Community Organization Syllabus

COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: SOC 301 Community Organization

SEMESTER AND YEAR: Spring 2012

I. BASIC COURSE INFORMATION:

CLASS TIMES:	TR 11:30-12:50. Office hours are MWTr from 1-3 and by appointment appointment
LOCATION:	Dollye M.E. Robinson Liberal Arts Building Room 263
INSTRUCTOR:	Dr. Thomas Kersen
OFFICE:	Dollye M.E. Robinson #305
EMAIL ADDRESS:	Thomas.m.kersen@jsums.edu (preferred mode of communication)
PHONE:	601-979-3040
DEPT. WEBSITE:	http://cola.jsums.edu/show.asp?durki=796

II. REQUIRED TEXT: Rubin, Herbert J., and Irene S. Rubin. 2008. Community Organizing and Development. 4th ed. Needham Heights, Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 13-978-0-205-40813-9

III. REQUIRED READINGS: Please see the list of required article readings located at the end of the syllabus.

IV. REQUIRED RESOURCES: E-mail account (private provider or JSU); internet access; access to personal computer with Microsoft Word or Open Office equivalent. Consider Facetime or Skype to interact with the me. I am working to make resources available on Apple products (e.g., Ipod, Ipad, Iphone).

V. COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of the historical evaluation of community organizations, methods of securing community support, the ecological characteristics, the social processes and interactional patterns. Attention is given to agency organizations and functions. Student participation in organizational practices and professional supervision [Author italics].

VI. COURSE OBJECTIVES: One of the main goals of this course is to develop the student’s sociological awareness. First, students will be exposed to the theories and methods of sociology that relate to community organization. The course will emphasize the practical linkages to theoretical ideas about community and community organization. By the end of the course, students will gain a deeper appreciation of the complexity of the concept of community. Second, students will be reacquainted with sociological institutions and processes. Students will study the various levels of interaction within the community environment. They will also learn about conflict and change and other social issues that influence life in a community.

The third goal of the course is offer learning opportunities for students to engage in critical and analytical reasoning. This goal will be meet through synthesizing service learning opportunities with class room experiences. Mid-term and Final Examination questions will be tailored to this and other goals as well.

The fourth goal of this course is to give students the chance to get connected in the local community—in other words, to be civically engaged. Students will take what they learn in the classroom and apply that knowledge in service learning opportunities over the length of the course. This goal will be assessed through the service learning process as outlined by Center for Service and Engaged Learning

VII. EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE

Forms of Assessment	Points	% of Grade
Mid-Term Examination (1)	50	25.0
Service Learning Experience	75	37.5
Final Paper/Presentation	50	25.0
Attendance, Tardiness, blog & class room participation	25	12.5
Total	100	100%

VIII. GRADING SCALE

90%	to	100%	=	A
80	to	89	=	B
70	to	79	=	C
60	to	69	=	D
0	to	59	=	F

IX. STUDENT ACTIVITIES: Students will submit all work in electronic format with a title page containing the following information: title of work, course number, and title (i.e. SOC 301 Community Organization), assignment title, professor’s name, the due date, and your full name. Use Times New Roman, 12 point, font for your work outside of titles and subtitles. No pictures, emoticons, etc. are allowed in your work. Be sure to staple your paper—no fancy folders or binders. I reserve the right to refuse any work that fails to follow the guidelines listed above. Because of the logistical nightmare that it creates, I will not accept late work except in extreme, documented cases. Any cases of cheating (e.g. plagiarism) will be dealt with severely.

Examinations: There is one multiple choice examinations during the semester. The exam is worth 50 points.

Service Learning: Each student is expected to complete at least 20 hours of service at a community agency. Normally, Thursday class times will be used for this purpose. Please note that you may need an additional 2 to 3 hours to meet this requirement. Staying for an hour and a half for instead of one hour and 20 minutes may be a choice. It is important for you to understand that this course has a formally recognized service learning component. If you think you will not be able to meet the service learning expectation, then you may need to drop the course. At the beginning of the course (Week 1) a representative from the Jackson State University’s Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning (Reddix Hall, 1st Floor) will discuss the expectations in depth. Your service learning experience will be reflected on your student transcript. A student may be awarded up 75 points based on service organization reports and other assessments. Be sure to keep a journal of your experiences and how they relate to the course.

You will conduct your service learning experience at the Mississippi Center for Justice at 5 Old River Place, Suite 203 (39202). This is located near the large YMCA complex on I-55. The website for the organization is www.mscenterforjustice.org. This organization focuses on a number of social justice issues such as fair lending practices in the community, informing people about their health benefits, etc. Representatives will visit the class on January 20, 2011.

Final Paper: The culmination of the course is the final paper. The paper will be no more than 10 pages, 12 point font, 1 inch margins, with a coversheet. Your paper will be a reflexive description of your service learning experience using insights from the course lecture, text, and other resources. At the end of this syllabus is a listing of some of these facets with suggested readings. In the course of your studies you find yourself interested in some other aspect of community development and wish to do a paper on that topic, please see me. Your topic should be one that is frequently referenced in academic journals and especially in sociology publications. The mark of excellence is being able creating something new or innovative from past efforts. As a sociology student, it is important that you learn to write well. Thus, I will evaluate your writing assignments not only on content but quality as well. You must use at least 5 sources from the list below. You will not use Wikipedia or any online source not associated with Jackson State University’s library webpage. It is wise to assume that you may have to actually go into the library to access material. This assignment is worth 40 points.

Final Presentation: Each student will be responsible for a 5-minute presentation of their final paper. You should regard this as a professional experience in which faculty and other interested individuals may be present so dress accordingly. Each student is required to prepare a visual presentation and also handouts for the reviewing audience. This assignment is worth 10 points.

Other Points: A student may be awarded up to 25 points for not being tardy, missing class, not having to be told to put phones away, etc.

Thus your final grades are calculated as your earned points divided by 200 possible points.

X. COURSE CONTENT AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

Week	Topic	Things to Do/Turn In
Week 1	Ch.1(Organizing and Development for Progressive Social Change) & 2 (A World of Action: A World of Hope); Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning (CSCEL) (January 20)	Syllabus Reciept/Rqd docs for CSCEL/Pretest
Week 2	Ch. 2-3 (Models for Implementing Progressive Social Change)	Service Learning
Week 3	Ch. 4 (Empowering Individuals)	Service Learning
Week 4	Ch. 5 (Building Community to Create Capacity for Change); Service Learning Quarter Semester Review	Service Learning
Week 5	Ch. 6 (Empowering Through Building Progressive Organizations) 7. Social Problems & Public Policy	Service Learning
Week 6	Ch. 8 (Intersecting Histories) & 9 (Learning about Personal, Community, and Social Needs through Action Research)	Service Learning
Week 7	Ch. 10 (Activist, Organizers, and Social Change Professionals) 11. Creating Capacity through Effective Organizational Administration	Service Learning
Week 8	Midterm Examination Chapters 1-9 March 8	Complete 50 point multiple choice exam
Week 9	Ch. 14 (An Overview of Social Mobilization Campaigns)	Service Learning
Week 10	Ch. 15 (Mobilizing Individuals & Groups)	Service Learning
Week 11	Ch. 16 (Influencing the Public Sector)	Paper Rough Draft
Week 12	Ch. 17 (Compelling Change through Power Tactics) ; Service Learning Quarter Semester Review	Service Learning
Week 13	Ch. 18 (Tools for Strengthening Social Mobilization Campaigns) 19. (Social Action: Magnifying Power through Coalitions)	Service Learning
Week 14	Ch. 20 (An Introduction to the Community Economic and Social Production Model) 21. (Skills for Accomplishing Economic and Social Production Work)	Service Learning/Post Test
Week 15	Presentations	Paper Turn-In
Week 16	Post-Test

XI. SPECIAL NEEDS LEARNERS: Please discuss any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs so that we can work together to support your learning. Jackson State University complies with the American with Disabilities Act. If you have or think you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both me and the Office of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator or Compliance Office, P.O. Box 17999, Jackson, MS 39217, (601) 979-3704 as early as possible in the semester. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER TO INFORM ME!

XII. DIVERSITY STATEMENT: Jackson State University is committed to creating a community that affirms and welcomes persons from diverse backgrounds and experiences and supports the realization of their human potential. We recognize that there are differences among groups of people and individuals based on ethnicity, race, socio-economic status, gender, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical areas. All persons are encouraged to respect the individual differences of others.

XIII. CAVEAT EMPTOR: Please note that I reserve the right to change anything listed on this syllabus by advance or extenuating circumstances, in class verbal and/or online notification. It is your responsibility to know and follow all the written guidance given by the instructor in this syllabus. Be sure to frequently monitor your JSU email account.

XIV. CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY

All students at Jackson State University must fully commit themselves to their program of study. One hundred percent (100%) punctual class attendance is expected of all students in all scheduled classes and activities. Any absence from class will be recorded for which a student does not provide written official excuse is counted as an unexcused absence. I will rely on JSU’s attendance policy when dealing with absences so be sure to read that policy in your student handbook. If a student misses five or more classes they will receive a one-letter grade reduction at the end of the course. If a student misses 6 to 9 classes, they will receive a two-letter grade reduction by the end of the course. Any student who misses ten or more classes (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course. I consider being mentally present as important as physical presence, therefore, you will ensure your cell phones are put away and will not disrupt the class. I will warn you only once. If this becomes a problem, I will regard you as being absent and mark your record accordingly.

XV. ACADEMIC HONESTY STATEMENT: Bottom Line Up Front: Do not cheat, I read your work. I will follow the undergraduate catalog (Pg. 61 of the current catalog). The most popular form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism. Keep in mind, there is no such thing as “I just cut-and-pasted a little bit.” or I put the author’s name at the end of a sentence/paragraph/page.” If you cut and paste from someone else’s work and merely put their name at the end of the paste-in, you are still plagiarizing. Use your own words and keep direct quotes to a minimum. To help you in choosing the right and wrong path in terms of plagiarism, you will not be allowed to use any source that is not a journal, book, or something I have listed in a bibliography. NO WIKIPEDIA. As for cheating on exams, be aware that I use multiple versions of the exam. ALL CASES OF PLAGIARISM WILL RESULT IN A GRADE OF “F” FOR THE COURSE.

XVI. COURSE READINGS AND RESOURCES

Part 1. Progressive Organizing

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. 2010. “ACORN.” Homepage. http://www.acorn.org/.

Brint, Steven. 2001. “Gemeinschaft Revisited: A Critique and Reconstruction of the Community Concept.” Sociological Theory 19:1.

Bulmer, Martin. 1985. “The Rejuvenation of Community Studies? Neighbors, Networks and Policy.” Sociological Review 33:430-448.

Delanty, Gerard. 2003. Community. 1st ed. Routledge.

Ervin, Elizabeth. 1999. “Academics and the Negotiation of Local Knowledge.” College English 61:448.

Feagin, Joe R., and Hernan Vera. 2008. Liberation Sociology: Second Edition. 2nd ed. Paradigm Publishers.

Freire, Paulo. 1993. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 20th ed. New York: Continuum.

Industrial Areas Foundation. 2009. “Homepage.” Homepage. http://www.industrialareasfoundation.org/.

Mayfield, Loomis. 2001. “Town and Gown in America: Some Historical and Institutional Issues of the Engaged University.” Education for Health: Change in Learning & Practice (Taylor & Francis Ltd) 14:231-240.

Warren, Mark. 1992. “Democratic Theory and Self-Transformation.” American Political Science Review 86:8.

Work Group for Community Health and Development. 2010. “Table of Contents.” The Community Tool Box. http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/index.aspx.

Part 2. The Three Pillars of Progressive Organizing

Brint, Steven. 2001. “Gemeinschaft Revisited: A Critique and Reconstruction of the Community Concept.” Sociological Theory 19:1.

McAdam, Doug. 1986. “Recruitment to High-Risk Activism: The Case of Freedom Summer.” The American Journal of Sociology 92:64-90.

Putnam, Robert D. 2001. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. 1st ed. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Stout, Linda. 1996. Bridging the Class Divide and Other Lessons for Grassroots Organizing. Boston: Beacon Press.

Wood, Richard L. 1997. “Social Capital and Political Culture.” American Behavioral Scientist 40:595.

Part 3. Problems, Programs and Precedents

Alinsky, Saul David. 1969. Reveille for Radicals. New York: Vintage Books.

Bledsoe, Thomas. 1969. Or We’ll All Hang Separately; the Highlander Idea. Boston: Beacon Press.

Fisher, Robert. 1984. Let the People Decide: Neighborhood Organizing in America. Boston, Mass: Twayne Publishers.

———-. 1994. “Community organizing in the conservative ’80s and beyond.” Social Policy 25:11-21.

Horton, Aimee Isgrig. 1989. The Highlander Folk School: A History of Its Major Programs, 1932-1961. Brooklyn, N.Y: Carlson Pub.

Horton, Myles. 1990. We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Reitzes, Donald C., and Dietrich C. Reitzes. 1987. “Alinsky in the 1980s: Two Contemporary Chicago Community Organizations.” The Sociological Quarterly 28:265-283.

———-. 1987. The Alinsky Legacy: Alive and Kicking. Greenwich, Conn: Jai Press.

Stoecker, Randy. 2005. Research Methods for Community Change: A Project-Based Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Part 4. Building Capacity to Initiate Collective Action

Morris, Aldon. 1981. “Black Southern Student Sit-In Movement: An Analysis Of Internal Organization.” American Sociological Review 46:744-767.

———-. 1984. The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement: Black Communities Organizing for Change. New York: Free Press.

———-. 1993. “Birmingham Confrontation Reconsidered: An Analysis Of The Dynamics And Tactics Of Mobilization.” American Sociological Review 58:621-636.

Wood, Richard L. 2002. Faith in Action: Religion, Race, and Democratic Organizing in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Part 5. Compelling Change through Social Mobilization

Alinsky, Saul David. 1989. Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals. Vintage Books ed. New York: Vintage Books.

Chambers, Edward T. 2003. Roots for Radicals: Organizing for Power, Action, and Justice. New York: Continuum.

Gaventa, John. 1980. Power and Powerlessness: Quiescence and Rebellion in an Appalachian Valley. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

Gecan, Michael. 2002. Going Public. Boston: Beacon Press.

Russell, Daniel M. 1990. Political Organizing in Grassroots Politics. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

Speer, Paul W., and Joseph Hughey. 1995. “Community Organizing: An Ecological Route to Empowerment and Power.” American Journal of Community Psychology 23:729-748.