Coordinator: Dr. Christine Robinson
Email: robin2cm@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-5958
Social Justice Studies Minor Website
Program Description
The cross-disciplinary minor in Social Justice Studies, administered by the Department of Justice Studies, fosters educated and enlightened citizenship through a foundational curriculum designed for students who are engaged in social justice endeavors and/or preparing for careers and advanced professional or graduate work in relevant fields.
This minor is designed to:
- introduce students to the cross-disciplinary field of social justice, focusing on understanding, analyzing and evaluating scholarship on the origins, persistence and nature of oppression; social justice theories; and diverse, exemplar models of social justice praxis
- provide a curriculum where students may pursue their own topical interests in social justice studies and apply/further their knowledge and skills in social justice studies
- support students' success and resiliency in social justice endeavors (civic or professional)
The minor is open to all undergraduate students at James Madison University except Justice Studies majors whose concentration area is Social Justice Engagement. Students should allow a minimum of four semesters in which to complete the minor.
Minor Requirements
The requirement for completing the minor is 18 credits.
Students will complete one required introductory course (from two options) and then select five additional electives. No more than two courses may be double-counted in the minor from a student's major/minor. The Department of Justice Studies will waive the prerequisite (JUST 200) for SJS minors whose major is not Justice Studies.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| |
| JUST 221 | Social Justice Theories | 3 |
| or JUST 223 | Social Justice Interventions and Policies |
| 3 |
| 2 | 15 |
| Studies in African American Literature | |
| Introduction to Ethnic American Literature | |
| African American Fiction | |
| African American Poetry | |
| Native American Literature | |
| Literature and Empire | |
| Marxism | |
| Victimization of Children 1 | |
| Human Rights in Theory and Practice 1 | |
| Gender and Justice 1 | |
| Justice and Society 1 | |
| Environmental Justice 1 | |
| Genocide in the 20th Century 1 | |
| Disability and Justice 1 | |
| Sexual Orientation, Law and Justice 1 | |
| Gender Identity, Law and Justice 1 | |
| Social Movements in the U.S. and Abroad | |
| Topics in American Politics (when the topic is approved) | |
| U.S. Immigration and Refugee Law | |
| Topics in Comparative Politics (when the topic is approved) | |
| Women and Politics in Comparative Perspective | |
| Minority Group Politics (when the topic is approved) | |
| Contemporary Rhetorical Theory and Practice | |
| Communication and Gender | |
| Communication and Social Movements | |
| Environmental Communication and Advocacy | |
| Food as Communication | |
| Youth, Communication and Culture | |
| Feminist Rhetorics | |
| Immigrant Advocacy | |
| Communication, Culture and Identity (for SCOM majors only) 3 | |
| Social Justice Studies Internship 4 | |
| Social Justice Studies Project 4 | |
| Sociology of Immigration | |
| Disability and Society | |
| Sociology of Gender | |
| Sociology of Disasters | |
| Social Movements | |
| Sociology of Sexuality | |
| Human Rights and Social Progress 5 | |
| Topics in Theatre (when the topic is approved) | |
| Writing in the Public Sphere | |
| Special Topics in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication (when the topic is approved) | |
| Writing for Nonprofits | |
| Writing in the Community | |
| 15 |
| Total Credits | 18 |
