Policy Professionals for Diversity and Equity (PPDE)
Student Course
PP290 Social Justice and Public Policy
About the Course
The student-led course was created by PPDE to address the gaps students observed between their academic and real-world experiences, specifically in regards to issues of racial justice. Using input from each cohort, the course is tailored to address current and historical events of interest.
We invite practitioners and researchers to speak about their work in their field. While our topics are by no means comprehensive, they are intended to challenge students to critically think about several policy areas with an emphasis on interconnected core issues of inequality. Topics of focus include immigration, housing, criminal justice, labor, and analyzing the role of political institutions and systems of power in marginalizing communities of color.
Spring 2018 Course
In the 2018 class, students focused on immigration, housing, criminal justice, and labor.
The faculty sponsor was Dr. Michael Lens.
Spring 2019 Course
The 2019 student-led course is currently underway! Students analyze political institutions and systems of power in the context of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. The class will focus on economic opportunity, environmental justice, cannabis legalization, and other racial justice issues.
The faculty sponsor is Dr. Chris Zepeda-Millán.