ETHNC 4540 - Chicana/o History Since 1849

This course examines the historical experiences in the United States of people of Mexican background from the period of the Spanish frontier to present day. Using both primary and secondary sources, film and literature, this course will address themes such as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, the economic, political and social relationship between Mexicans and Anglo-Americans after the conquest of the southwest, Mexican women, the Chicano movement, and Chicana feminism. This class will not only provide an overview of the social, cultural, political, and economic contributions of Chicano/as with particular attention to the ways in which race, class and gender have shaped their experiences, but also will explore the challenges in discovering Chicano voices in history, and approaches and methodologies scholars have utilized in studying the multifaceted history of Chicano communities.