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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: March 13, 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 10: Week of March 23, 2008

Topic: Semiotics/Latinos and Latinas

Preparatory Readings

• Arrigo. Social Justice/Criminal Justice. Chapter 7.
• Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez. Images of Color, Images of Crime. Chapter 3 & 8 .
• Documentary/Film: "Latin and African Americans: Friend or Foe?" (to be shown in class)
  

Lecture related links:



• Participate in the Community Building discussion group .
  
• Curran and Takata. Sociology of Law Handbook:
  -- Introduction
  -- Chapter 1, part 1
  -- Chapter 1, part 2
  -- Chapter 2

• Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Exclusion, Inclusion and American Law. Check out this link Martha Minow on the Dear Habermas site.
  
  
• "My Role in Social Change" Poem by LaTricia White (Spring 2004)
  
• "They Ain't Us: Identity as an Anti-Norm"
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
  
  
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
  

Concepts to be covered:



• semiotics
• "justice," justice, and JUSTICE
• media event
• sign
• "Cholo" style
• Chicano





Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to do all of the assigned readings for this week, and view "Latin and African Americans: Friend or Foe?" to be shown in class.

1. What is semiotics and justice? What is Manning trying to tell us?

2. How does the Latino/Latina experience relate to semiotics and justice? Using this week's readings and the documentary, provide an example of "justice," justice, and JUSTICE.

3. According to Luis Rodriguez, why does violence make sense in today's society? (from MZR).

4. What movies and/or television programs have you seen recently in which Latino/a stereotypes discussed in Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez were depicted? Describe them. Were any of the images different, and if so, in what way? What inferences can you make if they have not changed? (from MZR).

5. Explain what is meant by the statement, "The color of skin is the color of crime." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? (from MZR)

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!



• Relate the current presidential campaign (or other statewide or local campaigns) to some of the issues mentioned in this week's readings.
• Beyond examples discussed in class, examine how the mass media portrays Latinos/Latinas as discussed in the Arrigo chapter on semiotics.
• Read one of the recommended books listed below on Latinos/Latinas. Email me a brief book review.
• Examine the stereotypes and the stereotyping of Latinos/Latinas. Select on stereotype and trace how and why this stereotype has changed from the past to present day?
• Trace either prime time television or movie images of Latinos/Latinas from past to present.
• Research one of the following Latinos/Latinas: Reies Tijerina, Cesar Chavez or other prominent Latino/Latina figures.
• Trace the historical and contemporary origins of the Brown Beret.
• Explore some of the political and economic strategies used by Latinos/Latinas (i.e., boycotting, strikes).

Recommended Readings:

• Luis Rodriguez. Always Running: La Vida Loco, Gang Days in L.A..

• Rudolfo Acuna. Occupied America: A History of the Chicanos. [has not been released yet]

• Susan Berk-Seligson. Bilingual Courtroom.

• Richard Rodriguez. Hunger of Memory.

• Joan Moore. Going Down to the Barrio: Homeboys and Homegirls in Change.

• Joan Moore. Homeboys: Gangs, Drugs, and Prison in the Barrios of Los Angeles.

• Armando Rendon . The Chicano Manifesto .
  
  

  --- 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.

  
  
  

Self-Assessment Questions for each Visual Project:

1. List the names of the individuals in your group. What did you do exactly for this visual project? (If in a group, explain the division of labor and your individual contribution to this visual project).
2. Briefly explain how your visual project relates to "law and social change" (i.e., the readings, the documentaries). What did you learn?
3. Assess how the 6Cs apply to your visual project, with special attention on competence and creativity. What is your visual project self-assessment (provide a letter grade) ___ ? Why.

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

takata@uwp.edu