JCL 120: Theory and Inquiry in Justice, Community and Leadership

Course Description

This course is intended as an advanced introduction to the critical social theory utilized in the JCL program to evaluate political, social, cultural, economic, educational, and environmental justice issues that confront local, regional, national and global communities. Critical social theory is distinct from other forms of critical theory (philosophical, political, literary) yet it is in conversation with them. We will explore the relationships between oppression, power, society, education and social change.

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand critical theories of justice, community and leadership (e.g. theories of oppression, engaged pedagogy, social ethics, transformation and change).
  2. Compare and evaluate concepts, ideas, approaches and theories relative to one another.
  3. Apply course concepts and theories to demonstrate a capacity for coherent principled analysis of contemporary social problems.
  4. Learn and practice the basic principles of academic writing.
  5. Demonstrate through critical self-reflection your own working theory of leadership and social change.
  6. Practice use of selected methods of inquiry to analyze social phenomena.

Required Reading:

  • Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed
  • John Dewey, Experience and Education
  • bell hooks, The Pedagogy of Hope
  • Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?
  • Komives, Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference
  • Robert Coles, Doing Documentary Work
  • Michael Kimmel and Abby Ferber, Privilege: A Reader

Assignments

  • 4 Sets of Inquiry Exercises related to the featured unit authors (20%)
  • 3 unit exams, one comprehensive exam (25%)
  • Group precis of chapters from Sandel book (5%)
  • Annotated Bibliography (10%)
  • Literature Review related to assigned Sandel chapters (10%)
  • Reflection essays developing a personal theory of leadership and social change (10%)
  • Participation (20%)

Tentative Course Schedule

Weeks 1-3 -- Unit 1: Paulo Freire Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Week One:

Intro to Course, Syllabus Overview, Considering Community, Justice and Leadership

Read: Freire, Foreword, Preface, Chapter 1; Coles, Intro, Chapter 1; selected articles

Inquiry assignment: Investigate a space or subculture at SMC and document your application of at least five primary terms from Freire that you see in practice.

Week Two:

Read: Freire, Chapter 2, 3; Coles, Chapter 2, selected articles

Inquiry assignment: Look at a series of college websites. Analyze them using terms from Freire’s work. Compare them to SMC’s representation of itself. What do you learn about education and justice by examining college websites?

Week Three:

Read: Freire, Chapter 4, Coles, Chapter 3, 4 (selections)

Exam: Freire/Coles, selected case studies

Inquiry assignment: Produce a multi-slide Prezi or other new media presentation form about a culture or subculture at SMC using the terms of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Use visual arguments, infographics, photos, and new media.

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Weeks 4-5 -- Unit 2: John Dewey Experience and Education

Week Four:

Read: Dewey, Foreword, Chapters 1-3; Kimmel/Ferber Preface, Intro, Chaps 1-4; selected global education stories; essays on autoethnography

Inquiry project: Begin an autoethnography of your own educational experience

Week Five:

Read: Dewey, Chapters 4-8, Kimmel/Ferber Chaps 5-12; selected global education stories;

Exam: Dewey, case studies, ethnography

Inquiry project: Complete autoethnography of your higher educational experience

Assign: Presentations of Sandel chapters in groups, annotated bibliography, lit review

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Weeks 6-8 -- Unit 3: bell hooks Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope

Week Six:

Read: hooks, Preface, Teachings 1-6; Kimmel/Ferber Chaps 13-16; selected case studies; collaborative inquiry

Inquiry project: Using collaborative inquiry, identify a community to which you do not belong. Begin a conversation where you try to understand the experience of someone in that community.

Week Seven:

Read: hooks, 7-12; Kimmel/Ferber 17-20; selected case studies; visual anthropology

Inquiry project: using photography, videography or other visual forms, produce a slide presentation of the community with whom you are learning to collaborate

Week Eight:

Read: hooks, 13-16; selected case studies; media advocacy

Exam: hooks, case studies, collaborative inquiry, visual anthropology, media advocacy

Inquiry project: using new media, advocate for a better policy/program/plan for the community with which you have become acquainted

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Weeks 9-11 -- Unit 4: Michael Sandel Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?

Week Nine:

Readings: Sandel, Chapters 1-4

Inquiry project: Annotated Bib, Lit Review

Week Ten:

Readings: Sandel, Chapters 5-10

Week Eleven:

Exam: Sandel

Inquiry project: Completed Annotated Bib, Lit Review

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Weeks 12-14 -- Unit 5: Susan Komives Exploring Leadership

Week Twelve:

Read: Komives 2, 3

Inquiry project: Begin an assessment of your own leadership

Week Thirteen:

Read: Komives 6, 7

Inquiry project: Continue leadership assessment with utopian ideals

Week Fourteen:

Read: Komives 10-12

Inquiry project: Complete personal theory of leadership for social change

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Week Fifteen:

Exam: Comprehensive