John.

Tiedemann Office hours: W: 2–4; R: 4–6. Email me

T 4:00–5:50 to make an appointment.
491 Sturm Office: Academic Commons 380U
John.Tiedemann@du.edu Course blog: sjus.blogspot.com

• social justice 2020: antipoverty activism.

 THE CLASS
Last term, we discussed racism, the first of the three pillars of social injustice that Martin Luther King,
near the end of his life, urged us to take as the principal focuses for social justice activism and
organizing. This term, we’ll discuss the second pillar: what King called “materialism,” i.e., economic
and political systems that enrich the few at the expense of the many. We’ll focus especially on the
struggle against poverty and on the connections between economic injustice and sexual and
gender identity.
We’re all familiar, in one way or another, with the idea of poverty as material deprivation, i.e., as the
lack of housing, food, and other vital resources. However, as social justice scholars, activists, and
organizers, we’re concerned not only with the facts of material deprivation, but with how systems of
power create and sustain those facts. Thus our conversations will focus on the connections between
material deprivation and symbolic deprivation, i.e., on how material poverty is created and sustained
by preventing communities from accessing the public sphere wherein stories are told, debates are
conducted, and the common good is decided, and where we can intervene in that sphere through
the arts.
As you know, because this course is part of a Living and Learning Community, class doesn’t finish
when the bell rings: it carries over to the dorm, across campus, and with us into town. So all the work
that we undertake in class will contribute to our shared purpose as members of the Social Justice LLC:
to build a collaborative community of social justice activism and inquiry that engages critically and
creatively in the struggle for social justice across campus and beyond.

ASSIGNMENTS
In addition to taking part in discussions and activities in and out of the classroom, you will (1) co-
create a podcast about your volunteer experience and (2) put on a sketch or improv performance.

OFFICE HOURS
I’m available to meet between 2 and 4 on Wednesdays and between 4 and 6 on Thursdays (as well
as at other, less regular times). Email me to make an appointment.
`

GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS

• Goals
SJUS 2020 is the second of three courses taken by the students in the Social Justice LLC. The course
has three goals. First, by critically examining ideas, figures, and texts from the social justice tradition,
and particularly those associated with antipoverty activism and the arts, students will continue to
deepen their understanding of the philosophical and historical contexts in which their own efforts on
behalf of social justice take shape. Second, students will continue learning about how to organize
ourselves as a community, one that embodies the social justice values we hold in common. Finally,
by working with community partners, students will acquire hands-on experience as scholar-activists in
the field. This second course in the SJUS sequence, then, builds on the foundations we laid last
quarter.

• Academic Expectations
The experience of taking part in the Social Justice LLC differs from more traditional classroom
experiences. Students have a good deal of autonomy in shaping their learning experiences and thus
have a high degree of responsibility for their individual work as well as for contributing to the learning
experience of the group. What’s more, the learning experience includes not only in-class work and
homework, but also other learning opportunities that the SJLLC sponsors, such as service
opportunities, guest speakers, and field trips. Finally, the work that students do in the classroom is
relevant to the work they do in the community outside it, and vice versa. In short, the SJLLC learning
experience doesn’t consist of a series of discrete tasks that you can tick off on a checklist. Rather, it
involves collaborating with one another and with the wider community to create and sustain an
ongoing, open-ended process of active intellectual and social engagement.
That said, some of the expectations for this course can be stated in conventional academic terms: In
addition to class time, students can expect to devote four or more hours a week to reading, writing,
group work, and community work. SJUS classes are designed to be every bit as intellectually rigorous
and rewarding as any other class on campus, and students are expected to take that work as
seriously as they do their work in, e.g., Honors Writing, advanced calculus, or organic chemistry,


• Civility, Tolerance, and Inclusive Excellence

The Social Justice LLC is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful learning
community. We encourage expressions of different ideas, opinions, and beliefs, so that conversations
and interactions that could be potentially divisive instead turn into opportunities for intellectual and
personal growth. By respecting what others say and their right to say it, and listening to each other
carefully, openly, and empathetically, we all can further thoughtful and enlightening dialogue.
Because our course relies heavily on interactions between all members of the LLC, we must all act in
a manner that not only respects but actively supports different positions, perspectives, experiences,
heritages, and gender, racial, ethnic, class, sexual, and other identities. And because we are a
community committed to social justice, we are particularly interested in hearing voices and learning
about ideas that emerge from marginalized groups.
Not only are the ideas we’ll discuss often controversial, but some of the historical events and
experiences we’ll discuss may be disturbing, even painful — especially for classmates who have
experienced similar kinds of injustice themselves. As members of a living and learning community, we
must never trivialize or dismiss those experiences; we must remain thoughtful, supportive, and caring.
All of this means that we strive to include one another fully in all of our interactions. We aim to use
inclusive language and to create room for everyone to participate. We aim always to listen to one
another, never to interrupt, and always to respond thoughtfully and respectfully. In sum, we are not
here to prove ourselves “right” and other classmates “wrong,” to show ourselves to be smarter than
other classmates less so, or to attack one another. We’re all here to help all of us to learn and grow.
• Computers, etc.
To insure that we’re all fully present to the conversation and one another, students will disconnect
from the internet during class unless otherwise instructed. So put away your laptop, phone, etc.,
during class, and come ready with a good old-fashioned notebook and pen. Finally, class is not to be
video-recorded, audio-recorded, or photographed without John’s express permission.
• Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
The Social Justice LLC will provide reasonable accommodations to every student who has a disability
that has been documented by The University of Denver Disability Services Program
(www.du.edu/disability/dsp or 303.871.2455).
 ATTENDANCE, ASSIGNMENTS, AND GRADES
• Attendance Policy
As the participation policy indicates, there are no “excused” absences from class. If, for whatever
reason, you miss class, you will not receive credit for class discussion for that day. Likewise, there are
no “make-ups” for events that take place outside of class.
• Meet with John (50 points)
You’ll meet once this quarter with John. I’ll send around a sign-up sheet
• Learning Journal (150 points)
Most weeks, you’ll post an entry in your learning journal. Journal entries are to be shared by the start
of class on the day they are due. You’ll receive 25 points for posting a complete and manifestly
thoughtful response to the prompt. (By “manifestly thoughtful” I mean clear, coherent, and on topic.)
You will receive 12 or fewer points if the entry is incomplete, superficial, and/or appears to be hastily
composed. You will receive no points should you fail to share the entry when it is due. (You can
submit up to two extra journal entries for additional credit, upon request. Ask John for a prompt.)
• Podcast (200 points)
In groups of 4 or 5, you’ll create a 20–30-minute podcast about your volunteer experience at SAME
Cafe and Cafe 180.
• Theatrical production (200 points)
We’ll play some improv games this quarter and, during the last two weeks of class, you’ll put on (in
groups of 4 or 5) a self-created play.
• Class Participation (inside the classroom) (200 points)
You’ll receive up to 20 points for the day when your contributions to class discussion are thoughtful
and fully elaborated. You will receive no more than 10 points if you attend class without contributing.
Students will receive no points when they do not attend class, distract classmates by conducting side
conversations, fail to observe the “no internet” policy, or otherwise disengage from class. Students will
have 5 points deducted from the day’s participation if they are late to class.
 ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES (cont’d.)
• Class Participation (outside class) (300 points)
Much of the work that we do takes place outside of class, e.g., on service days, at family dinners,
etc. Your full participation in these events is worth 50 points per event, except for your service day
and improv trip, which are worth 100 points each. Events sponsored by the LLC are listed on our blog,
under the “Activities” tab. If you learn of a lecture, workshop, or other event on a topic connected to
social justice that you’d like to attend, please talk with John in advance to see if you can use this
event for participation points. If you are doing volunteer work or activist work that you believe could
apply, talk with John about that, too. (300 points)
• Grade Calculation
Learning journal: 150 points
Meet with John 50 points
Podcast: 200 points
Theatrical production 200 points
Participation in class: 200 points
Participation outside of class 300 points
TOTAL 1100 points
I will assign your grade for the quarter based on a 1,000-point scale (see below). However, as you
can see above, you can earn up to 1,100 points toward your final grade. This means that you can
compensate for less strong work in one area of class by doing exceptionally well in others. Here’s the
scale I’ll use to calculate your final grade for the course:
A 930-1000+ B+ 870-899 C+ 770-799 D+ 670-699 F 0–599
A- 900-929 B 830-869 C 730-769 D 630-669
B- 800-829 C- 700-729 D- 600-629
•
CALENDAR
Readings and viewings will be posted to our course blog: http://sjus.blogspot.com/
W2 T Jan. 8 Introduction: Poverty and capitalism
W3 T Jan. 15 Food, shelter, and social justice
• Selected readings about our partners
• In-class viewing: “Dank New World”
W4 T Jan. 22 Homelessness and gentrification
• Selections from Phillip Tompkins, Who Is My Neighbor?
W5 T Jan. 29 Labor movements
• Articles TBA
W6 T Feb. 5 Antipoverty intersection: Sexuality and gender
• For class, watch the film Pride (on Canvas, in the Modules section).
W7 T Feb. 12 Antipoverty intersections: Sexuality and gender
• Articles TBA
W8 T Feb. 19 Antipoverty intersections: Sexuality and gender
• Articles TBA
W9 T Feb. 26 Antipoverty activism and the arts
• Please read John’s piece, “Shelter Stories.”
W10 T March 5 Theatrical production (in-class rehearsal)
W11 T March 12 Theatrical production (in-class performance)