Mar 28, 2024  
College Catalog 2021-2022 
    
College Catalog 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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POLS 1700 - Organizing & Conflict Resolution

Credit Hours: 3.00


Prerequisites: None

This course introduces students to social and political power dynamics in the context of organizing and resolving conflict. It explores strategies and theories around building community, building power from the resources of that community, and using power strategically to make concrete change. The course also explores root causes of conflict, and provides skills and practice in several methods of conflict resolution, particularly those that facilitate connection and understanding among diverse groups of people.

Billable Contact Hours: 3

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OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES
Outcome 1: Students will be able to evaluate leadership practice and development with an emphasis on representing the needs of diverse community members.

Objectives:

  1. Identify the needs of diverse community members
  2. Analyze the role of leadership in community change and evolution
  3. Explain the impact of community change on diverse community members

Outcome 2: Students will be able to explain the relationship between leadership theories and the effect of those theories on various groups.

Objectives:

  1. Identify theories of leadership.
  2. Analyze case studies of leadership practices and their impact.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to explain modern leadership skills rooted in community service, diversity, and accountability.

Objectives:

  1. Develop effective leadership skills for community organizations
  2. Practice various leadership skills and strategies.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to analyze the dynamics of effective and ineffective leadership styles and models.

Objectives:

  1. Explain the processes of negotiation, mediation, facilitation, and consensus.
  2. Analyze theories of leadership as applied to various organizations
  3. Practice critical thinking and reflection, self-awareness, and communication techniques in leadership scenarios.

Outcome 5: Students will be able to distinguish the differences in value, power and resources that impede or facilitate leadership development and success.

Objectives:

  1. Identify concepts of leadership and their application to organizational success.
  2. Analyze leadership dynamics in relation to political, economic, and social power.
  3. Practice leadership roles and strategies.

Outcome 6: Students will be able to formulate a reflection of leadership within the local community.

Objectives:

  1. Document student/group work experience during the semester
  2. Analyze student/group work experience in the context of class goals and materials.
  3. Evaluate student/group learning and skill development.

COMMON DEGREE OUTCOMES (CDO)
• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

CDO marked YES apply to this course:
Communication: YES
Critical Thinking: YES
Global Literacy: YES
Information Literacy: YES
Quantitative Reasoning: YES
COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE
Course Outline:

  1. What is the value of collective action?
    1. Understanding social movements and interest groups in the US
    2. Identifying and analyzing social, political, and economic power dynamics (historical/present; global/local)
    3. Role of social movements and interest groups in the US (historical/present; global/local)
    4. Analyzing principles and theories: we go faster alone; we go further together.
    5. Understanding diversity in the context of collective action.
  2. What is change?
    1. Understanding and identifying the complex factors driving social and institutional change;
    2. Analyzing principles and theories of change, group evolution, and sustainability.
    3. Learn and practice skills required to be successful community change agents.
  3. What is power?
    1. Understanding power dynamics in society, institutions, groups and communities;
    2. Analyze and identify larger social/political/economic power dynamics and their impact (advantageous/discriminatory) on communities.
    3. Practice the engagement of various power dynamics, rooted in observation and reflection.
    4. Introduction to conflict resolution.
  4. What is organizing?
    1. Identifying common practices and theories around community/organizational collaboration and commitment.
    2. Practicing group decision-making
    3. Learning and practicing conventional and progressive organizing methods: planning, strategy, relationships, issue development, research, recruitment, fundraising, training and movement building
    4. Understanding and identifying the impact of diversity (and the practices of inclusivity/exclusivity) on meeting organizing goals.
  5. Which organizing and leadership practices lead to change?
    1. Critically examining past and recent organizing campaigns
    2. Exploring theories, technics and strategies for successful organizing
      1. Traditional organizing versus transformative organizing
      2. Creating shared story
      3. Creating shared relational commitment
      4. Creating shared structure: building leadership team(s)
  6. What is conflict? How can we resolve it?
    1. Identifying sources of conflict
    2. Understanding and practicing intentional, active listening.
    3. Are the goals of the group/campaign at odds with the goals of its workers? What about the people it represents/serves?
    4. Superficial conflict resolution versus transformative conflict resolution.
  7. Introduction to Conflict
    1. Conflict as a natural part of life.
    2. Productive ways to handle conflict
    3. Conflict cycles and styles
    4. Understanding and dealing with angry/difficult people
  8. Sources of Conflict
    1. Competition for resources
    2. Culture of competition versus culture of cooperation
    3. Different Points of View and perspectives
    4. Bias versus prejudice
    5. Awareness/Ignorance of power and privilege
  9. Arenas of conflict
    1. Interpersonal conflict
    2. Political Conflict
    3. Workplace and Organizational Conflict (internal)
  10. Traditional models of conflict resolution
    1. Distinguishing litigation, arbitration and mediation
    2. Settlement conferences
    3. Federal and state court system
  11. Mediation
    1. Models of mediation
    2. Role of the mediator
    3. Preparation of the mediation environment
    4. Mediation skills and tools
  12. Facilitation
    1. Models of facilitation
    2. Intentional/active listening
    3. Encouraging engagement
    4. Summarizing and clarifying
    5. Finding and strengthening connections and common interests
  13. Communicating Conflict
    1. Needs vs. positions
    2. Reframing
    3. Validation
    4. Maintaining neutrality
    5. Acknowledging different points of view
    6. Empathizing
    7. Finding common ground
    8. Using open-ended questions
    9. What to emphasize and what to avoid
  14. Constructing agreements
    1. Creating clear steps for moving forward
    2. Accountability - how will we make this agreement real going forward?
    3. Reconvene and reassess

Primary Faculty
Cross, Matthew
Secondary Faculty

Associate Dean
Williams-Chehmani, Angie
Dean
Pritchett, Marie



Official Course Syllabus - Macomb Community College, 14500 E 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088



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