Empires, Subjects and Islands
by admin - September 29th, 2016
The next three class sessions deal with colonized nations and territories within the jurisdiction of the United States. Their people have claim to American citizenship, although that claim has been at times historically contested, hard-won, or tenuous. We will explore these different experiences and histories and compare them to one another.
Tues 10/4 – “Empires, Subject and Islands.” Reading (PDFs also available on Blackboard): Eric Love, “White is the Color of Empire” and Francis Torres, “Rejecting Colonial Justification: Puerto Rico and the Insular Cases”
Thurs 10/6 We will view the film The Insular Empire: America in the Mariana Islands during class. This 2010 PBS documentary traces the history of the Mariana Islands and its indigenous peoples as both American citizens and colonial subjects. Watch the trailer:
Update 10/10: the DVD is on course reserve at the library if you missed it or want to view it again; here’s the note sheet we used to take our notes on the film.
Reminder: Your CITIZEN proposal is due in class Thurs 10/6 | Download project guidelines | Or visit the CITIZEN Project tab above
Tues 10/11 The Disenfranchised. Reading: RV Chapter 5 plus “Jim Crow: Indian Style”
Soapbox Presenters on 10/11 = Alexis, Antrienig, Trish, Kim, Rachel, Noah, Matt
(Photo, American soldiers raising the flag over Guam in WW2)
