Abstract
For academics passionate about the study of economic justice and capitalist processes, reading debates between political economists can inspire many thoughts about why people in contemporary society prosper, or not. But, how do we get students to feel connected to these abstract theories and see that the arguments of the past frame the way we talk about and see things now? Problem-based learning (PBL) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) are pedagogical and methodological approaches motivated by the principle of empowerment by engaging students and research “subjects” in the cycle of making, interpreting, and acting on knowledge. This chapter discusses how Leontina (the instructor) introduced a local social and environmental justice case to a class and integrated community member experiential expertise into a class participatory action project.