MN591:
Urban Youth Workers Institute Conference Course (4 units)
Jude
Tiersma Watson, Assistant Professor of Urban Mission
Spring 2004 Pasadena
DESCRIPTION:
This course is held in conjunction with the Urban Youth Workers Institute at Azusa Pacific University, May 13-15, 2004 (www.uywi.org). This is an annual conference featuring plenary sessions with speakers and music by and for urban youth. Workshops feature a variety of experts on many topics of interest to urban youth workers. In addition to the conference, which has a strong “hands on” orientation, other class sessions will be held that will seek to understand at a deeper level some of the dynamics related to working with urban youth. Included themes are the tension between the generations within immigrant communities, and understanding the social environment of urban youth (c.f., Garbarino).
LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
• Students will be introduced to some key issues
facing urban youth and urban youth workers.
• Students will be introduced to an ecological paradigm for understanding the
context of urban youth.
COURSE
FORMAT:
Attending the Conference, meeting with fellow students and professor for class sessions in addition to the conference. Class sessions will include lecture and group discussion, and will meet during the conference lunch break on Friday and Saturday. In addition, class will be held Friday April 30, 10 am-12 pm, and Friday May 21, 10 am-12 pm. Students will arrange at least one visit to an urban youth ministry site.
REQUIRED
READING:
Garbarino, James et al, Children and Families in
the Social Environment. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
Garbarino, James. Raising Children in a Socially Toxic Environment. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 1995.
McLaughlin, Milbrey W., Merita A. Irby, and Juliet Langman. Urban
Sanctuaries: Neighborhood Organization in the Lives and Futures of Inner-City
Youth. SF: Jossey Bass, 1994.
One Book on hip hop culture.
RECOMMENDED
READING:
Fremon, Celeste. Father Greg
and the Homeboys. New York:
Hyperion. 1995.
Heath, Shirley Brice, ed. Identity and Inner-City Youth. New York:
Teacher’s College Press, 1993.
Garbarino, James et al, Children in Danger. San Francisco: Jossey
Bass.1992.
Sinsabaugh, Ginger. Help! I’m an Urban Youth Worker. Youth
Specialties.2001.
Tiersma, Judith. Reading the Writing on the Wall: Transformation through
Narrative in Postmodern Los Angeles. Ph.D. dissertation, FTS, 1999.
Perkins, William Eric, ed. Droppin’ Science: Critical Essays on Hip Hop
Culture. Temple University Press, 1995.
Vigil, James Diego. Barrio Gangs: Street Life and Identity in Southern
California, University of Texas Press,1988.
REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance at all conference sessions, additional lectures, and urban youth site visit; 3-page report on the conference; 1-page report on site visit; 1,500 pages of reading from required and recommended reading or other approved reading related to the topic; Annotated Bibliography on your reading; One major paper (12-15 pages) on a significant topic related to urban youth work. (Note: Those attending the conference and taking the course who do not live in the LA area can substitute 250 extra pages of reading and a book report in lieu of the missed Friday sessions).
PREREQUISITES:
None.
RELATIONSHIP
TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL
EXAMINATION: None.