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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: April 24, 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.

* * * * *

"Law and Social Change" Spring 2008

"Arrigo Theories" Spring 2008

"Images of Color/Images of Crime" Spring 2008

Week 15: Week of April 27, 2008

Topic:Second Visual Projects & Hallway Exhibition/The Future

Preparatory Readings

• Arrigo. Social Justice/Criminal Justice. Chapter 13.
• Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez. Images of Color, Images of Crime. Chapter 21 .
• Documentary/Film: "-----" (to be shown in class)

Lecture related links:



• Auto-Poietic Learning Systems
  
  
• 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:



• criminal justice and social justice
• critical social justice
• short-term vs. long-term solutions





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 "----" to be shown in class.

1. Why do juvenile and criminal justice programs need to be sensitive to cultural and gender differences in the populations they serve? Specify what programs should be different. Why? (from MZR, p. 264).

2. Do you share MZR's conclusion of a "fragile future"? Why or why not.

3. If you could change something within the criminal justice apparatus so that the system was more consistent with critical social justice principles, what would it be? Why. (Arrigo, p. 271, Q.7).

4. After reading about the American Indians, African Americans, Latino/a Americans, Asian Americans, and Euro Americans, which theory from the Arrigo text best fits for each group? Select a different theory for each group. (Do not use the same theory twice).Why. Provide examples from the MZR text to strengthen your argument.

5. Based on the theories introduced in Arrigo's book, what do you think the relationship between criminal justice and social justice should be? Why. Which theory comes closest to your views on this relationship? Why. Incorporate the MZR book into your argument.

6. Of all the theories and concepts covered in this course, which one makes the most sense in terms of "law and social change"? Provide examples from the readings, visual projects and other class materials/discussions.

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.



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!



• Examine how various writers from a diversity of disciplines and fields discuss the future. Are they optimistic or pessimistic? Why.
• What is the mass media's images of the future? Why.
• Read one of the recommended books listed below on the future.

Recommended Readings:

• George Ritzer. The McDonaldization of Society.
• Gordon Fellman. . Rambo and the Dalai Lama: The Compulsion to Win and Its Threat to Human Survival.
• Jurgen Habermas. Between Facts and Norms.
• Charles Derber. People Before Profit.
• Paul Klugman. The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way in the New Century.
• Michael Moore. Dude, Where's My Country?
  

  --- 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