This is the campus-based Course

Hiram College
Interdisciplinary Course  INDT 
Children of the Dump - A Study in Overcoming Poverty Through Grass-Roots Entrepreneurship

Children of the Dump
Summer 2010

June 15, 22, 29 and July 6, 13, 22, 27—6:30-10:30 p.m.

Hinsdale 203
Credit Hours: 4
This is a team taught interdisciplinary
Biomedical Humanities and Management

Syllabus

Roger Cram: Adjunct faculty, Director of Special Projects and Community Service
                       Home: 330-569-7962,  Cell: 330-569-4912,  Office: n330-569-5104  Email: cramrf@hiram.edu
Carol Donley: emerita Professor of Biomedical Humanities and Professor of English

Texts:             Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains
                        Jeffrey Sachs, The End of Poverty
                        Mohammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor: Micro-lending and the Battle against World Poverty
                        Jim Wooten, We Are All The Same

                        Xeroxed handouts of 3 stories: Selzer’s “Luis” and “Imelda”; Viramontes’  “The Moths”

Course description: This team-taught interdisciplinary course examines the effects of poverty on economics and health care in poor countries. We will pay particular attention to those who are making a major difference in the well being of those living in poverty and in their health. We will also look at ways a major economist believes we can end poverty; we will examine how the Nobel laureate Yunus developed micro-lending to the poor, especially women, so they could start small businesses; we will read about the amazing work of Dr. Paul Farmer (Mountains Beyond Mountains); and we’ll discuss three short stories which give us insights from the perspectives of those in poverty.

First assignment: Read Parts I, II, III of Mountains Beyond Mountains and bring 3                                     questions to class for group discussion

 

June 15         Roger:  Children of the Dump – Nicaragua  - PowerPoint – 1 Hour
 

                      Carol: Mountains Beyond Mountains, Parts I, II, III.  Class will discuss the readings in small groups and see a power point about Paul Farmer.  PowerPoint. on backgrounds for biomedical ethics.  2-Hours

                      Roger: Street Children – PowerPoint – 1 Hour

June 22          Carol: Mountains Beyond Mountains, Parts IV and V. Small group
                       discussions.  PowerPoint on Respect for Persons.  ”
                        2 - Hours

Roger:  Adult heroes involving children:   (Corine, Glenys, Daniels, Mabula, Claw lady, Meena Patel, Jim Frame, Frank Huezo)
PowerPoint – 1 hour

June 29          Carol:  The End of Poverty, Sachs, Intro. and Chapters 1,3,10, 11
Small group discussions.                          
Beneficence and Justice – PowerPoint
See “Nikosi’s Story  plus Video (15 minutes) – 2-Hours

                        Roger: Film, Emanuel’s Gift  - 2 hours

July 6             Carol: Sachs,12, 17, 18.  Small group discussions and PowerPoint on Millennium Development
                       Goals.  Midterm on what Carol has presented.
                        2 - Hours

Roger: Children Heroes – PowerPoint – 1 hour                       

Roger: The reasons for poverty: Politics, U.S. Foreign Policy (South
Africa, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Chiapas), natural disasters (earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes) ,economic policies (keeping peasants poor for harvesting). 1 – Hour

July 13            Roger:  7:00 pm – 8:00 pm - Guest Speaker – Meena Patel from India 
                        1-Hour

Carol: Xeroxed stories: “Luis,” “Imelda,” and “The Moths”—small group discussions and application of bioethics to the stories  1 - Hour

Roger: Cultural problems in trying to help other countries (Saint Matilda, Marianna, computer lab, customs, laws, employed by dump (starting union), Alabama and Mayor, sewing machines, Sparrow Village, AIDs superstition, 6 year old prostitute)  1-Hour

July 17           Performance of “Luis” by Cleveland’s “Verb Ballet” – July 17, 5:00 pm
                        -OPTIONAL -

July 20           Carol: Yunus, Banker to the Poor – Micro-lending and the Battle Against         World Poverty - intro and chapters 1-5.  
Small group discussions.  Video in Micro-Lending (45 Minutes)
2-Hours

Roger:  Second test issued, take home, due July 27.
The movie Slum Dog Millionaire  – 2 Hours
 

July 27            Carol ; Yunus, Banker to the Poor – Micro-lending and the Battle Against         World Poverty, Chapters  6-9, 13, 14 to p. 278   2-Hours

Film:   Blood Diamond – 2-Hours
Appetizer party - furnished by class - optional.

Take home final issued – due in two weeks

Grades based on attendance 5%
Participation in class discussions 5%
Second test 30%
Midterm 30%
Final 30%                                                                        Extra Credit