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In recent years, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has garnered more attention among student loan borrowers in the United States as a potential source of loan relief. However--at least prior to the PSLF Program Overhaul introduced in October 2021--arduous eligibility criteria, opaque communication on the part of the U.S. Department of Education and contracted loan servicers, and ongoing threats to the continuation of the program made for a skittish and frustrated group of enrollees. This article leverages a mixed methods study to explore the meaning borrowers ascribe to prospective loan forgiveness and interrogates how magical thinking contributes to enrollees' perspectives on prospective loan forgiveness. With several of these sources of meaning standing in conflict with each other and with confidence in personal prospects of loan forgiveness fairly low, we argue that magical thinking overlays the meaning of potential loan forgiveness among some borrowers.

In recent years, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has garnered more attention among student loan borrowers in the United States as a potential source of loan relief. However—at least prior to the PSLF Program Overhaul introduced in October 2021—arduous eligibility criteria, opaque communication on the part of the U.S. Department of Education and contracted loan servicers, and ongoing threats to the continuation of the program made for a skittish and frustrated group of enrollees. This article leverages a mixed methods study to explore the meaning borrowers ascribe to prospective loan forgiveness and interrogates how magical thinking contributes to enrollees' perspectives on prospective loan forgiveness. With several of these sources of meaning standing in conflict with each other and with confidence in personal prospects of loan forgiveness fairly low, we argue that magical thinking overlays the meaning of potential loan forgiveness among some borrowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza's pedagogical theory as it is described in Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation. Schussler Fiorenza believes feminist education is ultimately a process of conscientization, or consciousness-raising, which entails numerous steps. Miller examines five of the steps she sees students grappling with most often in her course 'God and Human Sexuality': (1) learning not to take the Bible literally; (2) learning to question how we have been taught to read the Bible and other kyriarchal texts; (3) overcoming roadblocks to conscientization; (4) developing resistant readings/readers by reflecting on experience; and (5) developing liberating and emancipating theologies and actions. The author utilizes student writings to illustrate this process of conscientization as it unfolds during the course of a semester. The author argues that this process can be put to use in any feminist classroom, even if it does not examine the Bible per se., Somehow denying a woman's voice is establishing the truth? Does that make sense? --Allie Melancon Today's reading reminded me of a 90s indie song by the band Wilco. The lyric [...]

This article examines Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza's pedagogical theory as it is described in Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation. Schüssler Fiorenza believes feminist education is ultimately a process of conscientization, or consciousness-raising, which entails numerous steps. Miller examines five of the steps she sees students grappling with most often in her course "God and Human Sexuality": (1) learning not to take the Bible literally; (2) learning to question how we have been taught to read the Bible and other kyriarchal texts; (3) overcoming roadblocks to conscientization; (4) developing resistant readings/readers by reflecting on experience; and (5) developing liberating and emancipating theologies and actions. The author utilizes student writings to illustrate this process of conscientization as it unfolds during the course of a semester. The author argues that this process can be put to use in any feminist classroom, even if it does not examine the Bible per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]