Shannon--Crticial+Theory

=Critical Theory=

The following two organizations are located just northwest of Marquette's campus near 21st and Highland, an amazing neighborhood in Milwaukee. As written in the Willmott article, "critical science is concerned to reveal how patterns of behavior and meaning are embedded in oppressive structures of domination that, potentially, are open to challenge and change" (p. 101). Both of them have taken a look at structures/institutions/organizations in society and have decided to approach their own organization differently.

Casa Maria
[|Casa Maria] provides a wide variety of services and resources to individuals in need. Casa Maria tradionally has focused on helping homeless families, women and children by providing food, clothing and shelter, as well as educational programs to help them gain skills as they rebuild their lives, doing much more than a typical homeless shelter would. However, its services are not limited to those who are staying at the house. This organization has reached out to others in in need the community through its food and clothing shelter and its educational programs. The employees and volunteers at Casa not only serve the basic and educational needs of individuals, they look cause change in perceptions and beliefs of individuals and groups, advocate for the oppressed and create more opportunities for all people, regardless of background and life experience, to find success.

Delphi House
[|Delphi House] is located a few doors south of Casa Maria and also really reaches out to people, particularly children that need help. The founder of the organization believed that the needs of many foster children, especially those from economically disadvantaged and marginalized families were not being addressed by the foster system. Children from the same family were often split up and some of the issues resulting from the removal from their homes were not being addressed. Although kinship care has now become a focus of the foster care system, the founder and the workers believe that this is not always the best solution to the problem either (an examination of the technical and practical interests of the foster care system). Instead of simply providing a child with a place to live, care, and food to eat, this Delphi House keeps entire families of children together and educates the whole child with the hope that the cycle of violence, abuse and neglect will not continue (a change based on the emancipatory interest of the organization). It uses a wide variety of employees and volunteers to provide the children with guidance, structure and many positive educational experiences.

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