Critical Social Inquiry 0230 - US Imperialism and Hawai'i

Even though Hawai'i is often referred to as the "Paradise on Earth," the history of Hawai'i is rife with the history and legacies of imperial ambitions of the United States. This course examines the history of U.S. occupation of Hawai'i as a case study of U.S. imperialism. We will examine the history of the rise and fall of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, the establishment of Hawai'i as a U.S. territory, and finally the current status of Hawai'i as the 50th state in the United States. Topics of discussion include the role of missionaries in introducing capitalist economy in Hawai'i, Native Hawaiian resistance to American annexation, indigenous land struggles as a result of urbanization and U.S. military expansion after annexation, Asian settlers in Hawai'i, revitalization of Hawaiian language, and contemporary Native Hawaiian sovereignty movements for self-determination. Through a variety of primary sources (court cases, diaries, memoirs, letters) and secondary sources (scholarly books, articles, documentaries, films), we will critically examine global geopolitics and economic interests that fueled U.S. imperialism in Hawai'i as well as seek to understand Native Hawaiians' self-determination and the issue of stolen lands in reclaiming Hawaiian sovereignty. Students interested in applying for the January term field course to Hawai'i are strongly encouraged to take this course. KEYWORDS:colonialism, empire, Native Hawaiian, indigenous, sovereignty, imperialism

In/Justice Students are expected to spend a minimum of 6-8 hours of work outside of class time per week