Institute of American Cultures

ETHNIC STUDIES LEADERSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

The Institute of American Cultures (IAC) is home to UCLA’s four ethnic studies research centers— American Indian Studies Center, Asian American Studies Center, Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, and Chicano Studies Research Center. Together, the IAC and the centers advance research, scholarship, art, and activism to promote social justice and advocacy.

The formation of these ethnic studies programs occurred during the tumultuous and highly charged socio-political dynamics of the 1960s that saw a demand for colleges and universities to confront racial bias. With enduring dedication and passion, the IAC continues to advance research grounded in the experiences and issues of diverse communities in the greater Los Angeles area, but also throughout the United States and internationally.

As an integral part of a world-class university with a public mission, the IAC draws from the entire university (and through partnerships that literally span the globe) in order to lead conversations on race and ethnicity in America. Giving to the IAC means finding solutions to racial discrimination, inequities, and societal conflict.