Praxis I & II

Spring 2001

Marist College

Dr. Greg Moses

• Nonviolence USA Index

 A working collection of links to nonviolence theory and practice in America.


• The Nonviolence Web
   A nonviolence portal
  
  
• Peacenet Member Links from IGC
   From the San Francisco based Institute for Global Communications
  
  
• Virtual Activist Training Course
   From Netaction: How to Wage Peace on the Web
  
  
• Vernal Project by Randy Schutt
   Notes from a nonviolence trainer
  
  
• Crossroads: The American Studies Web
   Home Base for the American Studies Association
  
  
• Episteme Links
   A Philosophy Portal
  
  
• 49th Parallel: Journal of North American Studies
   Includes Web Reviews
  
  
• L.I.S.N.: League of Indigenous Sovereign Nations of the Western Hemisphere
   With a comprehensive review of principles and actions to secure human, political, and religious rights.
  
  
• GreatMoon
   Kristopher Krug's portal of supplies and resources for all things Native American
  
  

In this course we will explore ways of integrating scholarly practice with community service in an effort to become more reflective and more active in the face of emerging social challenges. We will also experiment with self-paced pedagogy that encourages students to identify and address their own developmental needs, with appropriate academic guidance and assessment from the instructor.

The final grade will be based upon the following:

• 30% Class Participation and Preparation
• 30% Mid-Term Contract Performance
• 40% Final Contract Performance

Students will submit contracts for evaluation that outline commitments for community service and research. Two contracts will be expected. The first contract for mid-term evaluation will be due Feb. 1. The second contract for final evaluation will be due Mar. 22. By the end of the course, students should have completed 30 hours of community service and 30 pages of scholarly writing. Students may adjust their contract proposals within these parameters, insuring at least one written paper per contract.

The typical Praxis paper begins with a few pages of vivid description concerning experiences of community service, then a substantial consideration of scholarship relevant to a selected social issue that arises upon reflection, ending with a personal meditation that synthesizes the lessons gained from experience and scholarship. The mid-term paper should reflect intellectual engagement with at least four scholarly sources, while the final paper should reflect intellectual engagement with ten scholarly sources. Assessment will be based on completeness of assignment, attention to scholarly habits of citation, composition, soundness of arguments, difficulty and creativity of your chosen position, and ability to integrate service activities with scholarly research.

By the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate growth in ability to integrate scholarly reflection and community service as demonstrated by projects and papers.

Excused absences should be documented within two weeks. More than two unexcused absences will result in the deduction of a full letter from the final grade. After more than four unexcused absences, the instructor reserves the right to issues a failing grade for the course.

Jan. 18-Introduction to course. Proposal for contract method. What is Praxis? Some discussion of expectations.

Jan. 23-Suggestions for community service. Consideration of issues that may be found in scholarly literature. Past Praxis experiences, projects, and issues.

Jan. 25-Meet at library. Checking out our first source. For next time, bring a one-page overview of the source, its main thesis and coverage of issues.

Jan. 30-Workshops on first contracts. Preliminary outlines for contracts discussed. Overviews of initial sources.

Feb. 1-First contracts due. Tentative visit to library.

Feb. 6-First roundtable and guest presentation on prisons.

Feb. 8-Seminar (research and service reports due)

Feb. 13-Roundtable/Research

Feb. 15-Seminar (research and service reports due)

Feb. 20-Roundtable/Research

Feb. 22-Seminar (research and service reports due)

Feb. 27- Roundtable/Research

Mar. 1- Seminar (research and service reports due)

Mar. 6- Roundtable/Research

Mar. 8-Midterm Seminar (all mid-term contract work due)

Mar. 20-Midterm assessment & preliminary contract discussions.

Mar. 22-Final contracts due. Tentative library visit.

Mar. 27- Roundtable/Research

Mar. 29- Seminar (research and service reports due)

Apr. 3- Roundtable/Research

Apr. 5-Seminar (research and service reports due)

Apr. 10- Roundtable/Research

Apr. 12--Seminar (research and service reports due)

Apr. 17-- Roundtable/Research

Apr. 19-Seminar (research and service reports due)

Apr. 24-Roundtable/Research

Apr. 26-Seminar (research and service reports due)

May 1--Roundtable/Research

May 3--Seminar (research and service reports due)