Analytical Activism: Doing What Matters

CANCELLED

Fall 2011 and Winter 2012 quarters

Faculty

Gillies Malnarich , Emily Lardner composition, education, literature

Preparatory for studies or careers in

education, law, community development, journalism education, community development, journalism education, community development, journalismeducation, community development, journalism

Description

Note: This program has been restructured and re-titled as Making a Difference .  Students can no longer register for the program listed here, but if you are interested in this program, please register for Making a Difference .

We already know too many Americans know rather too little....  But it is not what Americans don't know that is so pernicious to our democracy (they can always be educated); it is that they don't know what knowing actually is. --Benjamin Barber

The most important tool for creating a better world is a disciplined mind—the power to think well about something that matters.  The goal of this inquiry-based, two-quarter program is to explore good thinking across historical, cultural, and contemporary contexts in order to develop better analytical, reflective, and creative skills ourselves.

In Analytical Activism: Doing What Matters, our investigation of what people are doing right now to turn good thinking into better public policies and practices will be guided by these questions: What are the big ideas that inspire and shape our lives, and what are their origins?  How do texts—ranging from declarations to poems, budgets to standardized forms—organize social relations including relations of ruling?  How do ordinary people, in the context of huge power inequities, educate themselves and organize for social change?

Students will be introduced to disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to these questions using key concepts, practices, and habits of mind from history, sociology, literature, and composition.  Students will be expected to do individual work that becomes the foundation for high quality, challenging collaborative learning.  Class sessions will include workshops, seminars, in-class reading and writing, presentations, and project work.  In addition to developing disciplinary grounding in history, sociology, literature, and composition, students will develop the habits of mind of skilled integrative thinkers while working on interdisciplinary projects to address contemporary issues.

We intend to use moodle to post resources, and we also will use moodle to organize small writing groups where students can share drafts between class sessions.

Campus Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Offered During

Evening and Weekend

Program Revisions