TRS 728J American Catholics and Social Reform, 1875-1975
A reading course that intends to discern historical models of reform. Focuses on Catholic leaders and organizations committed to promoting a wide range of social change. Explores the religious responses to industrialism, unionism, racism, the Depression, and the civil rights and women's movements. Class discussion based on books and articles that examine the historical significance of the social encyclicals, organized Catholic charities and social work, Daniel Rudd and the Black Catholic Congress, labor and lay movements, Father John A. Ryan and the National Catholic Welfare Conference, Dorothy Day, and many other topics. Concludes with a consideration of new models of social Catholicism originating in the post-Vatican II period.