- Home
- Academics
- Program Overview
- Social Action, Social Change
Social Action, Social Change
This concentration is designed for students interested in exploring the “real world” implications and emancipatory possibilities of their work in the social studies and allied disciplines.
Students interested in Social Action/Social Change must complete two introductory
social sciences courses before moderating. Additionally, students need to complete
four additional courses, with at least two at the 300-level (14 credits), as well
as an eight to 12 credit internship. In Moderation, students should identify a coherent
set of interests that link past/future coursework and their interest in this concentration
as well as their proposed internship. Internships here are broadly defined and may
include work with advocacy and activist groups, traditional social service organizations,
government and nongovernmental organizations, and placements that might be part of
a junior semester abroad. Students in this concentration are encouraged to draw upon
the internship and related experiences in their Senior Theses.
Related Career Paths
Students with a concentration in social action/social change may find careers in social, political, and environmental activism, and with human rights organizations.
Course Spotlight
Social Science 223/323: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Human Rights
This seminar aims to provide students with a broad working knowledge of human rights as both an intellectual discourse and a realm of political action, working primarily through the study of a series of literary texts. Specific topics, examined across a range of cultures and countries, will include torture; freedom of speech; freedom of religion; women’s rights; and economic, social, and cultural rights including the right to health and the right to development (as well as the right to avoid development).