Critical Social Inquiry 0252 - Change-Making With Holyoke

2017 marks 100 years of US colonialism in Puerto Rico. As one of the remaining colonies that has both attracted national attention but also been relegated to the periphery, the purpose of this Community-Based Learning course is to foreground this important history and explore and strategize structural and grass-roots responses to colonialism in both Puerto Rico and US Diaspora communities. Collaboration, listening, and rigorous research are the hallmark of developing shared approaches to the social, cultural, and economic impacts colonialism has within Puerto Rican communities. As a transnational community that resides across national borders and across multiple US States, we will discuss how local communities within these various locations can proactively and creatively respond to the "coloniality of power." In this course, we seriously consider Hampshire's motto: "To Know is not Enough." Action infused with rigorous research sparks knowledge for social change. Alternating between holding class on the Hampshire College campus and within a community setting in the city of Holyoke, with transportation provided by the College, we will discuss what is "community" and "engagement," what is "colonialism" and its multiple manifestations, and then explore how to resist and respond to it by undertaking direct action, and community building. As a group we will engage in both community dialogue and rigorous research to facilitate partnerships with local organizations and/or community-based learners and activists. This course will be demanding, exciting, and hopefully, life changing. Prerequisites: A prior course in or related to: U.S. Ethnic Studies, Africana Studies, Latin American Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Community-Based Learning, and/or Educational Studies. If you have not completed courses in any of these areas, but have a nuanced perspective of the communities and issues in Holyoke and/or Springfield, you are welcome to register into the class. A lack of knowledge in these areas may result in a compulsory course withdrawal. --

Power, Community and Social Justice Independent Work Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Students are expected to spend at least six to eight hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.