Note from Instructor August 1 2016 This syllabus is under construction. The basic outline of the course as it stands on this homepage is accurate. If you would like access to some of the .pdf files of the many course materials that are not required textbooks, please email me and I will send you materials in advance that might be helpful to your preliminary reading.
PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO FOR ORIENTING YOURSELF TO MATTERS THAT COME UP EARLY IN THE COURSE. (13:55) https://youtu.be/1zbE-Gzoo3c
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Students will engage (primarily Christian) theologies, theories, politics and practices of (non)violence that have influenced progressive social movements in the United States from the 20 th century until today. Opting to formulate the term “(non)violence” in the course title indicates that we will consider how social change happens (or does not) related to the interplay between theories and tactics of both violence and (non)violence. To examine the dichotomy violence-(non)violence implies 1) questioning the dichotomy itself and clarifying definitions/usage of the terms violence and (non)violence; 2) understanding the structures of power and violence within which violence-(non)violence as social change strategies operate; 3) comparing “strategic” versus “principled” approaches to (non)violence. By discussing justifications and implications for the use of so-called violent means of social change, students will deepen their understanding and practice of (non)violence itself.
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES Within the ten weeks of this course, students will:
Engage questions over the use of both violence and (non)violence as matters of principle, theology, strategy, and tactics primarily within U.S. social movements;
Construct working definitions of violence and (non)violence in the context of social change;
Consider the role of social location/identity/community in relation to theological and political perspectives on violence and (non)violence, including students’ own social locations/communities;
Articulate where they stand, examine critically and creatively their own engagements (in thought and practice, individually and collectively) with (non)violent social change efforts;
Reflect upon what constitutes resistance to oppression and injustice, and what contributes to the transformation of social structures in light of concrete historical circumstances.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & ASSIGNMENTS
1) General Participation: Learning is not merely about receiving information from a variety of expert sources; it is about students asking questions and seeking to understand from the materials and all participants. In this class, every participant is a teacher and a learner. I expect students will:
When you evaluate your own learning and accomplishments in this course (see Self Evaluation and Grading Procedures), you must consider each of these six elements in your initial and final evaluation documents.
2) Discussion Forums:
This course will rely heavily on online discussions. In an online course, this is where the class primarily takes place. It is a way to share ideas, ask questions, and deepen our understanding of course concepts. Generally, I will post numerous questions related to the week’s course materials. By no means are you expected to answer all of them. Respond to the ones that resonate, pique your interest, compel you or bother you the most. My expectation is that you will participate in all discussion threads as often and as well as you are able.
It is likely that there will be the maximum number of students enrolled in this online class, and that is a lot of people-comments-conversations to keep up with in one discussion post. I have considered various ways of configuring small groups within the class in order to limit the "overwhelm factor" of trying to keep up with all of the postings when there are so many students. However, configuring static, small groups has often led to limited and frustrating conversations, particularly when some students are unable to maintain regular, consistent participation in the online forums. When we split up the class into smaller discussion sections, the most actively engaged students are the ones who lose out. Therefore, we are going to begin this course with all of you participating in the same discussion thread. It can be a bit much, especially at first. However, a few deep conversations can emerge within a larger thread and everyone can benefit from the interactions had by all. As the course moves forward, I will remain open to your feedback about how the large discussion forum is working for you. This is a dynamic course and a dynamic process.
All of that being said, here are some of my hopes and expectations for your online participation:
Every week, I request that you post your first, original response to the questions by Wednesday night at 9:00p.m. MST. I encourage you to post earlier than that. Even if you are not ready to post your own original answers to the questions early in the week, I nonetheless encourage you to log in to the course website early on, read your classmates' ideas who have posted early, and respond to them.
Most of the student-student and student-teacher interaction takes place online in discussions. Being present in an online format requires you to make your presence known. Making your presence known means signing into the course multiple times per week. While you will be evaluating your own participation in the course and discussions, as a general rubric I suggest signing in to the class at least three different times per week, posting original ideas and responding to others’ posts at least four times.
Participation in discussions should be completed within the week assigned. Each week, the discussions will start on Monday and last through Sunday night. This allows us all to focus on the same issues at the same time. There will be some introductory questions to start us off each week, some natural areas during the week to respond to each other. Here are some suggestions regarding posting in the discussion boards:
There is a video in which I discuss your online discussion responsibilities, under the "Online Discussions" link on the Home Page and here3) Critical Reflections on Learning and Practicing Social Change (there are five of these):
You have a critical reflection due roughly every other week with guiding questions for critical reflection on yourself, the course materials, and your community engagement. Two of these five reflections include your self-evaluation/grading learning contract (see SELF-EVALUATION/GRADING link). There are different length and content requirements for each of these, which you should check under the assignments links for each one. One of these will require more preparation and outside community connections and research than others.
While these assignments are meant to be of a personal-reflective nature, all of them should be critical and substantive. Upload these reflections as documents in the appropriate critical reflection assignment link. If you are so inclined, I encourage you to use more than mere words to express your thoughts in a critical manner. In other words, you may use digital images, poetry, music and other means to engage the topics I assign. Whenever you have the inclination to deviate from what feels like the norm of the assignment, feel free to follow that inclination, check in with me, and know that creativity of all kinds is always welcomed by me.
4) Google Hangouts (there are three of these):
We will have three different Google Hangouts throughout the quarter: at the beginning of Week 2, Week 6 and Week 9. Each time we have a hangout, there will be four choices of Hangout time slots. You are required to sign up for one of these slots. if you have a very busy schedule, work full-time, etc., I recommend that you sign up for all of these slots now. The content and necessary preparation for each hangout will be delineated in the Google Hangout link on the course home page.
Here is a video in which I discuss your online discussion responsibilities (7:58). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1R6AmIIXXUThe following information is the exact same information on online discussions as found in the link "Course Requirements and Assignments." Because students always seem to have the most questions and confusion related to online posting, I am reiterating this information here.
Discussion Forums:
This course will rely heavily on online discussions. In an online course, this is where the class primarily takes place. It is a way to share ideas, ask questions, and deepen our understanding of course concepts. Generally, I will post numerous questions related to the week’s course materials. By no means are you expected to answer all of them. Respond to the ones that resonate, pique your interest, compel you or bother you the most. My expectation is that you will participate in all discussion threads as often and as well as you are able.
It is likely that there will be the maximum number of students enrolled in this online class, and that is a lot of people-comments-conversations to keep up with in one discussion post. I have considered various ways of configuring small groups within the class in order to limit the "overwhelm factor" of trying to keep up with all of the postings when there are so many students. However, configuring static, small groups has often led to limited and frustrating conversations, particularly when some students are unable to maintain regular, consistent participation in the online forums. When we split up the class into smaller discussion sections, the most actively engaged students are the ones who lose out. Therefore, we are going to begin this course with all of you participating in the same discussion thread. It can be a bit much, especially at first. However, a few deep conversations can emerge within a larger thread and everyone can benefit from the interactions had by all. As the course moves forward, I will remain open to your feedback about how the large discussion forum is working for you. This is a dynamic course and a dynamic process.
All of that being said, here are some of my hopes and expectations for your online participation:
Every week, I request that you post your first, original response to the questions by Wednesday night at 9:00p.m. MST. I encourage you to post earlier than that. Even if you are not ready to post your own original answers to the questions early in the week, I nonetheless encourage you to log in to the course website early on, read your classmates' ideas who have posted early, and respond to them.
Most of the student-student and student-teacher interaction takes place online in discussions. Being present in an online format requires you to make your presence known. Making your presence known means signing into the course multiple times per week. While you will be evaluating your own participation in the course and discussions, as a general rubric I suggest signing in to the class at least three different times per week, posting original ideas and responding to others’ posts at least four times.
Participation in discussions should be completed within the week assigned. Each week, the discussions will start on Monday and last through Sunday night. This allows us all to focus on the same issues at the same time. There will be some introductory questions to start us off each week, some natural areas during the week to respond to each other. Here are some suggestions regarding posting in the discussion boards:
GOOGLE HANGOUTS
We will have three different Google Hangouts throughout the quarter: at the beginning of Week 2, Week 6 and Week 9. The hangouts will be 60 minutes long. Each time we have a hangout, there will be four choices of Hangout time slots. You are required to sign up for one of these slots. All times are Mountain Standard Time (MST). The content and necessary preparation for each hangout will be delineated on this page prior to the hangout.
DO YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN A GOOGLE HANGOUT?
Please, I beg of you, do not figure out how to participate in a Google hangout on the same day that you try to participate in one for the first time. It will be a challenge for everyone involved if you have not figured out how to do this beforehand.
First of all,in order to participate in a Google Hangout, you need a Google Plus account. Click here to find out how to set up a Google plus account.
I will share more information on how the call works during the week before our first Google Hangout. Rest assured that on the day of the call, I will call you at the appointed hour.
If you have any questions, PLEASE CONTACT the Iliff helpdesk (helpdesk@iliff.edu). The IT folks are more than willing to practice a hangout with you. They would also prefer not to have an emergency phone call from you five minutes before a hangout because you have not prepared yourself for this moment.
Google Hangout #1 - Beginning of Week 2 - See Sign-Up Here
Sign up for your chosen Google Hangout (Monday September 19 at 10am MST, Monday September 19 at 6:30 pm MST, Tuesday September 20 at Noon MST, Tuesday September 20 at 6:30pm MST).
Content: In this Google Hangout, we will get to know one another and engage some of the ideas we have encountered in these first two weeks of the course. It will be best to prepare yourself for the Hangout by thinking about the following: what are some of the ideas about violence and (non)violence that I have learned the most from so far? What is a new insight I have already gained? What bothers me about what I have read so far? What am I struggling with in terms of understanding violence and (non)violence? What is a question I bring? It is sometimes useful to have course materials available for direct reference during the Hangout.
Sign Up for your chosen Google Hangout (Tuesday October 18 at 10am MST OR at 6:30PM MST, Wednesday October 19 at Noon MST OR at 6:30pm MST).
Content: During this Google Hangout, we will have a wide-ranging discussion of the film If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.
How do you respond to some of the following quotations from If A Tree Falls?
From Suzanne Savoie:
From Daniel McGowan:
From Bill Barton, Native Forest Council
From Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kirk Engdall:
Sign Up for your chosen Google Hangout (Monday November 7 at 10am MST OR at 6:30 pm MST, Tuesday November 8 at Noon MST OR at 6:30pm MST).
ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN A COURSE WITH ME BEFORE, PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO THAT DESCRIBES WHY I, THE INSTRUCTOR, USE THE METHOD OF SELF-EVALUATION AND GRADING FOR THIS COURSE (9:06). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Poh2T1DkU
LEARNING AGREEMENT: I will provide written feedback on assignments, but all students will evaluate their own work in the course and assign themselves a grade. By the end of the second week you should have a clearer picture of the expectations of this course. Your Critical Reflection #2 (assignment due Week 3) will be an informal learning contract, a narrative description of your intentions for fulfilling all of the course requirements as they are delineated in the syllabus (see the course requirements page for more detailed information on many of these items):
1) general, enthusiastic, prepared participation in the course
2) weekly online discussions
3) five critical reflections, including the final project reflection
4) three Google hangouts
By reading the syllabus and course assignments, you should be able to reflect upon what you will do. Describe how you will evaluate what you have done in each of these areas by the end of the course.
I also encourage you to include in your learning contract personal challenge goals around being a student (time management, more insightful participation in discussions) and learning what it means to be a social change agent in relation to the matters of violence and (non)violence.
This document will essentially serve as a learning agreement between you and me, and with yourself. This learning contract can be as long or as short as you wish in order to communicate your intentions. You may not be completely sure of what you will do for all of your project/reflections, but you can indicate where you are leaning. At the end of this narrative, please tell me what grade you intend to achieve.
By the last day of the quarter, and making reference to this first learning agreement, evaluate in writing how you think did in achieving your stated objectives and goals throughout the quarter, and whether or not you achieved the grade you anticipated. This will serve as your Week 10 Critical Reflection #5. At the end of this reflection, you must give yourself a final grade.
As the instructor, I am responsible for assigning final grades. In almost all cases, I will assign the grade you give yourself. However, if you wildly overrate or underrate your work, we will enter into negotiations about the final grade.
Examples of helpful prior student self-evaluation contracts are provided for your perusal under Week 3 in the Modules section and here. You will see that their form and content vary widely, depending upon the student
Online Classroom Procedures.
Communications Policy: I will log on to the classroom most days. The discussion forum is generally the best place to ask most questions. If there is a question about class requirements or other questions that do not fit into a weekly discussion, I encourage you to use the internal Canvas communication system. If you need to contact me on an individual basis, please email me directly (not through Canvas) and I will try to reply within 24 hours. If you would like to arrange to communicate by Skype, Google, or phone, please email me directly (not through Canvas) to set up an appointment. If you need technical support, you should contact the IT helpdesk at helpdesk@iliff.edu.
Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students who have disabilities to accommodate reasonably their needs in order to support effective learning. Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The Advising Center may be contacted as advising@iliff.edu, or by phone at 303.765.1146.
Rev. Julie Todd, Ph.D.
E-mail: jtodd@iliff.edu
John Wesley Iliff Senior Lecturer in Justice and Peace Studies
Rev. Dr. Julie Todd is a scholar-activist living in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She received her Ph.D. in 2012 from University of Denver-Iliff School of Theology Joint Program in Religious and Theological Studies. The title of her dissertation was “Evaluating Violence and (Non)violence: A Critical, Practical Theology of Social Change.” As John Wesley Iliff Senior Lecturer in Justice & Peace Studies, she teaches all of her courses in online and hybrid formats in the justice and peace curriculum. Her scholarship focuses on social change theory and praxis, violence and (non)violence, and matters of privilege, oppression and solidarity across axes of difference. She is a published essayist and poet on matters of justice-seeking and the spiritual life. As an activist, she works in her community to create transformative, grassroots spaces for social justice education and practice. As an ordained elder in the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church, she works locally and nationally to end the anti-LGBTQ policies and practices of her denomination through the group Love Prevails. She is also a trained herbalist and aromatherapist, working with other healers in Lawrence, MA in a social justice collective called Crescent Moon Healing.
| Date | Day | Details | |
| Sep 12, 2016 | Mon | Week One Materials - Definitions & Approaches to Violence and (Non)violence | due by 07:00AM |
| Sep 13, 2016 | Tue | Critical Reflection 1: Introductory Essay | due by 03:00AM |
| Sep 19, 2016 | Mon | Week Two Materials - Cultural Violence, Christian Violence, Christian (Non)violence | due by 07:00AM |
| Sep 26, 2016 | Mon | Week Three Materials: (Non)violence Inside-Out, from Gandhi to Sharp | due by 07:00AM |
| Sep 27, 2016 | Tue | Critical Reflection 2: Learning Agreement | due by 03:00AM |
| Oct 03, 2016 | Mon | Week Four Materials: Principle and Practice – On Loving the Enemy | due by 07:00AM |
| Oct 10, 2016 | Mon | Week Five Materials: From Liberal to Radical - Tactics Tactics Tactics | due by 07:00AM |
| Oct 17, 2016 | Mon | Week Six Materials: Corporate & State Violence and Tactics in the Environmental Movement | due by 07:00AM |
| Oct 31, 2016 | Mon | Week Eight Materials - Resistance to War, Theology and Tactics | due by 07:00AM |
| Nov 07, 2016 | Mon | Week Nine Materials - Solidarity as (Non)violence, Women, the Role of Feeling, Sacrifice | due by 08:00AM |