Welcome from the Department Chair
Welcome to the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity (ASE) at USC. I am pleased to be chairing this dynamic interdisciplinary unit which has been nationally recognized for its novel approaches to the understanding of racism, immigration, incarceration, power, sexuality and social justice. We engage students and the wider public to collectively address the consequences of structural inequality and settler colonialism in Los Angeles, California, the United States and the world. Read more.
Mission Statement
The Department of American Studies & Ethnicity’s (ASE) mission is to educate in the comprehensive analysis of race and ethnicity and engage students and the public to understand diversity, the consequences of disparity and inequity, and the enactment of community and citizenship at multiple scales in Los Angeles, California, the United States and the world. We seek to investigate and explain stratification based on race, gender, class, sexuality, and religion and examine the texture of lived experience and imagination of varied communities and their struggles towards equity and justice.
Our signature department profile consists of:
Ethnic & Racial Studies
Power and Social Justice Studies
Gender & Sexuality Studies
Transnational/Global Studies
~ Adopted by ASE Core Faculty on March 28, 2013
Faculty Spotlight
USC proudly honors Dr. Nayan Shah with a Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Recognition Award.
Alumni Spotlight
Christina Heatherton ’12, an associate professor of American Studies and Human Rights at Trinity College, discusses the history of capital, the making of internationalism, and her new book, Arise! Global Radicalism in the Era of the Mexican Revolution, which was officially published in October 2022 by the University of California Press.
Spring 2025 Course Offerings
American Studies and Ethnicity (AMST) Courses
Why Major in American Studies?
I choose to be an American Studies and Ethnicity Major because I knew it would provide me with a different lens of how to best make sense of the world around me. At the same time it has allowed me to establish: effective writing skills, critical thinking analysis, research skills, and all learning from an interdisciplinary framework. In doing so, I feel that I have a variety of options….
Statement on Zoombombing
The Department of American Studies and Ethnicity condemns the recent racist Zoombombings perpetrated against our faculty and students, and others within the USC community. Read more.
New Graduate Certificate in Latinx & Latin American Studies
Studying transational politics, cultural arts, public history, imperialism, linguistic processes, migration, media, or race and ethnicity? Check out our new graduate certificate program.
New Major in Popular Culture
We are launching our new major in American Popular Culture! For more information about major, please check out the list of requirements here. If you are interested signing up for the major, please contact Kim Vinson at vinson@usc.edu or by calling (213)740-2534 for an appointment.
ASE Publications and Resources
Learn more about Kaya press, ASE faculty & alumni publications, and ASE centers & publications
Find out more about the American Studies and Ethnicity Department
Contact Us
Department of American Studies & Ethnicity
Located in Kaprielian Hall on the University Park campus, ASE faculty, graduate students, and staff are available to assist you with information and resources about our academic programs and research specialties.
Address
University of Southern California
3620 South Vermont Avenue
Kaprielian Hall 462
Los Angeles, California 90089-2534
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