Creative Discovery Fellows Program

Creative Discovery Fellows Program pages

Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies 121: History of the Chinese in the U.S.

This course covers the entire history of the Chinese in the U.S., from the Gold Rush period in the mid-l9th century to the present. Since Chinese immigration and exclusion are two continuous processes throughout this history, both will be the focus of the course. The two processes and their interaction with each other also generated considerable political, economic, and cultural dynamism in the settlement and development of the Chinese American community throughout the U.S. Adding to the complexity of the two processes and the community dynamics has been the continuous impact of the...

Ethnic Studies 176, 'Against the Grain: Ethnic American Art and Artists'

Ethnic Studies 176 approaches coursework from various critical/theoretical perspectives, often constructing them as we analyze, and through the lens of Ethnic Studies. It assumes that few, if any of you, are entering the course with an extensive background in the art and cultural production or the attendant scholarly criticism of American ethnic art. It does, however, assume the ability and willingness to read and analyze works closely. Over the course of the semester, the course has various Ethnic American artists from the Bay Area who will share and discuss...

SUMMER Asian American & Asian Diaspora Studies W20AC - "Asian American Communities and Race Relations"

This course surveys contemporary issues affecting the Asian American community. Students of the course looked at the different theories that explain the current status of Asian Americans and the interrelationship between the Asian American community, nation, and world. The course focuses on the issue of race relations, and the commonalities and differences between Asian Americans and other race and ethnic groups.

Instructional Materials...

Geography X50AC: “California”

About the Course Assignment

California is a broad, introductory course that explores the material places and social spaces that create both astonishing wealth and intractable inequality in California. Created by Dr. Seth Lunine and Chancellor’s Public Fellow Sophia Fenn, the American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) / Creative Discovery component of the course enabled the Fall Program for First Semester (FPF) students to extend and contextualize topics related to gentrification and the...

History 131C: In the Shadow of War

Over the course of the semester, students in History 131C, In the Shadow of War: A Social History of the U.S. Military, investigate together how the military shaped and was shaped by the experiences of African American, indigenous American, Mexican American, Asian American, and white American soldiers, officers, and their families. Alongside race, ethnicity, and national origin, the course considers how personnel policies and exigent circumstances of war rendered gender, sexuality, class, religion, and disability visible and invisible, acceptable and...

ESPM 50AC: "Introduction to Culture and Natural Resource Management"

About the Course Assignment

ESPM 50AC: “Introduction to Culture and Natural Resource Management” explores how the health of the environments we depend on is connected to natural resource management, which in turn arises out of historically and culturally specific relationships between humans and nature. The creative project utilizes a form of media to present the student’s research on a topic addressing a course-related theme in the United States or in an area of U.S. imperial influence and how natural resources intersect with race,...

Public Policy 160AC: Work, Justice and the Labor Movement

This course provides a broad, interdisciplinary overview of the U.S. labor movement in the fight for social and economic justice. It will introduce students to critiques of racial capitalism and the power dynamics inherent in paid work while considering why and how workers form unions in response. One of the primary objectives of this course is to develop a theoretical and analytical understanding of contemporary workers’ experiences of work in the U.S. shaped by race, class, gender, sexuality, immigration status, language, religion, and other social constructs. There will be a special...

Sociology 130AC: "Social Inequalities: American Cultures"

About the Course Assignment

Sociology 130AC: “Social Inequalities – American Cultures”, is a course that explores the causes and consequences of social inequalities in the United States. This is a large lecture course of nearly 200 students. For the creative discovery assignment, Reed recruited a small group of students from the class to join the "Soc. 130 Creative Team". This group of seven students were then tasked with developing a creative project that would connect to an assignment undertaken by all students in the class--the...

Chicano Studies 159AC: “Mexican and Central American Migration”

About the Course Assignment

Chicano Studies 159AC: “Mexican and Central American Migration” attempts to answer the following questions: why does Mexican and Central American immigration continue to be the target of anti-immigrant hysteria and unjust immigration policy? And how do Mexican and Central American immigrant communities navigate, contest, and challenge these policies in their everyday lives? In empowering students to seek answers to these questions, the projects for this class included a group project where students could create...

Chicano Studies 174AC: "Chicanos, the Law and the Criminal Justice System"

About the Course Assignment

Chicano Studies 174AC: “Chicanos, the Law, and the Criminal Justice System” situates itself within an abolitionist paradigm to understand the connections between Chicano, Latino, and migrant urbanization, race, poverty, state violence, and the criminal justice system. The project for this course asked students, as groups, to select a topic or theme that they wanted to engage and to create a Spark presentation introducing the topic, as well as produce a podcast on the chosen topic or theme.