Unformatted text preview:

Revised'syllabus'1/21/ 10''George Mason University—Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution Page 1 of 8 Intensive Introduction to Conflict Analysis and Resolution CONF 502 Section 001 Spring 2010 Class Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Saturday, January 23 Saturday/Sunday, February 20-21 Saturday, January 30 Saturday, March 6 Saturday, February 6 Location: Truland Building, Room 647 Online: courses.gmu.edu Instructor: David J. Smith, J.D., M.S. (301) 315-0110 [email protected] (preferred) Office hours: By appointment, and one hour before class Course Description and Objectives Welcome to the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and the course, an introduction to the field of conflict analysis and resolution. Our focus is the study of human social conflict, including the practices and strategies for responding to conflict and frameworks for understanding and explaining conflict dynamics. It is designed to introduce you to the history and current developments in conflict resolution and to help you to think systematically and analytically about conflicts and conflict interventions. This course will be run as a learning community—discussions, written assignments and in-class activities will facilitate the exchange of thinking and experience. Please read the assigned books and articles prior to class. Active participation is expected, both in-class and online. The compressed course format means that the online component is a key element of your course learning and experience. Participants will work together in small groups and individually to analyze and suggest responses to specific cases of small group, community, inter-group or international conflict. The five weekends will address the following objectives: ♦ Class participants will learn and be asked to critically examine the worldviews, values, and assumptions underlying the conceptual frameworks people use when analyzing and responding to conflict. ♦ Conflict resolution practices reflect the assumptions used to understand conflict and conflict behavior. Class participants will study the relationship between analyzing conflict and attempting to resolve it.Revised'syllabus'1/21/ 10''George Mason University—Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution Page 2 of 8 ♦ Students will become more proficient in identifying conflict dynamics that are both specific to context and type of conflict and those that are more generally identified as elements of conflict. Course Expectations Consistent attendance. Barring exceptional circumstances, you are expected to attend all weekends for the full time scheduled. Effective preparation. The quality of class discussions and activities depends on your preparation. Active participation. Engage actively in the course in whichever of the formats you are most comfortable with: large group discussions, small group work, class exercises, etc. Course completion. In keeping with departmental policy, incomplete grades will be given only in cases of personal or immediate family illness. Course Requirements 1. Participation, short in-class exercises and online discussions. 20 percent In addition to in-class exercises and participation, there will be several discussion topics and short exercises posted to the course online discussion board. Your postings or responses are due by the due date specified. These short assignments should not take more than a half hour and are opportunities for you to reflect on course concepts between classes. These are graded only as completed or not and contribute to your participation grade. I hope you will also enjoy reading the insights of your colleagues and the developing discussions. 2. Short essay assignment 20 percent In place of a midterm, you will have a short essay assignment, handed out in class and due by the date specified. Your answers to the short questions should be typed and returned via email or the instructor’s departmental mail box. Due: Sunday, February 7 3. Group project—in-depth study of conflict resolution intervention 25 percent Groups of 2-3 students will be formed during the first two weekends and will work throughout the course to examine a particular form of conflict intervention (chosen in consultation with the course instructor.) The groups will work together to apply the concepts, theories, and ideas presented in the course to analyze the underlying assumptions, appropriate applications and distinguishing features of your area of study. Your project should include an example of your intervention type applied to a conflict. There will be some time for groups to meet during class time, but outside meetings will also be necessary. Each group give a 30-minute presentation to the class with supporting materials made available online. Due: Saturday, March 6 4. Individual analysis/assessment of a conflict 35 percent In consultation with the instructor you will choose a conflict (either from your experience or one supported by researchable and credible documents) for an analytical conflict assessment and recommendations for next steps. The paper should be 12-15 pages and is a synthesis andRevised'syllabus'1/21/ 10''George Mason University—Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution Page 3 of 8 application of the conflict concepts covered in the course. The topics will be agreed upon by February 20. Due: Thursday, March 18. Readings Texts The required texts are available at the GMU Arlington Bookstore or from online booksellers: Sandra Cheldelin, Daniel Druckman, and Larissa Fast, eds., Conflict, 2nd Edition (New York: Continuum, 2008) Morton Deutsch, Peter T. Coleman and Eric C. Marcus, eds. The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2006). Dean G. Pruitt and Sung Hee Kim, Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement, 3rd Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004). Hizkias Assefa and Paul Wahrhaftig, The MOVE Crisis in Philadelphia: Extremist Groups and Conflict Resolution (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1990). Other readings You will be directed to additional assigned readings and resources online. See daily agendas for specific readings. Many of these readings are PDF files and can be read using an Adobe reader, available for download on the


View Full Document

MASON CONF 502 - Syllabus

Download Syllabus
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Syllabus and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Syllabus 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?