Cities on the Edge: Reporting Crisis in Urban America

Catalog description

The physician and poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. said "The axis of the earth sticks out visibly through the center of each and every town or city." His statement emphasizes the essential role of the city in society and inspires this course: Cities on the Edge. An interdisciplinary investigation in the spirit of the core curriculum at Le Moyne College, the course will promote the study of journalistic works that document and comment on the social and economic problems facing cities in America, such as racism, poverty, environmental hazards, drug addiction and poor political leadership. Students will gain an understanding of the urban pathology and how journalism can be an effective tool for understanding and addressing it. There will also be a particular focus on the COR 100 common reading with attendance expected at various associated events. Field trips to various sites in the city of Syracuse and screenings of relevant documentary films will be offered.