Department of American Ethnic Studies

Assistant professor of American Ethnic Studies, Linh Thủy Nguyễn, is interviewed about the recent wave of violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Felix Mercado looks back on attending what was known as the “Spanish School,” a school that was built in 1936 specifically to segregate Mexican migrants from white people. Gonzalo Guzmán, a predoctoral instructor in American ethnic studies at the UW, is interviewed.

Take a look back at the last year of the UW's research of and adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In early February, The Seattle Times published a report that provides a preliminary glimpse at who has had access to the first set of COVID-19 vaccines that were doled out. As much as I want to tell myself that this is an incomplete picture and that the first set of vaccines is reflective of a strategy to inoculate first responders and medical personnel, I still feel that the preliminary rollout failed to address a key consideration: namely, the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has had on people of color and economically marginalized folks," writes Oscar Rosales Castañeda, a lecturer in American ethnic studies at the UW.

Tamiko Nimura (PhD American Ethnic Studies 2004) explains the importance of the Seattle National Archives and Records Administration to the preservation of American Pacific Islander history.

"As the first few days of the new year plopped themselves on my calendar, echoes from last year emanated, as if refusing to relinquish its grip on a twisted, telenovela-esque reality," writes Oscar Rosales Castañeda, a lecturer in American ethnic studies at the UW.

The department of American ethnic studies (AES) takes pride in its strong focus on issues of social justice, equality, and civil rights — especially as it pertains to those U.S. groups that have been historically subjected to exclusion and marginalization. 

College of Arts & Sciences Dean Stacey explains that there is an important civic, political, social, and cultural element to an education and that you can get that in a wide variety of majors.

UW Tacoma alum Omari Amili speaks with formerly-incarcerated UW alumni and faculty.

Honors Peer Educator Zoe Mertz felt more engaged than ever by this year’s online Global Challenges event, saying: "I really appreciated the range of knowledge and disciplinary experience the speakers brought to the conversation; and the topic felt immediate and relevant to students in all disciplines." A video recording of Drs. Bushnell, Spigner and Koutnik's Nov. 12 discussion on communicating crises across a divided public is available to view and to share.

This week at the UW, listen to a discussion on global challenges, join the Herny Art Museum for a roundtable discussion, and more.

“It’s important to take stock of what we’ve accomplished so we can remember that our collective activism, past and present, isn’t in vain,” says LaShawnda Pittman, an assistant professor of American Ethnic Studies.

The 2020 election is fast approaching, and with the protests against police brutality still continuing throughout the country, race is one of the hot issues for voters. It’s been talked about in all of the presidential and vice presidential debates; there have been Tweets and speeches made about the division of race and the current need for unity. In response to the importance of the issue of race, the history department organized a webinar with UW professors to discuss it.

Louie Tan Vital (MPA, 2019 | BA, Political Science and Comparative History of Ideas, 2016) discusses her own experience with generational differences in Asian American voting trends. 

The Southeast Asia Center will spearhead a new initiative to explore the effects of authoritarianism in Southeast Asia and on Southeast Asian American communities in the United States.