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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: January 20, 2008
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ/SOCA 352 Law and Social Change

You will be held accountable for the readings and discussion questions 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

Preparatory Readings

• Those Infamous Grades and Letters of Recommendation
• "The Case Against Gold Stars" by Alfie Kohn.
• Cooperative Learning
• Preface
• "Who's Habermas? Why Habermas?"
  
  
• Arrigo. Social Justice/Criminal Justice. Introduction.
• Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez. Images of Color, Images of Crime. Foreword & Introduction .
• Curran and Takata. Sociology of Law Handbook:
  -- Introduction
  -- Chapter 1, part 1
  -- Chapter 1, part 2
  -- Chapter 2
  
  

Lecture related links:



• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
  
  

Concepts to be covered:



• illocutionary discourse
• the aesthetics of answerability
• monologic non-answerability
• taxonomy of learning
• the 6Cs
• interdependence
• the external and internal motivations of learning
• dog letters
• academic accountability



Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to read all of the assigned reading linked above

1. What are the "6Cs"? Which "C" is the most important? Why. What is a "dog letter"? How do the "6Cs" relate to "dog letters?" Why.

2. How does this course differ from other courses that you have taken? How are grades and grading determined in this course? How do you earn a "C"? How do you earn an "A"?

3. If you are a new student to this teaching/learning model, a) do you understand how and why this course is organized the way it is? and b) what questions do you have? Or, if you are a returning student to this teaching/learning model, a) what will you do differently this semester and b) what advice would you give to a new student? Why.

4. Compare and contrast the introduction in Arrigo's Social Justice/Criminal Justice with Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez's Images of Color, Images of Crime.



Suggested Visual Projects:




Note: Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures. Must relate to "law and social change." 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). You will need to submit a bibliography with each project. No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your ideas ASAP!



• What is social change? Research an example of social changes in today's society. Is this social change slow and gradual or quick and sudden? Why.
• Explore the relationship between "law and social change." Can laws cause social change? Or, does social change "change" laws? How? Why?



Recommended Readings:




--- Jurgen Habermas. Between Facts and Norms.
--- Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Exclusion, Inclusion and American Law. Check out this link Martha Minow on the Dear Habermas site.

Course Syllabus for CRMJ/SOCA 352 "Law and Social Change"

takata@uwp.edu