Printer-friendly version

About the Course
Required Texts
About the Instructor

Sociology 4021 Course Overview

COURSE: Sociology 4021
TITLE: Social Conflict and Social Values
TERM: Self Paced, Online
INSTRUCTOR: Heidi Burgess, Ph.D. and Guy Burgess, Ph.D.
OFFICE: ARC A222
PHONE: 303-492-1635
EMAIL ADDRESS: burgess@colorado.edu

OFFICE HOURS:  Variable, but we are usually in the office (same office—we work together) 10-6 M-F. Call or email for appointment.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Explores conflict resolution theory and method as applied to interpersonal, intergroup, and interorganizational conflict. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and SOCY 2001, 3001, or 3011.

COURSE OVERVIEW:

This course is an upper division course that examines the nature of conflict in society, including what causes it, what its effects are (benefits and costs) and what can be done to maximize the benefits (engage in conflict constructively) and to limit the costs (prevent, manage, settle, or resolve destructive conflicts).

The course has six units. Students will do read about 10-15 essays (or so) for each unit, which amounts to 60-120 pages of reading. They will also listen to an hour or less of audio for each unit, will take an online quiz (to check whether you have done and understood the reading/listening) and complete a short paper or outside activity which requires you to employ some of the ideas in the unit to a real life situation.

In order to encourage discussion among students and the application of ideas from the course to real world situations, you are also required to participate in an online discussion that will focus particularly on current events. This discussion will involve students from this and my other related courses. I also hope to get some outside involvement, especially students from outside the US, to participate. The final exam is an online simulation in which students get a chance to try applying course materials to a hypothetical conflict situation.

REQUIRED READINGS: 

All of the readings are available online. The bulk of the readings are posted on Beyond Intractability (www.BeyondIntractability.org ) the website of the Intractable Conflict Knowledge Base Project. This project (and the website) has been under development for 5 years with a $1.2 million grant from the Hewlett Foundation. The project has involved over 200 people—expert scholars and practitioners in the conflict resolution field—from all over the world. The website has over 400 articles (only some of which are required for this course), and 100 hours of audio transcripts examining the nature, causes, consequences and potential responses to conflict. Although initially focused on serious and intractable conflict, much of this material is applicable to “regular,” tractable conflicts as well. Most of the reading and audio used in this course comes from this website.

Note: We are teaching several different courses based on this website, all of which are different, require different readings, and have different assignments. Thus students may take 2 or 3 and not be duplicating themselves.

COURSE GRADES: 

Each of the six units has an online quiz worth 25 points and either a short paper or a hands-on exercise worth 25 points. There is also a final exam worth 100 points. Finally, all students are expected to participate in the course online discussion by reading posts and posting at least 20 comments of your own, spread out at the rate of about 3-4 comments/unit. These comments should relate what you are learning in this class to the current news. You are also encouraged to respond to other students’ comments. Participation in this discussion is also worth 100 points, for a total of 500 points.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS:

I have been teaching this course for about five years, but this format, which uses Beyond Intractability as the basis for the course is brand new. I would appreciate feedback from students as you go through about your experiences with that website and with the course overall. Most importantly, if you have problems, please write or call so that we can get them worked out quickly. Do not put questions or comments about the course in the online discussion—send them to me through WebCT, or directly to burgess@colorado.edu. Please put SOCY4021 in the subject line. My phone number is 303-492-1635. 

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE UNITS:
Note: More detailed descriptions are provided in the course materials section.

Unit 1: Understanding Conflict

Readings: from Beyond Intractability, and other online sources.
Topics covered: Definitions of conflict and disputes, role of conflict in society, the difference between tractable and intractable conflicts, and the causes and consequences of each.
Assessment: Online quiz plus 3-4 page paper examining several “high profile” conflicts in the news. Students should also start logging into the course discussion board on a regular basis. You are expected to post at least 20 comments relating what you are learning to the day’s news or other students’ comments between the time that you turn in this assignment and when you turn in Assignment #6.

Unit 2: Understanding Conflict Dynamics

Readings: From Beyond Intractability and other online sources.
Topics covered: conflict stages, escalation, de-escalation, social-psychological dimensions of conflict, complexity.
Assessment: Online quiz plus 3-6 page paper applying ideas from readings to real world conflicts.

Unit 3: The Role of Power in Conflict

Readings: From Beyond Intractability and other online sources.
Topics covered: Forms and sources of power, power inequality, empowerment
Assessment: Online quiz plus 3-4 page power analysis of a real world conflict

Unit 4 Communication in Interpersonal Conflicts

Readings: From Beyond Intractability and other online sources.
Topics covered: common communication problems, communication skills (for overcoming problems)
Assessment: Online quiz plus two communication skills exercises

Unit 5: Strategies for Conflict Analysis, Transformation, Management, or Resolution in an Organizational Setting

Readings: From Beyond Intractability and other online sources.
Topics covered: conflict analysis, transformation, management, resolution, dispute systems design, and others.
Assessment: Online quiz plus conflict transformation online simulation

Unit 6: Peace Processes in Intergroup and International Conflicts

Readings: From Beyond Intractability and other online sources.
Topics covered: peacemaking, peacekeeping, peace building, democratization, nation building,
Assessment: Online quiz plus short writing assignment.

Final Exam: The final exam is an online simulation in which students get a chance to try applying course materials to a hypothetical conflict situation.

UNIVERSITY-RELATED COURSE POLICIES:

HONOR CODE

All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions
from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/ Cheating in this class will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with in the most serious manner possible under the guidelines of the Honor Committee.

The University of Colorado Policy on Sexual Harassment applies to all students, staff and faculty. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual attention. It can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises or create an environment that is hostile or offensive. Harassment may occur between members of the same or opposite gender and between any combination of members in the campus community: students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Harassment can occur anywhere on campus, including the classroom, the workplace, or a residence hall. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been sexually harassed should contact the Office of Sexual Harassment (OSH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the OSH and the campus resources available to assist individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed can be obtained at: http://www.colorado.edu/sexualharassment/

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please discuss with me the specific problem before you turn in your first assignment, so that we can determine if you need any kind of special situation. If you do, you will have to submit to me a letter from Disability Services by this time so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices

Disability Services' letters for students with disabilities indicate legally mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. Since this is a self-paced course, this should not be an issue, but if you have a question please contact me as soon as possible. See full details of the University’s policy at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac-relig.html

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. See polices at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student-code

Guy & Heidi Burgess

Guy and Heidi Burgess both earned their Ph.D.s in sociology from the University of Colorado in 1979. They then did postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked for several years as public policy conflict consultants. With support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, they established (with others) the University of Colorado Conflict Research Consortium in 1988, which they have co-directed ever since.

With its primary focus on intractable conflict, the Consortium has pioneered efforts to use rapidly advancing information technologies to provide citizens in all walks of life with the information that they need to deal with difficult conflicts more constructively. The Consortium sees such efforts to enhance and mobilize the skills of the general population as critical to efforts to deal with complex, society-wide conflicts.

Your instructor can be contacted via email at burgess@colorado.edu.