In the editorial "Spread too thin" (3/12/02), the Daily's Editorial Page questioned the value of transforming the Tufts curriculum to incorporate ethnic studies, arguing that it would come at too great a cost to Tufts' traditional academic offerings. The Daily reasoned that the incorporation of ethnic studies into the Tufts curriculum would make the University "impressively diverse, and universally mediocre," "one that has a lot to offer, but excels in few areas." In reaction to this editorial, we would like to point out some common misperceptions about the study of ethnic and minority groups in America as well as argue for the absolute importance of ethnic studies at a university that aims to prepare its students for the dynamic and diverse world that lies beyond it.
Though the editorial agrees with the necessity to "recognize the role each group has played in US history," its statement that "the United States was created by British colonists" is a profound and utter fallacy. This statement is built on the incomplete history that currently exists in our classrooms and further demonstrates the need to push for a contemporary education that includes the field of ethnic studies.
The United States was built on the backs of Native American, Asian American, Latino/a and African American people, and it is our blood that soaks the farmlands, fruit orchards, railroads, cotton fields, and mountains. A mere familiarity with these histories would reveal the absolutely vital roles that minority groups have had in the origin and the establishment of the United States, though these histories are often ignored. After all, Native Americans lived on this land long before the murderous invasion of Europeans and the establishment of the United States. These crucial yet widely unrecognized histories and their connections to contemporary issues must be studied to provide a complete understanding of the country and the world in which we live.
We absolutely agree with Dean of College Charles Inouye's description of diversity as "a central organizing concept of intellectual life." Diversity is too often consigned to a subordinate, and added-on position in which traditional disciplines are made a little more interesting by diversity. We are tired of our presence functioning only to enhance the traditional academic disciplines while our fundamental needs are being marginalized and unrecognized. These fundamental needs include a complete education for all Tufts students.
Furthermore, the argument that ethnic studies "cater to a demographic," is just plain wrong. Ethnic studies is crucial to the education of all Tufts students and must be centralized in a complete education. What is taught in ethnic studies cannot be relegated to the work of informal, extra-curricular education as it was suggested in last month's editorial. For example, the ongoing presence and the most recent rise of racially motivated hate crimes on the Tufts campus clearly indicate that "informal education" among friends and hall mates is totally inadequate. This type of education does not provide students with the understanding to negotiate complex human and social differences in the 21st century.
In his talk given at Cabot Auditorium last month, Professor Ronald Takaki demonstrated a "history lesson" to show that Asian American studies is not exclusive to the study of one group in America, but an overlapping view of how all groups interact. Asian American literature has long existed as a course in the Tufts curriculum; it is only now that for the first time the literature professor who will teach this course will be a full-time tenure-track member of the faculty. This is the first step towards transforming the Tufts curriculum into one that will serve the developing needs of its students.
There is a gaping hole in the Tufts curriculum that is only just beginning to be filled. Until Tufts transforms its curriculum to include the histories and experiences of all racial groups, Tufts graduates will enter the world with a dangerously incomplete education. We must reexamine the traditional offerings in the Tufts curriculum and assess their importance to students in today's world. We all make choices when our needs are great, and now is the time to choose a contemporary education that will serve our students in the 21st century.
Peter Andrews, Felicia Chao, Noris Chavarria, and Joey Rhyu contributed to this viewpoint.
