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 27, 2007
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 30, 2007

• Friday, October 5th - Bring crayons, color pencils and markers to class.
• Monday, October 15 through Monday, October 22nd - First Meetings
• Wednesday, October 24th - Midterm Visual Projects due at the beginning of class
• Friday, October 26th - Last Day to Drop a Semester-long Course
  
  

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

  Preparatory Readings:

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

  Lecture related links:

  
  
  • Empathy.
    
  • Other Gordon Fellman related materials on the Dear Habermas site.
    
  • Transforming Discourse: Teaching Tolerance
    National Criminal Justice Resource Service. Administered by the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
    
    
  • "theory, policy, practice"
  • "Who's Habermas? Why Habermas?"
  • W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
    
    
  • Those Infamous Grades and Letters of Recommendation
  • "The Case Against Gold Stars" by Alfie Kohn.
  
  
  

  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/Visual Projects:

  
  

  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.
  
  

  • Examine a recent current event (i.e., O.J. Simpson's latest case, Jena 6) 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.
  
  

  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.
    
    
    
  • 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.
    
    
  • Desmond Tutu. No Future Without Forgiveness.
    
    

Course Syllabus for CRMJ/SOCA 365 "Race, Crime, Law"