An Introduction

By,

Dr. Iris D. Ruiz

ChicanX StuDies as a DisCiplIne

The authors of the book explain that:-In 1996, when they began the 1st edition of this anthology, STILL a death of Chicano Studies texts that represented the Chicanx experience from multiple perspectives.

-the development of Chicanx Studies programs.-departments and centers-assessing ideological relationships between

institutions (what do we mean by institutions?)-the innovation of curriculum-the relationship of undergraduate degrees to the

workplace-Rodolfo E. Acuña has changed this with Occupied

America

The (A)Textual representation of Xcanxs in the Academy

Chicanx Studies as Cultural Recovery and Loss-Prevention

Books such as this one provide much needed lost history and analysis of the 21st century Chicano/a in need of knowing their roots and of recovering their lost history.

You won’t see this book in many history classrooms although it is well-researched and respected in the fields of ChicanX Studies and LatinX studies.

So many references to learn about one’s past that are rarely mentioned in today’s mainstream high-school textbooks.

One of the banned books in Arizona, 2010. (HB2281)

1. This book encourages an in-depth study on Chicanos from the perspective of the social sciences, education, the humanities, and the arts. 2. This is how the book is organized. It is a way to understand the various roles that Chicanxs play in today’s society. It is also a way to figure out which direction you might pursue in terms of the issues you care about and are good at and interested in. 3. It promises to provide pertinent knowledge of the history, culture, and major current socioeconomic and political issues facing Chicanx.4. Bixlar Marquez and Carlos Ortega propose that this knowledge is important for everyone, but it is especially important for those that live in the border states and the Southwest. 5. Many facts, numbers, scenarios, people, and events will seem strange to you and will challenge your current conception of Chicanxs and of yourselves.

The Goals/Structure of Your Book

Chicanx Studies in the TumultuOus 60’s

Society was changing at a rapid pace at this time due to pressure from national activist groups based upon their special interests such as:-race-sexual identity-economic status-gender equality-equal access to education-occupational opportunities-health-inclusion-the War in Vietnam-elitism-white privilege

http://

archaeology.about.com/od/aterms/a/Aztlan.htm

http://www.umich.edu/~

mechaum/Aztlan.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=RM9uH4XgOmI

The Creation of Aztlan

California and Chicanxs-large Mexican population

-Chicano Student Movement made

Chicano Studies its top priority.

-Students in CA waged a constant

struggle to have programs

developed and sustained.

-Influenced the Southwest and the

Midwest to follow similar goals.

Organizations that FuEleD the Movmt.

UMAS MAYO Mexican American Student CouncilMovimiento Estudiantil Chicano de AztlanUnited Farm Workers of AmericaCrusade for Justice

George I. Sanchez began to question bias on IQ tests again Mexicans in the 1930’s. Carlos Casteneda publised numerous histories, but they were not very critical. Too traditional and too academic.In CA, Ernesto Galarza received his PhD in economics from Colombia university: he did not believe universities cared about Mexican workers, so he decided to be an independent scholar and activist.The conservatism before the 60’s led students to want to see more critical scholars who would shape the emerging consciousness with nationalist ideologies, possess and teach a strong Mexican identity, and have an activist spirit.

-There were little opportunities for higher education for Chicanx due to cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers. Up until 1954 segregation was legal. -Segregation of Mexicans was also legal in some parts of the U.S.-There were only the Catholic and Protestant Clergy who helped fund Chicanxs pursuing higher education.-When they did attend school, there were no Mexican American Studies courses or departments. -There were little opportunities to study their own culture and language.

Conservative Educational Policy and Disenfranchised Chicanxs

Chicano Movement: Who are you?What you don’t learn in K-12th grade.

When you don’t know who you are, you naturally assimilate to what is around you.

What’s wrong with that? That’s how it’s supposed to be: Go with the flow….

But it IS wrong. You must give up your cultural heritage if you assimilate. Your cultureBecomes something to be only experienced or discussed in private.

Your language becomes silenced.

You are forced to ASSIMILATE: ix: the idea of giving up or abandoning one’s culturalHeritage. Enforced by corporeal punishment for speaking Spanish.

Textbooks IGNORE you. Therefore, you become confused, and wonder why none of the classes acknowledgeYour daily lives and identity as NORMAL and worthy of curriculum material.

Chicano Studies as Cultural Nationalism not something to be AsHaMed of….

But somethng to be proud of and CELEBRATED! Our HERITAGE….OUR CULTURE….OUR STRUGGLE….OUR HISTORY

Chicano Student AcTiVism: The Walkouts, Colorado and the Southwes

College Student ActivismMass student protests were influential in bringing about awareness of the Chicano Movement concerns and issues to the community.

They were driven into the politics of change due to all of the civil unrest of this time. The many social issues that surrounded them led them to make at least two demands of higher education.

1. Teach them about their culture and history.2. Offer training and knowledge needed tomake change in their own communities.

Student Protests and the influence of AcTiVisT LiTerAtUre:

1967 Xicano Student Group El Grito: A Journal of Contemporary Mexican American Thought. More than an intellectual exercise. This was activist literature.

This was a direct response to issues in the Mexican community: bleak educational experiences, the exploitation of farm workers, and the virtual exclusion from mainstream society.

University administration was not supportive but knew about it.

Lack of coherence in the presentation of student issues to university administrators: ix.

Then and Now: Mexican Influence and Presence within the U.S.

http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/09/15/hispanics-of-mexican-origin-in-the-united-states-2013/

Robert Kennedy and MLK Jr. were assassinated and this made the tenor for change even more pronounced. The movement had already been solidified before their deaths. The public schools had an immense impact on the Chicano Studies movement. 1968 Walkouts consisted of a student mass protest against middle and high schools. They protested-the poor quality of their education-the emphasis on vocational education-cultural dissonance demonstrated bias by administrator and teachers toward student. -Education then became a political issue: students demanded a more accurate curriculum.

Death of Civil Rights Leaders Intensifies the Movmnt.

Spreading the word and changing the educational and cultural landscapes of the Mainstream White Academy which ignored and marginalized people of Mexican Descent

The Creation of Chicano Studies Programs

-1968 First Chicano Studies Program CSU, LA. -1969 CSUN-1972 UTEP-April 1969: Santa Barbara Conference: discussed previous goals established at the Denver Youth Conference. -El Plan Espiritual de Atzlan: communitarian and antiassimilation. -Programs spread to: California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and Washington. There were Chicano/Boriqua studies in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa. -Programs needed to address identity crisis and train Chican@ activists.

Programs in Higher Ed

Language, education, literature, aesthetics, and creative arts, philosophy, folklore, and ideology, to the objective conditions of its historical, social, cultural, psychological, political, and economic socialization, development, and existence. Development of a Chicanx paradigm reflecting a Chicano perspective of the world, and based upon a new knowledge, research needed to build a Chicano consciousness that would serve to liberate the Chicano community. The restoration of human dignity, lead to socioeconomic transformation of the Chicano community, and contribute to the fullest potential of Chicano students.

Chicanx Studies: A Multidisciplinary Field of Knowledge

Ocativio Roman criticized mainstream social science research practices and methods which were said to reinforce stereotypes about Chicanxs and biased history towards the glorification of Eurpoeans, which led toThe perpetuation of stereotypical images which circulated about Chicanos such as being lazy, illiterate, unskilled, untalented, uncivilized, etc. Because of these biased practices within social science, it would not be enough to just allow Chicanxs to do Social Science but to actually introduce a new image of the Chicano into social science that would more accurately and comprehensively represent Chicanxs. Page xi list-These relate to the decolonization of knowledge, the decolonization of the Chicanx image, the decolonization of biased research methods.

Creation of a Chicanx Paradigm

Activism within the community and the Cultural RenaissanceChicanxs were connecting with their Mexican roots, rejected assimilation, self worthThe spirit of indigenismoThe Mexican RevolutionLa Raza Cosmica

Literacy and AcademicsArte Publico PressEl GritoAtzlan:A Chicano Journal of the Social SciencesCreated nationalistic buzzwords: Maya, Toltec, Aztecs, Pancho Villa, the Magon brothers, Zapata, Tierra y Libertad, and mestizos. History, Labor Relations, Sociology, Politics, Education, and Anthropology Folklore, literary criticism, biography, political economy, bilingualism, and music

Chicanx Studies and Renaissance

Internal ColonialismFranz Fanon, Albert Memmi, Pablo Casanovo and the Third World Intellectual Movement: they were talking about post-colonialismWe wanted a term that could more accurately represent our colonial status even though this land used to be Mexico and the occupiers are still present with not intent to leave or grant sovereignty back to Mexicans. But we also need to examine class relations, not just colonial relations, so the notion fell short.

Medicinal HistoryCritical HistoriographyCritical RecoveryCritical Race TheoryDecolonial HistoryOccupied America: Rodolfo Acuña

Recovering a Traumatic Loss:Chicanx History

Criticisms and Contribution of CS

Lack of attention to feminist issues in the beginningLack of stability for Chicanx Studies Programs due to the dearth of graduate programs and insitutional support for the creation of well funded and developed CS programs. El Plan de Santa Barbara lacked some depth in that some of the aspects seemed to evolve into some unforeseen results such as:1. The co-optation of Chicano Studies Programs2. The sellout of Chicano faculty to the world of academia3. The contested value of Chicano nationalism as a driving

force for Chicanx Studies.

Happy People

More Knowledge

More Self-Pride

Contributions

-Maximized the presence of Chicanx

students on campus, faculty, administrative

-Personnel, teachers, lawyers, doctors,

counselors, community activists,

-Chicano intellectuals, more conscious

Chicanx minds,

-Became a internationally recognized

regional area of study

-3rd World Feminism

-Challenging patriarchy

-Border Studies

-Graduate Programs

-Critical Pedagogy

Real Contributions

UCLA

UCSB

Arizona State

UT

University of Houston

Michigan State

Chicanx Studies Research Centers

This is only the beginning…

Ya nos empezaron….

To Be Cont.