Quick Facts
Residence Hall: 3rd and 4th Floors, Hunt and Le Mans halls
Faculty Coordinator: Kris Sloan, PhD
Capacity: 100 students
Signature Events: Social justice film series, monthly community activities and service opportunities
Founded: 2007; LLC was re-imagined for 2015
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 LLC, 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, the Social Justice LLC 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 LLC member
Apply to the Social Justice LLC
When filling out the online housing application, select a bed in Hunt and Le Mans halls, Rooms 302–343 and Rooms 402–464. Social Justice LLC STEM majors must select a room between 302–342 and 438–464.
Signature Events
Students in the Social Justice LLC participate in activities outside the classroom to make a difference and have fun with their classmates. Opportunities include community service, social justice film series and a trip to an escape room.
Fall 2019 Courses
Taking a Knee: Sport and Social Change
Taking a Knee: Sport and Social Change
Faculty member teaching this course: Kris Sloan, PhD
Students in this seminar will examine the many ways that professional sport and its players, both in the U.S. and abroad, have been agents of social change, many times challenging norms and assumptions concerning gender, race, sexuality and social justice. Drawing on critical cultural studies approaches, students in this seminar will critically assess the use of sports and sporing events as a public stage to culturally perform social change dramas that connect to — and sometime take the lead in — larger social, political, cultural and economic movements. Students will apply critical cultural analyses to mediated sports events to understand their impact and gain perspectives on the ways sports may be exploited to enact social change.
School, Education and Society
School, Education and Society
Faculty member teaching this course: Arcelia Hernandez, PhD
The American experience has varied with the gender, race, ethnicity and social class of the person. The purpose of this course is to examine this diversity in experience throughout the country’s education history, examining the struggles, achievements and perspectives of marginalized groups in the U.S. history with a focus on the historical, philosophical and sociological foundations of public and private schooling. Individual and group experiences will be placed within the social, economic and political context of various eras. The course will also examine the role in these histories of the ideals and values of traditional U.S. civic culture, such as liberty, equality, and human rights. The overall goal of this course is to develop historical understanding of the problems and strengths inherent in our pluralistic society, particularly as these relate to education.
Chicana Feminist Activism
Chicana Feminist Activism
Faculty member teaching this course: Justine Hernandez
Mexican American women, Chicanas, write and theorize about their experiences in the United States. The course will explore Chicana feminist writing, film, art, and online activism as a way of understanding the intersectionality of race, class, gender and sexualities. Students will learn how people work from within their own lives to enact social change and improve the world. Students will continue developing their own understanding of systems that affect women’s lives by completing class assignments and participating in experiential learning. This course will also introduce students to Women’s Studies and Chicanx Studies topics.
Latinx Immigration in the U.S.
Latinx Immigration in the U.S.
Faculty member teaching this course: pdelgado [at] stedwards.edu (subject: Latinx%20Immigration%20in%20the%20U.S.%20Course) (Perla Delgado)
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.