As an academic response to the social disintegration characterizing much of present public life, the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies together with the Department of Sociology, established an interdisciplinary minor in Public Praxis. Committed to fully engaged learning, global awareness, solidarity with those subject to injustice, and public work with a view toward a more just and humane world, the minor requires students to integrate work for the common good and scholarship, with critical reflection and analysis. A capping course provides an opportunity for students to initiate, work out all details, and institutionalize (establishing in some on -going form) their own project.

A typical Praxis assignment requires a student to:

• Engage in at least 12 hours of public work (about two hours per week for six weeks)
• Keep a journal of critical reflections about the Praxis experience
• Attend two one-hour roundtable discussions with other Praxis participants
• Produce a public document integrating the public work experience with theoretical research and contributing to public consciousness.

Students usually find the Praxis experience rewarding, because it is an "eye opener" to a vast array of community needs and public work opportunities, and because the "real world" relevance of class readings and theoretical research often becomes quite vivid. Sometimes, students discover commitments to community work that long outlast the deadlines for their Praxis assignments.

The Marist Praxis Project has been honored by the Templeton Foundation as one of the best programs in the country for promoting citizenship. It is also cited on the Princeton Review website as one of the best things about from a student's perspective.

With appreciation to former Projectkeeper Dr. Greg Moses for his contribution to this text and for his seminal work with the Marist Praxis Project.