The Majority World, comprising substantial portions of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Middle East/Eastern Europe, faces monumental challenges, including poverty, ecological vulnerability, conflict, inequality, injustice, and persistent health concerns. At the same time these regions are endowed with substantial human and natural resources that are their hope and future.
Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) is an academic certificate program that integrates multidisciplinary coursework, a six-month internship, and whole-person formation through experiential learning. Students live, work, worship, and serve with local communities worldwide, while accompanying host partner organizations that confront poverty, challenge inequity, transform conflict, pursue justice, and seek fullness of life. The program cultivates a life-orienting commitment to justice, intercultural humility, compassion, hospitality, environmental health, and peacemaking, as actively reflected in lifestyle and vocation.
Past internships have included, but are not limited to, projects in: agriculture, church development, community art, community development, education, environment, ethnomusicology, gender, health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, hydrology, legal advocacy, micro-enterprise, property rights, social justice, and youth development. Each internship includes supervised study and service related to the student's interests, and enables students to learn about culture and appropriate development responses within specific cultural contexts. HNGR aims to promote student commitments to formulating Christian responses in their lifestyles and vocational choices, to the issues facing the globe and its peoples.
Students from any major may take selected HNGR courses, including Poverty, Justice and Transformation (HNGR 114 Poverty, Justice and Transformation), without obligation to complete the HNGR Certificate. Students who wish to earn the HNGR Certificate must submit a formal application (usually in the fall semester of their second year), be accepted to do the six-month off-campus internship, and complete the internship and all course work. Details are available in the HNGR office and on the HNGR website at http://www.wheaton.edu/hngr.
HNGR graduates are especially well prepared to work in the Majority World and domestically with development, government, and international organizations, missions, and other international agencies, as well as to pursue graduate studies in a variety of fields such as business, education, science and health professions, theology, social sciences, and law.
Director and John Stott Professor of Human Needs and Global Resources; and Professor of Environmental Studies, Laura S. Meitzner Yoder
Associate Director, Associate Professor, James G. Huff
Human Needs and Global Resources Courses
HNGR 114. Poverty, Justice and Transformation. (4 Credits)
An introduction to the social, political, economic, biophysical, environmental and spiritual dimensions and causes of poverty, inequality and injustice. Examines the experience of people confronting poverty in Majority World contexts and considers the factors that connect human communities and ecological systems worldwide, such as globalization, migration, climate change, global health and disease, religious and social movements, and urbanization. Emphasis is given to understanding the theories, methods and effectiveness of diverse approaches to international development and holistic transformation.
Tags: GP, SI
HNGR 381. Topics in Development. (2 or 4 Credits)
Selected topics from the following: technology and the environment, appropriate technology, and community development. Seminar format with guest lecturers and student presentations. Prerequisites depend on topic. Course is offered occasionally.
HNGR 385. Field Research Methods and Intercultural Orientation. (4 Credits)
A practical preparation of HNGR Program interns for participatory research and cross-cultural living and service. Emphasis in research is on design and implementation of qualitative and quantitative research methods in actual field settings, including roles, rapport, ethics, cultural adaptations, field notes, and write-up. Emphasis in orientation is on cross-cultural adjustment, including approaches, responses, psychological adaptation, relationship-building, communication, health, and Christian witness. Open to outgoing HNGR interns only. Course fee.
HNGR 432. Violence and Peace in Latin America. (4 Credits)
This course draws on anthropological and social scientific research to examine how diverse organizational and social actors work to confront violence and strengthen peace in Latin America. Students will learn about the history of state, political and criminal violence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and students will be introduced to the efforts of international justice and human rights activists and civil society and religious organizations to build more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies in Latin America. Course is offered occasionally.
HNGR 481. Introduction to Global Christian Perspective. (0 Credits)
Supervised directed reading and reflection, done as part of the HNGR field internship that addresses selected themes in global Christian thought and practice, including poverty and powerlessness, justice and reconciliation, community and community development, and brokenness and healing. This is the summer session of HNGR 484 (Global Christian Perspective), which is taken during the Fall semester. Open to HNGR interns only. Graded pass/fail.
HNGR 484. Global Christian Perspective. (4 Credits)
Supervised directed reading and reflection, done as part of the HNGR field internship that addresses selected themes in global Christian thought and practice, including poverty and powerlessness, justice and reconciliation, community and community development, and brokenness and healing. Open to HNGR interns only.
HNGR 491. Introduction to Internship in Development. (0 Credits)
Supervised field experience through a six-month internship in the Majority World, generally with a Christian organization involved in holistic development. The program of study is designed to meet the particular interests and needs of the student, host organization, and community in which the internship is conducted. This is the summer session of HNGR 496 (Internship in Development). Open to HNGR interns only. Graded pass/fail.
HNGR 494. HNGR Capstone Integration Seminar. (2 Credits)
Evaluation and integration of the student's field experience in the Majority World, applying theories of socioeconomic change, intercultural communication, and Christian worldview, and an analysis of alternative models of holistic development. Open to returned HNGR interns only. Course fee.
HNGR 495. Independent Study. (2 to 4 Credits)
Directed reading and research or internship projects.
HNGR 496. Internship in Development. (4 to 8 Credits)
Supervised field experience through a six-month internship in the Majority World, generally with a Christian organization involved in holistic development. The program of study is designed to meet the particular interests and needs of the student, host organization, and community in which the internship is conducted.