91制片厂

91制片厂
Social Justice Studies Distinction

Courses

The Basics

To earn the Social Justice Studies (SJS) distinction, you must successfully complete at least 3 SJS course sections in addition to the Social Transformation Capstone (CAP201). The SJS course schedule is carefully designed to allow you to complete the distinction alongside your degree. Aside from CAP201, you are welcome to choose any SJS course sections that fit your interests and goals.

What to Expect

Each semester, a cluster of special Social Justice Studies course sections will be offered. These courses are specially designed to engage students in an ongoing dialogue about the meaning of social justice and in an exploration of compassionate, equitable, and inclusive practices and strategies for achieving more just societies. The content of these courses provides opportunities for students to explore how their individual identities, cultural backgrounds, and chosen disciplines situate them in relation to systems of power and privilege. Enrollment in these courses will also offer students an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with instructors and fellow students who share their desire to co-create a more just and sustainable future.

All 91制片厂 students are encouraged to enroll in Social Justice Studies course sections and to participate in SJS programming at 91制片厂. Social Justice Studies course sections will be designated in the course schedule by an 鈥淪J鈥� course section notation and a specialized title. Example: 鈥淓NG101-SJ1: Composition I/Social Justice.鈥�

First Year Seminar & Capstone

The Social Transformation Seminar (FYS) is an opportunity for incoming 91制片厂 students to explore the role that college education plays in the process of social transformation and an introduction to faculty, curriculum, and alumni associated with our social transformation distinctions (Social Justice Studies, Global Scholars, and Sustainability Studies). Credits earned in this Social Transformation FYS count towards the credit requirements for each of the above-listed distinctions.

The Social Transformation Capstone (CAP201) must be successfully completed in order to earn the SJS Graduate Distinction. You are eligible to enroll in CAP201 once you have completed at least two other Social Justice Studies (SJS) course sections (see below).

Fall 2026 SJS Courses

The following course sections are being offered in Fall '26. Courses that also fulfill the World Cultures and Diversity and Global Scholars Distinction course requirements are listed with a "+".

First Year Seminar & Capstone

  • Instructor: Kimberly Jeager (kjaeger@harpercollege.edu) 
  • Banner Title: FYS-TBD: First Year Seminar/Social Transformation 
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: T/R 11-12:15pm 
  • Credits: 3 
  • Theme: explores the role of college education in the process of personal and social transformation and engage with curriculum, faculty, and alumni from our social transformation distinctions (Global Scholars, Social Justice Studies, and Sustainability Studies).
  • Instructor: LaVonya Williams (lwilliam@harpercollege.edu) 
  • Banner Title: FYS-TBD: First Year Seminar/Social Transformation 
  • Modality (PoT): Blended (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Wednesday 11-12:15pm 
  • Credits: 3 
  • Theme: explores the role of college education in the process of personal and social transformation and engage with curriculum, faculty, and alumni from our social transformation distinctions (Global Scholars, Social Justice Studies, and Sustainability Studies).
  • Instructor: Eric Bohman (ebohman@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: CAP201-001: Social Transformation Capstone (2 Credit) or CAP201-002: Social Transformation Capstone (3 credit)
  • Modality (PoT): Blended/Flex (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Wednesday 4:45pm-5:45pm
  • Credits: 2 (no service/experiential learning component) or3 (includes service/experiential learning component)
  • Theme: Focuses on developing project design and management skills for the purposes of analyzing global movements and/or addressing social justice problems and solutions. Special emphasis will be given to interdisciplinary questions, methods, and applications related to information literacy, intercultural communication and collaboration, critical thinking, and civic engagement. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on their personal, professional and academic journeys with the goal of applying acquired knowledge toward fostering justice-oriented social transformation.

    Prerequisites: students must complete at least two SJS course sections to enroll in the capstone course. For special exceptions, contact program coordinator (socialjustice@harpercollege.edu).

    [Students must complete CAP201 to earn the SJS Distinction.]
    [CAP201 will also be offered every Fall and Spring semester.]

Communications

  • Instructor: Ashley Palmer (pa07949@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: ENG101-5SJ: Composition I/Social Justice & ENG095-5SJ: English Composition Supplement/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Tuesday/Thursday 12:30pm-1:45pm  (Supplement: Wednesday 2pm-2:50pm) 
  • Credits: 3 + 1
  • Theme: In this course we will explore how the rhetoric of "human rights" has been used throughout history . Ultimately, we will think critically about how individual and collective world views about human rights translate to action. This course uses a variety of news, social, political and academic texts as well as fiction and nonfiction narratives. We will also be viewing media such as images, videos, gifs, memes, and documentaries from a diverse intersection of identities. Topics such as family, community, politics, justice, etc. will emerge.  

    [English 101 will be every Fall. ENG102 will be offered every Spring.]
  • Instructor: Judi Nitsch (mnitsch@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: ENG101-SJW: Composition I/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (First 8 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: n/a
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: Welcome! In this course, we will explore social justice in the context of our cultural identities. Specifically, students choose one of their cultural identities as a lens and then consider what (in)justice looks like in their culture, what problems impede justice in their culture, and what solutions could remove those impediments from their culture. I enact socially-just policies in my course, so know that you will be given lots of support and opportunity to grapple with these difficult and exciting topics.  
     
    [English 101 will be offered every Fall, while ENG 102 will be offered every Spring.] 

Physical & Life Sciences

  • Instructor: Virginia Turner (vturner@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: BIO103-SJB: Humans/Environment/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Blended (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Thursday 9:30am-10:45am  
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: How do social justice and environmental justice intersect? How have past actions shaped our environment and use of natural resources, and how are current actions shaping our future? Can we, as members of this planet, equitably utilize the available resources? In this course, meant for non-science majors, students will learn the fundamentals of environmental science, the history of the environmental movement, and about those instrumental in shaping environmental policies, both globally and in the United States. Bring your perspectives and join us as we explore and discuss these globally critical issues while expanding our worldview as it relates to our environment.
  • Instructor: Joseph Wachter (Jwachter@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: CHM103-XSJ: Chem Connection/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Blended/Flex (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Monday/Wednesday 2pm-4:45pm (Lab 鈥� Wednesday only)
  • Credits: 4
  • Theme: Did you know that the Ancient Greek root of 鈥減harmacy,鈥� pharmakon (蠁维蟻渭伪魏慰谓), means both medicine and poison? In this lab science course, meant for non-science majors, students will explore the social nature of chemistry by asking questions like:

    What is the difference between medicine and poison?
    Can chemicals be good? Bad? Neutral?
    Who gets to decide?
    Who has access to good chemicals? Bad ones?
    Who is punished or rewarded for using certain chemicals?

    Exploring these questions will take students on a tour of the chemical world, from the environmental chemistry of plastic waste, water quality, and climate change to the chemistry of drugs, medicines, poisons, and explosives, while also learning the fundamentals of chemistry in a lab-focused setting.

Humanities & Fine Arts

  • Instructor: Michael Bentley (mbentley@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: HUM107-SJW: Cultures of Africa/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (final 13 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: n/a
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: In this course we will explore how three ideologies, which were each essential to the African Independence Movement (Negritude, Afrocentrism, and Pan-Africanism) have empowered scholars, artists, and freedom fighters across the African diaspora to remember and re-imagine what it means to be African, to be human, and to be free. Students will have the opportunity to explore how these ideas challenge and empower them to think more critically about their own identities and their relationship to power. IAI HF 904N.

    [HUM107 will be offered every fall and spring semester.]
  • Instructor: Michael Bentley (mbentley@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: HUM108-SJB: Introduction to Black and Latin茅 Studies/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Blended (final 13 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Tuesdays 12pm-1:40pm 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: in this blended section of HUM108, we will explore the rich worlds of Black & Latin茅 cultural and political identity as unique expression of human desires for freedom and authenticity. Along the way, we will analyze the personal narratives and creative works of 20th century Black and Latin茅 artists, authors, athletes, actors, musicians and public figures who exemplify the struggle toward self-definition and social transformation. Meanwhile, we will consider the processes through which our own cultural and political identities are co-created through complex relationships between peoples, histories, movements, and migrations.  
  • Instructor: Michael Bentley (mbentley@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: HUM110-SJW: Women & Creativity/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: n/a
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: In this asynchronous section of HUM 110 we will explore how activist art and autobiography have been used as powerful tools for representing and reshaping our world. We will study the life, work, and ideas of intersectional feminist and womanist artist-activists who have actively sought to re-envision the relationship between their womanhood and their world. In the process, you will explore how your own identity and experience influence your assumptions and expectations about the role of art and artists in today's world. Finally, you will have an opportunity to experiment with the creative power of telling your own story. IAI HF 907D.
  • Instructor: Issa Boulos (iboulos@harpercollege.edu) 
  • Banner Title: HUM/MUS128-TBD: Music, Power, & Social Change/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: n/a
  • Theme: This course offers a unique and timely exploration of the intersection between art, film, music, dance, culture, and social change, with a particular emphasis on music鈥檚 role in shaping political consciousness and driving societal transformation. In our increasingly interconnected world, understanding diverse cultural expressions and their impacts on social movements is crucial for students preparing to engage in global contexts. The course鈥檚 emphasis on music as a catalyst for social and political change is particularly relevant in today鈥檚 world, where artistic expression continues to play a vital role in shaping public opinion and mobilizing communities. By examining specific case studies, students will develop critical thinking skills and gain insights into the complex relationships between art, society, and power structures.
  • Instructor: Andre Berchiolly (aberchio@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: LIT112-SJW: Lit & Film/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: N/A
  • Theme: In this course we will explore the historical and cultural context of film adaptations over time and in relation to social justice. This course will allow the opportunity to engage with original texts and ideas (the spirit of the text) and the context of representation relating to contemporary, modern, and post-modern adaptations. We will also look into social media responses (public discourse) relating to representation in film adaptation. We will explore such questions as: how are different aspects of society and culture represented in literature and film; how do culture and society influence adaptation; how, where, and when do you see yourself represented in media; and how do dominant and non-dominant cultures use.
  • Instructor: Rebecca Scott (rscott1@harpercollege.edu) 
  • Banner Title: PHI105-SJ1: Introduction to Philosophy/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Monday/Wednesday, 9:30-10:45am  
  • Theme: This course introduces students to principles governing critical thinking and rational deliberation. We will learn how to leverage such principles in socially conscious and transformative ways. Among other skills, we will learn how to deal with bad faith arguments, to understand and counteract the mechanisms of stereotypes, and to pierce through propaganda and other forms of belief manipulation. In pursuing these skills, our approach will be interdisciplinary by drawing insights from cognitive psychology, philosophy, logic, as well as probability and decision theory.

    [PHI105 will be offered every Fall. PHI101 will be offered in Spring.]

  • Instructor: Kaveh Aenehzodaee
  • Banner Title: PHI120-SJ1: Soc/Political Phi/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Monday/Wednesday 12:30pm-1:45pm 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: Political philosophy investigates a constellation of questions: what does justice demand? How should our social and political institutions be arranged? What, if anything, legitimizes the state? And how should we respond to deep political disagreements? Answering these questions involves generating distant visions of well-ordered societies and ideal public life. But crucially it also involves formulating concrete guidance for shifting the status quo鈥攆or dismantling persistent forms of injustice which have shaped our existing social world, including racial and gender injustice and the continuing legacy of colonialism. In this survey, we will examine a variety of theoretical and practical answers to these major questions. In the process, you will deepen your own political outlook in ways that are responsive to major injustices.

Social & Behavioral Sciences

  • Instructor: Amaziah Finley (fa17019@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: ANT101-SJ1: Intro to Anthropology/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Tuesday/Thursday 9:30am-10:45am
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: This introduction to Anthropology class explores the four fields in a way that actively unravels ethnocentrism, which is the belief that one's own culture is superior to others. By understanding and appreciating the diversity of cultures worldwide, anthropology can help individuals develop a more open-minded and empathetic perspective towards others. We explore the colonial origins of the discipline, unified human development, primatology, Paleoanthropology, archeology, language, fieldwork and culture, global economy, medical anthropology, religion, intersectionality, race, gender, and cultural relativism. For the final project, students will be asked to create a portfolio of resistance and reflection to that their voices matter.  
     
    [ANT101 will be offered every Fall. ANT202 will be offered in Spring.] 
  • Instructor: Monica Edwards (medwards@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: SOC101-SJW: Sociology/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Online Asynchronous (16 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: n/a
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: In our time together, we will engage in analysis of the structure and dynamics of human society. We will explore theoretical and empirical work to observe and analyze social norms, groups, intergroup relations, social change, social stratification, and institutions. This course will dive into questions of social organization, social change, and social justice through an exploration of the intersection of food systems and systemic racism; we will do so with a focus on outcomes related to the climate crisis and Covid pandemic. Emerging from sociological analyses of our complex interdependence is a push for compassion and solidarity; as such, the policies of the class will reflect this larger sociological--and feminist--ethos of care. IAI S7 900. Open Educational Resources, Social/Behavioral Sci-AA/AS, Sociology Elective, Social/Behavioral Sciences-AAS.

  • Instructor: Monica Edwards (medwards@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: SOC120-SJ1: Family In Contemporary Society/Social Justic
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Tuesday/Thursday 11am-12:15pm 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: TBD
  • Instructor: Kelly Pinter (pk33410@harpercollege.edu)
  • Banner Title: SOC205-SJ1: Social Problems/Social Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Face-to-Face (16 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Monday/Wednesday, 9:30am-10:45am 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: This section of Social Problems explores various approaches to determining what lies at the root of societal issues and injustices. Students will be introduced to theoretical points of view that aim to critically examine social problems in relation to class (conflict theory), race (critical race theory), gender (feminist theory), and other social identities. Topics include problems in education, family violence, and environmental issues. Student projects will focus on efforts to improve police-community relations, decrease domestic violence and sexual assault on college campuses, create more sustainable lifestyles at both the micro and macro level, and making educational experiences more equitable for all students.

Electives

  • Instructor: DuBoi McCarty (dmccarty@harpercollege.edu) 
  • Banner Title: DIV101-SJB: Diversity in US/Soc Justice
  • Modality (PoT): Blended (Final 13 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Wednesdays, 12pm-1:15pm 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: In this course, the focus is on exploring culture and other diversity issues and topics utilizing an interactive personal development format. Students will examine their intersecting identities while discussing dimensions of their own culture. The culture and historical experiences of social affinity groups related to Ability, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion, and Race//Ethnicity in the United States are also explored. Students will also analyze the dynamics of prejudice and discrimination between groups and the impact of social power differences on peoples鈥� lives. The experiential nature of this course will give students the opportunity to dialogue about diversity and social justice topics and to develop skills necessary to interact effectively in a diverse society. Students will complete a final course assignment addressing a diversity or social justice topic of their choosing with instructor approval. Fulfills World Cultures and Diversity requirement.  

    [DIV101 will be offered every fall, spring, and summer semester.]
  • Instructor: Kelly Coronado (kcoronad@harpercollege.edu)  
  • Banner Title: LNG105-SJB: Introduction to Language/Linguistics/Social Justice 
  • Modality (PoT): Blended (First 13 Weeks)
  • Meeting Time: Monday 5:30-8pm 
  • Credits: 3
  • Theme: this course explores language and focuses on issues of social justice in English language education in the U.S.鈥擲pecifically, we will study language origins, properties, use, structure, and meaning. Through studying sound, word-formation, and syntactic systems, we will look at language hierarchies in American society and how one鈥檚 language proficiency is attached to one鈥檚 worth in society. Students will learn and research past and current pedagogy used for bilingual education through a critical lens to address equity gaps in the different models and try to determine best practices for equitable English language education.  
     
    [LNG105 will be offered every fall semester. LNG205 will be offered every Spring.] 


For more information, contact the Social Justice Studies Coordinator:

Michael Bentley

847.925.6271

socialjustice@harpercollege.edu