Conflict Resolution
CNR 611 – Community Conflict: Transforming
Violence and Hate
Spring 2007
Credits: 3 SEMESTER CREDITS
Prerequisites : CNR 600 & CNR 601 or permission
of the instructor
For whom planned: This is a second semester course in the six course core
theory and skills sequence required for the master's program in Conflict
Resolution. May be taken as a general elective.
Instructor information: Sherrill Hayes, Ph.D., UNCG North Campus, 5900 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27214. Phone: 217-5100 ext. 106
Catalog description: Explores how families and community relationships are impacted by family and societal violence. Offered in the Spring.
Student learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- understand the nature of structural violence at the group and social level
- discuss the nature of aggression, hate, fear, and violence from a variety of theoretical perspectives
- understand the difference between social, humanistic, and medical models of violence and anti-social behavior
- understand and plan interventions related to youth and community-based violence
- analyze social programs aimed at violence prevention and intervention in schools, communities, corporations, organizations, and correctional institutions
Teaching strategies
Many students may have never received any formal training and/or practice
in how to obtain the most from reading assignments in the least amount
of time. The most effective approach to this task, in my experience, has
been to follow and to practice very particular guidelines in reading the
assignments for this course.
Please make brief notes each week from the readings assigned according to the following guidelines:
- What is the author's thesis? The major point s/he is trying to make?
- What are the major assumptions the author makes (and expects you to accept) in arguing that thesis?
- What are the implications for research or practice if the author's thesis and underlying assumptions are valid or true?
- What are some important or useful concepts the author presents?
- How does the reading relate to previous readings?
- Critically reflect on and assess the article as a whole; what are its strengths and weaknesses?
- Are there any other arguments or perspectives that might explain the topic better than the author's argument?
Notes regarding Class Discussions
Given the high frequency of violence in our society, it is quite likely that some of the students in this class have been either victims and/or perpetrators of these problems. Given this reality, there are some special guidelines for participation in this class:
- Withholding: Do not feel obligated to reveal your own experiences. Reveal only what is comfortable for you.
- Confidentiality: Any revelations made in the class should not be repeated in an identifiable way to others.
- We will respect abuse and violence survivors and their decisions even if we disagree with those decisions or don't understand them. We should also deal rationally with perpetrators and recognize their own experiences with victimization while still holding them responsible for their actions.
- Disagreements should be handled through constructive dialogue. It is easy to get angry with those that disagree with us on these topics and with entire categories of people. Try to keep discussions constructive.
EVALUATION METHODS AND GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENTS
To determine final grades, students will be evaluated on the following:
Class Participation 15%
- raising and answering questions related to the issues
- sharing ideas, feelings, personal experiences and observations
- relating and synthesizing the ideas of others
- providing constructive feedback on the learning process
- helping other develop their view and ideas
- participating actively in role play exercises, with intelligent questions and feedback to fellow students and instructor
- take the lead at least one week in opening the discussion of the readings for the group as student facilitator
Two Brief Research Papers 20% each
- students will write two short papers of 7-10 double spaced pages during the semester
- papers will synthesize theoretical discussions of the preceding weeks, and
- reflect a critical analysis of the reading assignments
- paper are due the 6th and 9th weeks of the semester
Violence and Society Assignment 15%
Students may choose one of the following activities due in Week 8.
These activities are designed to raise awareness of the unnoticed violence
in society.
- Female students keep a journal on newspaper articles and news accounts on violence against men; male students keep a journal on articles or accounts of violence against children. Two articles/reports per week are required. Required: 1) Copy of article, or short synopsis of news account, 2) personal analysis of the patterns you find in the collection, and 3) relationship of the contents of the article to class information and reading materials.
- Review an additional book of your choice on violence or violence intervention. Evaluate the book using information in the class. (5 pages max)
- Birth date research: Students will locate newspaper articles about violence that were published on their dates of birth. They are expected to copy the articles, and discuss them and their responses to having been born into such a violent society, and note changes in violence patterns between then and now. (5 pages max)
- Saturday Morning Cartoons: Watch Saturday morning cartoons and count how many violent acts are included per segment. Note examples of sexism, heterosexism, racism, intolerance, and ethnocentrism. Find an example of or develop an idea for a cartoon or children's show that would counter these problems. Analyze the messages. (5 pages max)
- Design a poster to be put up at bus stops that advocates a non-violent alternative to a current form of violence in society. Present and lead class discussion on the issue and a range of possible interventions.
One Final Research Paper 30%
Due the Final Class meeting, this paper will synthesize the class readings,
any role plays, and in-class discussions to review the issues of community
violence related to a particular topic area and design a conflict intervention
program to address these issues. Cases can be drawn from the MOVE case
study, a local violence or abuse program, or another case example approved
by the instructor. In the case of real programs, students will critique
the existing program and offer constructive changes to the program design.
All design choices should be supported with theory or program issues from
relevant readings. This final research paper should follow the same guidelines
as above, but should be slightly longer, 10-15 pages, and may include
graphics or artwork, integrated into the paper itself. Please print the
document or submit it via email on or before the last class meeting.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Englander, Elizabeth K. (2003). Understanding Violence, 2nd Edition.
Mahwah, New
Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Prothrow-Stith, Deborah & Spivak, Howard R. (Eds.) (2003). Murder
is No Accident:
Understanding and Preventing Youth Violence in America. San Francisco:
John Wiley & Sons.
Assefa, Hizkias & Wahrhaftig, Paul (1990). The MOVE Crisis in
Philadelphia: Extremist
Groups and Conflict Resolution. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburg
Press.
Duffy, Karen, Grosch, James & Olczak, Paul V. (Eds.) (1991). Community
Mediation: A
Handbook for Practitioners and Researchers. New York: Guilford Press.
THIS FOLLOWING BOOK CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED THROUGH THE NC BAR ASSOCIATION
($8) OR FROM YOUR INSTRUCTOR ($5):
Clare, J,., Roundtree, L. & Manley, E. (Eds.) 2003. Alternative dispute
resolution in NC:A new civil procedure. NC Bar Foundation & NC Dispute
Resolution Commission.
RECOMMENDED READING IN THE LIBRARY:
Anderson, Elijah (1999). Code of the Street: Decency, Violence and
the Moral Life of the
Inner City. London: W. W. Norton & Co.
Burton, John (1997). Violence Explained: The Sources of Conflict.
Manchester, England:
Manchester University Press.
Galtung, Johan (1996). Peace by Peaceful Means: Peace and Conflict,
Development and
Civilization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Merry, Sally Engle & Milner, Neil (Eds.) (1995). The Possibility
of Popular Justice: A
Case Study of Community Mediation in the United States. Ann Arbor,
MI: University of Michigan Press.
ACADEMIC HONOR CODE
Each student is required to sign the Academic Integrity Policy on all
three papers for this course.
Please review UNCG Policies regarding Plagiarism & the Graduate Student Code of Ethics.