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Sophomore
Seminar on Multiculturalism in the United States
Students are required to take an
approved Liberal Studies course that addresses some dimension
of multiculturalism in the context of the United States. Multiculturalism
encompasses various dimensions of identity, including but not
limited to issues of race and ethnicity, class, gender, language,
religion, sexual orientation, disability as well as nationality.
These issues and their interrelationships regarding the experiences
of individuals and groups are the foci of the seminars. In addition,
courses generally include the examination of the history of multiculturalism.
Students are asked to develop a critical perspective about the
meaning of multiculturalism and provide an understanding of the
historical and/or contemporary manifestations of inequality. The
seminars examine the contributions of at least three cultural/and
or ethnic groups to the ongoing development of the American experience
and American society and culture. Examples of course titles include:
Multicultural Literacy and the American Autobiography; Multiculturalism
in the U.S.: Latino Perspectives; History of U.S. Women to 1860;
Diversity in the Workplace; and The American Religious Experience.
Learning Outcomes and
Writing Expectations
Approved by the Liberal Studies Council, Spring 2006
The Sophomore Seminar seeks to foster an intercultural awareness
by providing opportunities to identify and go beyond binary thinking
and to see ways that students’ experiences are complimentary with
others. It seeks to make students aware of social conditions in
the United States while making connections to global issues. The
course seeks to cultivate critical thinking ability, an understanding
of historical and contemporary inequality, a sense of social justice
and a recognition of our common humanity.
Learning Outcomes:
- By the end of this class, students will identify
key debates in the history of multiculturalism. As students
understand the debates and values of multiculturalism in theory,
they will be able to apply them beyond the classroom into practice
by developing and using reasonable guidelines for prioritizing
important values – including respect for differences, equality,
and social justice.
- Through the use of self-reflection and critical
analysis, students will be able to identify and understand their
place in their own historical context. They will also be able
to articulate assumptions and explore connections to alternative
interpretations and perspectives on history and culture other
than their own.
- Student will critically analyze multiple
sources of information (from, for example, relevant databases
and other reference works, primary and secondary sources, community
knowledge, etc.) in order to form clear, concise arguments about
multicultural issues and to interpret evidence from a variety
of points of view.
- Students will practice seminar behavior (including
class discussion, active listening, participation) to communicate
ideas appropriately for a given audience and setting and to
integrate skills in an ongoing process of generating and using
information to address specific problems. As well, students
will practice independent intellectual inquiry outside of the
classroom through class assignments.
Writing Expectations:
Students should develop as critical writers and thinkers, building
on their skills fostered during their first year. Each course
should be writing intensive. Writing assignments should have clear
objectives and include both shorter and more sustained assignments
(for example, journals, response papers, field reports, reflection
essays, research papers, summaries of articles, creative writing
assignments, etc.) totaling in at least 20 pages. In addition,
writing intensive courses should include some discussion and attention
to the process of writing, whether through revision, peer editing,
modeling or other focused attention on the development of their
writing skills.
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