April 27, 2023
Course proposals sought for Mississippi Watershed Project by May 13
Faculty are encouraged to develop course proposals and programming as a part of a student-centered grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that looks at the intersections of environmental and social justice in a regional context through creative field research and engagement with community organizations. Faculty whose course proposals are accepted will receive a $1,200 stipend for coursework preparation.
“The Mississippi Watershed Project: Critical Horizons and Social Ecologies grant funds innovative classes, class preps, experimental and immersive activities, community projects and programming,” said Sarah Lewison, professor in the School of Media Arts.
Projects might examine extraction and displacement; investigate cultural processes of repair through transdisciplinary research in the humanities, arts and social sciences; or explore sexism, homophobia, ableism and racism within contexts of environmental injustices, Lewison said. Collaborations across campus and beyond are encouraged. In addition, ideas and requests for speakers, workshops and programs with no formal proposal are also welcome.
The only requirement is that classes, programs and activities are designed “with an awareness of the site of our learning and knowledge in our Mid-Mississippi region.” Lewison and Alfred Frankowski, an associate professor in philosophy in the School of History and Philosophy, spearheaded SIU’s portion of the multi-layered collaborative project over the last year. As an example, the Mississippi Watershed Project’s last proposal call resulted in a new, collaboratively designed course, Media Ecologies of Race, to be taught by Finley Freibert, assistant professor, School of Media Arts, and Joseph Smith, assistant professor, School of Africana and Multicultural Studies and School of History and Philosophy, during the spring 2024 semester.
The deadline for this round of course proposals is May 13. For more information, to discuss possible course ideas or to submit a proposed course, contact Lewison at slewison@siu.edu.