Areas of Study

The Department of Social and Critical Inquiry offers interdisciplinary academic programs focusing on race, transnational, Indigenous, gender, and sexuality studies. Together, we analyze significant social, artistic, cultural, political, and economic issues, as well as how those affected by them transform their world. Through our degree plans, students explore identity, build skills, and exercise their agency, while finding an enduring and inspiring purpose to guide them in any career.

Department Areas

Founded in 2024, the Department brings together the collective expertise of faculty in four intersecting areas of study. Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, these interdisciplinary areas explore concepts from diverse perspectives across the humanities, arts, and sciences.

American Studies

This area focuses on U.S. culture and its relationship to the world beyond its borders. Our faculty and students examine the intricate cultural, political, and economic frameworks that have shaped the history of the U.S. and the Americas, spanning from ancient migrations to modern times.
 
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Asian and Asian American Studies

This area is home to education, community partnerships, and research about Asia and Asian diasporas in Connecticut, the U.S., and beyond. Our faculty and students examine the history; culture; and politics of social movements, migration, institutions, racism, imperialism, and the environment related to Asian regions, the Pacific, and the Americas.
 
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Native American and Indigenous Studies

This area is a center of education and community for Indigenous peoples in Connecticut, New England, and the broader Eastern United States. Our diverse faculty and students examine issues affecting Native American and Indigenous communities from multiple perspectives and nurture unique community collaborations.
 
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Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

This area explores how these topics are shaped across diverse social, cultural, political, economic, aesthetic, and historical contexts. Our faculty and students use methods from traditional academic fields and innovative feminist scholarship to study the complex influences on gender and sexuality locally, globally, and over time.
 
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