Critical Ethnic Studies

Why Major in Critical Ethnic Studies at K?

Who gets to write history and define truth, and what voices and world views are centered in the process?

As a critical ethnic studies [CES] student, you will question how knowledge is defined and the power structures that dictate “truth.” Disentangling the colonial and racial projects that govern the relationship between people and land, you will re-examine universal ideas through the perspective of marginalized groups and world views. 

To understand these varied perspectives, the department takes an interdisciplinary approach to education, allowing you to fulfill major requirements through select classes in English, religion, anthropology and sociology, and political science—in addition to your CES-specific courses. You will invert, rethink, and displace traditional, colonial narratives in classes like The Colonial and Imperial Difference; World Indigenous Literatures: The People and the Land; Insurgency, Solidarity, and Coloniality of Power; and Body, Land, and Labor. By critically examining normalized narratives, you will gain a more complicated and holistic view of the human experience. 

The critical thinking, communication, and research skills you will develop over your four years as a CES student will prepare you for a lifetime of advancing social justice, with alumni having had successful careers in community organizing, education, law, and business. 

What can you do with a critical ethnic studies major?

Below are some of the careers, employers, and graduate schools of our CES alumni.

Careers

  • Paralegal
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Sustainability Program Manager
  • Museum Studies

Employers

  • Fulbright
  • YWCA
  • Kalamazoo Humane Society
  • Vietnam Film Institute

Graduate Schools

  • Northwestern University
  • Northern Michigan University
  • University at Albany
  • Adler University

Program Spotlights

Bring your experiences and passions into the classroom

As a critical ethnic studies student, we will put your learning into practice as we decolonize the classroom—disrupting the typical student-teacher dynamic—to recognize your own experiences and knowledge. For example, your senior seminar is designed around a social justice project of your choosing with your professor there to help guide you through planning and execution. Past classes have used this as an opportunity to make commencement multilingual and advocate for experiential learning elements in STEM courses.

Take your critical ethnic studies abroad 

Before you embark on study abroad, your lessons in cultural solidarity will prepare you to better understand the land and people of the places you are staying. While you can choose from any of the College’s 50+ study abroad opportunities, three programs offer unique experiences for critical ethnic studies students: study aboriginal culture in Wollongong, Australia, learn about the Maori peoples and the South Pacific in Auckland, New Zealand, or work on conservation and decolonization projects in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Engage with the Kalamazoo community 

At K, we put your learning into practice by connecting you with relevant people, organizations, and experiences off campus. Whether it be through participating in student-led initiatives and field trips, bringing in guest lecturers, or taking service-learning courses that pair your lessons with meaningful work with partner organizations in Kalamazoo, you will apply your studies in real-world settings. You are also encouraged to take advantage of any of the College’s other community engagement opportunities.

Connect critical ethnic studies with your other academic interests

Critical ethnic studies encourages students to question dominant narratives and take other lived experiences into account for a more holistic understanding. This perspective shift will enrich your studies in other fields as you consider broader implications as you observe, analyze, and approach problems. Whether you want to work in community organizing, law, medicine, business, the arts, or any other industry, having a solidarity mindset will make you a more conscientious, effective and creative leader.

Meet the Current Departmental Student Advisor

Martin Morison

Martin Morison (They/He)

Major: Critical Ethnic Studies

Minor: Anthropology and Sociology

What is the best thing about being part of this department?

The professors—they are super kind and understanding!

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned at K?

Throughout many of my classes, such as Island Time: Pacific Literature and Plant Communication and Kinship, I’ve been introduced to many worldviews that I hadn’t known about before. I think that this new knowledge, which has changed my own worldview, has been incredibly valuable. I have professors such as Cyndy Garcia-Weyandt to thank for sharing this knowledge.

What is your Senior Integrated Project [SIP]?

While I don’t have it 100% planned out, I hope to do something surrounding Chinese mythology!

What are your career aspirations/next steps after K?

I hope to go to grad school for a master’s in library and information science. Then, I want to work in libraries and work on community programs to better serve the communities the libraries are placed in. I feel like as a preexisting pillar of the community, there’s a lot more that libraries can do for the communities surrounding them and I would love to help close that gap. In doing this, I can combine what I’ve learned from the CES department and my love of reading.