YOST4401W: Young People's Spirituality and Youth Work: An Introduction

The purpose of this course is to explore the topic of spirituality and its importance to youth work practice. Spirituality has typically been thought to be the province of religious instruction or faith-based youth work. The premise of our inquiry is that humans are quite naturally spiritual, and that human development in young people includes spiritual development. Spiritual (sometimes called “religious”) traditions and practices seek to give shape, language, and expression to human-spiritual life. It is helpful for youth workers to have knowledge of the traditions that young people are part of. We will take time to learn from one another about the diversity of traditions among us and our experiences. Yet our focus will be on common human experience and development that people increasingly recognize as “spiritual.” In recent decades, researchers have begun to focus on spirituality among adolescents. This conversation across disciplines in the academy raises important issues for practitioners. How will new research findings confirm or challenge their experience? How will new research impact everyday practice? This course enters the spaces of social, political, cultural, and religious institutions and practices, illuminating issues, topics, problems, and concerns for those who work with youth directly and or on their behalf. We will consider what youth work practices are most respectful of, and best able to facilitate spiritual development of young people in their everyday lives. As an undergraduate writing intensive course, all undergraduate students will be expected to write frequently and use a variety of writing styles: autobiographical, journal/book critique, essay, field mapping/observation notes, and research in APA style. Students will be given feedback on each assignment, and regular class time will be devoted to writing skills and basic grammar.

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