Required Textbooks

• Approaches to Peace. David P. Barash Ed.
• The Dynamics of Conflict. Bernard Mayer
• Breaking the Cycle: A Framework for Conflict Resolution. Robert K. Von Lipsey.

Course Description

This course is a survey of key issues in the study of violence, conflict and its peaceful resolution that includes an examination of nonviolence as a philosophy and as a technique of action and social change. The course treats aggression, oppression, and nationalism as particularly problematic in an increasingly global human community. The course introduces key concepts in peace studies (positive and negative peace, structural and direct violence, the analysis of conflict) and demonstrates the links with other parallel concerns (minority issues, women's issues, social change, international relations). In addition to traditional methods of instruction, this course will rely on students working at designated community service organizations which will be treated as one of the central learning resources in the course. The course concludes with an analysis of contemporary global conflicts.

Course Objectives

1. Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of certain theories salient to a discussion of violence, conflict and its peaceful resolution.
2. Students will be able to explore the political, economic, social and religious dimensions of violence and peace through the use of specific cases.
3. Students will interpret the material well enough to begin to engage in critical reflection on the concepts and practices of the course in order to engage in dialogue with others.
4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the role violence plays in the distribution of power in society and why this is an ethical concern for personal and social transformation, as well as justice and social integration.
5. Students will use various reference materials and other resources in order to be able to organize and present their own thoughts
6. Students will be able to demonstrate ways in which these critical ethical perspectives can be applied today in their context.
7. Students will learn to integrate service-learning experiences into their overall understanding of peace and social justice issues.

Expectations

1. Class Participation:

   Service Learning: Students are encouraged to view their service learning experience as a learning opportunity and to treat these placements like another text in the course that needs to be “read” and interpreted by the student. Service placements have included tasks like door-to-door canvassing, data entry and processing, brochure layout, lobbying government officials, distributing educational material, and web design, among others. Students are encouraged to use their time at their service site wisely and to treat the staff as valuable resources who likely have important insights that should inform and shape the final integrating project as well as the content of the reflection papers. Students are encouraged to integrate experiential insights from their service work into every assignment. Students will be required to complete at least 25 hours of service during the ten week quarter. Fewer than 25 hours will be treated as a failure to complete a course requirements and could result in a failing grade for the course. Students are encouraged to plan their time commitments around completing more than the minimum number of hours so that unforeseen events later in the quarter do not jeopardize your successful completion of the course. Service hours cannot be made up after the quarter has ended; therefore, incomplete service hours cannot be used as grounds for petitioning for an incomplete grade.

   Students will be graded on the quantity and quality of their informed contributions to class discussions. Absence, mute note taking, or uninformed chatter will not reflect well on the final grade. Reading the assignments, coming to class prepared and conscientiously performing community service are essential. Students will also be expected to engage in online blackboard discussions and activities per the professor’s instructions. This course has been designed with the expectation and requirement that you will spend at least six hours per week outside of class preparing readings and assignments and doing community service. Being in college is hard work, but hopefully it is work you enjoy doing, and take pride in doing well. You owe it to yourself, to others in the class, and to the integrity of the learning process to approach your academic work with sufficient seriousness. This seminar style course will be dominated by in-class discussion of ethical cases. Participation is worth 20% of your final grade.

2. Reflection Papers: There will be seven papers consisting of no less than 2 pages. The papers will be typed in double space, 1-1.25" margins and 12 pt font. The purpose of these papers is to deepen one’s inquiry into the subject matter by applying, analyzing, comparing, explaining and querying the concepts and issues that arise in the course. These are not superficial opinion papers, i.e., what you liked or didn’t like about a particular experience or reading. These papers should reflect a serious grappling with the various dimensions of violence and peace in our world. These papers need to incorporate appropriate experiential insights from the student’s service placement. Detailed expectations for each paper are given in the schedule on the day the paper is due. All papers must be submitted through http://www.turnitin.com using Class ID: 1167426 and Enrollment password: pax200. Students will need to create user accounts through Turnitin.com in order to submit material to this course. Another hard copy will be submitted to the professor. Any paper that is not submitted to turnitin.com will receive an “F” at the end of the course regardless of the letter grade assigned to the hard copy. These 7 papers are worth 50% of the final grade.
   
   
3. Final Integrating Project (5-7 pages): There will be one research paper consisting of no less than 5 pages. The papers will be typed in double space, 1-1.25" margins and 12 pt font. In part, this is a formal essay, the aim of which is to present evidence in a clear, concise and fair manner. Another purpose of a well-written research project is to analyze, examine, explain, compare and assess the information you have about your topic. This is an evaluative essay the aim of which is to process the information you have gathered in order to answer critical questions like: What does this mean? Why is this important? Who is responsible and who is effected? How might we address this issue? This paper will require full references and bibliography. Students may use either MLS or Chicago Manual of Style. The topic for this paper should arise from your service experience. Hopefully it will also be something useful or relevant to the agency where you worked. It should grow out of a dialogue with the agency and its needs and desires. Ultimately the research should be shared with the community organization in some meaningful way. All papers must be submitted through http://www.turnitin.com using Class ID: 1167426 and Enrollment password: pax200. Students will need to create user accounts through Turnitin.com in order to submit material to this course. Another hard copy will be submitted to the professor. Any paper that is not submitted to turnitin.com will receive an “F” at the end of the course regardless of the letter grade assigned to the hard copy. This project is worth 30% of the final grade.

Class Participation: 20%
Reflection Papers: 50%
Final Integrating Project: 30%

Grading

1. The reflection and research papers will be evaluated on the following bases:
   
   1. The student’s grasp of the course materials and their ability to describe and process their experiences of service.
   2. The student’s ability to articulate and support an informed and critical stance of her/his own toward the issues raised.
   3. A superior grade will require not only good knowledge of course materials, but the ability to locate and respond to central issues raised therein, to pose one’s own helpful and critical questions to the materials read, and the issues raised (i.e., to go beyond memorization and feedback to critical and even creative thinking).
      
2. Attendance and Participation will be evaluated on the following bases:
   
   1. Satisfactory attendance with no significant individual participation will receive no more than a “C“ for the participation part of the grade. Satisfactory attendance plus significant participation will be eligible for grades ranging from “C+” to “A” on this portion of the grade, depending on the frequency and quality (helpful, relevant, informed, prepared) of participation.
   2. Each unexcused absence will reduce the final participation grade by a full grade level. Each excused absence downgrades a student’s participation grade by two fractional grade levels (e.g., A to B+). More than four unexcused absences will result in an “F” for the course. Absences will be excused only if the student gives me written notice stating the general reason for the absence. Excuses that are unnecessarily retroactive will not be accepted. Notices should be from the student. I do not need notes from doctors, parents or coaches. Athletes need to give me advanced notice of their absence due to an event. Absences due to practices will not be considered excusable.
      
3. Failure to complete all of the required assignments will result in either an “F” or and “Incomplete” grade. To avoid the “F” and receive an “Incomplete” the student must negotiate a schedule for the completion of course materials before the final examination date. Failure to do so will result in an “F” grade.
4. Late assignments will be downgraded a full grade level for each week beyond the due date. Assignments will not be accepted if they arrive more than two weeks late. After two weeks, assignments that have not been submitted receive an “F.”
5. Students in this course should be aware of the strong sanctions against plagiarism stated in the current Bulletin/Student Handbook. If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an "F" for the course and possible expulsion. If you have any questions or doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials and the works of others, be sure to consult the instructor. Proper citation procedures are provided in all standard writing manuals.

A
Is the highest academic grade possible; an honor grade which is not automatically given to a student who ranks highest in the course, but is reserved for accomplishment that is truly distinctive and demonstrably outstanding. It represents a superior mastery of course material and is a grade that demands a very high degree of understanding as well as originality or creativity as appropriate to the nature of the course. The grade indicates that the student works independently with unusual effectiveness and often takes the initiative in seeking new knowledge outside the formal confines of the course.

A-   B+   B
Denotes achievement considerably above acceptable standards. Good mastery of course material is evident and student performance demonstrates some degree of originality, creativity, or both. The grade indicates that the student works well independently and often demonstrates initiative. Analysis, synthesis, and critical expression, oral or written, are considerably above average.

B-   C+   C
Indicates a satisfactory degree of attainment and is the acceptable standard for graduation from college. It is the grade that may be expected of a student of average ability who gives to the work a reasonable amount of time and effort. This grade implies familiarity with the content of the course and acceptable mastery of course material; it implies that the student displays limited evidence of originality and/or creativity, works independently at an acceptable level and completes all requirements in the course.

C-   D+   D
Denotes a limited understanding of the subject matter, meeting only the minimum requirements for passing the course. It signifies work, which in quality and/or quantity falls below the average acceptable standard for the course. Performance is deficient in analysis, synthesis, and critical expression; there is little evidence of originality, creativity, or both.

D-   F
Indicates inadequate or unsatisfactory attainment, serious deficiency in understanding of course material, and/or failure to complete requirements of the course.

Schedule