Become part of a community of students who care deeply about the world, have a desire to grow and meet their full potential, and are excited to tackle tough issues affecting us all. Reflective thinking, courageous dialogue and affirming finger-snapping included!
As a member of the Social Justice Learning Community (LC), you will select another course to delve more deeply into the social justice theme. These courses are taught by accomplished professors and represent a variety of majors across the university. To learn more, connect with us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
“Austin has endless opportunities to get involved in change, but it's important to be familiar with the environment we're working with. More than anything, Social Justice encouraged me to be aware and active in my world. It's a supportive community that continually challenges me to see other perspectives and understand the complexities of our world.” — former Social Justice LC member
Quick Facts
Faculty Coordinator: Alex Barron, PhD
Capacity: 100 students
Signature Events: Social justice film series, monthly community activities and service opportunities
Founded: 2007; re-imagined for 2015
Fall 2020 Courses
Private Lives, Public Spaces: How Gender Affects our Experience of Public Space
Private Lives, Public Spaces: How Gender Affects our Experience of Public Space
Faculty member teaching this course: Renee Pinchero
In this class, we will explore the various ways gender (as it intersects with our other identities) is constructed and experienced in different public spaces ranging from our college campus to the Internet. We will look at how we make choices about our identities and how those choices are made for us, as well as what that means. Within this context, we will discuss a variety of contemporary issues, laws and movements ranging from #Black Lives Matter and #Me Too to school dress codes and the Texas “Bathroom Bill.”
Queer Film and Pop Culture
Queer Film and Pop Culture
Faculty member teaching this course: Alex Barron, PhD
From Drag Race to Moonlight to Fun Home, LGBT stories and artists are becoming increasingly popular. But does pop culture matter? For marginalized communities who don’t often see themselves represented accurately, it can. In this seminar, we will study film, literature, and television to see what it tells us about LGBT identities and communities.
Chicana Feminist Activism
Cooking Up reform and Rebellion: The American Kitchen
Faculty member teaching this course: Christie Wilson, PhD
By examining the changing relationship between women, cooking, and the kitchen, we will explore how reformers and rebels tried to use each of these as a way to bring change or exert control. The kitchen has been a centerpiece of efforts to reinforce or challenge ideas about womanhood and to bring broad changes in society. This class will study this history and examine how we see reflections of this past in our own world.
Latinx Immigration in the U.S.
Latinx Immigration in the U.S.
Faculty member teaching this course: Perla Delgado, PhD
This course will examine US immigration policy and its deep roots in racism while also learning of the economic, cultural and social contributions of Latinx immigrant communities in the U.S. By utilizing various educational modalities (video, class discussions, field trips, guest speakers, etc.), students will develop an understanding that Latinx immigrants are not a monolithic community. Learners will be exposed to unique immigration stories while critically looking at the structures within the U.S that have led them to leave their loved ones, the places they love, and the communities they call home. Students will embark on a journey of understanding and awareness of the history of Latinx immigration to the U.S. while analyzing migratory patterns utilizing film, personal narratives, field trips, etc.