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“We were looking for ways to improve, to lay claim to the title of an academic program,” said Religion and Social Justice Professor Earl Schwartz.

The colloquium will be held five times a semester and is dedicated specifically to social justice majors as a part of their senior seminar.

“It emerged from conversations with alumni, faculty, and students about how the program should change,” said Schwartz.

The senior seminar deals with a wide range of social justice issues and course work, and the colloquium is composed mostly of professors and students writing and sharing papers in class followed by group discussions on the day’s topics.

“There is a constant hum of questions about identity on this campus. This is an attempt to deal with it with considerable academic concern for the common good, and social identity,” said Schwartz.

“We saw a need to have conversations about current issues and the ability to take ideas from the classroom to other places and have a dialogue,” said Hamline Director of Theological Exploration of Vocation and Social Justice Professor Herbert Perkins. “This gives us a place to present papers and create a sense of identity.”

“The senior seminar carries a synthesis of what the students have learned. An important aspect of learning is seeing how ideas are connected and useful in many different areas,” said Perkins.

The social justice program at Hamline is interdisciplinary. It began six years ago and draws on courses from other disciplines as well as offering social justice courses including the senior seminar.

Besides the core courses there are history, political science, sociology, and other courses offered. Majors can choose many of their courses from many disciplines, but like other majors, they must fulfill basic course requirements as well.

Currently there are 11 students in the senior seminar. Typically there are between 10 and 15, Schwartz said.
Many students in the program have other majors, according to Perkins. Their social justice experience supplements their other ambitions. He said many of the students are interested in law, politics, social activism, oppression issues or the environment.

“It’s the way you come to think about these issues. Like what does it mean to be human, and what constitutes human needs,” said Perkins.

“Once the integrity of personal social identity is established, how does one establish a fairly social common ground?” said Schwartz.

The social justice program, as a new program at Hamline, continues to make changes in the discipline to accommodate and attract new students.

“It’s a very sensible major for the type of student that comes to Hamline,” said Perkins. “It’s a very value-driven university.”