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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: January 20, 2008
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ 353: Criminal Justice/Social Justice

You will be held accountable for purposes of grading for the readings and exercises listed here. There will be no "testing." That means that you will not have to live in anxious anticipation of what we will ask and how much you will have to know. Instead, we will provide weekly discussion questions, lectures, essays, and concepts we feel that you should know as a result of having taken this course. You will assure us of that learning and receive your grade for the questions and concepts about which you choose to write and talk with us. In addition you will find detailed explanations and examples on our grading policies in the first week's reading.

* * * * *

Week 1: Week of January 20, 2008

Optional Dear Habermas Workshop - Wednesday, January 30th, 12 noon to 1 p.m. in the microcomputing classroom (D1 level in the library).

Topic:Introduction to the Teaching/Learning Approach

Preparatory Readings:

• Class and Internet Discussions
• Those Infamous Grades and Letters of Recommendation
• "The Case Against Gold Stars" by Alfie Kohn.
• Cooperative Learning
• Preface
  
  
• Paul Loeb. The Impossible Will Take a Little While. -- Introduction.
• Martha Minow. Between Vengeance and Forgiveness. ---Foreword & Chapter 1.
• Cornel West. Democracy Matters. ----
  
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
  
  

Lecture related links:



• "Academic Accountability"
• "Who's Habermas? Why Habermas?"




Concepts to be covered:



• illocutionary discourse
• the aesthetics of answerability
• taxonomy of learning
• the 6Cs
• interdependence
• the external and internal motivations of learning
• dog letters
• academic accountability
• criminal justice
• social justice



Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to read the links noted above the reading assignment for this week.

1. What is the relationship between the "6Cs" and "illocutionary discourse"? What do you anticipate to be the most controversial issues and/or sensitive topics discussed in this course? Why. How does controversy relate to "illocutionary discourse"?

2. How are grades and grading determined in this course? How do you get an "A in this course? a "B"? "C"? "D"? "F"? How does a "dog letter" relate grades and grading? Why. How does this course differs from other courses that you have taken. Why.

3. If you are a new student to this teaching/learning model, a) do you understand the model? and b) what questions do you have as we begin the semester? If you are familiar with this teaching/learning model, a) what do you plan to do differently this semester? Why. and b) what advice would you give to one of the new students? Why.

4. What is the relationship between criminal justice and social justice? What should the relationship between criminal justice and social justice be? Why.

5. Compare and contrast the beginning of the Loeb and Minow books. What are some difference? What are some similarities? Why.



Suggested Creative Measures:




Note: Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures. Must relate to "criminal justice/social justice." Must be approved before starting your creative measure. Cannot be something that you are doing or have done for another course. Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated). No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your idea.



• Select the worst injustice, past or present. Explore how this injustice has evolved and changed over time.
• In the quest for justice, fairness and equality, what needs to change first? Why.



Recommended Readings:



• Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness.
• MoveOn.org. Move On's 50 Ways to Love Your Country.
  
  

Course Syllabus for CRMJ 353 Criminal Justice/Social Justice

takata@uwp.edu