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 let me know.

ORIENTING VIDEO FOR THE COURSE (10:24) https://youtu.be/zYjTggtbXF0

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:

3) 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) Required Zoom Meetings and Synchronous Check-Ins:

If you have taken a 4-credit course with me before, then you know that I require live-time Zoom meetings twice during the quarter.

This year, all faculty are being asked to also offer synchronous check-ins. I will make the difference between these two meetings clear on the 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:

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) three critical reflections, including the final project reflection

4) Zoom meetings

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 here. You will see that their form and content vary widely, depending upon the student

This year 2020, Iliff is requiring faculty to offer not-required synchronous check-ins with students.

I have always required a limited number of Zoom meetings for my four-credit courses. Therefore, I am going to require you attend some of what Iliff has already put into the schedule as non-required. If you are not able to attend these already specificied dates, then please let me know and I will add another section for you and others in the course to attend. 

All Zoom meetings will use the following link: https://iliff-edu.zoom.us/j/9491804795

REQUIRED Check-In: Wednesday, September 23 6PM Mountain Time OR Thursday, September 24, 4:00-5:15PM Mountain Time

Please add your name here to indicate you intend to attend this meeting, by clicking the Edit button, type your name, then remembering to SAVE. 

Wednesday, September 23 6PM Mountain Time

THIS ZOOM MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Thursday, September 24, 4:00-5:15PM Mountain Time

NAME:

Julie Todd

Dennis Saavedra Carquin-Hamichand 

Anne Hayes

Kyra Williams Garcia

Erin Torres

Nikki Norris

Court VonLindern

Joelle McKnight

CONTENT: At this required Zoom meeting, 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 meeting 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 meeting.

NOT REQUIRED Check-In: Thursday, October 15, 4:00-5:15PM Mountain Time

Please add your name here to indicate you intend to attend this meeting, by clicking the Edit button, type your name, then remembering to SAVE. This is not a required meeting, and there is no pre-set content. I am more than happy to see and talk with anyone who wants to come, about anything. Course content or not. If I see that no one has signed up by the morning of the day of the meeting, I will not plan to attend this meeting.

NAME:

Dennis Saavedra Carquin-Hamichand 

Kyra Williams Garcia

Erin Torres

Joelle McKnight

Annie Hayes

Nikki Norris

Court VonLindern

Blake Gibbins 

REQUIRED Check-In: Thursday, November 5, 4:00-5:15PM Mountain Time OR Monday, November 9 6PM Mountain Time

Please add your name here to indicate you intend to attend this meeting, by clicking the Edit button, type your name, then remembering to SAVE. If you are not able to attend this required meeting, please let me know immediately and I will arrange for another meeting during this same week.

Thursday, November 5, 4:00-5:15PM Mountain Time

NAME:

Julie Todd

Dennis Saavedra Carquin-Hamichand 

Anne Hayes

Kyra Williams Garcia

Erin Torres

Nikki Norris

Court VonLindern

Joelle McKnight

Blake Gibbins

OR

Monday, November 9 6PM Mountain Time

NAME:

 

Content of the meeting is to be determined. This meeting will be immediately after the national election. 

Online Classroom Communication & Policies

Follow THIS LINK to Iliff's Policies and Service page. 

Julie Todd, Ph.D.

E-mail: jtodd@iliff.edu

John Wesley Iliff Senior Lecturer in Justice and Peace Studies

Dr. Julie Todd

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. As John Wesley Iliff Senior Lecturer in Justice & Peace Studies, she teaches all of her courses in online and hybrid formats, and primarily teaches courses in the area of justice and peace. 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. She recently released a book of her own personal writings called 50 thorns & blossoms (Links to an external site.). She is soon to release a self-published rewrite of her dissertation called Struggling with (Non)violence.

She is also a trained herbalist and aromatherapist, working with other healers in Lawrence, MA on collective healing projects. She is the owner of her own business called JustJulie (Links to an external site.)

DateDayDetails
Sep 14, 2020MonWeek One Materials - Definitions & Approaches to Violence and (Non)violencedue by 07:00AM
Sep 15, 2020TueCritical Reflection 1: Introductory Essaydue by 05:59AM
Sep 17, 2020ThuWeek One Discussion: Definitions – Direct, Structural/Institutional Violencedue by 05:59AM
Sep 21, 2020MonWeek Two Materials - Cultural Violence, Christian Violence, Christian (Non)violencedue by 07:00AM
Sep 24, 2020ThuWeek Two Discussion Thread: Cultural Violence, Christian Violence, Christian (Non)violencedue by 05:59AM
Sep 26, 2020SatSelf-Evaluation & Learning Agreementdue by 05:59AM
Sep 28, 2020MonWeek Three Materials - Civil Disobedience & Direct Actiondue by 07:00AM
Oct 01, 2020ThuWeek Three Discussion Thread: Civil Disobedience & Direct Actiondue by 05:59AM
Oct 05, 2020MonWeek Four Materials: (Non)violence Inside-Out, from Gandhi to Sharp due by 07:00AM
Oct 08, 2020ThuWeek Four Discussion Thread: (Non)violence Inside-Out from Gandhi to Sharpdue by 05:59AM
Oct 12, 2020MonWeek Five Materials: Principle and Practice – On Loving the Enemydue by 07:00AM
Oct 15, 2020ThuWeek Five Discussion Thread: On Loving the Enemydue by 05:59AM
Oct 19, 2020MonWeek Six Materials: From Liberal to Radical - Tactics Tactics Tacticsdue by 07:00AM
Oct 22, 2020ThuWeek Six Discussion Thread: From Liberal to Radical, Tactics Tactics Tacticsdue by 05:59AM
Oct 24, 2020SatMid-Term Critical Reflection: Multiple Choice Assignmentdue by 05:59AM
Oct 26, 2020MonWeek Seven Materials: U.S. Civil Rights Movement & the Violence/(Non)violence Dichotomydue by 07:00AM
Oct 29, 2020ThuWeek Seven Discussion Thread: U.S. Civil Rights Movement & the Violence/(Non)violence Dichotomydue by 05:59AM
Nov 02, 2020MonWeek Eight Materials: Corporate & State Violence and Counterpowerdue by 08:00AM
Nov 05, 2020ThuWeek Eight Discussion Threaddue by 06:59AM
Nov 09, 2020MonWeek Nine Materials - Solidarity & Transformative Justice as (Non)violencedue by 08:00AM
Nov 12, 2020ThuWeek Nine Discussion Thread: Solidarity & Transformative Justice as (Non)violencedue by 06:59AM
Nov 16, 2020MonWeek Ten Materials - Final Wrap-Updue by 08:00AM
Nov 19, 2020ThuWeek Ten Discussion Thread: Final Thoughts on (Non)violent Social Changedue by 06:59AM
Nov 21, 2020SatCritical Reflection 3: Integrative Final Essaydue by 06:59AM
Nov 21, 2020SatFinal Self-Evaluation & Gradedue by 06:59AM