コース情報

Monday Seminar taught by Sheila Fisher and Lisa Matias (70 VS, 11:30-12:45)

New Beginnings Field Work taught by Judy Dworin with Lisa Matias and Robin Cullen

Contact information: 

sheila.fisher@trincoll.edu, 203-300-7964

lisa.matias@trincoll.edu, 860-214-7160

judy.dworin@trincoll.edu or judy@jdpp.org, 860-604-1652

Office hours by appointment in person or via Zoom

Seminar Class Meets: Monday 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m

New Beginnings field study sessions meet Tuesday’s 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. via Zoom (see NB schedule for more details)

Overview: 

We will investigate the application of the arts to populations affected by incarceration, including women and men reentering the community from prison; children and families affected by incarceration; victims of crime; and at-risk youth caught in the “school-to-prison” pipeline. We will look at the role the arts play in a healing and rehabilitative process with these populations, analyzing the mission, goals, action steps, and results through reading, research, and hands-on experience. Students will be involved in a significant fieldwork project called New Beginnings, in which returning citizens from the Justice Dance Performance Project’s in-prison programs and Trinity students participate in an arts engagement on Zoom on Tuesdays from 5 to 7pm. Through this field work as well as our readings, observation, and analysis, we will assess the difficulties, dilemmas, and successes of arts interventions with the various populations we are studying and look at the larger issues that incarceration imposes on the fabric and functioning of our society. Our class’s seminar discussion sessions will be on Mondays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Besides readings, weekly thought exercises, and papers for the Monday seminar, there will be weekly creative contributions to New Beginnings. 

No arts experience is required—just an openness to learn about self and society through discussion, exploration and sharing.