In a galaxy far, far away from traditional classroom learning, Cal Poly’s Ethnic Studies Department is using “Star Wars” to dive deep into issues of power, colonialism and representation.
This quarter, ethnic studies professor Jenell Navarro is teaching ES 470, Star Wars, Race & Rebellion, a course that examines real-world sociopolitical issues through the lens of the “Star Wars” franchise.
This advanced, select-topic class has just one section with twelve students enrolled, and is only open to students who have completed one ethnic studies course and received instructor consent, according to the class search on the Cal Poly Portal.
Students in ES 470 use the textbook “The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy,” alongside key topics from classic ethnic studies theorists, helping them connect the challenges faced by characters in “Star Wars” to the political climate in real life.
As a self-proclaimed “Star Wars” fan, ethnic studies junior Iyad Jamaly said the class is a unique and rewarding experience.
“It gives us a different perspective from the dominant media that was really pushed onto us because it looks at history through a different lens,” Jamaly said.
The class studied the first three episodes of the “Star Wars” series “Andor,” due to its focus on prison-industrial complexes and its effect on vulnerable populations, Navarro said. These case studies were then applied to real world examples in society.
For the final exam, students must utilize artistic mediums — anything from a drawing to an audio file or song — to create a conscious piece of “Star Wars” fan art, utilizing the themes of decolonization and post-colonialism. Navarro hopes to showcase the projects inside Mathematics and Science (Bldg. 38).
The concept for the course was born out of informal conversations about race and ingenuity in “Star Wars” with others in the Ethnic Studies Department, Navarro said. The franchise’s exploration of topics related to studies within the department, and its popularity appealed to students and staff alike.
“[Star Wars] is already an analysis of what can happen when power becomes corrupt,” Navarro said. “It’s just really ripe and rich with a lot of either scenes of dialogue or characters where you can have conversations directly related to ethnic studies.”
Navarro then partnered with Student Diversity & Belonging to host campus talks about “Star Wars” and race last fall. High student interest and positive feedback encouraged her to teach a formal class on the topic.
For Jamaly, the political intentionality behind the series is what makes it so enjoyable to study.
“George Lucas was very politically aware when he was making ‘Star Wars,’ so it’s creating a society that mimics ours but through a fun, different intergalactic story way,” Jamaly said.
While the class is not being offered for fall quarter 2025, Navarro emphasized that analyzing “Star Wars” can serve as a powerful lens for examining real-world issues.
“Media can also hold up a mirror and be like ‘this is what society says about race, this is what society says about gender,’” Navarro said. “We’re just reflecting that on the screen in a popular film like ‘Star Wars.’”