Social Justice Courses (Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies) (SJUS)

SJUS Courses

This is a list of courses with the subject code SJUS. For more information, see Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the catalog.

SJUS:1001 Introduction to Social Justice 3 s.h.

Introduction to principles and theories of social justice; students examine the history of influential social movements in the United States and the world in the last century; how intersectionality can create tensions between and among members of social movements; how race, class, gender, age, geography, and our bodies play a role in the application of theories of social justice. GE: Diversity and Inclusion. Same as GWSS:1003.

SJUS:1046 Environmental Politics in India 3 s.h.

How resources, commodities, people, and ideas cross borders; examination of globalization through issues of technology, social justice, environment; perspectives from anthropology, gender studies, geography, energy science, and development. GE: International and Global Issues. Same as ANTH:1046, GEOG:1046, GWSS:1046.

SJUS:1600 War Stories 3 s.h.

Exploration of the history of U.S. conflicts from Vietnam to the War on Terror through novels, film, and other cultural forms; specific focus on how U.S. social structures influence experiences of war. Same as AMST:1600, LATS:1600.

SJUS:2000 Theories of Social Justice 3 s.h.

Introduction to important theories of intersectional feminist social justice. Prerequisites: RHET:1030 or RHET:1040 or RHET:1060. Recommendations: prior or concurrent enrollment in SJUS:1001 strongly recommended for social justice majors or minors.

SJUS:2006 Transnational Solidarities 3-4 s.h.

Examination of connections forged by intellectuals, activists, and political thinkers in struggles against systems of colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, and state violence throughout the 20th century; opportunities to make connection with other struggles against racism, supremacy, patriarchy, and domination; optional discussion section taught in Arabic. Taught in English. Requirements: for 4 s.h. option—ARAB:1002. Same as ARAB:2006, WLLC:2006.

SJUS:2050 Jews, Judaism, and Social Justice 3 s.h.

Jewish frameworks for grappling with justice and ethics from ancient world to present day; emphasis on internal diversity of Jewish experience as well as interactions with dominant and other minority cultures. Same as GWSS:2050, HIST:2150, RELS:2250.

SJUS:2135 Rhetorics of Diversity and Inclusion 3 s.h.

How language is at the root of oppression while also being a powerful tool to enact social justice; students explore the roles of rhetoric in constructing diversity and examine how different bodies and minds are ascribed value based on their alignment with cultural attitudes toward normalcy, ability, race, gender, sexuality, and more; students use written, spoken, and/or signed language and digital forms of expression to create a more inclusive environment in and beyond the classroom. GE: Diversity and Inclusion. Same as RHET:2135.

SJUS:2240 The Worlds of Jews and Judaism: An Introduction to Jewish Studies 3 s.h.

Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Jewish studies; topics include history from ancient origins to the present, sociology of Jewish life in the U.S. and internationally, ethical and religious principles and practices, Jewish embeddedness in non-Jewish societies, and controversies within and surrounding the Jewish world. GE: Diversity and Inclusion.

SJUS:2250 The History of Social Justice Movements 3 s.h.

History of contemporary social movements in the U.S. and how these movements have directly affected policies related to environment, food, reproductive justice, civil rights, immigration, labor, race, and gender; students read, explore, discuss, and write about the history of contemporary social movements in the U.S. that had lasting effects on policies related to environment, agriculture, health, reproductive justice, civil rights, labor, race, gender, and immigration; exploration of multiple modes of representation and resistance including protests, boycotts, strikes, music, art, writing, riots, civil disobedience, theater, poetry, dance, and poetry. Same as GWSS:2250, HIST:2250.

SJUS:2294 Indigenous Art Activism and Social Justice 3 s.h.

Examination of the Native and political aspects of Native arts in the 19th and 20th centuries, from drawings and material culture produced for tourists and collectors to works that explicitly address Native oppression through federal policies, popular cultural appropriations, and colonial representations of Indigenous peoples; emphasis on Indigenous interpretations of colonial and settler history and culture through various media and representations of Indigenous identity and politics. Same as HIST:2294, NAIS:2294.

SJUS:2300 Race, Class, Gender, and Labor: Worker Struggles for Legal Rights in the United States 3 s.h.

Students familiar with the gig economy and the "Fight for $15" examine historical tensions between working class, middle class, poor, and the 1%—at the intersections of race and gender—and how these diverse groups wielded their influence on the legal system in order to gain power; students examine how workers in the United States joined together, put their bodies on the line for social justice, and created radical, legal change. Same as GWSS:2300.

SJUS:2500 Love, War, Activism: Stories About Women from Across the World 3 s.h.

Literary and cinematic representations of gender in works by authors and directors from the Global South; development of historical and cultural lines of inquiry to examine artistic representations of love, sexuality, friendship, and parenting; shifts in gender identities and relations that result from social and political crises. English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Transnational Literature and Postcolonial Studies. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:2570, GWSS:2500.

SJUS:2571 Visualizing Human Rights 3 s.h.

Cinematic representations of human rights issues in films by directors from the Global South; development of historical and cultural lines of inquiry to examine artistic representations of race relations in colonial and postcolonial societies; public health issues, specifically women's and children's rights in context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Transnational Literature and Postcolonial Studies. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:2571, GWSS:2571.

SJUS:3005 Practicum 3-4 s.h.

Experience in volunteer work for organizations that provide services for women. Prerequisites: GWSS:1001. Same as GWSS:3005.

SJUS:3133 Anthropology of Race 3 s.h.

Anthropological perspectives on race: history of race in anthropology; social, cultural, and political dimensions of race; intersections with gender; biology of human diversity. Recommendations: introductory course in social sciences. Same as ANTH:3133, GWSS:3133.

SJUS:3138 Writing to Change the World 3 s.h.

Writers who can frame questions, weigh competing perspectives, structure an argument, and write with clarity and respect for diverse audiences as powerful agents for change; writers who have inspired human rights movements; public forms of writing with local organizations whose missions are shaped by social attitudes to gender and sexuality; conducting research and evaluation of evidence; best practices for communicating and collaborating; skills needed to be an effective advocate. Prerequisites: RHET:1030 or RHET:1040 or RHET:1060. Same as GWSS:3138.

SJUS:3171 Higher Education and Social Justice 3 s.h.

Reflection of students' place within educational systems; development of rhetorical tools for successful advocacy; advocation through writing for change within higher education and the UI; student loans, racial segregation, social and economic immobility, free speech, data insecurity, sexual assault. English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Literary Theory and Interdisciplinary Studies. PERIOD: 20th/21st-Century Literature. Same as ENGL:3171, GWSS:3171.

SJUS:3190 Global Debt 3 s.h.

Economies as cultural systems that emphasize the role of worldviews and "meaning-making" in organizing economies; debt as a key mechanism in creation and maintenance of relationships; focus on how exchange, distribution, and obligation serve to shore up or sever various social institutions and links between debt, inequality, and power; debt in various forms, from a round of drinks to student loans, and from the U.S. mortgage crisis to development aid; diverse array of economies—from gift exchange to ceremonial destruction of wealth, and from Melanesia to Wall Street—to evaluate assumptions that undergird different systems of debt and credit. Requirements: introductory course in anthropology or international studies or gender, women's, and sexuality studies. Same as ANTH:3190, IS:3190.

SJUS:3250 Literature and Social Justice 3 s.h.

How literature from various time periods—American and global—has enacted, represented, depicted, or encouraged forms and acts of social justice; students study various genres (e.g., essay, poem, autobiography, short story, fiction) and learn how literature has been used to conceptualize social justice, address national and global inequities, and take up complex and intersecting issues of power and privilege. English majors and English and Creative Writing majors may apply this course to the following area and/or period requirement. AREA: Literary Theory and Interdisciplinary Studies. PERIOD: Varies by semester. Same as ENGL:3170.

SJUS:3257 Civil Rights and Racial Justice: A Tour Through the South 1-3 s.h.

Exploration of the history of modern civil rights movement through lectures, shared readings, videos, and discussion; includes preparation and two-week tour of civil rights sites in the South. Prerequisites: SJUS:1001 or SJUS:2250 or GWSS:1002 or CCCC:2220 or AFAM:1030 or AFAM:2268 or HIST:2268 or AFAM:3053 or AMST:3053 or HIST:3253 or HIST:3232 or HIST:4260 or AFAM:3100 or HIST:3160 or HIST:3260 or AFAM:3260 or HIST:3282 or GWSS:3282 or HIST:4130 or HIST:4260. Same as AFAM:3257, GWSS:3257, HIST:3257.

SJUS:3400 Advocacy and Engagement Colloquium 1-3 s.h.

How to capitalize on volunteer experience; how experience can lead to careers in health care, law, advocacy, social work, social justice, education; issues related to domestic violence, community education, sexual assault; health care for women, youth, and LGBTQ populations; health care inequities, social justice; field journal. Recommendations: active volunteer work at feminist-centered organizations in Iowa, completion of 40-hour training, plan to serve organization for up to ten or more hours each month, and attendance at regularly scheduled volunteer meetings. Same as GWSS:3400.

SJUS:3415 Latina/o/x Protest, Movement, Resistance 3 s.h.

Examination of history, form, and function of protest, social movement, and resistance by Latina/o/x peoples in the United States. Same as AMST:3415, LATS:3415.

SJUS:3420 Latinas/os/x and the Law 3 s.h.

Introduction and survey of Latina/o/x legal history; topics include segregation, educational rights, immigration, voting rights, citizenship, and the criminal justice system. Same as AMST:3420, LATS:3420, POLI:3427.

SJUS:3430 Queer Latina/o/x Studies 3 s.h.

Relationship of Latina/o/x culture with gender, sexuality, and queerness. Same as AMST:3450, LATS:3430.

SJUS:3459 Making Change, Making History: Iowa's Black Activists and Digital History 3 s.h.

From the 1830s through the end of the 19th century, African Americans formed local, state, and national meetings called “Colored Conventions,” where they strategized about how to achieve social justice; students explore Iowa's connections to this history of political activism. Same as GWSS:3459, HIST:3259.

SJUS:3475 Working for Social Justice 3 s.h.

Identification and pursuit of careers in a wide range of fields where people advocate for and engage issues of social justice; writing self-assessments, résumés, sample employment application letters, statements of purpose; development of e-portfolios that highlight areas of student research and expertise; mock interview practice; Pomerantz Career Center resources; interviewing professionals in careers focused on social justice and feminist issues; local internship and volunteer possibilities; national and international educational and career opportunities for making a difference in the world. Same as GWSS:3475.

SJUS:3510 Topics in Social Justice 3 s.h.

Students deep dive into a specific topic that invites research and debate about the ways cultures understand social justice—human rights in relation to gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, generations, class religion, species, and environment.

SJUS:3550 Social Justice, Religion, and Spirituality: Faith and Belief Ignited 3 s.h.

Examination of some distinctively American traditions of religion, spirituality, and social justice, including women and men who have channeled their religio-spiritual beliefs into social justice in their communities; historical and anthropological focus; examination of U.S. movements (e.g., the Catholic Worker movement, the United Farm Workers movement, the civil rights movement, iterations of the feminist movement); direct involvement with the communities. Same as GWSS:3550, RELS:3550.

SJUS:3560 Public Policy and Persuasion 3 s.h.

Students build their skill set in policy analysis, formation, and communication through a social justice lens; engagement in service learning projects in one Iowa community, where work done directly impacts that community's ability to make changes; development of effective writing and oral presentation styles that can be adapted to different audiences; focus on homelessness policy using social policy and social justice concepts to explore work of policy makers who have "right-sized" existing systems to serve communities in crisis and propose solutions to systemic problems that disadvantage marginalized populations. Prerequisites: RHET:1030 or RHET:1040 or RHET:1060. Same as PBAF:3560, POLI:3560, RHET:3560.

SJUS:3620 Narrative Medicine, Social Justice, and the End of Life 3 s.h.

Role of narrative in health care practice, decisions, and ethics; narrative production of patient and professional selves in health care; varied practices, diverse perspectives, and situated production of medical and health care knowledge. Prerequisites: RHET:1030. Same as GWSS:3620.

SJUS:3950 Academic Internship 1-3 s.h.

Work under supervision of a faculty member on a scholarly or creative project related to the department or campus, or work with the director of undergraduate studies as a media, digital publishing, or teaching intern; students receive credit for the internship depending on the number of hours they work, learning objectives they develop, and meetings, written reports, and other research-related or self-evaluative writing they contract to do with the supervising faculty member. Prerequisites: GWSS:1001 or SJUS:1001. Requirements: gender, women's, and sexuality studies or social justice major or minor. Same as GWSS:3950.

SJUS:3990 Independent Study in Social Justice arr.

Topics not covered in regular social justice curriculum.

SJUS:4080 Advocacy and Engagement Capstone 3 s.h.

Design and development of individual creative or scholarly projects in the field of social justice; emphasis on strengthening student's research and writing skills; synthesizing and extending work already completed in the social justice major. Prerequisites: SJUS:1001 and SJUS:2250 and GWSS:3138.

SJUS:4085 Social Justice Bachelor of Arts Honors Senior Thesis 3 s.h.

Work on honors thesis in social justice. Requirements: honors standing, and completion (or in progress) of coursework for BA in social justice.