COMMUNITY POWER AND COLLECTIVE ACTION

CSCS 785

Focus on ways in which people develop identities and commitments as members of cultural and community groups and how they exercise rights and assume responsibilities in those contexts. An ecological approach to civic development - considering characteristics of persons (age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, culture) and the opportunities, structural impediments, and challenges of social and institutional contexts for different groups. Major themes are people's collective agency in working for social change and how engaging in civic work promotes well-being. Designed to encourage a collaborative approach to learning, to articulate scholarship based on your passions for social justice, and to make your work accessible to different scholarly and public audiences.

POLISCI 416

Introduces students involved in volunteer or community activism in the Madison area to the literature on political power and community organizing. Conduct field research and write an analysis of activities.

CSCS 125

Examine contemporary issues with an emphasis on the role that individuals and communities play in achieving positive social change. Develop the mindsets and communication skills necessary to work in diverse community contexts. Specific themes may shift based on current events, but often include education reform, racial justice, health equity, alternative economies, food systems, and sustainability.

CSCS 600

Designed to demonstrate accumulated training and experience in community and nonprofit leadership. Explores how to better conceptualize, engage with, and reflect on social justice and community issues from a human ecology perspective, while also learning from prior practice and experience working with nonprofit, community- and mission-based organizations.

C&ESOC/SOC 573

Examines theories of community change and different models of community organizing.