Peace and Justice Studies

Introduces students to a variety of perspectives and attitudes toward social change and peace & justice issues. Classic as well as contemporary offerings are included. In addition, there are presentations from activists, people who devote a significant amount of their time to working for change. Students are asked to adopt a critical attitude toward what they read and hear. They read and analyze several genres, including fiction, the essay, polemics and autobiography. They also view documentary films. They must demonstrate an understanding of how to approach these genres critically. By the end of the course, students should have explored and clarified their personal values related to social change and peace & justice issues. They also should have improved reading, writing and critical- and creative-thinking skills.

Engages with a group of nonprofit organizations in our community focused on striving for economic, racial, cultural, gender, and earth justice, and each student will have a placement with one of these organizations for the full semester. Individually and together we will learn from community members who have a wealth of experience at social change-making, one step at a time: by building relationships, analyzing social dynamics, understanding systems of power, privilege, and oppression, devising strategies, collecting tactics, using imagination and resourcefulness, thinking shrewdly, and still remaining idealistic. We will learn the working structure of non-profits, and will look critically at what some have called “the non-profit industry,” while recognizing the way in which nonprofits have woven themselves indispensably into the fabric of American economic and social life.

Topics in Peace and Justice.

Topics in Peace and Justice.

Independent study.

Enables student to gain experience in the field. Student internship should be in a for-profit or non-profit organization with a mission in keeping with the goals of the PJS major. Student should have meaningful tasks to perform within the organization and have a designated supervisor who works with the director of the PJS program. Student will meet regularly with the PJS program director and file a final reflection essay. Junior or senior standing and approval from the PJS program director are required

Topics in Peace and Justice.

Independent Study.