MN689/789/889: Issues in Urban Mission: Exploring the Urban Narrative (8 units)

Jude Tiersma-Watson, Associate Professor of Urban Mission
Fall 2005 Pasadena

 

 

DESCRIPTION:

This seminar will explore the method and content of urban narratives. Students will be introduced to various urban theories, through the medium of narrative. Using a narrative methodology (From God So Loves the City), students will explore urban narratives from a particular context, applying theories to that context.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Students will be able to process a complex urban story using the Van Engen model in God So Loves the City.
Students will gain a basic understanding of several current urban theories.

 

COURSE FORMAT:

This course will be conducted as a seminar. Each student will prepare and present to other seminar participants. Students will also actively interact with each other’s presentations.

 

REQUIRED READING: (4 units) 1500 pages; (8) units 3000 pages (including recent journal articles)

Brueggemann, Walter, Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: Living in a Three Storied Universe. Abingdon, 1993.
Lieblich, Anna, ed., Making Meaning of Narrative. Sage 2000.
Tiersma and Van Engen, God So Loves the City. MARC 1994.

 RECOMMENDED READING:

Books and articles can be chosen to reflect the student’s area of interest.
e.g. Bishop, Ryan, ed. Postcolonial Urbanism: Southeast Asian Cities and Global Processes. Routledge, 2003.
Dear, Michael, From Chicago to LA. Sage 2001.
Flanagan, James, Contemporary Urban Sociology, 1993.
Kling, Joe, ed., Mobilizing the Community: Local Politics in the Era of the Global City.

Lieblich, Anna, The Narrative Study of Lives. Sage. 1993.
Linthicum, Robert, Transforming Power. 2004.
Mahler, Susan, American Dreaming: Immigrant Life of the Margins. Princeton University Press, 1995.
Sassen, Saskia, The Global City. Princeton University Press, 1991.
 Scott, Allen J., ed. Global City Regions: Trends, Theory and Policy. Oxford 2002.
Parker, Simon, Urban Theory and the Urban Experience. Routledge 2003.
Vigil, James Diego, Barrio Gangs: Street Gangs and Identity in Southern California, University of Texas Press.
Dissertations by Tiersma, Thomas, Thiessen, on reserve.
Other books and journal articles from bibliography given in class.

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

· Reading a total of 3,000 pages. 
· Class reports on reading.
· Research Paper that relates to the student’s field of study, following the methodology in God So Loves the City, 9,000-10,000 words (36-40 pages).

 

PREREQUISITES: Students must be enrolled in a ThM, DMiss, or PhD program. Written permission of instructior required to enroll in this class.

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

 

FINAL EXAM: None.

 

Last Date Edited: June 22, 2005