Supporting New American Communities in Utah
This Praxis Lab explored the complexities and strengths of immigrant and refugee communities in the Salt Lake City area, a long-standing U.S. resettlement site. With over 17,000 refugees in Utah and approximately 1,000 new arrivals each year, the course examined the challenges and opportunities facing these New Americans, including language barriers, social systems navigation, and cultural capital. At the same time, students explored the rich histories, perspectives, and multicultural contributions these communities bring to Utah.
Through a university-community partnership approach, students engaged in an action-scholar framework, collaborating with community partners to design and implement projects that supported integration efforts. The course emphasized integration as a two-way process—one that transforms both the newcomers and the host society.
Instructors:
Ken Embley
Rosemarie Hunter
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.