Brandeis’ 4th annual social justice festival, ‘Deis Impact, kicked off January 30th. During the weeklong festival students, professors, clubs, and academic departments host dozens of events featuring talks, art workshops, performances, exhibits, and discussions.

As part of the festival, Alan Khazei, CEO of Be the Change, Inc.  delivered the keynote. In his address, Khazei recalled spending late nights with friends discussing social justice issues in their dorm rooms. Later, with his Harvard roommate Michael Brown, Khazei cofounded City Year,  a national service program which provides targeted student interventions to “at-risk” students by placing full time AmeriCorps volunteers in schools throughout the country.

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Hundreds of students attended the events of ‘Deis Impact and left inspired to make a difference. In order to affect social change, students need to understand the power of protest, the history of effective activism, the methods of social movements, and the role technology is playing in creating social change. We’re proud to be offering three great opportunities this summer that will help students do just that:

SOC 155b: Protest, Politics, and Change – Social Movements
Summer Session II: July 6 to August 7, 2015
In this course, students will look at case studies of social movements and examine their methods and approaches. As part of the course, students will examine collective behavior, resource mobilization, rational choice, and newer interactive models.

IGS: A new course titled “Social Movements”
Summer Session I: June 1 to July 3, 2015
Here, students will learn about social movements in the U.S. and around the world and the role they have played in making our world more humane, equitable and environmentally healthy. Topics will include the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Animal Rights, Anti-apartheid struggles, the Anti-Caste Movement of India, Women’s Liberation, Gay Rights Movement, Anti-slavery Movements today and other social movements.

Justice Brandeis Semester: Connect to Change – Social Media for Social Movements
Special Summer Session: June 1 to July 31, 2015
This special Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS) offering will inform students about the role technology plays in effecting social change. Students will spend nine weeks in a dynamic, hands-on experience that combines computer science and social movement theory. Using skills learned in the JBS, students will create applications designed to make meaningful change.

Perhaps the next great idea in social justice won’t be hatched in a dorm room, but in a Brandeis classroom this summer.