Winter 2009/Fuller-Christian Assembly Cohort
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 law enforcement administrators, social service agency representatives, artists, etc. Such persons will be guest lecturers who, along with the instructor, will integrate social responsibility and religion from various points of view. Perspectives will include local politics, business and economics, social capital, housing and homelessness, 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 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.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students will be challenged to (1) engage representatives from public and private agencies who will be guest lecturers; (2) participate in class discussions concerning new approaches to address social issues such as affordable housing, homelessness, informal economy, 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. This course is part of the Fuller-Christian Assembly Cohort, and will meet in Eagle Rock, CA; non-cohort students need permission of the cohort coordinator, Mark Lau Branson.

REQUIRED READING:
Kretzmann, John P., and John L. McKnight. Building Communities from the Inside Out. ACTA Publications, 1993.

Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation. InterVarsity Press, 2006.

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. Nine short papers (two to three pages each) following instructions given in class.

  3. 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.