Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

This paper details two social justice projects I have worked with in creative writing and literature courses and illustrates how instructors can develop similar projects foregrounding the impact of the arts on community. The first project involves a Global Learning Exchange (GLE) partnership between DePaul University in Chicago and the American University of Beirut, in which another instructor and I developed a shared course unit on “truth in (non)fiction” that we co-taught virtually. Students read, wrote, shared, and discussed literature that revealed and challenged dominant “truths” in their respective cultures, and they explored how issues of social justice intersect with their own lives. This was a wonderful experience in which students learned more from one another than either instructor could have hoped to teach. I share specific, actionable information for anyone interested in developing GLE partnerships. The second project involves a publishing venture at my university in which students in undergraduate and graduate courses develop, edit, and publicize books about social justice issues in the lives of everyday Chicagoans. Topics for our volumes have included gun violence, military service, teen perspectives on relationships, immigration, and stories from the pandemic. I share specific suggestions for developing and incorporating this kind of community-focused project into a curriculum.