College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Professor John Berteaux

This Senior Capstone Seminar is designed to encourage reflective and critical examination of social and economic justice at the local, national and global levels. For example, while some people maintain that governmental domestic welfare programs are unjust because the government has no right to tax those who are relatively well off in order to provide funds for those in need, others argue that it is unjust not to provide government aid to those who lack adequate food, clothing, and shelter. This seminar will explore these kinds of issues. How should a just society address poverty or access to health care, education, and social services? At the international level, what are the moral obligations of individuals and nations to less affluent nations? What should affluent nations do to prevent and alleviate devastating hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in developing countries? What ethical standards should individuals in affluent nations use when deciding whether to buy goods produced in international sweatshops?

Senior projects

• Ayubi, Tamana M. (Pre-Law), “The Dilemma of Being Different”
• Barry, Alexis L. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Public Education: Is America’s System Fair?”
• Black, Kathryn M. (Literary and Film Studies), “American Indian and Alaska Native Children in the Child Welfare System”
• Caudillo, Samantha R. (Creative Writing & Social Action),“The Social and Economic Benefits from Music Education”
• Cook, Brandon A. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Veterans: Inequality in the Workforce”
• Dobbins, Kayla J. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “The Ethics of Money”
• Dwyer, Macklin J. (American Multicultural Studies), “The Humor of Equality”
• Edwards, Chantelle B. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “A Philosophical Approach to the Decline of Art Education Programs”
• Freeborn, Melanie J. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Tanks of Learning”
• Gidney, Frank T. (Writing & Rhetoric, Creative Writing and Social Action), “Community, Care, and Creativity in Chinatown, Salinas”
• Graham, Andrew J. (Writing & Rhetoric), “An Examinationof P.T.S.D. and the Culture Surrounding It”
• Gutierrez, Anabell B. (Pre-Law), “Memoirs of a Field Worker”
• Ingram, Alexis M. (Literary and Film Studies), “Rawls on Ferguson: The Significance of Silence”
• Lemperle, Franck R. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “An Insight into the Forgotten Franco-Arabic Citizens in the Contemporary French Republic”
• Nelson, Jessica L. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “The Morality of What We Eat: Animal Rights and Our Social Responsibilities”
• Nixon, David S. (Creative Writing & Social Action), “Reframing Deaf Emergence: On the Intersections of Deafhood, Race, and Migration”
• Parker, Alexis L. (Literary & Film Studies), “Neoliberalism& Its Discontents”
• Reis, Seth (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Gender: Essential or Detrimental?”
• Safoui, Sasha I. (Women's Studies), “Organic Farming”
• Schleeter, Natalie M. (Pre-Law), “San Benito CountyProbation Experience: A Call on Social Justice?”
• Suther, Nicole L. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Everyone’s Harvest: Supporting the Local Living Economy through Farmers’ Markets and Business Relationships”
• Thomas, Courtney J. (English Subject Matter Preparation), “Fighting for Liberation in the Classroom”
• Urzua, Ruben (Chicano/a Studies), “Building a Healthy Community”

Professor Umi Vaughan

The seminar component of this course explores the concept of "diaspora" from various disciplinary and cultural perspectives. Originally the term came from the Greek word meaning "to scatter." Diaspora is the diverse unity of a people spread far and wide. Beginning in the late 19th century, it was used for decades almost exclusively in reference to Jews who were scattered throughout Europe, North and South America. Later, in the 1950s and 1960s, the "African Diaspora" came to mean all those communities around the world with close genetic and cultural ties to Africa. Most recently diaspora refers to various groups that have developed transnational and intercultural identities in which a common thread links an infinitely wide range of manifestations.

The Senior Capstone project component of the course is an opportunity for you to design, produce, and present an interdisciplinary project that arouses your curiosity and creativity. It needs to somehow address the theme of diaspora, be grounded in your Concentration, and highlight the learning you have experienced in your undergraduate studies.

Senior projects

• Adamis, Zachary (Creative Writing & Social Action), “Always Adventuring: Discovering Diaspora through Nature”
• Ashen, Julia R. (English Subject Matter Preparation), “Teaching in Diaspora”
• Augustine, Megan J. (Literary and Film Studies), “Call of the Sea: A Diasporic Journey from Captivity to Home”
• Bailor, Lucas A. (Writing & Rhetoric), “Remembrance as Diasporic Longing: The Role of Memory in African American Literature”
• Bilotta, Adele M. (Journalism and Media Studies), “East toWest”
• DeMaria, Christina R. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Monterey’s Italian Diaspora: Fishing, Family, and Food”
• Fuentes, Shanae A. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Mi Familia: The Trials and Tribulations of Preserving Language through Generations”
• Gillespie, Samantha L. (Journalism and Media Studies), “How to be a Jewess: Returning to What Was and What Will Always Be”
• Gonzalez I, Gloria E. (English Subject Matter Preparation),“De la Escuela a la Calle: Epidemic in the Mexican Diaspora”
• Gutierrez, Stephanie Y. (Creative Writing & Social Action),“Arroz con Leche”
• Jones, Kenzel L. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Jazz Diaspora”
• Jones, Rachel H. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Diasporain Higher Education: Life at Cal State University Monterey Bay”
• Lara, Yuri (Journalism and Media Studies), “Latino Television Communicating Change and Its Challenges”
• Mante, Marjorie (Literary and Film Studies), “Adriana Jao Uy1929: 86 Years Strong”
• Medina, Estefania (Literary and Film Studies), “Crossing the Sixth Street Bridge: Filmic Identities in the Barrio”
• Medina, Guadalupe S. (English Subject Matter Preparation), “Familia:The Life Stories of Lupe & Lupita”
• Melendez, Mariza E. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Whispers of the Homeland: The Search for Identity and Connection with the Homeland in Cuban Diaspora Literature”
• Meno, Kendall D. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Nubian”
• Morrison, Hayden K. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Student Mobility: The Causes, Effects, and Possible Solutions”
• Nordstrom, Kelsey M. (Pre-Law), “Italian-Argentine Diaspora”
• Ogubjobi, Omolola O. (Undergrad Transitory), “The New African Queen: Fashion Week's Latest Diaspora Muse”
• Ortega, Rebecca L. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Roosters Everywhere: A New Mexican Diaspora Story”
• Phenix, Doritina L. (Pre-Law), “Who Gets to Go to College? Global Diaspora’s Impact on American Education”
• Pope, Coral T. (Creative Writing & Social Action), “Building New Homes and Deconstructing Walls”
• Robinson, Ariel S. (Literary and Film Studies), “Alienated At Home: Identity in Diaspora”
• Russo, Jaymie E. (Literary and Film Studies), “Diaspora: The Struggle of Mexican vs. Chicano Identities”
• Singh, Chand P. (Literary and Film Studies), “My Identity as an American Born Confused Desi”
• Singh, Charn P. (Literary and Film Studies), “Our Unheard Stories of 9/11”
• Torres, Adriana (English Subject Matter Preparation), “Reclaim Our Culture: La Palabra Latina, Las Imagenes y Las Tradiciones”
• Wesley, Najeemah K. (English Subject Matter Preparation),“Diaspora: Through the Ages”
• Xu, Qing Y. (American Multicultural Studies), “Dandelion Stories: The Search for Home & Identity in Diaspora”

Professor Cecilia O'Leary

Students will learn about the contested meanings and struggles for social justice, democracy and freedom — past and present. It is an open-ended story in which structures of inequality and injustice still define who we are as a nation. Economic, cultural, social and political rights continue to be fought for on numerous fronts. Students will be able to use the knowledge gained from readings and discussions to frame their Senior Project.

Senior projects

• Aaron III, Eugene (Pre-Law), "Building Greater Opportunity for Inner-City Youth"
• Arteaga, Mac Arthur (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Social Inequalities in Working Class Communities”
• Avila, Selene (English Subject Matter Preparation), “Education: Breaking the Barrier of Inequality within Schools”
• Bader, Kelly M. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Should the Holocaust be Left in the Past?”
• Bandy, Jenna R. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Hazing is Not a Sport”
• Celic, Carol A. (Creative Writing & Social Action), “Keepers of the Kelp Forest: Understanding the Interconnectivity of Sea Otters, the Ocean, and Us”
• Costello, Raymond M. (Journalism and Media Studies), “The Panther Peace”
• Davis, Nolan J. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Out and Active: The Gay Athlete Movement”
• Espinoza, Di Andra E. (Journalism and Media Studies), “Women in the Workplace”
• Garcia, Albert J. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Helping Minority Youth through Community Education”
• Garcia, Aracely (Chicano/a Studies), “Theorizing Sexuality—Living the Virgin-Whore Continuum”
• Haro, Alejandro (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Faculty Diversity in Institutions of Higher Education”
• Jarvis, Tyler S. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Civil Death”
• Lemus, Marisela (Women's Studies), “The Effects of Bullyingon Adolescence”
• Macdonald, Patrick G. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Raising Awareness of Racial Profiling in America”
• Magallanez, Brittany A. (Pre-Law), “Racism in the Criminal Justice System”
• Martinez, Joel J. (Journalism and Media Studies), “A Missing History”
• Mulligan, Kelly M. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Citizenship Only Rewarded to Heroes? Immigration Policies in France Today”
• Munoz, Lili (Journalism and Media Studies), “Whiteness in Contemporary American Media”
• Nebbio, Giovanna Y. (Writing & Rhetoric), “Educating Children about Same Gender Parents”
• Peru, Sarah C. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Empowering Women in Business”
• Simpson I, Evan J. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Social Justice in a Social Media World”
• Vega, Alejandra J. (Practical and Professional Ethics), “Power to HER”
• Wells, Emily M. (Pre-Law), “The Crime of Recidivism”