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Chicana/o Studies Program Overview  Vision
Chicana/o Studies seeks to become a major resource in research, education, development and policy formulation with regard to the Mexican-origin population. Its faculty aims to create an academic and cultural presence on-and-off campus, generate professional outreach services, provide graduate programs, and formulate a research agenda that functions across academic disciplines and addresses developmental priorities in the region.
Mission
Chicana/o Studies is a multidisciplinary unit with a focus on teaching, professional outreach, research, and development on the Mexican-origin population and its attendant issues, without geographical limitations. It aims to create a greater public presence and awareness of the people of Mexican origin and their contributions to society. Chicana/o Studies is a major vehicle in the production and dissemination of knowledge that affects public policy formulation, political thought and social practice in areas critical to the well being of the people of Mexican origin, such as education, immigration, culture, literature, art, issues of identity, environmental justice, socioeconomic development and urbanization trends. Chicana/o Studies provides students and faculty with opportunities to grow intellectually and serve the nation with the latest regional information and expertise on the Mexican-origin population, as per the binational mission of the University of Texas at El Paso. The unit’s well-established interface with Centers and research consortia in the U.S. and Mexico enables it to address emerging academic needs in a timely and relevant manner.
Historical Overview
Established in 1970, the Chicana/o Studies Research Program offers an academic program with a B.A. degree and four minor areas of specialization. In addition, it sponsors research, development and service projects that contribute to policy formulation relevant to the Mexican-origin community in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The program also publishes three monograph series to disseminate regional literary production, research and policy information. The Chicana/o Studies Research Program has exchange agreements in the areas of research, teaching and publications with institutions of higher education and policy centers in the U.S., Mexico and Cuba. It is a member of the Inter-University Program for Latino Research (IUPLR) and the Mexico-North Research Network and collaborates on various initiatives with the Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Ciudad Juárez, Chih., Mexico. The program coordinates events and research with entities on campus while serving as a clearinghouse for faculty and community groups on Chicano-Latino issues.
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