Race, Ethnic and Indigenous Studies (REIS)

About REIS

The Marquette University RACE, ETHNIC, AND INDIGENOUS STUDIES PROGRAM is an interdisciplinary endeavor that promotes critical academic scholarship on the workings of racial/ethnic identity, the persistence of racism (and other forms of social oppression), and the enduring struggle of Native American communities in light of centuries of domination and exclusion. Modeled after post-civil rights conceptualizations of Ethnic Studies, REIS is an umbrella program that serves as the home to several majors/minors within the Klinger College of Arts and Sciences. Through these majors, this program offers students the academic space to explore the structural, political, and institutional power dynamics that give racial, ethnic, and indigenous identities their shape and meaning. Fueled by recent cluster-hiring and bringing together individuals from numerous departments and colleges, REIS provides various forms of support (mentorship, a sense of community, and leadership opportunities) alongside opportunities for faculty to obtain feedback on research projects falling within its purview. As such, this program promotes ethical, embodied-scholarship that allows Marquette University to realize what faith, excellence, service, and leadership mean when these ideals courageously transcend internal and external borders here on campus or in Milwaukee, the Midwest, and beyond.

Programs in REIS

The Klingler College of Arts and Sciences offers interdisciplinary majors and minors in a number of fields including:

Africana Studies (major and minor)

Program Director: Dr. Chima J. Korieh, P.h.D.

Program Overview

Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary major and minor that examines the experiences and contributions of people of African descent in the modern world. Our courses range in geographic focus from the United States to Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and in disciplinary approach from the humanities and social sciences to business and communication. All these courses interrogate the role that race plays in social, cultural, economic and political institutions, systems and structures. Our goal is to provide students with the knowledge necessary to be agents of change in an evolving world.

This major and minor provides students with analytical abilities grounded in traditional disciplines as well as increasingly important skills in interdisciplinary investigation, research, criticism and writing.

Africana Studies can be taken either as a primary major or as a complement to other majors. Students pair Africana Studies with majors in English, History, Communications, International Affairs, Psychology, Political Science, Sociology or Education, for examples, because of the excellent preparation the combinations provide for graduate or professional school and for careers in journalism, business, government, health care, urban affairs, public policy, politics, social work or education.

The major consists of 30 credits hours: five core courses from offerings in the departments of English, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology and Theology, and five electives selected from across the University. The minor consists of 18 credit hours: three core courses and three elective courses.

Students are encouraged to develop concentrations in areas of particular interest. Possibilities include a disciplinary focus such as literature or sociology or an area focus such as race, culture and health; race and gender; or intercultural communication. Concentrations are designed with a major adviser and require approval by the director of the program.

Courses

Recent courses offered include:

  • African History
  • African American History
  • African American Fiction to Film: A Study in Genre
  • The Psychology of Racism
  • Race and Racism in Milwaukee: Cultural Critique
  • African American Literature from the Revolution to the Harlem Renaissance
  • Race, Gender and Medicine
  • Urban Politics

Additional Information

To learn more about a major or minor in Africana Studies or to see the course listings, please visit the Africana Studies undergraduate bulletin page.

Advisory Board

Arab and Muslim American Studies (minor)

Latinx Studies (minor)


Courses

Spring 2020 REIS Courses

  • ADPR 4750 - Strategic Communication in a Culturally Diverse Marketplace
  • ANTH 1001 - Being Human
  • ARBC 1002 - Elementary Arabic 2
  • CMST 4410 - Intercultural Communication
  • ENGL 2010 - Literature and Genre
  • ENGL 2020 - Texts, Social Systems and Values
  • ENGL 2030 - Global Literatures
  • ENGL 3000 - Critical Practices and Processes in Literary Studies
  • ENGL 4820 - Studies in Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
  • ENGL 4830 - Africana Literatures
  • HEAL 1025 - Culture and Health
  • HIST 4120 - American Immigration
  • HIST 4135 - African-American History
  • MANA 3035 - Diversity in Organizations
  • POSC 4631 - World Conflict and Security
  • SOCI 1001 - Principles of Sociology
  • SOCI 3500 - Culture, Health and Illness
  • SOCI 3550 - Race, Gender and Medicine
  • SOCI 4400 - Social Inequality
  • SOWJ 1001 - Introduction to Social Welfare and Justice
  • SOWJ 2150 - Immigrants and their Communities
  • SPAN 3505 - Introduction to Literary Analysis in Spanish for Heritage and Native Speakers
  • SPAN 4320 - Latin American and Latinx Contemporary Issues
  • SPAN 4400 - U.S. Latinx Literature
  • SPAN 4705 - Advanced Spanish for Business
  • SPAN 4715 - Advanced Spanish for Health Care
  • SPPA 2220 - Child Speech Sound Disorders
  • SPPA 4610 - Multicultural Issues for Speech-Language Pathologists

Additional courses offered that focus on REIS

  • ADVE 4200 Gender and Race in Advertising from the Inside Out

  • ANTH 3100 Urban Anthropology

  • ANTH 3930 Contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa

  • ARSC 4953 Seminar in Urban Social Issues

  • COMM 4500 Race and Gender Issues in Mass Media

  • EDUC 1220 Psychology of Human Development in Children and Adolescents in a Diverse Society

  • ENGL 2020 I Am We: Memoirs of the Civil Rights Movement

  • ENGL 4170 African American English: Language, Race and Power

  • ENGL 4830 Afro-Futurism: The Politics and Aesthetics of Black Utopias

  • HEAL 1025 Culture and Health

  • HEAL 1025 Culture and Health

  • HIST 4140 American Urban History

  • HIST 4931 Introduction to Latinx Studies

  • HIST 4953 Long Black Freedom Struggle

  • HIST 4955 History of Comparative Genocides

  • MANA 3035 Diversity in Organization

  • MUSI 2440 History of Jazz

  • POSC 4281 Urban Public Policy

  • PSYC 3210 The Psychology of Prejudice

  • SOCI 3250 Race and Ethnic Relations

  • SOCI 3550 Race, Gender and Medicine

  • SOCI 4250 African American Social Thought

  • SOCI 4270 Urban Sociology

  • SOCI 4400 Social Inequality

  • SOWJ 1001 Introduction to Social Welfare and Justice

  • SOWJ 3450 Arabs and Muslims in Global Diaspora

  • SPAN 4320 Latin American and Latinx Contemporary Issues

  • SPAN 4150 Spanish in the United States