INTEGRATED STUDIES 85
INTG 403. Taxes and the Citizenry 1.0 course credit An examination of the political, social, cultural, and economic issues affecting tax policies. The course will address the rights as well as the responsibilities of citizens with regards to taxes. Students will delve into issues such as the common good, fairness, economic growth, wealth, and age. They will investigate these issues in relation to current tax policy as well as ways in which citizens can be involved in change. The course will also involve an experiential component in which students will understand basic income tax through instructional workshops and be certified to prepare income tax returns by passing a certification test. The experiential component is in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in which students assist the members of the community, who are the benefactors of tax policy, in the preparation of their tax returns. Common issues encountered in these returns are social security; capital gains; credits such as the earned income credit, education credit, child tax credit, and dependent care credit; income exclusions; and itemized deductions. Previous knowledge of tax, accounting, or business is not required. Students may not be concurrently enrolled in ACCT 364 or INTG 403. INTG 404. Civic Leadership 1.0 course credit Civic leadership is a rare, but essential, element in effectively accomplishing the goals that stem from engaged and committed citizenship. Fundamentally, most citizen determination to seek objectives achieves minimal success without skilled, effective leadership. Civic leadership, then, is the ability to motivate and effectively move citizens to action or accomplishment related to the community (worldwide, nation, region, locale, or group) of the respective citizens. The purpose of this course is to focus on, explore deeply, research accomplishments from, shadow exemplary examples of, and engage in team-competing strategies and stratagems related to civic leadership. INTG 405. The Democracy Project 1.0 course credit The Democracy Project is an exercise in applied political philosophy, sociopolitical reform, and real world advocacy. While the required texts will provide background, the bulk of the course will consist of emulating a “think tank” devoted to enhancing democracy in the U.S. and abroad. The work of The Democracy Project is meant to be cumulative — each class will build on the work of previous courses. INTG 406. Theatre and Social Change 1.0 course credit From the Federal Theatre Projects of the Great Depression to the disruptive performances of the l960s and 1970s, theatre has played an important role in American radicalism. This course will report on socially conscious, politically active theatres in the United States. Despite (or perhaps especially because of ) the evaporation of Cold War passions and the rise of conservatism in the 1980s and 1990s, such theatre work remains a persistent and evolving presence on the political landscape. The course will track the historical evolution of political theatre and will also explore the current state and future prospects of different modes, including agitprop, demonstrations, solo performance, Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed and community-based production. A significant means of developing a dialogue for social change (e.g., civic engagement). Students will select problems (local, state, national, international) and will create theatre pieces as a means of opening community dialogue and exploring potential solutions. INTG 407. Monmouth’s Immigrant Communities 1.0 course credit This course examines citizenship through the eyes of Monmouth’s immigrant community. Students will first explore the local history and politics of immigration, then collect living testimonies, or oral histories, of first- and second-generation immigrants, as well as local leaders in health, law, government, business, education or MONMOUTH COLLEGE ACADEMIC CATALOG
2014–2015