Spring 2025 Courses - Justice Education Initiative

IGLAS 180 – The Carceral State in Comparative Perspective – Monday 12:30 pm-3:30 pm

Professors – Nigel Boyle/Romarilyn Ralston – Pitzer College
The US system of mass incarceration will be examined in comparative perspective. With a special focus on the California prison system (men’s and women’s), other prison systems to be examined include those in Ireland, Uganda, Italy and the UK. The US system of mass incarceration will be examined as an example of “American exceptionalism”. At a macro-comparative level, the relationship between the “carceral state” and the “welfare state” will be examined. The micro-politics of individual prisons will also be examined comparatively, including how education, including higher education, functions in prisons. The course will be conducted in tandem with an Inside Out course being taught at University College Cork, Ireland, with joint group projects.

LIT 99 – African American Literature – Tuesday 12:30 pm-3:30 pm

Professor – Derik Smith – Claremont McKenna College
Through reading, writing, and discussion this course will introduce students to some of the most influential literary and vernacular texts emerging from the African American cultural context. For the most part, these literary and vernacular works will be considered in relation to the historical moments in which they were produced. This historicized approach will enable class discussions to focus on the way in which black literary production chronicled, reflected and contributed to African America’s varied, vexed relation to the American “project.” Attention to history will also lead students into considerations of the intimate connection between the aesthetic choices of African American writers and the evolving legal and social statuses of black people in America

CS181AQ – Internet and Society – Tuesday 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

Professor – Arthi Padmanaban – Harvey Mudd College
This course will introduce students to the technical components and societal considerations of the Internet. We’ll learn about the different layers that interact to make the Internet work, from the physical infrastructure to how data moves to the correct location. Along with each module, we’ll read about related societal effects, such as the digital divide and censorship. Assignments will include problem-solving, reading, and writing.

LEAD 151 – Leadership: Interpersonal Dynamics – Wednesday 12:30 pm-3:30 pm

Professor – Werner Zorman – Harvey Mudd College
Participating in a T-Group is an exceptionally unique experience. The group is a space to take risks, travel out of the comfort zone, develop personal feedback styles, discover how to support others, and much more. Its unique structure—indeed, its lack thereof—proved to be an invaluable influence in learning more about myself and about others. Now, I approach my relationships in and out of T-Group with more respect, intrigue, and compassion. This class has allowed me to process so many events and emotions and aside from changes to my communication styles and interpersonal relationships, I have also come out of this class a healthier and more self-confident person.

MLLC 99 – LatinX Identity, Language & Power – Thursday 12:30 pm-3:30 pm

Professor – Paula Gutierrez – Pitzer College
This will be the first Spanish language Inside Out class taught in the US. It is geared towards heritage Spanish speakers. The course will explore the complex relations between language, race/ethnicity, and power in the construction of identity, in particular Latinx identity in the U.S. We will examine the historical, cultural, and political processes, immigration and demographic trends, and linguistic changes that have impacted Latinx identity. We will pay special attention to the role of language in these processes.

PHILL 44 – Philosophy of Emotion- Thursday 6:00 pm-9:00 pm

Professor – Jordan Daniels – Pomona College
Are emotions obstacles to good judgment? Are emotions themselves judgments? What can the emotions reveal about what it is to be human, and what role do the emotions play in relation to social justice? In this course we explore what emotions are and what they do, paying attention to how they shape both our inner lives and our shared social world. We will compare different theories of emotion, drawing upon philosophy and moral psychology. We will also consider the ethical and political implications of particular emotions (such as grief, anger, love, shame), alongside their intersections with race, class, and gender.

AFR101A – Introduction to Africana Studies – Friday 8:30 am-11:30 am

Professor – Mukasa Mubirumusoke – Claremont McKenna College
This class will serve as a general introduction to Africana Studies. Africana studies, while still relatively young, has a vibrant history that traces the lives and scholarship of people from African descent. Its complex and latent development in academia follows from the socio-political marginalization of people belonging to the African diaspora. Nevertheless, resilience and perseverance will be repeated themes as we study how—through different techniques and modes of understanding—people of the African diaspora have continually challenged the western hegemony of academic study and claims to knowledge.