The School of Culture, Gender, and Social Justice

African American and Diaspora Studies

108 Ross Hall, (307) 766-2481
Director: Dr. Ulrich Adelt
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/aads

Professors:

JACQUELYN BRIDGEMAN, B.A. Stanford University 1996; J.D. University of Chicago 1999; Professor of Law 2008, 2002.

DARRELL D. JACKSON, B.A. College of William and Mary 1987; J.D. George Mason University School of Law 1990; Ph.D. University of Colorado School of Education 2011; Professor of Law 2018, 2013.

TRACEY OWENS PATTON, B.A. Colorado State University 1993; M.A. 1996; Ph.D. University of Utah 2000; Professor of Communication and Journalism 2012, 2003.

Associate Professor:

ULRICH ADELT, M.A. University of Hamburg, Germany 2000; Ph.D. University of Iowa 2007; Associate Professor of American Studies 2015, 2009.

Assistant Professor:

FREDRICK D. DIXON, B.A. Purdue University 1993; M.A. Northeastern Illinois University 2003; Ph.D. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 2018; Assistant Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies 2019.

Associate Academic Professional Lecturer:

MARY L. KELLER, B.A. Williams College 1987; M.A. Syracuse University 1992; Ph.D. 2002.

Lecturers:

JASMINE AUSTIN, B.A. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 2013; M.A. University of Wyoming.

JASCHA HERDT, B.A. University of Wyoming; M.A. 2011.

The African American and Diaspora Studies Program, through an interdisciplinary course of study, examines the experiences of African Americans in the United States, in the context of Africa and its Diaspora in Europe and the Americas.

Undergraduate Studies

The population of Black America has nearly doubled in Wyoming since the year 2000. As the population becomes more diverse it is important to provide students with a background in multicultural relations so that they are prepared for the global workforce. We intend to provide students with the necessary knowledge to prepare them to participate in an increasingly interconnected world. Therefore, African American and Diaspora Studies offers a bachelor of arts (B.A.) and an undergraduate minor in African American and Diaspora Studies.

Students may access a copy of the undergraduate major and minor check sheets at www.uwyo.edu/aads/major-minor/index.html.

At present, no program for graduate degrees in African American and Diaspora Studies is offered; however, some courses may be counted at the graduate level.

Native American and Indigenous Studies

Main Office: 117 Native American Education, Research and Culture Center,
(307) 766-6520
Director’s Office: Native American Center,
(307) 766-6520
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/nais/
Director: Dr. Christopher Caskey Russell

Professor:

ANGELA JAIME, B.A. California State University, Sacramento; M.A. San Francisco State; Ph.D. Purdue University; Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies 2019, 2004.

Assistant Professor:

JESSICA F. NELSON, B.A. University of Michigan 2006; M.A. University of Arizona 2011; Ph.D. 2018; Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies 2019.

Assistant Lecturer:

ROBYN LOPEZ, A.A. Central Wyoming College 2004; B.A. University of Wyoming 2007; M.A. University of Hawai’i at Mānoa; Assistant Lecturer of Native American and Indigenous Studies 2019.

Adjunct Faculty:

(See Catalog section following name for academic credentials.)

Pamela Innes, Anthropology
Jeffrey Means, History
Christopher Caskey Russell, English

The Native American and Indigenous Studies offers an academic major at the undergraduate level and a minor at both the undergraduate and graduate level. This interdepartmental course of study examines Native North American cultural and social life, as well as Indigenous cultural and social life globally, including economic, political, and educational systems. Historical and contemporary perspectives of American Indian and global Indigenous experiences are included in this program.

Students may choose a NAIS studies minor to complement a major field of study. Related disciplines include American studies, anthropology, art, ethnic studies, geography, history, law, music, philosophy, political science, and sociology. A minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies provides excellent preparation for teachers, researchers, social workers, healthcare providers, resource managers, economic developers, and legal practitioners.

Gender and Women’s Studies

108 Ross Hall, (307) 766-2733
FAX: (307) 766-2555
Web site: www.uwyo.edu/gwst
Director: Jacquelyn Bridgeman

Professors:

CATHERINE CONNOLLY, B.S. State University College at Buffalo 1984; M.A. State University of New York at Buffalo 1989; J.D. 1991; Ph.D. 1992; Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies 2004, 1998, 1992.

COLLEEN DENNEY, B.A. Louisiana State University 1981; M.A. 1983; Ph.D. University of Minnesota 1990; Professor of Art 2005, 1990; Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies 2009.

Assistant Professor:

BARBARA ELLEN LOGAN, B.A. Queens College CUNY 1986; Ph.D. University of California Santa Cruz 2002; Assistant Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies 2018, 2011.

Assistant Lecturer:

ALISON HARKIN, B.A. Trinity College at the University of Toronto 1981; M.A. Athabasca University 2010; Assistant Lecturer of Gender and Women’s Studies 2019.

Professor Emeriti:

Susan McKay (Distinguished Professor Emeritus in Gender and Women’s Studies)

Adjunct Faculty:

(see department section following name for academic credentials)

Ulrich Adelt, African American and Diaspora Studies, American Studies
Stephanie Anderson, Political Science
Judith Antell, Emeritus, Native American and Indigenous Studies
Cecelia Aragon, Latina/o Studies, Theatre and Dance
Christine Boggs, Distance Education
Christin Covello, Gender and Women’s Studies
Susan C. Frye, English
Teena Gabrielson, Political Science
Susanna Goodin, Philosophy
Janice Harris, Emeritus, English
Cynthia Hartung, Psychology
Isadora Helfgott, History
Jeanne Holland, English
Angela Jaime, Native American and Indigenous Studies
Michelle Jarman, WIND
Frieda E. Knobloch, American Studies
Renee Laegreid, History
Noah Novogrodsky, Law
Tracey Patton, African American and Diaspora Studies, Communication and Journalism
Tucker Readdy, Kinesiology and Health
Chian Jones Ritten, Agricultural and Applied Economics
Nancy Shea, Gender and Women’s Studies
Nathaniel Smith, Gender and Women’s Studies
Lilia Soto, American Studies, Latina/o Studies
Grant Walsh-Haines, Gender and Women’s Studies
Rachel Watson, Chemistry, Director, Queer Studies

Advisory Committee:

Stephanie Anderson (Political Science)
Cecelia Aragon (Latina/o Studies, Theatre and Dance)
Christine Boggs (Distance Education)
Alison Harkin (Gender and Women’s Studies)
Cynthia Hartung (Psychology)
Isadora Helfgott (History)
Angela Jaime (Educational Studies)
Michelle Jarman (WIND)
Renee Laegreid (History)
Chian Jones Ritten (Agricultural and Applied Economics)

The Gender and Women’s Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary course of study that examines the relevance of sex, gender and sexuality in history, societies, and cultures. Students may earn a major, minor, or graduate minor in Gender and Women’s Studies, or a minor or graduate minor in Queer Studies. A faculty advisor is assigned to the student upon declaration of a major or minor.

Students graduating with a degree in Gender and Women’s Studies will have skills to succeed in a variety of settings indicated by their ability to:

conduct interdisciplinary feminist analysis.
examine and critique ideological assumptions underlying social institutions and systems of representation, including but not limited to assumptions regarding gender, race, class, nationality, disability, age, and sexual orientation.
comprehend the impact of gender on individuals’ historical and contemporary agency, and how the ability to express agency has shaped people’s lives in various geographical settings.

Graduate Study

Students interested in a graduate minor in Gender and Women’s Studies or Queer Studies should contact the Director of the Program for enrollment.

Latina/o Studies

108 Ross Hall, (307) 766-4127
Web site: uwyo.edu/ltst
Director: Dr. Lilia Soto

Professor:

CECILIA ARAGON, B.S. McMurry University Texas 1991; M.A. University of New Mexico 1996; Ph.D. Arizona State University 2003; Professor of Theatre and Dance and Latina/o Studies 2017, 2005.

Associate Professor:

LILIA SOTO, B.A. University of California, San Diego 2000; M.A. University of California, Berkeley 2003; Ph.D. 2008; Associate Professor of American Studies and Latina/o Studies 2017, 2010.

Visiting Assistant Professor:

MARGARITA PIGNATARO, B.A. Florida State University; M.A. Arizona State University, Ph.D.; Visiting Assistant Professor of Latina/o Studies 2018.

Adjunct Faculty:

Jennifer Macias, Adrian Molina, Dewey Gallegos, Estella Soto, Macros Martinez

Faculty and Staff Affiliates:

Jacqueline Shinker, Geography
Mark Guiberson, Communication Disorders
Carolyne Larson, History
Conxita Domènch, Spanish Literature
Joy Landeira, Spanish
Irene Checa-Garcia, Spanish Linguistics
Rachel Sanchez, Office of the Registrar

State-Wide Advisory Board:

Connie Coca
Ana Cuprill
Linda Devine
Floyd Esquibel
Mary Elizabeth Galvan
Chris Novarro
Milton Ontiveros
Ann Redman

The Latina/o Studies program, through an interdisciplinary and comparative approach examines the history, cultures, language and contemporary experiences of Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and other Latinos/ as in Wyoming, and the United States.

Learning Outcomes

Latina/o Studies courses emphasize perspectives that are historical and contemporary, theoretical and practical, as well as critical and aesthetic. These perspectives help to develop an understanding of oppression and resistance, at the individual, institutional, and ideological levels.

Upon completion of the University of Wyoming Latina/o Studies minor curriculum, students will have an awareness and appreciation for the Latina/o experience. Particularly as the Latina/o experience is expressed in the following concepts and principles of organic insight, relational awareness, historical perspective, power for social change, intersectionality, and aesthetics.

Organic Insight - The development of a contextual framework for understanding one’s own and others’ experiences in relation to the Latina/o experience.
Relational Awareness - The development of a theoretical framework for understanding how institutional social structures impact individuals, families, and communities, and in turn, how individuals, families, and communities impact social structures through resistance, social agency, and change.
Historical Perspective - The development of a critical historical viewpoint for understanding how struggles around social, economic, and political forces have shaped the traditional and contemporary Latina/o Diaspora.
Power for Social Change - The development of a critical consciousness, which is necessary for a social praxis that combats oppressive racist ideologies and social structures that perpetuate individual and institutional inequalities.
Intersectionality - Gaining an awareness of the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation as it plays out organically, relationally, historically, and politically.
Latina/o Aesthetics - The development of an appreciation and awareness of the aesthetics evident in Latina/o art, music, theatre, literature, and other artistic expressive forms and styles.