Citizenship: Understanding our Local Roles and Global Responsibilities

Simpson Colloquium   SC 201-C:    ”Citizenship: Understanding our Local Roles and Global Responsibilities” 
T  2:10 PM – 3:40 PM 

Although we are familiar with the term “citizenship”, it is a complex idea. When do we mean local, national, professional, global; how does citizenship interact with our sense of community? Often we are caught up in our familiar lives and have yet to define the possibilities and realities of global citizenship. What does it mean to say, “Before breakfast is over we have depended on half the world” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)? This course invites students to expand their sense of belonging and boundaries in relation to their social, economic, political and cultural lives. We will examine our own citizenship, define the variety of forms and think critically about what it means to be a citizen. We will answer questions together such as “What is our identity; where do we belong; what helps us to feel part of a community; what gets in the way or makes us feel isolated?” Also, how does geography define us? What is the difference in our interpretation of boundaries between Iowa and Wisconsin, Texas and Mexico, Minnesota and Canada; where does our citizenship end?”

We will explore our rights and responsibilities to one another as human beings. We will use the resources of the College, of the state of Iowa, the U.S. government and the United Nations, plus our own experience. Our first assignments will be to share our “pride in citizenship” and to think how to introduce ourselves to Martians as “citizens of planet Earth.” Joining a new community such as Simpson College is a key transition in life. Thinking about citizenship helps us to engage with others, to find who will be helpful, to discover all the resources and people who are here to ensure that we all succeed as fully educated citizens. Our first reading is the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights ” ( www.un.org ) and our first video will be excerpts from Slumdog Millionaire.

Rosemary Link 2011Meet Your Professor 

Rosemary Link, Ph.D. 
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs

I first came to Simpson College as an outside reviewer on a sunny, breezy day in June 2006 and left thinking, what a lovely place. Two years later I was hired as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, with responsibility for our Evening, Weekend and Graduate Programs. It is a treat for me to be back in the classroom and I cannot wait to meet “my” group of SC 201 students. Thank you for your interest in “citizenship.” It is a compelling topic for me since mine has changed several times; for example while I was away from England (my birthplace) studying, the UK joined the European Union and my passport changed from blue to red overnight, with various consequences. Then I came to the US and progressed from the insecurity of being a resident “alien” and “green card holder” to becoming a US citizen. During those transitions I gained my PhD at the University of Minnesota and have worked as an educator and consultant in a variety of countries, including India, Slovenia and Mexico.

Early in my career I became a school social worker in North London and encountered the lives of migrant workers arriving in the UK with their families, refugees who had been forced out of their own countries, people who were stateless, and runaways for whom London is a magnet. The stories I heard and the people I walked with caused a lifelong interest and dedication to the reality of human rights and I look forward to sharing some of that journey. My area of expertise lies in social work with children and related social policy, including state and international policy instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).  I have published articles relating to child poverty, human rights, and social development, and books including: When Children Pay, together with Dr. Anthony Bibus; All Our Futures, a textbook in human behavior together with coauthor Dr. Chathapuram Ramanathan; Models of International Curriculum in Social Work, a curriculum design text together with Dr. Lynne Healy; and the Oxford Handbook for International Social Work, Human Rights, Development and the Global Profession. 

Meet Your Destination Leader
TBD

 

Kat Vampola StudentMeet Your Writing Fellow
Kat Vampola

Hey Simpson Students!

My name is Kat Vampola, and I will be the Writing Fellow for SC 201: ”Citizenship: Understanding our Local Roles and Global Responsibilities”. I will be a Junior this fall and I am majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice. I am from Arlington, Nebraska. (It’s a small town outside of Omaha.) I was very active in different organizations in high school and have continued being involved here at Simpson. In addition to being a Writing Fellow, I am a member of the Simpson Dance Team and Simpson Softball Team. I am also Vice President of the Simpson College Republicans. Other organizations with which I am involved include Simpson Pre-Law Society and Simpson College Students for Life.

In my spare time I read… A LOT! (My goal is to read the Hunger Games series this summer plus several other books on my to-read list.) I also love watching Law & Order: SVU, NCIS, and anything crime/law related. I also enjoy listening to music, exercising, dancing, and spending time with my friends. Oh, and I waste way too much time pinning things on Pinterest.

I have had many wonderful experiences at Simpson so far and can’t wait to help others enjoy Simpson! I look forward to being your Writing Fellow and meeting each one of you! If you have questions, you can email me at kat.vampola@my.simpson.edu or add me on Facebook. Enjoy your summer and see you this fall!