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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 9, 2009
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 13: Week of April 12, 2009

Monday, April 13th at 2:30 p.m. -- Racine Correctional Institution site visit (only those who signed up before the deadline may attend). Meet in the lobby at RCI.

Friday, April 17th at 1:30 p.m. -- Ellsworth Correctional Center site visit (only those who signed up prior to the deadline can attend). Meet in the lobby at ECC.

April 20-24 - Second meetings. (If you have not signed up for a date/time, see me ASAP).

Monday, May 4th at the beginning of class -- Final Visual Project due (including bibliography & self-assessment)

Friday, May 8th -- Last Day of Class

Topic: Chaos Theory/Asian Americans

Preparatory Readings

• Arrigo. Social Justice/Criminal Justice. Chapter 10.
• Mann, Zatz & Rodriguez. Images of Color, Images of Crime. Chapters 4 & 9.
• Documentary: "Toyo Miyatake: " (to be shown in class)
  
  
• Curran and Takata. Sociology of Law Handbook
  -- Introduction
  -- Chapter 1, part 1
  -- Chapter 1, part 2
  -- Chapter 2

Lecture related links:



• Japanese American National Museum
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
  
• Metaphor and Theory links to "The Blind Men and the Elephant" which applies to several concepts discussed in both classes. Eric K. mentioned this metaphor during one of our class discussions in "Law and Society."
• "My Role in Social Change" Poem by LaTricia White (Spring 2004)
  
• "They Ain't Us: Identity as an Anti-Norm"
  
• Those Infamous Grades and Letters of Recommendation
• "The Case Against Gold Stars" by Alfie Kohn.
  
  

Concepts to be covered:



• chaos
• order and disorder
• Chinese Exclusion Act
• Issei, Nisei, Sansei, Yonsei
• Executive Order 9066
• internment camps
• immigrants and refugees



Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to view "Toyo Miyatake" to be shown in class.

1. What are the essential principles of chaos theory as presented in this chapter? (Arrigo, p. 199, Q.3). How does chaos theory relate to the Asian American experience, and more specifically to the the documentary, "Toyo Miyatake"?

2. How can police practice, judicial procedures, and probation work advance the tenets of chaos theory? (Arrigo, p. 199, Q.6). Provide examples from this week's MZR chapters.

3. Explain how Johnny's and Linda's experiences dispel current stereotypes of Asian Americans and how their experiences can specifically inform public policy. (from MZR).

4. What movies and television shows can you think of that portray Asians in nonstereotypical ways? (from MZR).
   



Self-Assessment Questions for Visual Projects:





Final Visual Projects will be due at the beginning of class on Monday, May 4th (include your bibliography and self-assessment)



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). What small item did you create to "give away" to those visiting your visual project?
2. Explain in depth, how your visual project specifically relates to the course (i.e., the readings, the documentaries, class discussions, major concepts). Demonstrate how your visual project relates to "theory, policy, practice". 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) ___ ? Explain why this particular grade.
   
   
   

   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 the political and cultural context of the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
   • Explore Asian American ethnic enclaves (i.e., Chinatown, Little Saigon, Koreatown, Little Tokyo).
   • Research one of the following topics: 1) Asian gangs, 2) Southeast Asian refugees, 3) the Suzy Wong stereotype, 4) the Fu Manchu stereotype.
   • Beyond examples discussed in class, examine how the mass media portrays Asian Americans.
   • Read one of the recommended books listed below on Asian Americans. Email me a brief book review.
   • Trace the origins and persistence of the "model minority" stereotype of Asian Americans. Is this a positive or negative stereotype? Why.
   • Trace either prime time television or movie images of Asian Americans from past to present.
   • Research one of the following Asian Americans: Senator Daniel K. Inouye, S.I. Hayakawa, Maya Lin or other prominent figures.
   • Trace the historical and contemporary origins of the Japanese American Citizens League.
   • Explore some of the political and economic strategies used by Asian Americans.
   
   

   Recommended Readings:
   
   

   • Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston. Farewell to Manzanar.
   • Michi Weglyn. Years of Infamy.
   • Roger Daniel. Politics of Prejudice.
   • Ronald Takaki. Iron Cages..
   • Amy Tan. The Joy Luck Club.
   • Lawson Fusao Inada. Only What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience.
   • Greg Robinson. By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans.
   • Victor Nee. Longtime Californ'.
   • H. Kim. A Legal History of Asian Americans, 1790-1990 .
   • Tetsuden Kashima. Judgment without Trial: Japanese American Imprisonment during World War II.
     
     

     --- 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