August 26, 2014
Announcing two new courses in American ethnic studies
American ethnic studies announces two new courses, Current Border Crisis and Immigration, and African American Music: Sacred and Secular, for fall 2014 taught by two new K-State scholars. Both courses meet the K-State 8 general education requirements for historical perspectives and human diversity within the U.S.
The Current Border Crisis and Immigration, AMETH 453, taught by Norma Valenzuela, is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
In the last two years, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children have migrated to the U.S. from Mexico, Central America and South America without parents or resources. In this course, we will consider the following questions:
- What are the implications of the 70,000-plus children and adolescents that will arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border?
- What are the historical, political and economic reasons for traveling North?
- Does the media perpetuate the demonizing of children and adolescent Latin American refugees?
- As a nation, do we have the moral and legal obligation to provide refugee protections?
African American Music: Sacred and Secular, AMETH 451, taught by Dina M. Bennett, is from 9:30-10:20 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
This course explores sacred and secular African American musical traditions in North America from the African past to the present with emphasis placed on sociocultural context, musical aesthetics, interrelationships among genres and musical change, intersections of sacred and secular forms, and music as resistance. This course features:
- Expenses paid travel to Kansas City's Historic 18th and Vine jazz district.
- Exploration of the ways in which Black music reflects the values, traditions, worldviews and history of African-Americans.
- Exploration of musical styles and forms.
- Participation in live performances.
Email Melisa Posey at melisap@k-state.edu with any questions.