Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP - Archives

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: September 25, 2008
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ/SOCA 365 Race, Crime, Law

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 5: Week of September 28, 2008

Monday, September 29th - Be sure to sign up for your "First Meeting" with me.

Friday, October 3rd - Bring crayons, color pencils and markers to class.

Topic: Mutuality and a Future/Race, Ethnicity, Social Structure & Crime

Preparatory Readings:


• Richard Delgado & Jean Stefancic. The Derrick Bell Reader . Chapters 3 & 4.
• Samuel Walker and others. The Color of Justice. -- Chapter 3.
• Gordon Fellman. Rambo and the Dalai Lama. -- entire book.
• Documentary: "Heart of Tibet" (to be shown in class)
• Empathy.
  
  
  

Lecture related links:



• Critical Race Theory
  
• Race, Ethnicity, and the Criminal Justice System
• Sticks and Stones -- Labelling Matters.
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
  
• Adversarialism AND Mutuality
• Adversarialism
• other Gordon Fellman related materials on the Dear Habermas site.
• "Who's Habermas? Why Habermas?"
  
  




Concepts to be covered:



• adversary rituals of coercion
• the Other
• empathy
• seeds of mutuality
• civil rights
• community
• conflict
• cultural capital
• culture conflict
• economic inequality
• poverty
• wealth
• underclass



Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to view "The Heart of Tibet," and do the assigned readings for this week.

1. What are "adversary rituals of coercion"? According to Fellman, what does "Rambo" symbolize? Why. Who is today's "Rambo"? Why.
2. Define the Other. According to Fellman, what is "empathy"? What is the relationship between the Other and "empathy"?
3. Come up with your own examples for each of the three seeds of mutuality: (a) old seeds in old institutions, b) new seeds in old institutions, and c) new seeds in new institutions).
4. In Fellman's conclusion, he includes the following quote by Kenneth Boulding: "War is no longer legitimate, but peace is not yet legitimate." Why?
5. What has been the impact of the civil rights movement on crime and criminal justice? [from Walker, p. 102]. (Also refer to The Derrick Bell Reader). Are things "better" or "worse" today? Why.
6. Which theory of crime do you think best explains the prevalence of crime in the U.S.? [from Walker, p. 102]. Which theory would Derrick Bell select? Why. Which theory would Gordon Fellman select? Why.



Suggested Creative Measures:




Note: Start thinking about ideas for your creative measures. Must relate to "race, crime, law." 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 are expected to turn in a bibliography with each visual project. No term papers! Allow time to dialogue and present your creative measure in class. Email me your ideas ASAP.



• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. An excellent resource for juvenile justice related issues.
  
• National Criminal Justice Resource Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
  
  
• Examine a recent current event and relate this event to "race, crime, law."
• Explore what the Rambo character symbolizes and why was he so popular during its time? Is Rambo still popular today? Why.
• Research the Dalai Lama -- his past and present.
• Research "forgiveness". Begin with these books: Martha Minow, Between Vengeance and Forgiveness. Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness.
• After Hurricane Katrina, explore what this disaster tell us about "race, crime, law".
• Research employment and income data for your city categorized by race and ethnicity.
• Examine Race, Ethnicity, and the Criminal Justice System published by the American Sociological Association (September 2007).



Recommended Readings:



• Debra Van Ausdale and Joe Feagin. The First R: How Children Learn about Race and Racism.
• Robert Blauner. Still the Big News: Racial Oppression in America.
  
  
• The Dalai Lama. The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality.
• The Dalai Lama. Ethics for the New Millennium.
• The Dalai Lama. An Open Heart.
• The Dalai Lama. Live in a Better Way.
• Paul Loeb. The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear. [if you have not read this for another course]
• Paulo Freire. Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
• Alfie Kohn. No Contest. The Case Against Competition.
• Thomas Kuhn. Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
  
  
  
  
  
• Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness.
• 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 365 "Race, Crime, Law"

takata@uwp.edu