With Liberty and Justice for Whom?

Description

The faculty and students will embark upon a thorough study of the origins and current status of justice in American society. From an interdisciplinary perspective, we will consider various definitions and theories of justice, review the way justice is carried out in different settings and historical periods and examine the possibility of achieving truly just social institutions. Topics to be considered include: social and environmental justice, just political and economic systems, criminal justice, just healthcare and educational access, representations of justice in media, as well as concepts of equity, fairness and equality. By the end of the academic year we will be able to offer concrete recommendations as to the steps necessary to achieve justice for all in our society.

The theme for fall quarter is identifying the problem and clarifying the question. We will lay the foundation for the rest of the year, both substantively and in terms of the tools necessary to operate effectively in the learning community. We will explore the concept of justice as it is explicated in theory, history and practice. The concept will be analyzed from both the perspectives of the legal system and moral teachings. In seminars, we will read and analyze texts dealing with issues that have historically raised questions of whether justice was achieved. Students will examine their personal experiences with justice issues by constructing an autobiographical memoir. Our work will be supplemented with a series of courses designed to assure literacy with words, numbers and images. Students will have the opportunity to hone their skills in critical reasoning, research and the use of multimedia and computers.

Winter quarter's theme is researching the roots, causes and potential solutions. We will look at specific contemporary societal issues in justice viewed from a variety of institutional perspectives, most notably justice in education, health care, law, science, government and politics. Students will investigate specific justice issues of interest with the purpose of identifying a particular problem, defining its dimensions, determining its causes and establishing action plans for its remedy.

In the spring, the theme will progress to implementation. This final quarter will be devoted to the design and implementation of projects aimed at addressing the issues of injustice identified in the winter quarter. Seminar groups will combine their efforts to undertake actual programs aimed at assisting the community in righting a current injustice or providing greater justice for the community. The projects may take the form of educational events, publications, multimedia presentations or art installations, to help the community find higher levels of justice. Courses will assist in the successful implementation and evaluation of the student group activities.