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Open Educational Resources Subject Guide: Ethnic Studies

Open Textbooks

  • Native Peoples of North America (SUNY)
    “Native Peoples of North America is intended to be an introductory text about the Native peoples of North America (primarily the United States and Canada) presented from an anthropological perspective. […]. Prehistoric, historic and contemporary information is presented. Each chapter begins with an example from the oral tradition that reflects the theme of the chapter. The text includes suggested readings, videos, and classroom activities.”
  • The Bright Continent: African Art History
    “This book aims to act as your map through the world of African art. As such, it will help you define the competencies you need to develop–visual analysis, research, noting what information is critical, asking questions, and writing down your observations–and provide opportunities for you to practice these skills until you are proficient. It will also expose you to new art forms and the worlds that produced them, enriching your understanding and appreciation.”
  • CLS 1500 Cultural Diversity, Chicanas/os, and Latinas/os

 "CLS 1500 Cultural Diversity, Chicanas/os, and Latinas/os: Examines cultural diversity in U.S.society from Chicana/o and Latina/o       studies perspectives. Explores historical and contemporary relationships, conflict, and reconciliation among major cultural groups."

"Brief textbook for use in a Sociology survey course for Minority Studies; thus, it looks at minorities from a very broad but shallow Sociological perspective and includes discussion of race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, aging, and disability. The last section is devoted to expulsion and genocide."

"Interpersonal communication in health and social care services is by its nature diverse. As a consequence, achieving good or effective communication whether between service providers and service users, or among those working in a service means taking account of diversity, rather than assuming that every interaction will be the same. This text explores the ways in which difference and diversity impact on the nature of communication in health and social care services."

"The contents of this online book were created by Prof. Rick Bonus and his students as a final project for a course on “Critical Filipinx American Histories” in the Fall quarter of 2019 at the University of Washington, Seattle campus. In collaboration with the UW Libraries, the UW Burke Museum, and the UW Department of American Ethnic Studies, this book explores and reflects on the relationships between Filipinx American histories and selected artifacts at the Burke Museum. It is a class project that was made possible by the Allen Open Textbook Grant."

Open Courses

  • African American History (Open Yale)
    “Open Yale course that “examine[s] the African American experience in the United States from 1863 to the present.”
  • Race and Racism (MIT OpenCourseWare)
    “Open course from MIT’s series of Topics in Social Theory and Practice that explores race and racism in the United States. Includes syllabus, list of readings (some linked), lecture notes, and assignments.”
  • Race and Gender in Asian America (MIT OpenCourseWare)
    Seminar that explores “various issues related to the intersection of race and gender in Asian America, starting with the nineteenth century, but focusing on contemporary issues.”
  • Race, Crime and Citizenship in American Law (MIT OpenCourseWare)
    “Open seminar from MIT that examines the relationship between race, crime, and citizenship through mass incarceration, case studies of racial disparities, and national security policing.”
  • Writing About Race (MIT OpenCourseWare)
    “In this course we will engage this question head-on, reading and writing about issues involving the construction of race and racial identity as reflected from a number of vantage points and via a rich array of voices and genres. Readings will include literary works by such writers as Toni Morrison, Junot Diaz, and Sherman Alexie, as well as perspectives on film and popular culture from figures such as Malcolm Gladwell and Touré.”

Zero-cost Resources

  • Free Teaching Materials from the Zinn Education Project
    List of teaching activities on various history lessons from a “people’s history” perspective. Downloads of PDFs are free, but require registration (also no-cost) on the website. Please note these teaching materials are NOT under a Creative Commons license.
  • Racial Equity Tools
    “Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities and the culture at large.” Note that you will need to create a free account to access materials.

Public Domain Resources

  • Public Domain Native American Literature (Amherst College)
    A collection of over 100 public domain books by or about Native Americans. From Amherst College’s Younghee Kim-Wait (AC 1982) Pablo Eisenberg Native American Literature Collection.