Taught By:
Jamie Shenton
Associate Professor of Anthropology ; Chair, Social Justice Studies
Centre College
Course Description:
At its most basic, social justice means recognizing the uneven distribution of resources and opportunities across members of society by virtue of their social identities (sex, gender, race, class, sexual orientation, disability, religion, immigration status, and so forth). In order to develop an appreciation of the diversity within approaches to social justice, the course will examine social justice concepts and theories from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The course will consider the following questions: What is social justice? Why does social justice matter? How are identities, experiences and systems of inequity intertwined with social justice? Particular attention will be paid to the intersections of class, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and other elements of social location. Students will critically engage a range of texts focused on inequality, justice, community building, activism and policy making. In addition to examining the varied structures understood by diverse groups as oppressive, the course will explore the adaptive capabilities and strengths of marginalized groups within effective social justice work. Finally, students will explore their own personal values, beliefs and behaviors that may limit or enable their ability to effectively apply social justice theory and practice. An important part of this course will be learning anew how to see, how to talk, and how to act, that is, interrogating some of our personal barriers to empathy. As Dylan Kerrigan (2006) claims, [teaching social justice] “…implies not only teaching students to critically examine how and why social arrangements of society benefit one group over another…but also teaching students to implement and act on such knowledge… (4).” Thus, this class will combine readings in social justice theory with an intensive set of social change leadership trainings and workshops available on Centre’s campus. Students will have the opportunity to meet with and learn from.
