Ethics for Transformative Social Change: Thinking Like a Global Citizen   [Archived Catalog]
2021-2022 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook
   

TSC 6400 - Ethics for Transformative Social Change: Thinking Like a Global Citizen


The practice of ethics involves the exploration and evaluation of different values and assumptions that support alternative courses of action. This course approaches these differences from a global civic perspective that is grounded in our common humanity and recognizes our many social differences. We will practice "thinking like a global citizen" in an evaluation of the merits of a capabilities approach to human development, comparing a property-based economy with a civic-based economic vision. We will also critically examine a number of practices that address challenges that are of particular interest to participants in the course, which might include immigration, complicity in the violation of human rights, the protection of the commons, and alternative views of global finance. In these examinations, we will explore and generate potential designs for a sustainable and just framework for transformative actions on the local, regional, national, and international level. A primary goal of the course is for students to be able develop a global civic ethic that is sufficiently rigorous to face ongoing resistance to social change and flexible enough to enable relevant and effective actions to address the multiple dimensions of our global civic life. 3 credit(s)