SC Sem:(Non)violent Social Change

Note from Instructor. This syllabus is under construction. I am still updating some links and files, but the basic outline of the course as it stands is up to date. All of the assignments and everything you need to begin the first few weeks of the course are available. If you find there are materials you need that are not accessible to you in this moment, please just let me know.

PLEASE WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEO TO ORIENT YOURSELF TO MATTERS THAT COME UP EARLY IN THE COURSE. (8:41) https://youtu.be/BuiwWTJktMs

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 20th 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:

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:

  1. Invest in the course by establishing a regular and respectful online presence;
  2. Genuinely try to learn the concepts, principles, and material by reading and listening; collaborate in the spirit of learning critically and enthusiastically;
  3. Participate in online discussions. Respect other students' preparation by being prepared, having read and watched the assigned materials carefully and thoughtfully;
  4. Participate in Google Hangouts;
  5. Turn in assignments in a timely fashion;
  6. Communicate with the instructor when you anticipate being unable to participate in discussions, Google Hangouts, or turning in assignments in a timely manner.

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 three of these):

There are different length and content requirements for each of these critical reflections, 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 students' 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 7 and Week 10. 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 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. 

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 17 at 10:00a.m. MST or 6:00p.m. MST, Tuesday September 18 at Noon MST OR 6:00pm 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.

 
Google Hangout #2 - Beginning of Week 7 - See Sign-Up Here

Sign Up for your chosen Google Hangout (Monday October 22 at 10:00AM MST OR 6:00PM MST, Tuesday October 23 at Noon 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.

Here are some questions for you to consider: What are you general impressions of the film? What was your own emotional reaction to it? What do think about Daniel McGowan? How do we see direct, structural and cultural violence at work in this film? Denial, Reversal, Entitlement? Power and Counterpower? What is terrorism and who is a terrorist? Is property destruction terrorism? Is property destruction justified? What are some of the different forms of protest and resistance in the film? How do these tactics compare to the tactics described by Todd is her chapter for this week? What does it mean to be radical? According to the film, what were some of the problems in the environmental movement generally? What can we learn about social change more generally from these problems and from this film? Is there one quotation (or idea) from the film that really stays with you?

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:

 
Google Hangout #3 - Beginning of Week 10 - See Sign-Up Here

Sign Up for your chosen Google Hangout (Monday November 12 at 10:00AM MST OR 6:00PM MST, Tuesday November `13 at Noon MST).

Content: At the end of the quarter, where did Barbara Deming's piece on Equilibrium leave you? What are a few of the concrete ways you practice solidarity as (non)violence in the context of the movements for justice for which you are currently struggling, or to which you are committed? What does solidarity look like for you, in relation to yourself, your community and/or the people with whom you work for justice (as an insider or as an ally/accomplice to a movement for justice)? Is there anything you would like to share about what you have learned about what it means to be a social change agent in relation to the matters of violence and (non)violence we have studied?

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. The learning agreement is 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) threecritical 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. 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 Communication & Policies

Degree Learning Goals: Please take some time to look over the Professional Degree Learning Goals (MDiv, MASC, MAPSC) and the Academic Degree Learning Goals (MTS, MA).

Incompletes:  If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.

Pass/Fail:  Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.

Academic Integrity and Community Covenant:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook, or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook, as appropriate.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.

Core ValuesAs a community, Iliff strives to live by this set of Core Values.

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. 

Writing Lab:  Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. 

Inclusive Language:  It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. 

Rev. Julie Todd, Ph.D.

E-mail: jtodd@iliff.edu

John Wesley Iliff Senior Lecturer in Justice and Peace Studies

JTodd Half Shot for Web2.jpg

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 also the Coordinator of the Identity, Power and Difference (IPD) program at Iliff. 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 on collective healing projects.

DateDayDetails
Sep 10, 2018MonWeek One Materials - Definitions & Approaches to Violence and (Non)violencedue by 07:00AM
Sep 11, 2018TueCritical Reflection 1: Introductory Essaydue by 05:59AM
Sep 13, 2018ThuWeek One Discussion Thread 1: Introductions, What is (non)violence?due by 03:00AM
Sep 13, 2018ThuWeek One Discussion Thread 2: Definitions – Direct, Structural/Institutional Violencedue by 03:00AM
Sep 17, 2018MonWeek Two Materials - Cultural Violence, Christian Violence, Christian (Non)violencedue by 07:00AM
Sep 20, 2018ThuWeek Two Discussion Thread: Cultural Violence, Christian Violence, Christian (Non)violencedue by 03:00AM
Sep 24, 2018MonWeek Three Materials - Civil Disobedience & Direct Actiondue by 07:00AM
Sep 27, 2018ThuWeek Three Discussion Thread: Civil Disobedience & Direct Actiondue by 03:00AM
Sep 27, 2018ThuSelf-Evaluation & Learning Agreementdue by 05:59AM
Oct 01, 2018MonWeek Four Materials: (Non)violence Inside-Out, from Gandhi to Sharp due by 07:00AM
Oct 04, 2018ThuWeek Four Discussion Thread: (Non)violence Inside-Out from Gandhi to Sharpdue by 03:00AM
Oct 08, 2018MonWeek Five Materials: Principle and Practice – On Loving the Enemydue by 07:00AM
Oct 11, 2018ThuWeek Five Discussion Thread: On Loving the Enemydue by 03:00AM
Oct 15, 2018MonWeek Six Materials: From Liberal to Radical - Tactics Tactics Tacticsdue by 07:00AM
Oct 18, 2018ThuWeek Six Discussion Thread: From Liberal to Radical, Tactics Tactics Tacticsdue by 03:00AM
Oct 22, 2018MonWeek Seven Materials: Corporate & State Violence and Tactics in the Environmental Movementdue by 07:00AM
Oct 25, 2018ThuWeek Seven Discussion Thread: Corporate & State Violence and Tactics in the Environmental Movementdue by 03:00AM
Oct 25, 2018ThuCritical Reflection 2: Participation/Observation of a Protest/Demonstrationdue by 05:59AM
Oct 29, 2018MonWeek Eight Materials: U.S. Civil Rights Movement & the Violence/(Non)violence Dichotomydue by 07:00AM
Nov 01, 2018ThuWeek Eight Discussion Thread: U.S. Civil Rights Movement & the Violence/(Non)violence Dichotomydue by 03:00AM
Nov 05, 2018MonWeek Nine Materials - Equilibrium & Solidarity With Community as (Non)violencedue by 08:00AM
Nov 08, 2018ThuWeek Nine Discussion Thread: (Non)violence as Solidarity with Self & Community as Acts of Resistancedue by 04:00AM
Nov 12, 2018MonWeek Ten Materials - Final Wrap-Updue by 08:00AM
Nov 15, 2018ThuWeek Ten Discussion Thread: Final Thoughts on (Non)violent Social Changedue by 04:00AM
Nov 17, 2018SatCritical Reflection 3: Integrative Final Essaydue by 12:00AM
Nov 17, 2018SatFinal Self-Evaluation & Gradedue by 12:00AM