PL 089/TH 089, Sec. 10: Person and Social Responsibility

T, TH 12:00pm, Carney 009

Prof. Roberto S. Goizueta

Office Hours: T, TH 9:30-10:45am, 1:30-2:45pm or by appointment

Office: Carney 467

Phone: 617-55(2-1226)

E-Mail: goizueta@bc.edu

Graduate Assistant: Mark Potter

E-Mail: pottermb@bc.edu

This is a two-semester, twelve credit course fulfilling all core requirements in philosophy and theology. The course content includes readings, class discussions, written assignments, and field projects. You may select your field involvement from the range of field projects sponsored by the Pulse Program. (Contact the Pulse Office at McElroy 117.)

The classroom and field assignments are intended to complement each other in leading students to examine the meaning of their lives, the society they live in, and their place in that society. In your field projects, you will undoubtedly encounter people, places, and situations which will cause you to question many of your previous assumptions. In the class readings, we will engage the writings of men and women who have raised similar questions and who can thus assist us in grappling with questions concerning the meaning of life, the nature of human happiness, and the relationship between the individual and social institutions.

Michael Himes, Doing the Truth in Love

Robert Bellah et al., Habits of the Heart

John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

John Locke, Second Treatise on Government

Dorothy Day, Selected Writings

Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio (http://www.osjspm.org/cst/pp.htm)

Pope John Paul II, Solicitudo Rei Socialis (http://www.osjspm.org/cst/srs.htm)

Mohandas Gandhi, "My Faith" (http://services.vandemataram.com/www/templet.jsp?sno=2&E2=1)

-------, "Constructive Program" (http://services.vandemataram.com/www/templet.jsp?sno=45&E45=1)

Robert McAfee Brown, Liberation Theology

Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

Bible (any authorized version)

Course Requirements: An evaluation of your field work by your field supervisor will count for 40% of your grade. The remaining 60% will be based on the midterm exam (10%), final exam (20%), the content of your journal (20%), and classroom and discussion group participation (10%). Please note that attendance and preparation are prerequisites for participation. Also note that the Pulse Program specifies that a grade of F in either class or field placement constitutes a failure in the course.

The midterm exam will be a take-home exam; the questions will be distributed on February 21 and the completed exams will be due at noon on February 28. The final exam will be a take-home exam; the questions will be distributed on April 30 and the completed exams will be due on May 7, by 5:00pm. Both exams will be composed of essay questions.

Journals are will be turned in four times during the semester, starting on January 31. (See other due dates in schedule below.) Each student’s journal should include detailed descriptions of his/her experiences in the field placements (e.g., people, situations, activities, thoughts, feelings). In the journal entries, each student should draw upon class readings, lectures, and/or class discussions to analyze, illuminate, and critique his/her experiences in the field placement. The student should also indicate how the field experiences help illuminate the readings, lectures, and discussions.

Journal grades will be based on the student’s ability to draw relevant connections between the placement experiences and the classroom work. Each time it is turned in, a journal will be assigned a grade of "1", "2", or "3" (from lowest to highest). At the end of the semester, these points will be added together and a final journal grade assigned: 0-1 total points= F, 2=D, 3=C-, 4=C, 5=C+, 6-7=B-, 8-9=B, 10-11=B+, 12-13=A-, 14-15=A.

Discussion Groups: In making up your class and placement schedules, please remember to budget time for your weekly discussion group meeting. Attendance and participation in your discussion group are essential. Discussion group information is as follows:

Tuesdays, 11:00-11:50am, Carney 007 (officially designated PL080, Sec. 19)

Thursdays, 3:00-3:50pm, Carney 007 (officially designated PL080, Sec. 20)

Reading Schedule:

Jan. 15—Introduction

Jan. 17—Himes, Doing the Truth in Love, pp. 68-99.

Jan. 22—Himes, pp. 100-144.

Jan. 24—Bellah et al., Habits of the Heart, pp. vii-51.

Jan. 29—Bellah et al., pp. 55-112.

Jan. 31—Bellah et al., pp. 113-63; Journals due.

Feb. 5—Bellah et al., pp. 167-249.

Feb. 7—Bellah et al., pp. 250-296.

Feb. 12—Mill, On Liberty, pp. 7-58 (Council Members Visit)

Feb. 14—Mill, pp. 59-118.

Feb. 19—Mill, pp. 119-62.

Feb. 21—Mill, pp. 163-87; Journals due, midterm exam questions distributed.

Feb. 26—Locke, The Second Treatise on Civil Government, pp. 7-54.

Feb. 28—Locke, pp. 54-82; Midterm exam due.

Mar. 12—Locke, pp. 82-132.

Mar. 14—Paul VI, Populorum Progressio

Mar. 19—John Paul II, Solicitudo Rei Socialis

Mar. 21—Day, Selected Writings, pp. xv-15; Journals due.

Mar. 26—Day, pp. 16-88.

Apr. 2—Day, pp. 91-114, 168-73, 181-84, 247-51, 261-70, 293-98, 311-23, 329-30, 337-39.

Apr. 4— Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison, pp. 412-19, 3-17, 38-47, 117-43.

Apr. 9—Bonhoeffer, pp. 156-80, 190-205, 216-20, 240-41, 248-52, 271-73, 278-82.

Apr. 11—Bonhoeffer, pp. 285-87, 294-300, 302-06, 324-29, 335-47, 357-63, 369-71, 380-94, 400-01.

Apr. 16—Romero, The Violence of Love, pp. ix-66.

Apr. 18—Romero, pp. 74-5, 100-01, 109-10, 161-206; Journals due.

Apr. 23—Brown, Liberation Theology, pp. ix-67.

Apr. 25—Brown, pp. 69-127.

Apr. 30—Gandhi, "My Faith" and "Constructive Program"; Journals Due, Final exam questions distributed.

May 7-- Final Examination due by 5:00pm.