DESCRIPTION: This course is an in-depth examination of the unique and complex dynamics of urban youth culture in the United States, with a particular focus on the values, attitudes, norms and rituals of several subcultures found in urban contexts. The significant role of popular culture in shaping U.S. urban youth culture will also be explored, notably in regard to the entertainment industry. The emanative impact of U.S. urban youth culture on young people around the globe will also be considered, as well as globalization's impact on urban youth culture in the U.S. Global urban youth issues will also be discussed.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Students will be introduced to ministry resources unique to urban practitioners and missionaries.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have demonstrated (1) ability to understand and analyze the importance of being a student of culture--locally, nationally and globally--to understand both the subtle and not-so-subtle roles social systems and structures have in the lives of urban youth; (2) understanding of the influence of urban youth culture on youth living outside of cities to develop critical skills as interpreters of the messages and values communicated through the mediums of music and mass media; (3) understanding and analysis of some of the issues facing urban youth in other cities around the world; (4) familiarity with Hip Hop culture; (5) ability to evaluate an existing urban youth ministry for effectiveness.

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online via the Internet, and each student is required to participate in online discussion groups, online class meetings, and to evaluate an existing youth ministry in their geographical context.

REQUIRED READING AND VIEWING:

Anderson, Elijah. Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City. New York: W.W. Norton, 1999. ISBN: 0393320782. $17.95. (352 pages).

Arzola, Fernando. Toward a Prophetic Youth Ministry: Theory and Praxis in the Urban Context. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008. ISBN: 9780830828029. $18.00. (186 pages).

Bradford, Brown B., Reed W. Larson, and T. S. Saraswathi, eds. The World's Youth: Adolescence in Eight Regions of the Globe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN: 0521006058. $89.00. (382 pages).

Dyson, Michael Eric. Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur. New York: Basic Civitas, 2001. ISBN: 0465017630. $15.95. (300 pages).

Hodge, Daniel White. The Soul of Hip Hop: Rims, Timbs & a Cultural Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780830837328. $17.00. (250 pages).

Kitwana, Bakari. The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture. New York: Basic Civitas, 2002. ISBN: 0465029795. $14.95. (256 pages).

Lee, Jennifer, and Min Zhou, eds. Asian American Youth: Culture, Identity and Ethnicity. New York: Routledge, 2004. ISBN: 0415946689. $150.00. (376 pages).

Seven films that fit course material: Menace II Society (1993), Tupac Resurrection (2003), 8-Mile (2003), Juvies (2004), Babel (2006), Precious (2009), and Thirteen (2003).

Fuder, John, ed. A Heart for the City: Effective Ministries to the Urban Community. Chicago: Moody Press. 1999. ISBN: 0802491006. $29.99. (528 pages).

Jones, Tony. Postmodern Youth Ministry: Exploring Cultural Shift, Cultivating Authentic Community, Creating Holistic Connections. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001. ISBN: 031023817X. $19.99. (240 pages).

King, Mike. Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 0830833838. $16.00. (192 pages).

1. Interact with and respond to online discussion questions & class meetings (online) on Moodle (20%).

2. Write reading response papers on all assigned readings, including films (20%).

3. Do community research of a given target area and write a 7-10 page paper on that research (30%).

4. Write a research paper/creative project on a particular subject and/or class concept. Paper will be 4000 words (excluding TOC, cover page, and bibliography). Projects such as documentaries, murals, paintings, photo montages will need to be approved by the professor (30%).