Fall 2007/Pasadena
GM518
Colletti

GM518: INTRODUCTION TO URBAN STUDIES. Joe Colletti.


DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the class is to challenge each student's perspective of the city. The instructor will expose the class to a wide variety of topics, theories, and methods that relate to the field of urban studies. The instructor will also relate all of the class materials to central themes and issues confronting Christianity today. Students will interact with professionals who are involved in urban life such as elected officials, law enforcement administrators, social service agency representatives, etc. Such persons will be guest lecturers and panelists who, along with the instructor, will integrate social responsibility and religion from various points of view. Perspectives will include local politics, business and economics, health and human services, law enforcement, community relations, demographics, and arts and leisure.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will

  1. gain an introductory understanding of urbanology: the city, its people, and its systems;

  2. acquaint themselves with a wide array of urban leaders;

  3. familiarize themselves with the three major sectors of urban life--private, government, and voluntary (non-profit)--as they contribute to our understanding of the processes of urban continuity, growth, and decay;

  4. examine differing viewpoints on community development and conflict;

  5. orient and motivate themselves for an urban ministries program;

  6. familiarize themselves with possible placements and practica in urban ministry.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students will be challenged to (1) engage representatives from public and private agencies who will be guest lecturers such as elected officials, local government staff, and non-profit agencies; (2) participate in class discussions concerning new approaches to address social issues such as affordable housing, domestic violence, gangs, chronic health care needs, homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse; and (3) physically engage local public spaces that are being transformed from places of disinvestment to reinvestment such as LA's skid row, central LA's MacArthur Park, ethnic enclaves such as Korea Town, and Pasadena's world-renowned Colorado Blvd. During the course students will be encouraged to integrate these experiences into their spiritual lives through spiritual practices that will be introduced in class each week.

COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet once a week for three hours of lectures and discussions.

REQUIRED READING:
Stout, Frederic and Richard T. LeGates. The City Reader. 2nd ed. Routledge, 2000.

Driskill, Joseph D. Protestant Spiritual Exercises: Theology, History, and Practice. Morehouse Publishing, 1999.

Gottdiener, M. and Leslie Budd. Key Concepts in Urban Studies. SAGE Publications, 2005.

Course Reader complied by instructor.

ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. Reading assignments to be completed before each class.

  2. Four short papers (no more than two pages each) following instructions given in class.

  3. Minimum of ten hours of community volunteer work.

  4. A final paper following instructions given in class.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Missions (MIN8) and the requirement in Globalization (GLBL) for MA degrees.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/07)