Ethnic studies is the interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, indigeneity, gender, sexuality, class, and dis/ability. The field addresses the production of critical knowledge about power and inequality, including systems of knowledge that have emerged from racialized and indigenous communities. Raymond Pun, Melissa Cardenas-Dow and Kenya S. Flash assert that, “While not every state has adopted an ethnic studies curriculum, it is time for libraries to create space for ethnic studies. Examples include committing to proactive, culturally competent outreach and engagement in these areas, expanding ethnic studies collections, supporting events and programs hosted by ethnic studies departments, and engaging with communities outside university and school walls” (2021). Ethnic studies librarianship varies across different institutional settings and contexts; this course will provide a baseline understanding of ethnic studies as a discipline and introduce students to a variety of approaches to implementing ethnic studies practices in their work in libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations. Guest speakers and site visits will provide students with practical models of ethnic studies librarianship.
