COR 230B 2 - SOCIETY AND ETHICS IN ACTION

Minimum Credit(s) Awarded: 3
Maximum Credit(s) Awarded: 3

In the context of community service, this course introduces students to the Dominican Catholic Intellectual Tradition, Catholic Social Teaching, and the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Students will engage in community service at a host agency relative to one of the social sciences (e.g., criminal justice, economics, political science, or sociology). There, students will plan and conduct community service independently and then gather for a weekly, seminar-style class. In both settings, students will explore aspects of personal development related to the “cor” questions, including, What are my personal values, beliefs, and biases? In what ways are these personal factors similar to and different from those held by people around me? How are social and ethics issues addressed at my host agency? How does Dominican Intellectual Tradition and Catholic Social Teaching inform my understanding of these social and ethical issues? In seminar, students will further examine the opportunities and contradictions within themselves and in larger society that arise through answering these “cor” questions. Through this examination, students will deepen their understanding of social structures and the ethical implications inherent in themselves and society, as understood through the lens of Dominican Intellectual Tradition and Catholic Social Teachings. Using the foundational principle of the common good, students will examine how contemporary social structures both support and undermine this principle. This examination will include systems of social inclusion and exclusion, with particular focus on structural racism and structural poverty. These activities will occur through an integrated approach of reading, dialogue, reflection, and service.