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I. Introduction to Course
A. Establishing a safe and respectful environment for discourse
B. American Cultures courses at SRJC and the University of California
C. Defining a culture
1. Values and beliefs
2. Behaviors, traditions, and customs
3. History (origins, significant events, shared experiences, etc.)
4. Geography and socio-economic factors
D. Course vocabulary - defining key terms of cultural awareness
1. Acknowledging the changeable nature of terms and factors
influencing changes
2. General terms such as multicultural, diversity, cultural diversity,
cultural identity, racial-ethnic identity, and cultural heritage
3. Terms relating to social or personal bias such as oppression,
priviledge, racism, unconscious bias, ethnocentrism, xenophobia,
and classism
4. Terms relating to immigration and minority/majority cultural
dynamics such as acculturation, assimilation, "melting pot,"
appropriation, pluralism, and "first/second generation"
II. Introduction to Multicultural Theatre in the United States
A. Brief overview of relevant theatrical terminology and concepts
1. Production elements and positions
2. Theatre conventions and practices
3. Theatre genres and styles
4. Script analysis and interpretive techniques
B. Historically domininant European American theatrical traditions
1. Demographics of the creators of U.S. theatre
2. Demographics of U.S. theatre audiences
3. Characteristics
C. Identifying multicultural or representative theatrical traditions
1. Major theatrical traditions representing racial-ethnic groups in the
United States: Native American, Latinx, African American,
Asian American, and Arab American Theatre
2. Other representative theatrical traditions
3. Important concerns when studying theatre and cultural heritage
a. The complex diversity within each cultural group being studied
and how that influences the development of theatrical
traditions
b. The use of ritual, dance, music and story-telling in the lives
and world view of each cultural group being studied
c. The development of theatrical conventions derived from
the historical traditions of each cultural group being studied
d. The analysis and understanding of creative endeavors within
their cultural context
e. The diverse methods of theatrical presentations being used
f. The synthesis of cultural understanding with artistic
interpretation of theatrical productions and play readings
g. The historical negative stereotypes perpetuated by the
entertainment industry
h. The evolution of common diversity efforts in U.S. theatre such
as "colorblind" casting
III. Native American Theatre
A. Brief overview of Native American history
1. Original tribal lands and the impact of colonialism
a. Forced relocations and treaties
b. Impact of brutality and oppression
2. Assimilation and government control
a. Boarding schools
b. Cultural and religious suppression
c. Bureau of Indian Affairs
3. Changes in the 20th century and beyond
a. Civil Rights Movement
b. American Indian Movement
c. Changes in tribal wealth and resources
d. Status and location of tribes today
B. Aspects of Native American culture
1. Tribal society and tribal diversity
2. Storytelling and the oral tradition
3. Rediscovery of traditional spirituality
4. Relationship with the earth and natural world
5. Traditions, customs, and values within different tribes and
indigenous communities around the country
C. Introduction to Native American theatre
1. History
2. Characteristics, including themes and conventions
3. Representative plays and playwrights/originating groups
4. Recent developments
a. Theatre organizations supporting Native American theatre
b. Notable Native American theatre artists
IV. Latinx Theatre
A. Brief overview of Latinx history
1. From colonialism to immigration in Latin America
a. Spanish and Portuguese colonialism in the New World
and mpact on indigenous populations
b. Evolution of major powers throughout Latin America
c. Intersecting cultures and changing societies
d. Labor demands and immigration
e. Catholicism
2. Latinx history in the United States (20th century and beyond)
a. Political, social, and economic events outside the
United States impacting Latinx cultural development
b. Political, social, and economic events inside the
United State impacting Latinx cultural development
B. Aspects of Latinx culture
1. Latinx arts and literature
a. Poetic tradition
b. Magical realism
c. Spanish language and "Spanglish"
2. Traditions, customs, and values within different Latinx
communities around the country
C. Introduction to Latinx Theatre
1. History
2. Characteristics, including themes and conventions
3. Representation plays and playwrights/originating groups
4. Recent developments
a. Theatre organizations supporting Latinx theatre
b. Notable Latinx theatre artists
V. African American Theatre
A. Broad overview of African American history
1. 17th-19th Century
a. Slavery and the Middle Passage
i. Minstrel shows
ii. Underground railroad
iii. Remnants of African cultural traditions
b. The Civil War and Reconstruction
c. The Northern Migration begins
2. The 20th Century
a. Harlem Renaissance
b. The Depression and the Federal Theatre Project
c. The Civil Rights Movement
3. Into the 21st Century
a. President Obama
b. Black Lives Matter
B. Aspects of African American culture
1. Literature and poetry
2. Oral tradition
3. Music developments and influences
4. Visual arts
5. Traditions, customs, and values within different African American
communities around the country
C. Introduction to African American Theatre
1. History
2. Characteristics, including themes and conventions
3. Representative plays and playwrights/originating groups
4. Recent developments
a. Theatre organizations supporting African American theatre
b. Notable African American theatre artists
VI. Asian American Theatre
A. Broad overview of Asian American history
1. History of Asian
a. Vast and ancient
b. Major societies and cultures
c. Major events in Asian history
2. Asian American History: 17th-19th Century
a. International events and immigration
b. Labor needs (such as theTrancontinental Railroad and the
California Gold Rush
c. Chinese Exclusion Act and other exclusion laws
3. Asian American History: 20th Century
a. International events and effects of World War II
b. Japanese internments camps
c. Korean and Vietnam wars
d. The Civil Rights Movement
4. Into the 21st Century
B. Aspects of Asian American culture
1. Countries of origin
a. Cultural differences
b. Cultural similarities
2. Traditions, customs, and values within different Asian American
communities around the country
3. Languages
C. Introduction to Asian American Theatre
1. History
a. Traditional Asian theatrical conventions
b. Brief history of Asian American theatre
2. Characteristics, including themes and conventions
3. Representative plays and playwrights/originating groups
4. Current developments
a. Theatre organizations supporting Asian American theatre
b. Notable Asian American theatre artists
VII. Arab American Theatre
A. Broad overview of Arab American history
1. Countries and societies of origin
a. Major powers and changes over millennia
b. European colonization in North Africa and the Middle East
i. Rise and fall of Ottoman Empire
ii. Discovery of oil
iii. Power shifts and border changes during/following WWI
2. Arab American history
a. Prior to 20th century
b. 20th century and into 21st century
i. Impact of Gulf War
ii. 9/11 and aftermath
B. Aspects of Arab American culture
1. Countries of origin
a. Cultural differences
b. Cultural similarities
2. Role of Religion
a. Muslim
b. Christian
c. Other
3. A rich arts heritage
a. Literature and poetry
b. Music
c. Dance
d. Visual arts
e. Limited theatrical heritages and the reasons why
C. Introduction to Arab American Theatre
1. History
a. Influences of cultural heritage from diverse societies
b. Limited influence of traditional theatre conventions and
related theatrical forms (such as puppetry)
c. Arab American theatre history prior to late 20th century
d. The recent emergence of Arab American theatre
2. Characteristics, including themes and conventions
3. Representative plays and playwrights/originating groups
4. Recent developments
a. Theatre organizations supporting Arab American theatre
b. Notable Arab American theatre artists
VIII. (optional) Additional units of study may include other representative
theatrical movements in the United States, as time allows. Such units
may include:
A. LGBTQIA+ theatre
B. Theatre celebrating artists with disabilities (such as Deaf theatre)
C. Religious-based theatre (such as Yiddish/Jewish theatre; Christian theatre)