Sociology faculty presented at the 83rd annual meeting of Eastern Sociological Society on March 24 at a mini-conference on teaching sociology in Boston. Their paper was “Creating a Social Justice Centered Department.”
Fortunata Songora Makene’s (Sociology) talk was on “Curriculum Revision: Revising Current Courses and Developing New Ones Focusing on Social Justice Mission.” Her talk addressed the challenges of curriculum revision with a social justice mission in mind at the same time maintaining academic freedom, intellectual rigor and at the same time expose students/give them hands-on experience to the really social problems of our time.
Sonya Conner (Sociology) discussed the strengths and challenges of assessment; how to assess a program that has a social-justice-oriented mission. Her presentation focused on the decision-making process navigated by faculty members, as they attempted to reach a consensus about how to balance dominant discourses of knowledge with practical realities of assessment.
Joyce Mandell (affiliate member of the Sociology Department) spoke about the process of crafting a department mission statement focused on social justice and will give examples of social justice courses offered to undergraduates.
Student Brittany Davis (Sociology) also presented on “Problems with Privileging Marriage in Public Policy.” This paper examines a brief history of marriage, the status of marriage in America, and arguments towards traditional marriage. Davis evaluated the claims that marriage between one man and woman is truly beneficial, including investigating the impact of keeping certain types of relationships (such as polygamy, same-sex couples, and childless marriages) taboo. Songora Makene is her advisor.
Achievers
Worcester State's Chapter of Sigma Beta Delta Adds New Members
Twenty-three students were inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, International Honor Society in Business, Management and Administration on Tuesday, March 26. Students, their friends and families, and . . .