Affiliate Faculty member Dan Cope, from the Integrative, Religious, and Intercultural Studies Department (IRIS), has developed a special topics course focusing on Sustainable Democracy. Offered in Fall 2023, this course asks students to consider their roles as responsible citizens of Grand Valley State University, the West Michigan community, and the globe. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country,” thus establishing the right to self-government as a human right (Art. 21). This right must be exercised responsibly in order to sustain personal autonomy and collective governing. INT 380: Sustainable Democracy examines the abstract dimensions of democracy, its historical and current iterations, and explores global movements toward democracy. Emphasis will be placed on the processes of democratic participation, the role of a free press and informed public, and how students can participate in self-government on campus, locally, and globally. The course is approved as an elective for the Human Rights minor and the Civic Change Agent microcredential.

As an interdisciplinary course, Sustainable Democracy will include guest lecturers from the departments of Communications and Area and Global Studies and will feature a field trip to the Ottawa County Clerk’s Office, where students will meet with Clerk Justin Roebuck. In collaboration with the GVSU Libraries, a workshop on information literacy will be facilitated by librarian Amber Dierking. The term project for the course will be developed, performed, and assessed by students with criteria democratically determined by the class.

Professor Dan Cope is a former elections clerk and current member of GVSU Votes, a nonpartisan coalition of students, staff, faculty, and community stakeholders dedicated to increasing voter registration and turnout, and fostering opportunities for dialogue and education at GVSU.