College's catalog - Trinity Christian College

Off-Campus Programs
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CSEM 302 Community Development (3)
This seminar will use the city as a laboratory as we examine the ways in which people come
together as citizens to address issues and make change. We will learn some of the language of
the field of Community Development and examine its texts. We will learn to use the tools of
citizenship as we explore ways to build people, build places and build power. And we will also learn
from community leaders and activists who believe that the way to a better, more sustainable and
more just city is in their hands and the hands of their neighbors.
CSEM 303 Values and Vocations Seminar (3)
Reflections on Work, Family, Community & Social Justice: This seminar will explore from a
variety of perspectives the concept of vocation and how it is related to our understanding of the
common good. Using sociological, theological, and psychological lenses we will examine the ways
in which we discern our calling in light of our responsibility to promote the common good. We
will also look at the current socio-economic structures that impact work and family life (gender,
race, religion, and class) and how they might shape our understanding of vocation. Some of the
questions we will explore include: How are work and vocation different? How do we negotiate our
individual gifts and desires within the context of the communities in which we live and to which
we are responsible? And, finally, what role might social justice play in deciding how we are going to
live and work?
CseM 304 Religious Perspectives on the City (3)
This seminar is a survey of religious life in Chicago, including various forms of Christianity, Islam,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and new religious movements. We will explore various religious
institutions by attending actual places of worship or attend religious or social gatherings so that
students may get a feel for the sacred space of particular religious communities and their social
context. Learning activities include participant observation at religious events (services), directed
reading, group discussions, guest lectures, panel discussions, and informant interviewing.
CseM 305 Diversity and Inequality in Global Chicago (3)
This seminar will spend time observing and learning from diverse urban communities, with
particular attention to the history, culture, and economic conditions of these neighborhoods. We
will study immigration patterns; race and ethnic relations in Chicago; community building and
organizing; and issues such as displacement/gentrification, poverty, and economic development.
We will focus on the Chicago experience and how it relates to larger global processes.
CseM 306 Urban Planning, the Public Arts and the Development of the Modern City (3)
This seminar will focus on the evolution and development of the city, with particular emphasis
on the built environment in Chicago. We will explore the significance of the city’s architecture,
sculpture, parks, community murals and impacts of city design. The seminar will seek to
understand and critique the city’s built environment through field trips, guest speakers, readings
and class discussions
admissions@trnty.edu