T- Courses
 Spring 2005

	Spring 2005 Transdisciplinary Course Theme:  "Poverty, Capital, and Ethics"
	TNDY 401A: "Citizenship, Development,  and Justice: A Global Perspective"  Wednesdays, 4:00 - 6:50 Link to course requirements, readings & lecture notes.	TNDY 401B: “Community, Technology,  and History” Mondays, 4:00 - 6:50	TNDY 401C “Poverty, Ethics, Politics:  The    Political Challenge of Poverty" Wednesdays, 1:00 - 4:00

Course Descriptions

TNDY 401A: "Citizenship, Development, and Justice: A Global Perspective"
Wednesdays, 4:00 - 6:50 
Patricia Easton, Philosophy Department
Yi Feng, Department of Politics and Policy
John Regan, School of Education
Jean Schroedel, Department of Politics & Policy

Course Description:

World peace and prosperity, respect for human rights and dignity are values of global importance. Injustice, in all its forms, hinders development and thus the attainment of these values. In this course we will be examining some of the problems and issues that confront our society--locally, nationally and globally--that serve as obstacles to living in a peaceful, prosperous, and humane world. We will explore the hypothesis that there are or could be mechanisms employed to bring about a global citizenry, thus paving the way for a just world. We will question the classical premise that the nation-state is the only or perhaps even the proper body endowed with the power to bestow rights, privileges, and duties. The course will require scholarly writing and communication, collaborative work in teams, and consistent attendance, preparation, and participation.

TNDY 401B: “Community, Technology, and History”

Mondays, 4:00 - 6:50

Lourdes Arguelles, School of Education and Cultural Studies Department

Janet Brodie, History Department

Tom Horan, School of Information Science

Course Description:

This class will focus on community, technology, and history, in a manner that examines the "double-edged sword" of technology as it relates to the Transdisciplinary Course themes. Students and faculty will consider issues such as economic and class issues related to technology and access to technology, social capital, globalization, and community cohesion. The course will include written elements that focus on the challenge of scholarly writing for a broad audience, as well as in-the-field elements that expose students to the complexities of applied research. This course is comprised of four components:

1. An historical examination of place-based community formation and development in the United States.

2. A discussion of the increasing role of information technologies and related processes, such as accelerated globalization, in the restructuring of contemporary California communities.

3. An inquiry into issues of poverty, social and financial capital, and ethics as they relate to technology-driven community restructuring.

4. A reflective practice component that addresses how action research can be undertaken to build a theoretical understanding while simultaneously improving local communities.

TNDY 401C: “Poverty, Ethics, Politics:  The Political Challenge of Poverty”

Wednesdays, 1:00 - 4:00

Anselm Min, School of Religion

Linda Perkins, University Professor

Jack Schuster, School of Educational Studies

Course Description:

This is a transdisciplinary seminar studying the interconnection of poverty, capital, and ethics.  We approach the topic in four stages.  First, we introduce the topic with a general survey of the problem of poverty in the United States, its human meaning, its social implications, and its empirical reality and statistics.  Second, we go into the economic, political, and social causes of poverty both in the United States and in the world at large.  Third, we discuss the ethical dimension of poverty and review representative theories of distributive justice, both domestic and international.  Fourth, we reflect on the political implications of the reality, genesis, and ethics of poverty:  What kind of political praxis and policies are demanded by the preceding considerations?  The class will proceed by a combination of lectures and discussions, and will require active participation, consistent attendance and preparation, collaborative work in teams, and scholarly writing.