Critical Diaspora Studies

Critical Diaspora Studies (CDS) is the newest undergraduate major at Johns Hopkins University. A group of undergraduate Hopkins student activists envisioned and designed this unique program while pushing for curricular change to meet the challenges of the present moment.

The CDS major examines the intersections among geographical and cultural areas of study that are often considered separately—such as Asian-American, African diaspora, Indigenous, and Latinx studies. It looks at topics related to diasporic communities and their migrations by comparing different examples, bringing together ideas from various areas around the globe, and focusing on how the insights can be used in real-world applications. 

Offered through the Chloe Center for the Critical Study of Racism, Immigration, and Colonialism, this major emphasizes community-engaged research and internships with partners in Baltimore, deepening relationships between students and the city. Students will choose from courses in these tracks: Migration and Borders; Global Indigeneities; Empires, Wars, and Carceralities; and Social Movements, Solidarities, and Citizenship.

CLASSES YOU MIGHT TAKE

Race and the Politics of Memory

This course examines the politics of memory: how power shapes what is available to be remembered, the timing and occasions of memory, who is allowed to remember, and the spaces inside of which remembrance takes place. 

History Research Lab: Asian Diaspora in Baltimore

In this class, you’ll help build a set of digital and visual resources on local histories of Baltimore-area Asian diasporic communities. You’ll be trained in research and curatorial tools, such as critical oral history and digital storytelling, and collaborate with local community organizations.

The Trouble With Diversity

This course considers the history of “diversity” and how that concept has been institutionalized in employment, government, and educational settings. Through historical and cultural texts, we’ll cover topics from the arrival of “colorblindness” in the 1890s to the most recent approaches to “Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion.”

Faculty Spotlight

PROF. H. YUMI KIM

Assistant Professor, Department of History

The Asian Diaspora in Baltimore, Documented and Described

History Research Lab: Asian Diaspora in Baltimore, taught by Dr. H. Yumi Kim, represents the meeting of the political inquiries of the organization Critical Responses to Anti-Asian Violence and the student energy behind the push for new curricular offerings that better address the complex and intersecting identities of the increasingly diverse student body.

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