With the start of the 2011-2012 academic year, the Colleges launched a Social Justice Studies Program (SJS) with two minor options: Social Justice Studies, and Civic Engagement and Social Justice. The program was developed in response to increased student interest. Over the past six years, nearly a quarter of all students completing individual majors have done so with a social justice focus.
"The Social Justice Studies program offers students an interdisciplinary academic concentration that is rooted in the concept of equality and the recognition of human rights," explains Donna Davenport, professor and chair of the dance department. She and Assistant Professor of History Colby Ristow are co-coordinators of the SJS program. "Social justice studies across the curriculum, in history, rhetoric, politics, religion, philosophy, law, economics, media, and the arts interrogate inequalities in gender, social class, sexuality, and race, and the systems that perpetuate them."
The Social Justice Studies minor takes a theoretical approach to the subject and includes a capstone practical experience. The Civic Engagement and Social Justice minor is a more immersive and integrative program in which theory and practice go hand-in-hand.
"The Social Justice Minor, which includes an introductory course to Community Based Research, provides an exciting opportunity for students to maximize the potential of their engaged scholarship endeavors," explains Katie Flowers, director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning. "Students will have the opportunity to explore key concepts, including community asset mapping, ethical implications and accountability, and research methods, which will enhance the student/community partner encounters. Students are interested in aligning their academic interests with their personal commitment to social justice issues and the creation of this minor is an innovative approach to balancing both."
Like other interdisciplinary programs, the social justice studies program will complement a variety of majors and help prepare students for post-graduate possibilities including graduate study, law school and employment in the non-profit sector. Students who have recently graduated with a focus on social justice studies have pursued graduate study in sociology, education, public health, law school and work with AmeriCorps and Teach for America.
Community Based Research (CBR) and service-learning may be used in the teaching of many different subject areas. The types of community engagement used in service-learning courses ranges from tutoring, child care, and preparing meals to developing and administering evaluation surveys for a local agency, designing the space for the local teen center or researching how gender affects the learning of students in Geneva.
CBR projects entail a semester long commitment devoted to the exploration of a vital community issue. Students with exceptional initiative work collaboratively with a community partner and faculty sponsor. Responsibilities vary based upon the specific details within the proposal and will likely include independent research, weekly check-ins with community partner and faculty sponsor, and a concluding presentation or project. CBR projects can count towards a student's major (see course requirements) or as Geneva Collaborative Internship (GCIP 401). Please review the Application and the Faculty Adviser Agreement Form and contact Katie Flowers in CCESL.
To read about past Community Based Research Projects, visit the CBR Archive.
What's new with Service-Learning? Check out updates on the Bonner Leader for Service-Learning wiki page!
Examples of Service-Learning and Community Based Research Projects:
