate lab leaders have been tremendous. Former ES lab leaders have developed into important leaders in government and politics, labor unions, education, civic and community organizations, the arts, and business.
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