SJST- Social Justice Studies
SJST 130 Why Gender Matters (3)
Gender is a primary lens through which societies are organized and identity is experienced. As a field of academic inquiry, Gender Studies intersects with virtually every other academic discipline. This course will introduce students to a range of scholarship and diverse perspectives to gain an overview of this dynamic field. (GPC, EXP)
SJST 230 Reproductive Justice (3)
Prerequisite: second- year standing. Reproductive justice refers to an interlinked matrix of human rights: the right to bodily autonomy, the right to have children, the right to not have children, and the right to nuture our families in safe and sustainable communities. As both an activist movement and a critical philosophy, reproductive justice confronts history’s lessons to examine how race, class, ability, sexuality, and ideology intersect to shape family making, reproductive decisions, policy, and health outcomes. While the word “reproductive” is often conflated with “women”, reproductive justice is equally relevant for male, queer, ace, trans, and gender non-binary people because we all have the right to bodily integrity and to create families. (GPC)
SJST 285 Movements in Meaning: Engaging Citizens, Cultures, and Communities in Contemporary Chile (3)
Prerequisite: CIV 110 and second- year standing or 28 completed credits (sophomore standing). Examines the nature of engaged citizenship in the context of Chile, using the lens of social justice to explore the country’s recent transition from dictatorship (1973- 1990) to democracy (1990- present), its diverse geography, expansive and enduring cultural heritage, and status as an economic and democratic superpower in Latin America. Requires trip to Chile (CTN)
SJST 330 Feminist Thought and Social Justice (3)
Prerequisite: second- year standing. This interdisciplinary course examines critical developments and debates in feminist theory. Reading diverse works in feminist scholarship, both classic and contemporary, will challenge us to engage with new perspectives on the development of feminist thought. As we examine the ways in which gender issues intersect with race, class, and colonialism, we will apply an expanding body of theoretical insights to address real-world inequity. Understanding the historical and theoretical foundations of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies will enable students to effectively apply a critical lens to disciplinary and interdisciplinary study. While we will not actually be casting spells or riding into battle in this class, we will develop strategies for feminist practice in scholarship and civic life.
SJST 385 Movements in Meaning: Engaging Citizens, Cultures, and Communities in Contemporary Chile (3)
Examines the nature of engaged citizenship in the context of Chile, using the lens of social justice to explore the country’s recent transition from dictatorship (1973- 1990) to democracy (1990- present), its diverse geography, expansive and enduring cultural heritage, and status as an economic and democratic superpower in Latin America. This course has a required short-term faculty led trip to Chile during the winter break. Students may not receive credit for both SJST 285 and SJST 385 (GS, GPN)