Student, Alumni & Faculty Work

All Our Fall '22 Courses are listed and linked below.

Information about our extensive Social Justice Internship Program is below the Fall '22 Course Listings. 

Fall 2022 Courses in Critical Theory & Social Justice

CTSJ 100 Introduction to Critical Theory

This course introduces students to critical theory in its necessary and intertwined relationship with effective social and political activism. Students will study the historical and conceptual reflexive transformation and expansion of critical theory/activism. The course of study will follow a critique of liberal and neo-liberal theory through Marxist, feminist, postcolonial, psychoanalytic, critical race theory, queer theory, trans theory, structuralist and deconstructive theory.

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: Global Connections

 

CTSJ 102 Justice Bootcamp

Meaningful social and political change requires not only critical and thoughtful engagement with our grounding ideas, dominant theories and our existing positions. It also demands that we learn the concrete, practical skills necessary to make our ideals real, to exercise our rights, to fulfill our duties to one another, and to transform the actual mechanisms and institutions that shape our lives. This course — unique at either the undergraduate or graduate level — will provide students with an intensive and full-spectrum introduction to the most important, most effective and newest techniques, tools and technologies used in political and activist campaigns from the highest levels of electoral politics to non-profit, non-governmental and community campaigns. The course curriculum is organized in three dimensions, training students with the core skills necessary to participate in existing political and activist work, but also empowering them to, when necessary, imagine and carry out their own innovative and transformative campaigns. To this end, students will learn not just tactical skills, but also strategic planning and management approaches that will help them invent, implement, and improve the campaigns to which they commit themselves. This course will include instruction and workshops that bring the best practices and lessons from top businesses and campaigns, refined by political practitioners and distilled for students. It will also include tactical skills training-- media messaging and communication strategies, polling literacy, database management, budgeting and campaign finance, Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts, and lobbying basics. 

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: United States Diversity

 

CTSJ 105 Immigration and Education

This course will locate the topics of immigration and education within historical, legislative, and cultural debates on what it means to be an American and who has the right to an education. Students will explore and debate precedent-setting Supreme Court cases, such as Mendez v. Westminster, which challenged the segregation of Mexican children into separate schools, and Lau v. Nichols, which fought hard for non-English speaking students to have linguistic access to the public-school curricula. In addition, students will research the historical antecedents to the recent anti-immigrant movements in California, Arizona, and Colorado, which target the use of languages other than English in school settings, and have all but abolished bilingual public schools. Against this historical and legislative backdrop, students will examine ethnographic research detailing the persistent challenges that immigrant children face in schooling, including migrant children, and the ways in which they, their parents, and communities experience those challenges.  This course is part of the California Immigration Semester, and enrollment is open only to first-year students simultaneously enrolled in CTSJ 105, DWA 282, and SOC 105.

Credits: 4 units

Corequisite: DWA 282 and SOC 105

Core Requirements Met: Global Connections

 

CTSJ 107 Introduction to Postcolonial Studies

This course will introduce students to major concepts, theories, and intellectual inquiries in the area of postcolonial studies. Students will engage with broad questions around knowledge production, representation, and subjectivities through the examination of topics such as: decolonization, migrations, transnationalism, diaspora, cultural productions, and practices of resistance. The course will look at relationships between postcolonial studies and critical race, feminist, and queer theories.

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: Global Connections

 

CTSJ 120 Power and Politics

This course introduces students to theories of power from multiple disciplines, and applies these theories to analysis of how power operates in formal and informal politics. Students will be introduced to the basic operation of politics and public policy in the U.S., as well power operating in economic and social systems. It will analyze contemporary public policy, political campaigns and elections, social movements, hashtag activism, and other aspects of the struggle for power in the U.S. context. This class is open to frosh and sophomore students.

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: United States Diversity

 

CTSJ 180 Stupidity

Stupidity is neither ignorance nor organicity, but rather, a corollary of knowing and an element of normalcy, the double of intelligence, rather than its opposite. It is an artifact of our nature as finite beings, and one of the most powerful determinants of human destiny. Stupidity is always the name of the Other, and it is the sign of the feminine. This course in critical psychology follows the work of Friedrich Nietzsche, Gilles Deleuze, and most recently, Avital Ronell, in a philosophical examination of those operations and technologies that we conduct in order to render ourselves uncomprehending. Stupidity, which has been evicted from the philosophical premises and dumbed down by psychometric psychology, has returned in the postmodern discourse against nation, self, and truth, and makes itself felt in political life, ranging from the presidency to Beavis and Butt-head. This course examines stupidity.

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: United States Diversity

 

CTSJ 221 Inequity and the Law

This interdisciplinary course is designed for students considering the law as a potential career path and who are interested in developing an understanding of the relationship between inequity, the law and critical theory. Our materials will include federal and California statutes and case law, government-issued reports, and legal journal articles related to education; housing justice; police practices; consumer protection; immigrants' rights; and other topics. This course will teach students the methods of law and policy analysis. The two main questions that will guide our critical thinking are: what is the impact of the law on inequity and what is the impact of inequity on the law? 

Credits: 4 units

Core Requirements Met: United States Diversity

 

CTSJ 300 Research Methods and Critical Inquiry

This course is an introduction to the process of conducting social science research. Students will learn to execute a research project from start to finish—including the formulation of a research question, selecting the best method(s) for addressing the question, statistical analysis in a lab setting, and research report writing. Students will also learn to critically analyze the production of knowledge and unmask the power dynamics of “scientific” inquiry, “objectivity,” and “authority.”

Credits: 4 units

Prerequisite: CTSJ 100

Core Requirements Met: Mathematics/Science

 

CTSJ 384 Bataille

A close reading of the works of Georges Bataille, including: The Impossible, The Unfinished System of Non-knowledge, The Accursed Share, On Nietzsche, Story of the Eye, The Dead Man, and Collected Poems. First year students are not permitted to enroll in this course.

Credits: 4 units

 

CTSJ 395 Humming in the in Between: Black Southern Organizing and Sound

This interdisciplinary course examines the politics of sound in how moments in between resistance and deep oppression are documented and understood when considering Black Southern pursuits of liberation. This course will challenge students to engage in familiar political moments in a sensory capacity, challenging understandings of political consciousness, movement success, and power building. In this course, sound will be used as a  critical field to examine the voices that will produce the sound as they construct and navigate constructions of democracies and oppressive state actions that have entangled their Blackness to a dance of freedom and coercion. Thinking through a sonicscape allows for an investigation of the overlapping of the institutional and lived realities of Black rural Southerners.

Credits: 4 units

Prerequisite: Any 100-level CTSJ course or permission of instructor

 

CTSJ 490 Senior Seminar in Critical Theory & Social Justice

This course is offered in conjunction with CTSJ majors' ongoing research for the Senior Comprehensive Project. Seminar meetings will be devoted to discussion and critique of students' work in progress, and to close readings of a select few texts in Critical Theory and Social Justice. Only open to senior CTSJ majors.

Credits: 4 units

Internship Program

We offer a robust program of student internships with course credit (see our Social Justice Practicum, CTSJ 398) through our long-term and well-developed relationships with excellent social justice organizations in Los Angeles, nationally and globally. Our internship program places students in the Fall and Spring semesters as well as over the summer. For more information and to inquire about being placed in an internship, please contact the department's Internship Coordinator, Prof. Malek Moazzam-Doulat, at mdoulat@oxy.edu.

 

 

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Featured CTSJ Alumni

 

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RICHARD REYES | CTSJ ALUM | FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | + ME PROJECT

Created by CTSJ alumn, Richard Reyes, the + ME PROJECT is a community partner dedicated to empowering middle & high school youth to build their confidence for college, career, and community advancement by teaching the art of storytelling. Their vision is for everyone to find motivation, connection, and self-worth by listening to others & sharing their own stories.

About CTSJ Alum Richard Reyes

PLUS ME Project was launched by former Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) graduate, Richard Reyes, in July of 2013. While earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Critical Theory/Social Justice from Occidental College, he began sharing his journey of becoming the first in his family to attend college with local middle and high school students. After speaking to over 12,500 students from over 70 schools and conducting research in the nonprofit landscape of student-centered motivational speaking programs, the need was clear. A narrative-based outreach program to students could satisfy a great need in Los Angeles.

Richard trained a small group of relatable role models from the community and began visiting schools throughout the city to share their journeys of how they made it to and through college. After many presentations, he realized that although the students were inspired by the stories they heard - something was still missing. The students were lacking tools and resources that taught them how to self-reflect, build their confidence, and articulate their own resilient narratives.

Over seven years, PLUS ME developed a program model that has emerged them as an industry-leading organization known for helping students craft and articulate their own stories for college and career advancement. Since inception, PLUS ME has positively impacted the lives of over 100,000 students from over 300 underserved middle and high schools throughout Southern California.

 

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SHANNA DEVINE | CTSJ ALUM | FIRST DIRECTOR | WHISTLEBLOWER OMBUDSMAN OFFICE OF THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

Ms. Devine earned her bachelor’s degree in Critical Theory and Social Justice from Occidental College and earned her Master of Public Management degree from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. 

Shanna Devine serves as the Director of the House Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds. In that capacity, Ms. Devine is responsible for 1) developing best practices for whistleblower intake for House offices, and 2) providing trainings to House offices on how to safely receive information from whistleblowers.

More about Director Shanna Devine

Ms. Devine has over a decade of experience working in partnership with whistleblowers and Congress. She began her career with the Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower protection and advocacy organization, where she served as Legislative Director and Investigator until 2016. Most recently, Ms. Devine advocated for whistleblower and other occupational rights for the public-interest organization Public Citizen.

Throughout her career, Ms. Devine has worked with Congress to strengthen whistleblower protections and communications. She has led campaigns for passage of landmark whistleblower laws, including Congress’ unanimous passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012. She has extensive experience conducting trainings on best practices for working with whistleblowers, and in 2015 and 2016 she played a strategic role in the establishment of the bipartisan Senate and House Whistleblower Protection Caucuses.

Since 2008, Ms. Devine has advised whistleblowers within the public and private sector on how to safely and constructively work with Congress.

See the Official Annoucement by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi

Text of Speaker Pelosi's Announcement of Shanna Devine as First Whistleblower Ombudsman

Pelosi Names Shanna Devine First Director of Whistleblower Ombudsman Office of the U.S. House of Representatives

FEBRUARY 14, 2020  

PRESS RELEASE 

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi today announced she has appointed Shanna Devine as the inaugural Director of the House of Representatives’ Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman.  Devine most recently advocated for whistleblower and other occupational rights for Public Citizen, a public interest organization located in Washington.

Throughout her career, Devine has worked with Congress to strengthen whistleblower protections and communications.  She has led campaigns for passage of landmark whistleblower laws, including Congress’s unanimous passage of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012.  She has extensive experience conducting trainings on best practices for working with whistleblowers, and in 2015 and 2016 she played a strategic role in the establishment of the bipartisan Congressional Whistleblower Protection Caucuses.  Since 2008, Devine has worked with whistleblowers to unearth abuses within the public and private sector, and to safely channel their disclosures to Congress.

The Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman, established in the House Rules package passed at the outset of the 116th Congress, will develop best practices for whistleblower intake for House offices and provide trainings to House offices on how to safely and confidentially receive information from whistleblowers.  The Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman is an independent and nonpartisan office.  The Director is nominated by the Speaker of the House in consultation with the chairs and ranking minority members of the Committees on House Administration and Oversight and Reform.

“Whistleblowers shine a bright light on malfeasance in our government and the private sector,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  “There has long been a bipartisan commitment to protecting the voices of those who speak the truth and put their livelihoods on the line to root out waste, fraud and abuse.  Shanna Devine comes highly recommended from the whistleblower advocacy community for her extensive experience working with Congress, advocacy groups and the public to strengthen protections for whistleblowers, as well as developing and leading trainings for public interest groups, federal agencies, Congress and relevant working groups and leadership councils.  Her deep policy experience will be vital, as the first-ever Director of the Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman, as she works to ensure that the House has the support and tools to carry out our legislative oversight responsibilities for the American people.”

“Whistleblowers have long played an important role in protecting our democracy, often putting their job security in jeopardy to expose wrongdoing, waste, fraud and abuse in government and in the private sector,” said Committee on House Administration Chairperson Zoe Lofgren.  “The Congress has a strong history of bipartisan support for whistleblowers.  The establishment of the House Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman and the appointment of Shanna Devine to lead this new office is an important step to uphold our end of the bargain by providing offices of the House of Representatives with the resources and trainings necessary to protect and empower those who strive to bring about accountability and transparency for the American people.”

“By establishing an Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman, the House of Representatives made an important commitment to providing Member and Committee offices with the training and tools necessary to appropriately handle whistleblower complaints,” said Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney.  “Shanna Devine is impeccably credentialled, deeply experienced, and is an ideal choice to lead this new office.  Ms. Devine is a strong advocate for whistleblowers, is well-practiced in leading congressional whistleblower trainings, and is a frequent invited speaker on whistleblower issues before Congress.  She has led whistleblower trainings with more than 90 participating groups, including trainings for the Whistleblower Ombudsman Working Group, federal whistleblower agencies and the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.  Ms. Devine’s skills and experience will be invaluable to the House’s oversight responsibilities, and I look forward to working with her in this new role.”

“I am honored to be appointed by Speaker Pelosi to lead the newly established House Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman,” said Devine.  “I look forward to working collaboratively with the House community to provide offices with the tools, trainings and best practices to effectively work with and support whistleblowers.”

“I am elated at the news that Shanna Devine will lead the newly created House Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman,” said Danielle Brian, Executive Director of the Project on Government Oversight (POGO).  “The office was created to address a lack of consistent understanding across House offices on how to best work with whistleblowers, who can serve as a tremendous resource to Congress.  I've worked with Shanna for over a decade and know her to be a tireless advocate for whistleblower and worker rights.  Her deep understanding of the importance of whistleblower-congressional communications will surely lead the office to be a resounding success felt for years to come.  On behalf of POGO, I look forward to seeing this office succeed under her leadership and vision and commend leadership on this excellent choice.”

"Whistleblower protection is taxpayer protection, and no one has a better grasp of this crucial connection than Shanna Devine,” said Pete Sepp, President of the National Taxpayers Union.  “Time after time, National Taxpayers Union has worked with Shanna Devine on key whistleblower issues involving a wide range of fiscal concerns, from taxpayer rights abuses to contracting fraud to misspent agency funds.  In each instance she has displayed remarkable depth of knowledge, coalition skills, and managerial talent – all of which will serve her, the Congress, and American taxpayers superbly in the new House Office of the Whistleblower Ombudsman.  Taxpayers will be grateful for Shanna Devine's leadership in making this vital initiative the success it needs to be."

“At a time of unparalleled need for an effective, talented and committed whistleblower ombudsman, the House of Representatives has responded with the inspired selection of Ms. Devine for this exceedingly important position,” said Louis Clark, Executive Director and CEO of the Government Accountability Project.  “Like most whistleblowers themselves, Ms. Devine has demonstrated an allegiance to the truth throughout her career, regardless of its impact on partisan politics.  The need for truth-tellers to be heard and respected is exactly why this position was designed, and we at Government Accountability Project commend the House’s selection of Ms. Devine to fulfill this role.  The public generally and the electorate specifically need to know that Congress is unified in its support for and protection of whistleblowers, and we believe Ms. Devine’s tenure as Director of the Office of Whistleblower Ombudsman will continue this trend."

Devine began her career with the Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower protection and advocacy organization, where she served as Legislative Director and Investigator until 2016.  She earned her Master of Public Management degree from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Critical Theory and Social Justice from Occidental College.

The House Office of Whistleblower Ombudsman will provide best practices and trainings for offices of the House on whistleblower intake, which include establishing an effective reporting system for whistleblowers, maintaining whistleblower confidentiality, advising staff of relevant laws and policies and protecting information provided by whistleblowers.