1 **Syllabus subject to change
Southern Methodist University
Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management
5228 Tennyson Parkway Suite 118 Plano, TX 75024
972-473-3425
Summer Term 2016
Instructor Information Instructor: Dr. Betty Gilmore Email: bgilmore@smu.edu
Hours: By appointment, Suite 118
HDDR 6367 Protracted Identity-Based Conflict: Ties that Bind and Divide
**A portion of this class will be conducted online using Canvas (canvas.smu.edu)
This course explores the role of ethnic, national and religious identities as both cause and products of conflict. A multidisciplinary lens will be utilized to examine the dynamics of protracted social conflicts combined with historical events, including the politics and
psychology of individual and collective identity development. Special consideration will be given to the connection between violent ethnic conflict, such as war and genocide, and their
influence on identity construction, conflict engagement, rebuilding and transformation. We will visit historic sites, including a mass grave and beautiful medieval walled cities in Croatia and Bosnia, to give context to the remarkable impact and transformation from traumatic conflict experienced in these countries.
Credit:
3 hours
2 Teaching Methods
This class is designed to build analytic ability and increase knowledge that can be applied in various collaborative processes and conflict situations. We will do active learning through discussion, skill building techniques and case analyses.
This course contains four major elements: online discussion forums, Facebook posting, class/field trip participation, and written assignments.
Required Reading: See reading list in addition to texts listed below
Lederach, J. P. (1997). Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. Washington, DC: U.S. Institute of Peace.
Maalouf, A. (2003). In the name of identity: Violence and the need to belong (B. Bray, Trans.). New York, NY: Penguin Group.
Smith, D. L. (2011). Less than human: Why we demean, enslave, and exterminate others (1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press.
***All readings are due before class begins abroad
Course Grades:
1. Facebook Journaling: 20%
2. Major Project (Paper + In class presentation/facilitation): 50%
3. Online Discussion forum assignments: 20%
4. Class/Field Participation and Readings: 10%
Attendance and Participation: Students are expected to attend ALL classes and field trips. The professor, on a case-by-case basis for illness or other difficulties, can grant excused absences, but unexcused absences may affect the student's course grade. Students are expected to be prepared and to participate in class discussion, and other classroom exercises deemed by the professor to be an integral part of the educational experience.
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Field Participation in this course is mandatory and part of your course learning. Examples of significant contributions:
1. Raise and answer questions related to the assigned readings. 2. Share ideas and insights relating to the topic.
3. Demonstrate scholarship by pointing out relevant data, research and signaling relationships to earlier discussions, readings and/or current events.
4. Relate and synthesize ideas of others.
5. Clearly demonstrate that you are keeping up with the readings and thinking about the issues raised in class.
6. Takes advantage of the language, terms and concepts you have been exposed to so far over the course.
7. Prove that you are facilitating learning both for yourself and your fellow students by helping others develop their ideas and views.
Online Discussion forums: In this course there will be two separate discussion forums before heading abroad. To receive a passing grade, you must make three postings in each forum by midweek (that is, ‘primary postings’, answering each one of the questions I am posting) and respond to at least two additional postings (that is, comments on your classmates’ postings) by the end of the week. However, I hope each of you make more than two response postings and really get into the heart of the discussion. NOTE: Only discussions threads posted by the deadline will count for grading purposes. Also, when replying to your classmates you are expected to raise and answer questions related to the assigned readings, share ideas and personal experiences, and discuss ideas in respectful manner providing them with constructive feedback. Participating by only saying, “Great posting” or I agree with you” does NOT count as participation. Although I believe that supporting your classmates is important, these comments do not encourage the intellectual stimulation needed to have a fulfilling discussion. Also,
remember that in all your communications via email or the discussion forums the person on the other end is another human being. The anonymity of the internet can tempt one to express themselves in ways they wouldn’t if the same conversation was face to face. When having discussions with your classmates or instructor please be mindful that your conversation is public and you should not disclose anything or say anything you would not say in a large public forum or a classroom. The first forum discussion will be posted on June 6th. You must post your answer to the questions posed on the first discussion forum by June 9th before 11:59PM CST AND reply to at least two of your classmates by June 12 before 11:59PM CST. The second forum discussion question will be posted on June 15 you must post your answer to the
questions on the second discussion forum before 11:59PM CST on June 18 AND reply to at least two of your classmates by June 21 before 11:59 PM CST.
4 Forum Grading:
The rubric below serves as the basis for assessing your participation in the Discussion forums. Participation in forums is measured by two primary elements: quantity and quality
It is very valuable for you to be engaged in ongoing conversations multiple times, and quantity. Active participation in discussions plays a role alongside quality. Constant participation is
strongly recommended. While it is, theoretically, possible to suffice with the minimal amount of posts, it will not make you into an A student. Not to mention, that ‘Wednesday/Sunday’ posting keeps you out of the discussion and lessens your learning experience. Participation throughout the week will help your grade and will also help you develop a learning skill and habit that will serve you well throughout the program.
Quantity:
There is a minimum quantity – which is one primary and two response posts. However, there is a great deal of importance attached to your participating more often. This is how a class is formed, this is where your interactions with each other are, and this is where you are enriched beyond the sum of your own experiences and insights. In addition, participation throughout the week contributes to your grade.
Quality forum posts include the following: 1) Terminology:
We are learning a new language. This is a shared language for people in our field, one that is constantly being refined by the interplay between academia and practice in order to provide the most exact way of relating to things. Our ability to use this language is a core academic skill. I think that at this stage, you can already appreciate the difference between someone saying ‘I knew I had a lot of different possibilities, including one I really liked – but I decided to go talk to the dude anyway and see what he had to offer me’ and someone saying ‘I decided to engage in negotiation with the dude to see if I could find potential value there, always keeping in mind my alternatives and in particular – my BATNA’.
2) Referencing:
Many of the forums you will encounter ask you for your thoughts, or ask you to relate stories, or to suggest ideas. However, it is crucial that in addition to self-reflecting, creativity, analysis or
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innovation (depending on what the forum centers on) you relate these to our reading material. It is very important to tie your analysis and thinking into our reading material.
3) Relating
When you are posed a question or questions in the forum instructions, make sure your primary post relates to all the issues you were asked to write about.
4) Integrating
Integrating any given week’s material with material previously learned demonstrates a high level of analysis, retention, motivation and other good stuff. Another type of integration
involves bringing in external sources you came across or are familiar with, and adding them into your discussion.
Evaluation Criteria – Discussion Forums
A
For an A, postings will thoughtfully consider and respond to the question, using sound argumentation and clear prose. They will contain virtually no grammatical errors or typos. Not only will such posts engage with the ongoing conversation in a rhetorically suitable fashion, they will foster further discussion on the topic, perhaps exploring new lines of argument or different perspectives. They rely on our reading material, and demonstrate use of the language, terms and concepts you have been exposed to so far over the course. The A-quality response post is not just a reactive response or an intuitive comment on a classmate’s work; it is proof that you are facilitating learning both for yourself and your fellow students. Forum participation warranting an A entails the student doing an exceptional job with quality and quantity.
B B grades demonstrate competent responses to the subject: they are 150-200 words long, more or less, addressing the question, without going into much detail, and they contribute to the overall conversation as another voice on the subject
C C grades reflect a less-than-adequate engagement with the subject, or are brief to an unsuitable degree. They do little to advance the discussion underway, and may even detract from it.
D/F No posting, late posting, or a post that is but the briefest nod toward a response.
Since you will be posting several times in one week, your final week grade will reflect the quality and quantity of your overall postings for the week.
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Facebook Journaling - Journaling will commence on May 23st, and grading will end June 22th. Students should post a minimum of 2 posts per week. You must also reply/comment to at least 2 postings per week. (i.e., you are commenting on your classmates or professor’s postings). The Postings need to be thoughtful and reflect upon the course topic and/or your experiences with the course topic. Postings can also provide information regarding the history of the conflicts that we are studying, information regarding the monuments or sites that we will be visiting (deeper than just visitor’s information), narratives from various perspectives, or other helpful resources. In addition to providing an opportunity for group cohesion, the goal of this journaling is to personally and academically prepare us for our visit, and get us thinking as a group about various issues related to the course.
Examples of postings could be: a link to an article/news/photo discussing an event that is related to the course topic with a brief comment; I may trigger discussions by posing a question for you to answer in Facebook. Your comments for the Facebook postings should be brief (15-40 words) but insightful, reflective, and connected to the course. You are encouraged to post more than the minimum and share as many postings and photos as you wish. Once the course is over, you are welcomed to continue to share your experiences and photos in the Facebook page, which will remain open.
Written Assignment/Final Project:
**More detailed Rubric will be sent separately.
Students will get into groups of two and pick a social, identity-based conflict. Your selected conflict must be approved by the instructor by Monday, June 20 before 11:59 PM CST. You are encouraged to begin doing research prior to your arrival so that you are not doing it while you are there. The conflict can be local, national or international. The conflict in Ferguson would be an example.
You will provide an analysis of the conflict and recommendations for
peacebuilding/repair/community building/reconciliation etc. In class, you will be presenting your analysis of the conflict and facilitate the intervention of your choosing (dialogue,
mediation etc.), based on what you have learned in class and your readings about effective interventions.
You must cite the class references provided in this course in addition to the outside sources; and make sure you DO integrate class readings into the discussion/analysis of your topic. You must use a minimum of three outside scholarly resources, which can be from your
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recommended readings list or not. Scholarly articles are the ones that are peer-reviewed. Credible internet resources, such as reports can be used in addition to the above requirements.
The paper must be APA format and contain minimum errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar.
STUDENT EVALUATION AND GRADING SCALE 93-100 = A
Exceptional
A superior / outstanding performance. Has mastered the concepts and adds unique contributes to class discussions.
90-92 = A- Excellent A very good / admirable performance. Displays understanding in all areas of the class, and contributes successfully to class discussions.
87-89 = B+ Outstanding
Above average performance. A few insignificant flaws may appear, but overall has great application of the field.
83-86 = B Good A generally satisfactory, intellectually adequate performance. Few significant flaws in performance.
80-82 = B- Adequate A barely satisfactory performance. Contributes little to class discussions and lacks a clear understanding of concepts.
77-79 = C+ Not sufficient
An unacceptable performance. Unable to engage in class discussions and has little comprehension of theories.
COURSE POLICIES Honor Code
Students are reminded of the SMU Honor Code as referenced in the Student Hand Book. Intellectual integrity and academic honesty are both the foundations and the goals for this program. Please reference and review the university policies on the responsibilities, policies, and penalties regarding academic honesty found at:
8 Notification of Absence Due to Religious Holy Day(s)
Students who will be absent from class for the observance of a religious holiday must notify the instructor in advance. Please refer to the Student Obligations section of the university catalog for more explanations. You are required to complete any assignments or take any
examinations missed as a result of the absence within the time frame specified by your instructor.
Disabilities Accommodations
Students needing academic accommodations for disability must contact Ms. Rebecca Marin, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (214-768-4557) to verify the disability and establish eligibility for accommodations. They should then schedule an appointment with the professor to make appropriate arrangements.
Add/Drop Policy
If you are unable to complete this course, you must officially withdraw by the university deadline; the last day to Add/Drop regular courses without a grade record or Billing.
Withdrawing is a formal procedure which you must initiate; your instructor cannot do it for you. Grade of Incomplete
A student may receive a grade of I (Incomplete) if at least 50 percent of the course requirements have been completed with passing grades, but for some justifiable reason, acceptable to the instructor, the student has been unable to complete the full requirements of the course. At the time a grade of I is given, the instructor must stipulate in writing to the student and to the University registrar the requirements and completion date that are to be met and the grade that will be given if the requirements are not met by the completion date. The maximum period of time allowed to clear the Incomplete grade normally is 12 months. If the Incomplete grade is not cleared by the date set by the instructor or by the end of the 12-month Policies and Procedures 25 deadline, the grade of I will be changed to the grade provided by the instructor at the time the Incomplete grade was assigned or to a grade of F if no alternate grade was provided. The grade of I is not given in lieu of a grade of F or W, or other grade, each of which is prescribed for other specific circumstances.
If the student’s work is incomplete, poor quality and not acceptable, a grade of F will be given. The grade of I does not authorize a student to attend the course during a later term.
Graduation candidates must clear all Incomplete grades prior to the deadline in the Official University Calendar, which may allow less time than 12 months. Failure to do so can result in
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removal from the degree candidacy list and/or conversion of the grade of I to the grade indicated by the instructor at the time the grade of I was given.
For graduate students, a maximum of two (six hours) concurrently held grades of Incomplete in courses other than thesis is allowed. If this maximum is reached, the student will be allowed to take only one three-hour course per term until the Incomplete total is reduced. Students who accumulate a total of three grades of Incomplete in courses other than thesis will be put on probation and not allowed to enroll further until the total is reduced.
Statement on Confidentiality and Emotional Safety
In order to provide a safe learning environment for students in the class and to protect the confidentiality of practice clients and class members, students will discuss case material and other personal information, reactions, etc., only while in class or privately with other current class members. It is the responsibility of each class member to treat classmates with respect and integrity, thus providing emotional safety for each other during class activities. Failure to do so can result in termination from the department.
SMU EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
As part of the federal government response to the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a nationwide public health emergency preparedness
declaration on April 26, 2009. The declaration was renewed on July 23, 2009 and is currently in force. For the semester ahead, there is concern that the level and intensity of flu cases could increase substantially.
1) For updates on the campus-wide status of flu conditions at SMU, please visit http://www.smu.edu.
2) If flu conditions require cancellation of a class session or other changes for this course, an email will be sent to all class members.
3) In the event of a major campus emergency at SMU, course requirements, deadlines, and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances beyond the instructor’s control.
