IST2005-1HY-WI14 - Ethical Analysis and Advocacy

Instructor: Aaron D. Conley, Ph.D.
E-mail: aconley@iliff.edu
Office Hours: By appointment only (email, call, video chat)

Phone: 720.441.8291

Course Synopsis

This course is an introduction to ethical reflection about contemporary moral issues in an ecumenical and global context drawing on ethical and social theory and analysis, as well as on theological and biblical perspectives. Students are challenged to step into the shoes of others who reason and act from a variety of ethical perspectives, and learn to argue effectively from within those perpsectives.

Books for the Course

Brubaker, Pamela, Rebecca Todd Peters, and Laura Stivers. Justice in a Global Economy , 978-0-664-22955-9

Cone, James H. The Cross and the Lynching Tree , 978-1-57075-937-6

De La Torre 1, Miguel A. Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins , 1-57075-551-5

Fletcher, Joseph. Situation Ethics . 978-0-66425-761-3

Kant, Immanuel. Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals , 978-0-521-62695-8 (free here: http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdf/kantgrou.pdf )

Kwok, Pui Lan. Postcolonial Imagination and Feminist Theology .

Mill, John Stuart, Utilitarianism , 978-0-87220-605-2  (free here: http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdf/millutil.pdf )

Sheldon, Charles M. In His Steps, 0-916441-01-6  (try one free here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4540 )

See Taylor Library's list of online book sellers for purchasing options.

Course Overview

Course Objectives

1. To teach students how to identify ethical and theological assumptions implicit in the moral life of persons and communities.

2. To teach students to examine critically their own ethical assumptions as well as prevailing ethical assumptions in faith communities and society.

3. To teach selected options in contemporary religious ethical theory, with special emphasis on Christian ethical theory.

4. To enable students to develop an understanding of ethics which they can articulate and advocate with critical awareness as religious leaders.

5. To relate theoretical ethical perspectives to select issues in church and society, especially those germane to pastoral practice.

Evaluation

A pass/fail grade option is available.  Please inform the instructor in writing no later than the class session on January 20 if you choose this option.  No reasons need to be given.

For those who choose a letter grade, the following scale is used:

Mid-term take home examination       30%

Final Project                                        30%

Forum Posts                                       30%

Academic Decorum                            10%

1) Written grades will be based on the midterm (30%) and final (30%) :

-The writing prompts for the midterm written assignment will be distributed at least one week prior. It will ask students to examine at least two of the ethical approaches and put them into conversation with one another. Successful essays will include a) detailed descriptions, b) insightful analysis, and c) appropriate application of the ethical approaches.

-A late paper will lose one letter grade for each week that it is turned in late. If extra ordinary circumstances exist which prevent the student from completing her/his  assignment on time, then the student needs to contact the professor to discuss an alternative schedule prior to when the assignment is due. Students who do not submit ALL completed assignments must make prior signed arrangements for an Incomplete.  Students not making these prior arrangements will automatically receive an "F" for the course.

-The final project will engage course content in ways that are meaningful to the student individually. Successful final projects will also include description, analysis and application. Options for final projects include but are not limited to the following:

i. You may decide to write a traditional essay over some topic that interests you from the course. These essays must be 10 pages in length and follow all the parameters for academic papers. You may derive your own topic such as exploring an ethical situation you have faced but now apply insights gained from this course.

ii. You may also choose to produce some sort art like a poem, short story, painting, photographic study or other expression. Or you can create a power-point or Prezi presentation and embed video clips, audio and other things that help describe your grasp of course themes. Regardless of which project you choose, be sure to thoroughly engage the authors and ideas discussed throughout the course. A detailed written description of the project of lengths proportional to the type of project you choose are required.

-Week 10 of our quarter will be devoted to sharing our final projects with the rest of the class. More details to follow.

2) 10% of the grade is based on academic decorum.  Being consistently present during forum discussions is a baseline expectation. Grade decorum is based on the following:

A:        The student is respectful of others.  While disagreeing or challenging, the student never dishonors or disrespects.

B:        Every so often the student attacks another student rather than challenging or disagreeing with whatever point of view is being offered.

C:        The student is disrespectful and is not willing to entertain different views.

D:        The student disrupts the learning experience of others by the way they conduct themselves in on the forum discussions.

F:         The student creates a hostile experience.

Submission of Assignments : In alignment with an online course format, all papers must be submitted via email as an attachment. Be sure you send and save your work in .pdf, .doc, .xdoc, or .odt format.

Incomplete Policy: Students are responsible for following the procedures outlined in the attached document.

3) 30% of the student's grade is based upon our weekly book discussions.

Weekly class discussions will have 2 main parts. The first part is an analysis of the book. During the first 6 weeks of the course I ask that you write Reading analysis for each of the books during these weeks. The analyses include the following and can be copy/pasted into the corresponding section on Canvas:

1)    A. Reading Analysis – 5 Questions — for Everyone

By Monday at 11.30 p.m. on book discussion weeks, each student will respond to the 5 questions below and post their responses on Canvas.

i)      Who is the author? (socially locate the author)

ii)             What is the author’s thesis?
The thesis question should be answered in one sentence: this is a valuable skill to practice that will enable you to process information efficiently and effectively.

iii)            What is the author’s methodology and theory?
Method is the way the author conducts research; theory is how the author explains the research findings

iv)            How did this reading further your self-understanding of ethical issues and what do you take away from the book?

v)             In light of the reading and class lecture, suggest a specific act of justice you feel motivated to do (if any).

B. Application — for everyone

During the last 4 weeks of class I ask that you write a short 200 word analysis of the book or reading under discussion from the perspective of one of the ethical approaches explored during the first 6 weeks. For example, week 8 we will be reading James Cone. Can you read Cone’s book and “interpret” it from a prescriptive or deliberative ethical approach? How might Kant or De La Torre respond to Cone?

Please choose a different ethical approach each of these 4 weeks and do not write from the same perspective that the author for the given week already writes from (so, for e.g., Kwok is our reading for week 7 but she also gives us the post colonial approach in week 6. So please don’t respond to her book from the post colonial perspective).

2) Book Discussion

Each week, 2 students will be assigned as discussion facilitators.  The role of the facilitators is to post questions to stimulate class discussion around the book and other related course materials.  These questions are intended to extend the conversation beyond the 5 analysis questions, but may launch from this initial reading analysis.

a)     These conversations are an important space for our learning in this class, so please take these postings seriously and don’t be afraid to post more often than required. Some suggestions for types of questions

i)               Connect the present book to other course material

ii)             Share any questions that remained unanswered during your reading of the book

iii)            Connect the present book to current events related to course material

iv)            Ways in which the author’s ideological location might influence thesis or method and the ramifications.

v)             Controversial or difficult topics raised in the book that could use further discussion

b)    Weekly Forum Discussion Instructions

i)               Questions for Discussion - by Monday at noon

Each student facilitator for this week will add a new discussion topic and offer some questions for discussion from this week’s reading, which the rest of the class will engage.

ii) Responses - by Thursday at 11:30pm : For Everyone

Students must post 2 responses to the forums for each week. Student facilitators will moderate the discussions and are expected to provide at least one response to their own discussion prompt and one in another discussion thread. Please reply to an existing topic, rather than starting a new discussion thread.

Here is the grading scheme for weekly participation posts:

A:        The student demonstrates exceptional quality in written work. Little room for improvement exists. Several primary sources (outside of class readings) are used in the writing assignment. Both effort and execution are first-rate. It is obvious that the reading assignment was critically analyzed.  Student consistently posted responses of 250-400 words; careful to have read the instructions and questions in the topic so all the necessary components in the response was addressed.  Responses included critical reflection on the material for the week and advance the discourse with any questions that might further stimulate discussion. Comments demonstrate a grasp of the relevant materials from the course as well as the posts from people in that thread.

B:        The student’s work is above average. At least one primary source (outside of class reading) is used in the writing assignment. Student makes thoughtful posts, but they are less than 250 words and not engaged with the other comments being posted.  It is obvious that the reading assignment was completed.

C:        The student has fulfilled the minimal requirements for this course, making the minimum required posts. Effort and the execution of assignment are of average quality. It is obvious that the reading assignment was not thoughtfully read. There is room for improvement.

D:        The student work is below average. It is obvious that the reading assignment was not done. Initial posts consist of a few words or a sentence.  The student is not living up to the expectations of graduate-level work.

F:         The student failed to accomplish the class assignments.