The United States has been embroiled in spirited, often bitter struggles over confederate flags and monuments, sports mascots, Critical Race Theory and more. Underlying these disputes are deep divisions over national and group identity, as well as the truth and meaning of the past. Whose story is history? Do we own our own past? How do we understand where we came from and tell stories about our origins? Are some stories more true than others? Who gets to decide? How do our histories (and stories) define who we are? How can they shape our future?
This foundation seminar will examine such controversies and explore the possibilities for consensus and reconciliation. Because we are located in the Social Justice Residential College, discussions will highlight issues of social justice and how to create social change. Students will study several models of activism, try to figure out which strategies work best and why, and design two social change projects related to campus or social problems discussed in class.
Students who have chosen this seminar will be housed together and collaborate with other members of the college. They will participate in weekly common hours, the Residential College Symposium and special co-curricular activities such as an off-campus field trip.