Peace and Social Justice Studies
Valparaiso University nurtures a community whose members learn to embody social responsibility. The community challenges its members to discover ways of using their abilities in the service of the whole human family. Peace rooted in justice requires the nurturing of a culture of peace in homes, schools, communities, religious institutions, nations, and across the world. Peace rooted in justice requires teaching peace and social justice to cultivate those who will become socially responsible leaders.
The Peace and Social Justice Studies Minor
The Peace and Social Justice Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary program focusing on social responsibility by examining the means of establishing justice, achieving peace, and resolving conflicts nonviolently. There are two alternative tracks in the program. The International/Global Track concentrates on social responsibility between nations and other large groups, while the Individual/Local Track focuses on social responsibility among individuals, small groups and communities.
A minimum of 18 credit hours is required for the minor in peace and social justice studies. Specific required courses are listed below.
| Program Core | ||
| PSJ 201 | Principles of Peace and Social Justice | 3 credits |
| PSJ 386 | Internship in Peace and Social Justice Studies | 3 credits |
| International/Global Track | 9 credits | |
| Concentrates on social responsibility between nations and other large groups Nine credits from the following options (no more than two courses from specified General Electives and no more than two courses from a single department): |
||
| HIST 329 | Revolution! Insurgence in Latin America | 3 credits |
| HIST 350 | Colonialism and Independence: Understanding Modern Africa | 3 credits |
| HIST 355 | Modern Middle Eastern History | 3 credits |
| POLS 230 | International Relations | 3 credits |
| THEO 334 | Holocaust Theology | 3 credits |
| THEO 345 | The Church in the World | 3 credits |
| THEO 362 | Islamic Religion and Culture | 3 credits |
| Individual/Local Track | 9 credits | |
| Concentrates on social responsibility among individuals, small groups, and communities Nine credits from the following options (no more than two courses from specified General Electives and no more than two courses from a single department): |
||
| ECON 136 | The Economics of Health, Education, and Welfare | 3 credits |
| ECON 233 | The Economics of Race and Gender | 3 credits |
| HIST 225 | Alternative Perspectives of United States History | 3 credits |
| POLS 340 | Constitutional Law I | 3 credits |
| POLS 345 | The Judicial Process | 3 credits |
| SOC 130 | The Criminal Justice System | 3 credits |
| SOC 210 | Contemporary Social Problems | 3 credits |
| SOC 275 | Systems of Social Stratification | 3 credits |
| SOC 360 | Penology | 3 credits |
| SOC 390 | Issues in Sociology | 3 credits |
| SOCW 260 | Diverse Populations: Human Rights & Justice | 3 credits |
| THEO 329 | Topics in Christian History (when topic is appropriate) | 3 credits |
| THEO 333 | Black Theology and Black Church | 3 credits |
| THEO 349 | Topics in Religious Ethics (when topic is appropriate) | 3 credits |
| THEO 353 | Studies in Theology and Practice | 3 credits |
| General Electives | ||
| No more than one course at the 100-level and no more than two courses from a single department | ||
| PHIL 250 | Political Philosophy | 3 credits |
| POLS 250 | Political Philosophy | 3 credits |
| POLS 361 | Public Policy | 3 credits |
| POLS 490 | Seminar in Political Science | 3 credits |
| PSY 125 | Social Psychology | 3 credits |
| PSY 390 | Special Topics in Psychology | 3 credits |
| THEO 318 | Jesus and the Gospels | 3 credits |
| Several other courses, offered as topics courses and seminars, will be publicized when approved by the administrative committee. A student who wishes to include a course not on the list of electives must obtain the approval of the administrative committee before enrolling in that course. | ||
Administrative Committee
Caroline Ban
Assistant Professor of Social Work
Tel: 219.824.8818
Email: Caroline.Ban@valpo.edu
Shodhin Geiman
Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology
Tel: 219.464.5245
Email: Shodhin.Geiman@valpo.edu
Jennifer Winquist
Professor of Psychology
Tel: 219.464.6841
Email: Jennifer.Winquist@valpo.edu
Lissa Yogan
Professor of Sociology and Criminology
Tel: 219.464.6998
Email: Lissa.Yogan@valpo.edu