Current Courses
Fall 2012
- AIS 101: Intro to American Indian Studies
- AIS 140: Native Religious Traditions
- AIS 199: Expressive Culture
- AIS 275: Sex on the Beach
- AIS 503: Seminar in Indigenous Studies
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AIS 101: Intro to American Indian Studies. DeLisle TTH 12:30-1:45 (Discovery); Warrior TTH 2-3:15 (Discovery); Reed MWF 10-10:50; Staff MWF 10-10:50, 11-11:50
Interdisciplinary introduction surveys the stories, histories, and lands of tribal peoples who became known as "American Indians."
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for a UIUC: Hist&Philosoph Perspect course, and UIUC: US Minority Culture(s) course
AIS 140: Native Religious Traditions. Gilbert, MW 12-1:20
An interdisciplinary survey of native religious traditions, exploring the breadth and depth of spiritual expression among native people in North America. Assigned readings and class discussions cover a variety of important themes including sacred landscapes, mythic narratives, oral histories, communal identities, tribal values, elder teachings, visionary experiences, ceremonial practices, prayer traditions, and trickster wisdom. Students also consider historic encounters with missionary colonialism and contemporary strategies for religious self-determination. Class discussions are supplemented by audiovisual materials and guest speakers.
This course satisfies the General Education Criteria for a UIUC: US Minority Culture(s) course, and UIUC: Hist&Philosoph Perspect course
AIS 199: Expressive Culture. Howe TTH 12:30-1:45
Topic: Intro to American Indian Studies: American Indian Expressive Culture. This course focuses on various forms of cultural expression among American Indians and other ndigenous peoples, including film, dance, theatre, visual art, and writing. Issues of performance and artistic practice will be of special concern, and the relationship between new and older forms of Indigenous expression will be highlighted.
Restricted to Chancellor's Scholar-CHPHonors students
AIS 275: Sex on the Beach. Diaz MW 10-10:50, Lab T 2-4:20
Have you ever noticed that films set in the Pacific are always about romance or tragedy, whether about individual people (in love stories consummated or gone awry) or nations (as through wars and conflicts)? Did you ever wonder why? This course samples the body of films -feature and documentary-set in the Pacific Islands as the materiality to develop our critical visual literacy skills in general, and through which we can understand a broader, ongoing, history of Euro American fears and desires as projected through exotic and erotic films of romance and tragedy set in the islands. How do such recurring stories and motifs tell us infinitely more about America than they do about Pacific islands and Pacific Islanders? Do documentaries continue that tradition? Do productions by Native Pacific Islanders perpetuate, or break from this problematic, albeit heavily entertaining, tradition? Same as ENGL 275 and MACS 275.
AIS 503: Seminar in Indigenous Studies. Gilbert MW 10-11:20
Research and writing seminar that offers special topics based on current research questions and concerns in American Indian and indigenous Studies and opportunities for graduate students who have made considerable progress in defining a research project to advance the research and writing to the next stage (e.g., to include as a thesis or dissertation chapter or for publication). Topics vary.