American Cultural Studies at Western

American Cultural Studies is an interdisciplinary field of critical inquiry that investigates power dynamics, inequality, and agency, at the intersection of race, gender, status, religion, class, and ability.

Our courses place particular emphasis on minoritizing and other exclusionary practices shaping limits to national belonging, and how those experiences are lived. We pay attention to the roles of institutions, policies, discourse, and other socio-cultural processes. We educate students in historical and social inquiry, textual analysis and interpretation, and critical theory and practice. We expose students to theoretical foundations in Settler Colonialism, Queer and other Feminisms, Critical Race Theory, Borders, and Transnationalism.

American Cultural Studies Degree(s)

American Cultural Studies, BA

Degree Type: Interdisciplinary

The ACS major combines the social sciences with humanities to prepare students with a rich undergraduate background for advanced study in law, domestic social services, public service, government service, education, and graduate work in American studies, ethnic studies and the social sciences.

Contact

Dr. Midori Takagi,
mtakagi@wwu.edu | (360) 650-7381

American Cultural Studies at Western

Explore Courses

AMST 206 - The Jewish-American Experience

AMST 314 - Contemporary Latino/a Issues 

AMST 362 - Asian-American History

PLSC 321 - Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics 

ENG 235 - Native and Indigenous Literatures of North America 

FAIR 374B - The Cultural Creation of Identity 

Organizations and Clubs

Work or volunteer in the Associated Students Social Issues Resource Center, which facilitates the sharing of diverse perspectives by providing resources, information, and the coordination of events. The Social Issues Resource Center is a space in which students and other members of the Western and Bellingham communities can self educate, discuss, and organize around important social justice issues. 

“American Cultural Studies prepares students to function and to be successful in an ever increasingly diverse and multicultural society. In line with shifting demographics, the understanding of different cultures and population groups will be essential within the twenty first century in virtually any field of endeavor.”

Larry Estrada

Faculty

What can you do with American Cultural Studies?

The American Cultural Studies (ACS) major combines the social sciences with humanities to provide students with a rich undergraduate background that is the foundation for careers and advanced study in law, domestic social services, public service, government service, education, and graduate work in American studies, ethnic studies, and the social sciences. 

Graduates of the program are especially prepared to go on for further study. Over half of all ACS graduates go on to professional and graduate schools upon the culmination of their undergraduate degree.

American Cultural Studies careers

  • Attorney 
  • Public Administration Higher Education 
  • Social Work 
  • Marketing 
  • Journalism
  • Teaching 
  • Community Organizing
  • Urban Planning 
  • Human Resource Management 
  • Public Servant 
  • Non-Profit Agency Administration