Patrick Byrne, Instructor; byrne@bc.edu

Office: Carney 216

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00; Fridays, 1:30-2:30, And by appointment!!!

This semester continues our inquiry into the meaning of being human. Now, however, our point of view will shift to the relationships between human fulfillment and social institutions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: As was the case last semester, an evaluation of your field work by your field supervisor will count for 40% of your grade. The remaining 60% will be based on (1) the midterm (March 14) and final (May 6) exams on the readings, (2) classroom and discussion group participation, and (3) the content of your Writing Assignments. This semester, your writing assignment will include entries in the Institutional Analysis of your field placement.

Failure in either class or field placement constitutes a failure in the course.

CLASS PARTICIPATION AND DISCUSSION GROUPS: Discussion Group meetings will begin the week of January 14. Discussion group times are as follows:

Tuesdays, 12:00-12:50 (Carney 307)

Wednesdays, 11:00-11:50 (Carney 307)

The discussion groups will focus on your project experiences or questions, your Institutional Analysis, and reflections pertaining to the readings. If you need to switch your discussion group, please tell me.

REGULAR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: (A) Each student must submit three (3) short papers. of 4-5 pages each. Each paper should have two parts--PART I: take a theme or idea from the class readings and explain it. What did the author mean? What was his/her approach, method? etc. Then, PART II: apply the idea or theme to some issue, event, etc. which happened at your field placement. (Your other life experiences are also welcome here.) [You will be evaluated both for the accuracy of PART I, and the creativity, insightfulness, and seriousness of PART II.] These papers are due on the following dates: February 12, March 21, and April 18.

(B) In addition, everyone must complete regular, assigned installments on her or his "Institutional Analysis." An important part of this course consists in understanding the ways in which we are social creatures, what benefits we inherit from our social memberships, what responsibilities we have to society and history, what ills betrouble social groups, and how social institutions function to promote or inhibit the realization of a just society. The Institutional Analysis assignment for this course is designed to help you begin to think concretely about these issues. It will help you understand and explore them through the lens of the agency you volunteer for. Instructions for composing institutional analysis are available on a separate sheet.

Each student will be expected to prepare an Institutional Analysis of his or her field placement, following the guidelines provided. Components of these analyses are to be completed during the semester, by the assigned dates. These analyses are to follow the format distributed, and are to be typed. Some will be assigned for presentation in Discussion Groups. If two or more students volunteer at the same placement, they may collaborate and make a group presentation, with notes clearly indicating who has been responsible for which part of the preparation (greater detail will be expected of group projects).