Social and Behavioral Science

Brian King

Tuba City Campus
(928) 283-5113 or ext 7524
bsking@dinecollege.edu

Ph.D., University of New Mexico, Albuquerque - Histroy – U.S./U.S. West and Frontiers and Borderlands
M.A., New Mexico State University, Las Cruces – History – U.S. West
B.A., University of Texas, Austin – History – Native American

Biography:
Brian King teaches history and political science classes at Diné College. Besides the degrees listed above, Brian also received his secondary teaching credentials from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in the 1990s and taught in Chinle, Arizona (among other places). Brian enjoys continuing his writing and research projects in his spare time. He is currently turning his dissertation into a book manuscript; the working title is Mystics, Radicals, Sinners, and Saints: Freedom, Rebirth, and the American West. Prior to his arrival at Diné college in 2013, Brian worked as a research assistant at the Center for Southwest Research at the University of New Mexico. He spent his last three years there researching and writing for the Chronicling America newspaper project for the Library of Congress. Prior to that, he worked for two years on the New Mexico Centennial Project digitizing primary source documents and images and providing supporting textual material for open access on the web.

Random Fact:
My favorite pastimes include motorcycling, meditation, hiking, camping, and being a dad.

Class Offerings:
HST 101: World Civilization I: to 1450
HST 102: World Civilization II: 1450 to present
HST 135: American History – Prehistory to 1865
HST 136: American History – 1865 to present
HST 245: History of the American West
HST 256: Southwestern Borderlands
POS 111: Introduction to Political Science
POS 181: Arizona Constitution and Government
POS 271: U.S. Constitution and Politics

Miranda Haskie

Tsaile Campus
(928) 724-6715
mhaskie@dinecollege.edu

E.d. E., Fielding Graduate University – Educational Leadership & Change
M.A., New Mexico State University – Sociology
B.A., University of New Mexico – Sociology

Biography:
Yá’át’ééh. Shí éí Miranda Haskie yinishyé. Dóone’é nishlínígíí éí !sh88h7 nishlí, T[‘iz7[an7 báshíshchíín, Kin[ichiinii dashicheii, T0dichiinii dashinálí. My name is Miranda Haskie. As a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach the Sociology courses. I strive to provide the Navajo perspective through a sociological lens as I enhance student understanding of the sociology discipline. I hold a B.A. in Sociology (University of New Mexico), a M.A. in Sociology (New Mexico State University) and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change (Fielding Graduate University). Currently, I am leading the sixth year of the Diné College Navajo Oral History project done in collaboration with Winona State University. To date, our students have captured 23 Navajo living histories that include prominent educators, artists and leaders on the Navajo Nation, long-time Diné College and Navajo Community College employees and the world reknown Navajo Codetalkers. I am happy to report that these Navajo living histories are archived at the Smithsonian Institute Museum of the American Indian, and the libraries of Diné College, Winona State University and the Navajo Nation Museum. I also lead an intercultural exchange in collaboration with Northampton Community College as my colleague and I work to achieve cross-cultural understandings that promote cultural diversity in the preparation of 21st century students.

Random Fact:
I enjoy photography and the study of geneology.

Class Offerings:
SOC111: Introduction to Sociology
SOC 205: Qualitative Research Methods
SOC 210: Deviant Behavior
SOC 215: Native Americans in American Society
SOC 225: Marriage & Family in a Changing Society
SOC 230: Racial & Ethnic Relations
SOC 275: Social Stratification

Christine M.W. Ami, Ph.D.

Tsaile Campus
(928) 724-6616
cmami@dinecollege.edu

C.Phil., University of California, Davis – Native American Studies
M.A., University of Maryland, College Park – Latin American Literature
B.A., Rowan University – Spanish, Secondary Language, K-12 Education

Grant Manger
Navajo Cultural Arts Program
www.navajoculturalartsprogram.org

Yá’át’ééh. Dóone’é nishlínígíí éí Táchii'nii nishlí, Bilagáana báshíshchíín, T'ó'aheedl'ííníí dashicheii, Bilagáana dashinálí.

My name is Christine Ami and, as a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach Anthropology, History, and Indigenous Research Methodologies and Methods. I hold a B.A. in Spanish and Foreign Language Education (Rowan University) and a M.A. in Latin American Literature – emphasis in Colonial Studies (University of Maryland, College Park). I received my doctoral degree in Native American Studies with an emphasis in Diné Studies, Animal Studies and Decolonial Studies at the University of California, Davis. My research investigates the nuances of traditional butchering of sheep throughout the Navajo Nation. These variations also correspond with the various approaches to inherent Diné decolonizing practices, which I analyze throughout my dissertation, “Díí jí nída’iil’ah : A Study of Traditional Navajo Butchering."

Additionally, as the Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP) Grant Manager at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I am responsible programing associated with the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Program, the Navajo Cultural Arts Apprenticeship Program as well as various cultural arts lectures and workshops offered throughout the year. For more information about the NCAP, please visit www.navajoculturalartsprogram.org.

Random Fact:
My favorite animals are . . . . Furs! I pretty much love all kind of animals, especially our puppies, Achilles, Aries and Stubby.

Class Offerings:
SSC110: General Social Sciences
ANT111: Cultural Anthropology
ANT201: Ethnographic Methods
ANT225: Indians Of the United States and North America
HST201: Colonial Latin American History
HST234: History of Native Americans
HST245: History of the American West

Sara Kien

Tsaile Campus
(928) 724-6624
skien@dinecollege.edu

Ph.D., Northwestern University – Cognitive Psychology
M.Sc., University of Calgary – Cognitive Psychology
B.A., University of Calgary

Biography:
Ya’at’eeh! My name is Sara Kien. I was born and raised near the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, and have been living in the United States since 2003. My grandparents have ancestral roots in England and other parts of Europe. I am a cultural and cognitive psychologist and my research has focused on cultural ways of life that help individuals and communities to flourish and thrive. This work has included an emphasis on cultural connections to the natural world and cultural forms of mindful awareness, with implications for psychological well-being, culturally-based science education, and pro-environmental behavior. For my PhD dissertation work, I spent time living and teaching on the Menominee reservation in northeast Wisconsin, and it was during this time that I learned about the importance of human relationships with the natural world. Much of my current research involves assessment and development of college recruitment programs for Native American adolescents through culturally-based outdoor education. Since my time working with the Menominee tribe, I have collaborated with the Campo Kumeyaay Nation, the Kumeyaay Community College, the InterTribal Youth program, the MAAC Community Charter School (a high school that adopts a multicultural approach to education), the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and Deer Park Monastery (a mindfulness practice center). I am so grateful for an opportunity to work as a psychology professor at Diné College, where faculty and staff are dedicated to promoting the success of students as they work towards achieving their academic and life goals.

Random Fact:
I think that mutton and frybread with green chile is the best thing ever invented.

Class Offerings:
PSY 111: Introduction to Psychology
PSY 240: Human Growth and Development
PSY 360: Drug Use and Abuse
PSY 213: Statistics
PSY 290: Research Methods
PSY 202: Career Explorations in Psychology
PSY 291: Introduction to Counseling
PSY 340: Child and Adolescent Development
PSY 413: Advanced Indigenous Research Methods

Susie Manning, MSW, LSSW

Shiprock Campus
sulmanning@dinecollege.edu

M.S.W., New Mexico Highlands University – Master Clinical Social Worker
B.S., New Mexico Highlands University – Bachelor of Social Worker

Biography:
Hello my name is Susie Manning! My roots are from Shiprock and Yah-ta-Hey, NM area. I grew up in Colorado and briefly at Shiprock, NM. I then participated on The Indian Placement Program and continued my education in Ogden, Utah. I am a Weber High Alumni Class of 1990. I’ve attended Dixie State College, St. George, Utah, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, Ogden/Weber Applied Technology, Ogden, Utah and finally New Mexico Highlands University. I consider myself well rounded since I’ve been to different schools and not knowing what I wanted to major in but did I meet lots of wonderful people along the way! I have three wonderful children: Damian 19, Jessica 17, and Kimee 13. I enjoy the outdoors, gardening, traveling, and reading.

Random Fact:
Outdoors soothes the soul at least for me and that is where I'd rather be, whether it be camping or riding my Fat Boy.

Class Offerings:
SWO 250 – Client Processing
SWO 210– Introduction to Social Work

Bruce M. Bradway, Faculty

Tsaile Campus
(928) 724 - 6620
bbradway@dinecollege.edu

Ph.D., Walden University – Academic Psychology
M.A., University of Northern Colorado – Psychology, Guidance, and Counseling
M.S., Troy University – International Relations
B.A., Wabash College – English
A.A.S., Community College of the Air Force – Medical Laboratory Technology
 
Biography:
My name is Bruce Bradway. As a faculty member of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, I teach select Psychology courses. I am originally from Indiana, but became a vagabond when I joined the Air Force after receiving my B.A. in English (Wabash College). I spent twelve years in the service and during that time was able to earn an M.A. in Psychology, Guidance and Counseling (University of Northern Colorado), and an M.S. in International Relations (Troy University - Wiesbaden International Campus). I served as a Medical Laboratory Technologist while in the service and earned an A.A.S. in Medical Laboratory Technology. I worked in medicine for 30 years and understand the nuances of disease and struggling for life. I bring this intimate knowledge of life and death to the classroom and that is why I emphasize positive psychology in my classes. My dissertation is entitled Correlates of Resilience Among American Indians in a Northwestern State. This is my second foray on a Reservation, I taught for ten years at Fort Belknap College in Montana, home of the Aaniih and Nakoda people. I am married to a retired Air Force Colonel (she was a 2nd Lieutenant when I married her) and we have been stationed and lived in 11 states (Texas X4, Ohio, Nebraska X2, California X2, Indiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Maryland, Montana, Iowa, and Arizona) and three foreign countries (Japan, Korea, and Germany). While in Iowa, teaching at Ashford University, I finished my Ph.D. in Academic Psychology (Walden University). I am delighted to be at Dine’ College and look forward to doing whatever I can to make my students a success in life.

Random Fact:
I ran track in college and held a school record for 45 years. I enjoy lifting weights and pretending that I look younger than I am (because I feel like I am 35).

Class Offerings:
PSY111: Introduction to Psychology
PSY 240: Human Growth and Development
PSY 241: Abnormal Psychology
PSY 250:  Social Psychology
PSY 291: Introduction to Counseling
PSY 315: Health Psychology
PSY 325: Psychology and Law
PSY 340: Child and Adolescent Development
PSY 355: Physiological Psychology
PSY 360: Drug Use and Abuse