What is Ethnic Studies?

The History Social–Science Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, adopted in 2016, defines ethnic studies in the following passages:

Ethnic studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that encompasses many subject areas including history, literature, economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science. It emerged to both address content considered missing from traditional curriculum and to encourage critical engagement.

As a field, ethnic studies seeks to empower all students to engage socially and politically and to think critically about the world around them. It is important for ethnic studies courses to document the experiences of people of color in order for students to construct counter-narratives and develop a more complex understanding of the human experience. Through these studies, students should develop respect for cultural diversity and see the advantages of inclusion.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this field, ethnic studies courses may take several forms. However, central to any ethnic studies course is the historic struggle of communities of color, taking into account the intersectionality of identity (gender, class, sexuality, among others), to challenge racism, discrimination, and oppression and interrogate the systems that continue to perpetuate inequality.

The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum further states:

At its core, the field of ethnic studies is the interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and Indigeneity, with an emphasis on the experiences of people of color in the United States. People or person of color is a term used primarily in the United States and is meant to be inclusive among non-white groups, emphasizing common experiences of racism. The field also addresses the concept of intersectionality, which recognizes that people have different overlapping identities, for example, a transgender Latina or a Jewish African American. These intersecting identities shape individuals’ experiences of racism and bigotry. The field critically grapples with the various power structures and forms of oppression that continue to have social, emotional, cultural, economic, and political impacts. It also deals with the often-overlooked contributions to many areas of government, politics, the arts, medicine, economics, etc., made by people of color and provides examples of how collective social action can lead to a more equitable and just society in positive ways.

Beyond providing an important history of groups underrepresented in traditional accounts and an analysis of oppression and power, ethnic studies offers a dynamic inquiry-based approach to the study of Native People and communities of color that encourages utilizing transnational and comparative frameworks. Thus, the themes and topics discussed within the field are boundless, such as a study of Mexican American texts, the implications of war and imperialism on Southeast Asian refugees, African American social movements and modes of resistance, and Native American/Indigenous cultural retentions, to name a few.

Furthermore, considering that European American-centered history and cultures are already robustly taught in the school curriculum, ethnic studies presents an opportunity for more inclusive and diverse histories and cultures to be highlighted and studied in a manner that is meaningful and can be transformative for all students. Ethnic studies provides students with crucial interpersonal communication strategies, cultural competency, and equity driven skills (such as how to effectively listen to others, give people in need a voice, use shared power, be able to empathize, select relevant/effective change strategies, get feedback from those they are trying to help, know how to deliberate, know how to organize and build coalitions) and positive ways of expressing collective and collaborative power that are integral to effective and responsive civic engagement and collegiality, especially in a society that is rapidly diversifying.

The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum has identified eight essential outcomes to assist with K-12 implementation of ethnic studies.

Eight Outcomes of K-12 Ethnic Studies Teaching

Source: Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, California Department of Education,
Adopted by the State Board of Education on March 18, 2021, Chapter 1, pages 14-19 Links to an external site..

1. Pursuit of justice and equity
   

   Ethnic studies did not arise in a vacuum. It arose with the intent of giving voice to stories long silenced, including stories of injustice, marginalization, and discrimination, as well as stories of those who became part of our nation in different ways, such as through slavery, conquest, colonization, and immigration. Ethnic studies should address those experiences, including systemic racism[1], with both honesty and nuance, drawing upon multiple perspectives. Ethnic studies should also examine individual and collective efforts to challenge and overcome inequality and discriminatory treatment.

   The exploration of injustice and inequality should not merely unearth the past. It should also create a better understanding of dissimilar and unequal ethnic trajectories in order to strive for a future of greater equity and inclusivity. In the pursuit of justice and equality, ethnic studies should help students comprehend the various manifestations of racism and other forms of ethnic bigotry, discrimination, and marginalization. It should also help students understand the processes of social change and the role that they can play individually and collectively in challenging these inequity-producing forces, such as systemic racism.
   
   

2. Working toward greater inclusivity
   

   The ethnic studies movement arose because of historical exclusion and pursued greater inclusion. California ethnic studies should emphasize educational equity by being inclusive of all students, regardless of their backgrounds. This means incorporating the experiences and contributions of a broad range of ethnic groups, while particularly clarifying the role of race and ethnicity in the history of California and the United States. Yet, due to curricular time constraints, difficult choices will have to be made at the district and classroom level. While ethnic studies should address ethnicity in the broadest sense, it should devote special emphasis to the foundational disciplines while making connections to the varying experiences of all students.
   
   

3. Furthering self-understanding
   

   Through ethnic studies, students will gain a deeper understanding of their own identities, ancestral roots, and knowledge of self. Ethnic studies will help students better exercise their agency and become stronger self-advocates as well as allies and advocates for the rights and welfare of others.

   Not every student has a strong sense of ethnic identity. However, all students have an ethnic heritage (or heritages) rooted in the histories of their ancestors. Building from the concept of student-based inquiry, ethnic studies should provide an opportunity for all students to examine their own ethnic heritages. Increasing numbers of students have multiple ethnic heritages.

   For example, this search can involve the exploration of students’ own family histories. Through oral histories of family members and, where available, the use of family records, students can develop a better understanding of their place and the place of their ancestors in the ethnic trajectory of California and the United States. For students with non-English-speaking family members, this would also provide an opportunity to develop research skills in multiple languages. However, educators should be sensitive to student and family privacy, while also recognizing that factors like adoption, divorce, legal status, and lack of access to family information may complicate this assignment for some students.
   
   

4. Developing a better understanding of others
   

   The essential and complementary flip-side of self-understanding is the understanding of others. Ethnic studies should not only help students explore their own backgrounds. It should also help build bridges of intergroup understanding.

   This interethnic bridge-building can be furthered in various ways. Obviously, it can be enhanced by exposing students to a wide variety of voices, stories, experiences, and perspectives through materials featuring people of myriad ethnic backgrounds. But bridge-building can also occur through the classroom sharing of students’ personal stories and family histories. In this way students can simultaneously learn to understand ethnic differences while also identifying underlying commonalities and personal challenges.

   With mutual respect and dignity being emphasized, students will develop an awareness of and an appreciation for the complexity of diversity and how it continues to shape the American experience. Additionally, students will learn how to transform their appreciation of diversity into action that aims to build community and solidarity.
   
   

5. Recognizing intersectionality
   

   Ethnic studies focuses on the role of race and ethnicity. However, these are not the sole forces affecting personal identity, group identification, and the course of human experience. People, including students, are not only members of racial and ethnic groups. They also belong to many other types of social groups. These groups may be based on such factors as sex, religion, class, ability/disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, socioeconomic status, and language use.

   For each individual, these multiple social categories converge in a unique way. That confluence of identities is sometimes called intersectionality. Those myriad categories influence, but do not necessarily determine, one’s life trajectory. They also may influence how a person is perceived and treated by others, including both by individuals and by institutions. The inequitable institutional treatment of certain racial and ethnic groups is sometimes referred to as systemic racism.

   To some degree, each person’s individuality and identity are the result of intersectionality. The lens of intersectionality helps both to explore the richness of human experience and to highlight the variations that exist within ethnic diversity. By highlighting intragroup variations, intersectionality can also help challenge group stereotyping and polarization.
   
   

6. Promoting self-empowerment for civic engagement
   

   Ethnic studies should help students become more engaged locally and develop into effective civic participants and stronger social justice advocates, better able to contribute to constructive social change. It can also help students make relevant connections between current resistance movements and those in the past, and to imagine new possibilities for a more just society. The promotion of empowerment through ethnic studies can occur in various ways. It can help students become more astute in critically analyzing documents, historical events, and multiple perspectives. It can help students learn to discuss difficult or controversial issues, particularly when race and ethnicity are important factors. It can help students learn to present their ideas in strong, compelling, clear and precise academic language. It can help students assess various strategies for bringing about change. It can provide students with opportunities to experiment with different change strategies, while evaluating the strengths and limitations of each approach. In short, through ethnic studies students can develop civic participation skills, a greater sense of self-empowerment, and a deeper commitment to life-long civic engagement in the cause of greater community and equity.
   
   

7. Supporting a community focus
   

   Ethnic studies in all California districts should address the basic contours of national and statewide ethnic experiences. This includes major events and phenomena that have shaped our diverse ethnic trajectories. However, individual school districts may also choose to enrich their approach to ethnic studies by also devoting special attention to ethnic groups that have been significantly present in their own communities. By shaping ethnic studies to include a focus on local ethnic groups, districts can enhance learning opportunities through student-based inquiry into the local community. Such research can draw on multiple sources, such as local records, census material, survey results, memoirs, and media coverage. It can also involve oral history, providing voice for members of different ethnic communities and allowing students to engage multiple ethnic perspectives. This local focus can also create additional opportunities for civic engagement, such as working with city government or presenting to school boards.
   
   

8. Developing interpersonal communication
   

   Achieving the preceding principles will require one additional capability: effective communication. Particularly considering California’s extensive diversity, ethnic studies should help build effective communication across ethnic differences. This includes the ability to meet, discuss, and analyze sometimes controversial topics and issues that garner multiple diverse points of view. In other words, students should learn to participate in difficult dialogues. Further, students participating in ethnic studies will be equipped to analyze and critique contemporary issues and systems of power that impact their lived experiences and respective communities. They will engage in meaningful activities and assignments that encourage them to challenge the status quo and reimagine their futures.

Ethnic studies should help students learn to value and appreciate differences and each other’s lived experiences as valuable assets in our diverse society in order to communicate more effectively and constructively with students of different backgrounds. It should help them communicate and interact with empathy, appreciation, empowerment, and clarity, to interact with curiosity, to listen empathically without judgment, and to critically consider new ideas and perspectives. It should also encourage students to value and respect each other’s position in light of new evidence and compelling insights. Students should not seek to dominate in conversations, but rather practice a model of engagement which places a greater priority on listening, seeking to understand before seeking to persuade.

Even the concepts of “race” and “ethnicity” present challenges. What do they mean? How do they relate to each other? How were concepts of race, like “whiteness” and “blackness” constructed? How has our understanding of race and ethnicity changed over time? How are race and ethnicity as group identities reflected in public documents, such as the US Census and most formal applications? How do these group identifiers impact social connection and division? Ethnic studies should help students address these and other fundamental issues that complicate intergroup communication and understanding.

By operating on the basis of these eight principles, statewide ethnic studies can become a venue for developing a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges that come with ethnic diversity. It should advance the cause of equity and inclusivity, challenge systemic racism, foster self-understanding, build intergroup and intragroup bridges, enhance civic engagement, and further a sense of human commonality. In this way, ethnic studies can help build stronger communities, a more equitably inclusive state, and a more just nation.

- Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, Chapter 1.

Ethnic Studies Strengthens Democracy and Democratic Practices

Our democratic form of government was founded on the belief that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of justice. Recognizing the fact that these tenets of democracy have not been realized for too many for too long, our nation and our schools must commit to the ongoing struggle to form a more perfect union. Ethnic Studies provides the perfect context for protecting our shared democratic ideals, norms, and practices for all Americans by preparing students to become informed, responsible, actively engaged citizens.

As stated in the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum:

• Ethnic studies should help students become more engaged locally and develop into effective civic participants and stronger social justice advocates, better able to contribute to constructive social change. [1 Links to an external site.]
• It (ethnic studies) can help students learn to discuss difficult or controversial issues, particularly when race and ethnicity are important factors. [2 Links to an external site.]
• In short, through ethnic studies, students can develop civic participation skills, a greater sense of self-empowerment, and a deeper commitment to life-long civic engagement in the cause of greater community and equity. [3 Links to an external site.]
• This emphasis on citizenship within the pedagogy provides students with a keen sense of ethics, respect, and appreciation for all people, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, and beliefs. [4 Links to an external site.]

Hence, it is critically important to intentionally include civic learning practices and civic engagement opportunities for students to address compelling issues in effective, responsible ways in order to achieve liberty and justice for all

REFERENCES

[1] Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, Chapter 1, California Department of Education, 2021
[2] Ibid.
[3] ibid
[4] Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, Chapter 3, California Department of Education, 2021.

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The Ethnic Studies Adoption Toolkit was developed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education Links to an external site.