REL 132 - Asian American Experiences

4 Credits

1 Units

Asian American history is American history. Why, then, does the history of Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans continue to be underrepresented across the curriculum? This course engages with the religious experiences of APA or AAPI populations in order to understand Asian American history in the United States. We will begin by asking how to understand APA identities and the history of immigration and exclusion-including how Buddhist identities of Japanese Americans were used to argue against their identity as Americans. Then, we turn to APA experiences of healing and medicine against the backdrop of xenophobic metaphors for disease and contagion and how that fueled anti-Asian violence and sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we examine the hypersexualization of Asian/American women in the media and how this contributed to the narratives around the March 2021 Atlanta-area shootings. (PTK - SS)(Ethical Deliberation)(Equity and Inclusion)

MILE Requirement:

Credit Type Code: Letter Grade
TAGS Ethical Deliberation Inclusion