Textbooks:

• Joane Nagel. 1997. American Indian Ethnic Renewal. Red Power and the Resurgence of Identity and Culture. New York: Oxford University Press.

• Ronald Niezen. 2003. The Origins of Indigenism. Human Rights and the Politics of Identity. Berkeley: University of California Press.

• Nancy Grey Postero and Leon Zamosc, eds.. 2004. The Struggle for Indigenous Rights in Latin America. Brighton/Portland: Sussex Academic Press.

Course Content:

This course explores the historical experiences, social construction, and movements of modern indigenous peoples in the United States and Latin America. We first focus on the varied and complex Native American experiences in the United States over the course of the XX Century, with particular emphasis on the role and interplay of the social rebellions of the 1930s and 1960s, and resulting state policies, in the recovery and reconstruction of Native American identity and culture. We then analyze the origins and worldwide appearance and growth of indigenism from the 1950s to now as part and parcel of the international institutionalization of human rights, especially but not solely in the United Nations. We conclude by exploring the renewed power, diversity, and growing centrality of indigenous movements throughout Latin America, in the continent's long quest for sustainable development and social justice, and for envisioning a better, more equal, more historically rooted, and more genuine, multicultural society.

Class Policies & Activities: The course relies on the active, collective involvement of the students in their own process of exploring and learning. Students will be organized into groups of no more than four students at the beginning of the course. These groups will be at the center of all class activities. It is most important that students take their group obligations very seriously and set out to function as well coordinated teams, staying in close contact with each other and consulting regularly for the duration of the course. Apart from that, individual attendance is mandatory (tardiness and un-excused absences will be penalized). No late written class assignments will be accepted.

Each student shall come to class with a one-to-two page READING ASSESSMENT (typed, double-spaced, font 12) of the assigned reading for that day. These assessments will be turned over to Dr. Santos at the end of each class. The assessments should cover the following items: (a) What, in your opinion, were the most significant two or three things you learned from the reading? (b) Where was the analysis (descriptions and explanations) at its strongest, and (c) where was it at its weakest? (d) What issues or arguments did you not understand very well - but wish someone would explain them to you? (d) What issue would you like to raise for class discussion? Please do not forget to include your name, the class (Soc 338), the date, and the author/chapter of the reading you are assessing.  At the beginning of each class (its first 15 minutes), Dr. Santos will randomly select a group to read out their reading assessments in front of the class - so be punctual... and be prepared!

Group Research Projects: In lieu of doing a mid-term and final exams, each group will design, research, and write two research projects: the first one, which must be on a topic relating to Native American peoples and movements in the United States, is due in class on Wednesday, February 15; the second one, which must be on indigenous peoples and movements in Latin America, is due by noon, Friday March 17 at Dr. Santos' office. The subject matter and time period may be as broad or narrow as each group chooses, involving many First Nations or a few, or just one; and it may cover a time frame of centuries or just a few decades or the contemporary scene. The subject matter may be divided up among the students chronologically, thematically, or in comparative fashion between peoples, but it ultimately must be historically grounded and sociologically oriented. The students must obtain approval from Dr. Santos for both their overall group topics and for their individual subtopics early. Group delegates may consult with Dr. Santos and Ms. Holt to accomplish this.

Though the final research volumes should reflect the group effort, each student will individually write his or her own contributing papers, between 6 and 8 pages in length (apart from the bibliography), double-spaced, font 12, with one-inch margins. Students will submit their individual papers electronically (in Word, please) and their research volume in paper. The volume should be bound, have a title page, a table of contents listing each individual title and student author, and the actual papers; continuous page numbering between papers and a single, common volume bibliography are actually discouraged - don't waste time; each paper should start with the paper title and author at the top, be independently numbered, and have a bibliography at the end.

Each individual paper should have a well stated, well focused research hypothesis, a summary of the literature read and the key descriptive data, and a critical analysis section leading to a conclusion. Papers will be graded for clarity and organization, quality of analysis, and accuracy and relevance of assembled data.

For guidelines on how to write a good research term paper, citations & bibliographic styles, etc., please go to the following URL: http://www.csub.edu/~gsantos/Guide-Paper.html.

Research Extra Credit: There are two general studies courses that students are strongly encouraged to take if they need to develop their research skills, and if they do will receive extra credit for this course (Soc 338) as well:

GST 126 - Researching the Electronic Library (2 units)
Introduces students to effective research techniques using Library electronic resources. Emphasis will be placed upon skills necessary for the identification, retrieval, and evaluation of information for general and specific topics. Students will acquire the competencies necessary to develop an effective search strategy and find research materials, including references to journal articles, full text articles in electronic format, government publications, books, and Internet resources.

 GST 153 - Research on the Internet (2 units)
Introduces students to the information resources available on the Internet for research purposes Students will develop general knowledge of the Internet, navigation skills, effective search strategy skills, familiarity with Internet finding tools, evaluation methodologies and other Internet research skills.

Plagiarism: To prevent students from wittingly or unwittingly engaging in plagiarism, Dr. Santos strongly recommends students to carefully read and abide by the document CSUB Classifications of Plagiarism found at: http://www.csub.edu/tlc/options/resources/plagiarism/4plagiarimclassifications.htm.

Grading: The reading assessments will collectively count for 30 points (including how well each group did when selected to share their assessments in class); the group research projects will count for 35 points each (30 points for the individual paper and 5 points for the group effort). Absences & tardiness will negatively affect the final grade (a point off and a half-point off each time, respectively). 

The final letter grade will be assigned, on a scale of 0 to 100, as follows:

Office Hours/E-Mail to Dr. Santos and Ms. Bonnie Holt: All students are encouraged to visit (or if you can't visit, call) Dr. Santos regularly during his posted office hours, especially to ensure their research project topics and their individual papers' subtopics are well chosen and organized, or to discuss anything related to the texts or the class lectures, videos,  reading assessments, or class discussions. Private - but brief and to the point - e-mail messages may be sent to Dr. Santos (NOT a substitute for office visits or calls, please); if you or your group need further assistance, you may email Ms. Holt and ask her for an appointment.

My Group #: _____

First Group Research Project Title:

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My First Paper Title:

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Second Group Research Project Title:

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My Second Paper Title:

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     My other Group Members Names              Phones                                      Emails

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