Quality of Life
The Honors Think Tank on Quality of Life spent the academic year exploring basic assumptions about contemporary life, examining the meanings of happiness, productivity, success, and other key ideals that guide our lives. On a broader level, they looked at indicators of well-being, making cross-national comparisons, and analyzed the design of neighborhoods and communities. This Think Tank Team spent a great deal of time outside of the classroom, visiting Wasatch Commons co-housing and the new Daybreak project, and documenting interviews with refugees through the International Rescue Committee.
After investigating the issue of pace of life in contemporary society, the Think Tank decided to produce a free "Pace of Life Fair" for the general public at the Salt Lake City Library as their final project. Representatives from area organizations had booths dedicated to addressing the important practical implications of the topic, including its historical, philosophical, and cultural aspects. The fair explored questions about quality of life such as: What are the main contributors to an increased pace of life today? What roles do transportation and commuting play? How do changing values, expectations, and habits figure into this? What about economic pressures? What are the effects on relationships? On home life? On participation in the community? On ethics?
Leading experts participated in panel discussions on work and commuting, health and well-being, and education and family. The highlight of the fair was a keynote address by John de Graaf, nationally recognized author and documentary film producer, who coordinates the national Take Back Your Time movement. His lecture, "America's Time Famine: Causes, Consequences and Cures;' explained how we can change our lifestyles to regain control of our time. The fair also featured a screening of the film "Running Out of Time:'
Instructors:
Sally Planalp
George Cheney
More Praxis Labs
Infectious Disease on the Run
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
Wendy Hobson-Rohrer, MD
This Praxis Lab examined the history, science, and ethical implications of pandemics, from the Black Plague to COVID-19. Students analyzed how diseases spread, the social and political responses to outbreaks, and the ethical considerations of public health interventions.
How We Die
Margaret P. Battin, PhD
This Praxis Lab explored the evolving landscape of death and dying in the modern world, examining the shift from infectious disease mortality to prolonged battles with degenerative illnesses like cancer, heart failure, and dementia.
Education, Incarceration & Justice: Punishment and Opportunity in an Era of Mass Imprisonment
Erin Castro
Roberto Garcia
This Praxis Lab examined the deep connections between education, incarceration, and justice in the United States, a country with the highest incarceration rate in the world. Students explored the historical and systemic forces that have expanded the carceral state, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color.