Undergraduate Minor
Declaring the Minor
Contact your major academic advisor to declare the minor in AIS. For more information, contact Christopher Cruz.
Overview
American Indian Studies (AIS) is committed to developing Native-centered scholarship on the contemporary and historic ways of life, knowledge, and experiences of:
- American Indian
- Alaska Native
- Native Hawaiian
- First Nation communities and individuals are fundamental
An AIS undergraduate minor provides students with a holistic and analytical study of critical issues facing Native North America in the past, present, and future and their political relationship to external governments.
The minor plan of study focuses on fundamental AIS topics based on the discipline’s interdisciplinary strengths:
- Sovereignty: The study of the history, politics, laws, comparative political systems, colonialism, and core issues of Native self-determination and self-government from a political perspective with an emphasis on Nation-building and on the context within which tribal Nations operate, and their interrelationships with other government structures, especially states.
- Diversity: The study of dynamic processes of cultural exchange and social interaction among Native societies and with other Nations and the development of values of cultural awareness, self-awareness, and respect for self and others.
- Native Voices: The study of Native oral traditions, literatures, languages, and arts found in both historic and contemporary contexts; the study of creative expressions from humanistic and Indigenous perspectives.
- Indigenous Knowledge: The study of all aspects of knowledge developed by Native societies including science, technology, environmental understanding, philosophical principles, epistemologies, ethics, ways of interpreting the world, and sense of self and community, including traditional knowledge and sacred histories to the degree deemed appropriate for expression in transcultural situations.
The AIS minor is open to all students and can be used with almost any major on campus.
It can be especially useful for individuals who plan to work for Native Nations so they can understand the unique sovereign relationship Indian Nations have with the federal government, and for individuals who would like to be culturally aware of the traditions and world views of the people with whom they will interact.
Minor Requirements
A minimum of 18 units in AIS courses is required for the minor. This includes 12 units of core courses and 6 units of elective courses. Nine (9) units must be in upper division (300-400 level) courses. The coursee listed below are can be used to complete the minor in American Indian Studies.
Core I
Complete two courses (6 units):
This course introduces student to various approaches and theories involved in American Indian studies. Intended for those minoring in American Indian studies, courses serve as basis for further upper division course work. Provides overview of tribes in U.S. their languages, histories, cultures. Large component focuses on colonialism and U.S. policy toward Native Americans and its affect within Native communities.
This course introduces student to various approaches and theories involved in American Indian studies. Intended for those minoring in American Indian studies, course serves as basis for further upper division course work. Provides overview of current issues affecting tribes in U.S. Large component focuses on contemporary U.S. policy toward Native Americans and its affect within Native communities.
Core II
Complete two courses (6 units):
This course explores critical nation-building issues confronting Indigenous peoples in North America, with a primary focus on Native peoples in the United States. The course will examine multi-dimensional settings that confront Native societies and their social, cultural, political, educational, and economic leaders. The issues to be analyzed include: economic development, politics, culture and identity; and leadership and institution-building. Issues, concepts, and theories examined in the course will provide a basis for examining current Indigenous institutions of self-government; assessing policies of federal, First Nation/tribal, and state/provincial governments; analyzing how to enhance the foundational capacities for effective governance and for strategic attacks on education, economic, and community development problems of Native nations; and augmenting leadership skills, knowledge, and abilities for nation-building. Course participants will link concepts of politics, economics, and culture, with nation-building and leadership through readings, discussions, case studies, short assignments, mid-term exam, and a final exam.
A study of events in Dine history in relation to the political, societal and economic context of American history. A review of Dine philosophical and world views, examination of the history and federal Indian policy as applied to the Dine. Interactive in nature.
Survey of images of American Indians in cinema, particularly commercial films. Examines differences between the "western" and the "Indian" film and how imagery affects attitudes and policy-making.
The history of Native American education reveals a struggle for power: Native communities fighting to retain or regain control over the education of their children. This course presents a survey of education, from the perspectives of Native educational theories and practices 'education BY Native peoples' and from the perspective of imposed systems of schooling, education developed FOR Native peoples.
We begin in the early colonial era and survey changes and continuities over time, concluding with current educational research and educational issues in Native America.
Along the way, we consider:
· Community-based systems of Indigenous education;
· Models of so-called 'appropriate education' developed by colonial nations (including the U.S.) for Indian people and children, as well as educational models developed for black Americans and immigrant populations.
For each educational system and model we examine, we will discuss (1) the philosophical background and development of theories and policies (2) educational practices, how theories/policies are implemented, and (3) American Indian experiences within, and responses to, varied educational settings.
Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
An analysis of historical and current issues affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives. Topics may vary and will focus on the exchange of scholarly information and/or secondary research, usually in a small group setting. Topic areas will be discussed within the framework of federal treaties with tribal nations, the federal trust relationship, sovereignty and self-determination, and Indian identity.
Globalization is a term often heard and read in academic circles and in national news, but less often understood by the average person. However, because it is the world political, economic, and social system currently in place as the next evolution of capitalism, everyone should have a basic notion of the definition, and what effects it has and will continue to have on the lives of everyone.
Indigenous People of the world are the human population most adversely affected by globalization and the group that has the most experience in sometimes resisting, sometimes adapting, and sometimes creating a syncretism of responses to changing world situations. This course first gives an introduction to the history, politics, and economics of globalization, then moves on to discuss both the benefits and challenges of globalization through the perspectives of global Indigenous peoples.
This class explores a series of topics and themes focused on Native Peoples and urban settings, including migration, urbanization and the creation of cities and urban communities. The class will emphasis: literature; U.S. policy; and theoretical and practical implications.
Indigenous and aboriginal peoples in the Americas developed distinctive economic systems prior to contact with Europe. As the world economic system developed, indigenous peoples attempted to preserve their ways of life as best they could, with some success. This course examines the ontological, epistemological and moral bases of indigenous economic theory with application to contemporary problems.
An introduction to the growing literature on traditional ecological knowledge and its relationships to the ecological and social sciences.
This course will provide students with a comprehensive overview of the development of modern tribal governments, their powers, and the problems they face. Course requires a historical examination of North American indigenous societies from Pre-colonial times to the present. Indigenous groups prior to 1492 will be examined. Emphasis on traditional social and political institutions and practices. Historical development of Indian-Anglo relations, European contact to present, U.S. Indian policy, tribal sovereign powers, political economic and cultural implications toward tribal societies.
This course is a survey of basic issues and concepts in natural resource management and the environment in Native communities using integrated case studies that survey all the major varieties of environmental issues in Indian Country in the 21st century. A central theme will be developing tribally-specific solutions to rebuilding the resiliency of degraded ecosystems. We will consider particular case studies such as: tribal sovereignty, land tenure, reserved rights and Native claims; Native knowledge systems and Western science; co-management and restoration; water; fish and wildlife; agriculture and rangeland management; energy, mining and nuclear waste; and global climate change.
In this class we will learn how research is conducted -- from the generation of a research idea for your own research desires and the needs of your employer to the presentation of research results -- and you will gain practical experience that can be presented on your resume. The employer we will pick will be a Native Nation and its social research needs. For individual needs it will be the construction of a draft research project that you can use to apply for graduate school or a job. Knowing how to conceptualize a research project is very important. Knowing how to undertake the research, evaluate the results and convey them to research communities and employers is very important as well.
In Mixed Media Stories, we will study novels and short stories that have been transformed into feature films. The selected stories and films are diverse in terms of genre, place of origin, and intended audience. Stories include works by Indigenous writers from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as several mainstream classic stories about Native people and issues. For each text and film pairing, we will begin by reading the text, then watch the film version for an opportunity to examine how the stories are changed/adapted to fit the audience and medium. We will explore changes in point of view, presentation of Native themes and issues, character development, stereotypes, etc.--and the implications of these changes. Through class discussions, assignments, and papers, students will have opportunities to develop their analytical, writing, and professional skills which may be applied to other areas of literary, film, and American Indian studies.
An introduction to tribal college and universities (TCUs) which includes a discussion of their history, mission, governance, organization, finances, characteristics, support services, roles, responsibilities, evaluation, students, personnel (faculty/staff), challenges and future issues. As a minority serving institution (MSI), the TCUs experience is analyzed and compared to other such institutions as well as mainstream. TCUs are a success story in American Indian education; a grassroots effort by Native communities wanting quality higher education that reflects tribal traditions, values and culture. TCUs are an example of tribal communities practicing self-determination, nation building and sovereignty.
This course will examine the social, cultural, and economic considerations of Native American warfare, including discourse on the nature of human aggression, methods and motives for war. Biological evidence will be discussed.
Specialized work on an individual basis, consisting of training and practice in actual service in a technical, business, or governmental establishment.
The exchange of scholarly information on important disciplinary topics, usually in a small group seminar setting with occasional lectures. The course content, as taught in any one semester, depends on student need and interest, and on the research/teaching interests of the participating faculty member. The scope of work shall consist of research by course registrants, with the exchange of results through discussion, reports, reviews, and/or papers.
An honors thesis is required of all the students graduating with honors. Students ordinarily sign up for this course as a two-semester sequence. The first semester the student performs research under the supervision of a faculty member; the second semester the student writes an honors thesis.
Explores the place and status of Tribal Governments in our federal system, focusing in particular on federal policy decisions underlying various laws and statutes. The course examines ways to interpret and apply the relevant laws and explores the impact that would be result from changing the policy behind those laws.
Minor Electives
Complete two courses (6 units)
- Any AIS 300-499 level (3 units)
- Any AIS 200-499 level (3 units)
Other Information
- AIS Minor courses may NOT be shared with any other major/minor.
- Up to two courses (6 units) used to fulfill Tier 2 requirements can be shared with the AIS minor
- AIS Minor Checklist