American Studies

The Department of American Studies at Macalester College serves as the academic focal point for the study of race and ethnicity in a national and transnational frame. The Department provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of racial categories and racialized experiences in the United States by encouraging close and systematic examination of a wide range of cultural and political narratives, and by creating structured opportunities to apply theoretical concepts in concrete settings of civic engagement.
[Mission Statement]

The origins of the Department of American Studies can be traced back to October 1, 1990, when the Chair of the Board of Trustees stated that, "the Board is receptive to a recommendation to increase the size of the faculty for the purpose of promoting a multicultural curriculum and faculty in line with Macalester's missions and goals."
[Department History]

Our web site features an oil painting entitled "The Flag is Bleeding" by Faith Ringgold.

Ringgold was born in 1930 in Harlem, New York. She received her B.S. and M.A. in Fine Arts from the City College of New York. Today, she is best known for her painted story quilts, which combine story telling and quilt making with genre painting. Ringgold's children's book, TAR BEACH, was a Caldecott Honor Book and won the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration.

Ringgold uses her art to voice her opinions on racism and gender inequality. In 1967, she created a series of paintings, "The American People," that focused on racial conflict and discrimination. "The Flag is Bleeding," number 18 in the series, depicts an African American man standing next to a white couple. Although the three seem united, the African American man's wound indicates otherwise.

The significance of this work is partly about who is represented in the flag and also about who is missing. Who do you think is missing, and what do you think Ringgold is trying to say about America?

Contact us:
American Studies
Macalester College
1600 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105

Currently, our core faculty are Jane Rhodes, Dean for the Study of Race and Ethnicity and Chair of the department, Karin Aguilar-San Juan, Duchess Harris, and Jason Ruiz. Affiliated faculty includes: Kendrick Brown, Galo González, Peter Rachleff, Harry Waters, Jr., Daylanne English, Leola Johnson, Marcelene DuBose, Lynn Hudson, Scott Morgensen, Andrea Cremer, and Teresa Mesa Adamuz.
[Faculty]

Civic engagement is an essential component of the American Studies major in the form of a required seminar, "Where Theory Meets Practice," in the junior year. This course is generally taught by Professor Karin Aguilar San-Juan (Spring 2005) on the topic “Schools and Prisons.” Public scholarship entails sharing our training, skills, and interests as scholars and students with our peers on other campuses and also with interested members of non-academic communities in the Twin Cities.
[Civic Engagement]

The annual American Studies Conference at Macalester College brings internationally-renowned scholars to campus to present their work and engage with faculty, staff, students and Twin Cities residents. The participation of community activists and cultural workers is crucial to the event’s success. The conference is held in February to recognize the centrality of Black History to the American Studies project. The conference seeks to highlight the links between scholarship, activism, and civic engagement.
[ American Studies Conference]

Here are top ten most frequently asked questions by students about American Studies--and our responses to them.
[ Top 10 Student Questions]

This document offers an in-depth rationale for the Department, including a discussion of why the College should support our particular conceptualization of American Studies at this very important historical moment; provides a mission statement intended for the College catalogue; and describes the Department's curricular structure, as well as the role for faculty and guidelines for governance.
[ Rationale for the Department, Downloadable as PDF ]