Honor 275
Humanity’s Journey:
Towards Evil or Hope
Fall 2014
Tuesdays, Thursdays 11:00 – 12:15
Education and Business Administration (EBA) 249
Professor: Bruce Harley
E-mail: bharley@rohan.sdsu.edu (use first; checked often)
Telephone: 619-594-5014 (use second; not checked often)
Office: Library 108D, located in the quiet study area next to the hallway connecting the
two library buildings.
Contact Hours:
 In my office, after class, or by appointment.
 Also, I work at the Library’s Reference Services Desk several hours each week.
Ask me for my weekly schedule or call the desk at 619-594-6728.
 In addition, you may see me at one or more of the volunteer locations (see
Assignments, Participation in Volunteer Activities).
Course Overview
I teach this course because I am concerned about the sustainability of not only humanity’s
relationship with the earth, but with each other on a global scale. There is far too much
mass evil in the world today. By mass evil I mean widespread torture, modern human
slavery, rape used as a weapon of war, child soldiering, genocide and other large-scale
cruel acts affecting people around the world, resulting in not only widespread death and
injury, but internally displaced people, immigrants, and refugees in many countries,
including the United States. San Diego and neighboring communities are “home” to
thousands of immigrants and refugees.
This course is designed to provide you with a framework for understanding mass evilness
and cruelty. Without an acknowledgement of our capacity to potentially act as
perpetrators, we will never be able to strive to eliminate such actions and thus contribute
to humanity’s hopefulness and sustainability. To achieve such an acknowledgement,
unsettling as it may be, and come to an understanding of how people can intentionally
engage in horrific acts, you will be exposed to a multi-disciplinary perspective on how
our brains/minds and our cultures have evolved in ways that can all too easily make us
think and behave in maladaptive, unsustainable ways. The ideas (concepts, methods,
theories) presented will be drawn primarily but not exclusively from anthropology and
psychology. They will be complemented by both fiction and non-fiction reading material
and all or parts of several films, as well as clips from other videos.
To more fully understand the effects of mass evilness and cruelty and better empathize
with the victims of these acts, this course has a service learning component. You will,
with due personal and academic integrity, volunteer for the local International Rescue
Committee (IRC) at their office, located close to SDSU in City Heights, or at the
Crawford High Educational Complex, located near the IRC office, or at El Cajon Valley
High. I have chosen the first two community partners for your volunteer activities
because I began volunteering with the IRC during the summer of 2010 and have found
my time spent at the IRC office and Crawford High to be most worthwhile. Please note
that, before volunteering, a background check will be run on you. The fee for this
procedure varies depending on where you are fingerprinted; the IRC may be able to
reimburse you up to $30. You will also be interviewed by one or more IRC staff. For
more information, see Assignments, Participation in Volunteer Activities.
The IRC “responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive
and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers
lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or
disaster.”
See http://www.rescue.org/irc-a-glance.
“Erected in 1957, the Crawford Educational Complex is a comprehensive school serving
1,500 students. According to the California Department of Education statistics, Crawford
is the most diverse high school in the state.”
See http://www.sandi.net/crawford, then About Crawford.
Together, the IRC and Crawford High exemplify coalition building across diverse groups
around the idea of a sustainable community.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
 take a long look at yourself “in the mirror,”
 mind your brain (rethink your thinking),
 realize that things could have been/could be different,
 question supposedly universal “common sense,”
 reevaluate what it means to be “normal,”
 resist both the depersonalization and egotism of modern society,
 reassess how you identify yourself and different “others,”
 empathize with those similar other people, and
 admire our past resilience and hopefulness while considering responses to our
present and future challenges.
You will also be able to explain the significance of each of these Course Outcomes.
In this course, I will not teach, nor will you learn, “to the exam.” In fact, there will be no
exams. You will, of course, earn a grade, but your grade will be determined by a
combination of written and oral assignments, participation in class, and participation in
volunteer activities.
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The written assignments include a biweekly journal, in which you will integrate, reflect
on, and evaluate the ideas presented in class and in course materials as they relate to your
volunteer experience. Your journal will be a record of your civic engagement with and
contributions to both the IRC and the refugee students at Crawford High, El Cajon Valley
High, or at a local community college. More broadly, it will be a record of your ability to
apply knowledge to real-world problems as well as your commitment to social change for
hopefulness, social justice, and long-term sustainability. The preliminary and final
journal entry presentations, in which you will synthesize course content, require you to
meet with me, giving us the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue early in the
semester and again at the end of the semester. For more information, see Assignments,
#’s (3), (4), and (5).
Attendance is critical to how well you do in and how much you learn during this course.
The assignments will require you to respond to, integrate and apply, and reflect on
material presented and discussed in class. Except at the beginning of the semester,
attendance will not be taken, but unexcused absences will be noted. You are expected to
be on time (repeated tardiness will also be noted), come prepared (with any assignments
due; late assignments will, in addition, be noted), be attentive, contribute to the in-class
dialogue, and, most importantly, respect everyone in class. This means no electronic
devices, unless approved by me. For more information, see Participation in Class, and
Assignments, Reading and Viewing Prompt Responses.
This course has a Blackboard course site. There you will find a variety of course-related
information, including this syllabus. I will use Blackboard to communicate with you via
e-mail, both as classmates and individually.
Student Learning Objectives
The objectives of this course, divided into 5 parts, are to help you not only appreciate and
address the following questions, but to synthesize and make connections among them as
well as ideas related to them:
Part 1 – Introduction AND Being Human
 What is the significance of the Course Outcomes?
 How distinctive are we?
 What is the importance of nature and nurture in human evolution?
 What is meant by neural plasticity?
 What are some of the key ideas related to culture?
 What are some metaphors of culture?
 How might culture be maladaptive?
 Who are refugees? What is the International Rescue Committee (IRC)? What
volunteer opportunities does the IRC offer?
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Part 2 – Evolutionary Cross-Cultural Challenges and Responses
What is the evolutionary significance of indigenous hunting and gathering (or
foraging)?
Who are the African Bushmen or San, or, more specifically, the northern or
!Kung San or Ju/’hoansi (“the Real People”) and what is their evolutionary
significance?
What are the consequences of domestication?
What are the patterns of living (economic, political, legal, religious) characteristic
of the world’s traditional (sub)cultures, past and present, and how do they contrast
with those of modern (sub)cultures, such as our own?
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Part 3 – Contemporary Culture Change
What are some of the specific ways in which traditional people are changing?
What are some of the general trends of culture change affecting all people?
Is there a theme to these trends?
What is the psychological profile of the contemporary post-industrialist? How
might s/he be maladaptive?
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Part 4 - Socio-Cultural Identity
How has socio-cultural identity been affected by culture change?
Why might identification be a better term to use then identity?
What does it mean to stereotype (essentialize, reify) and stigmatize people?
How are state- and nation-hood, race, and ethnicity used to establish, maintain,
and change socio-cultural identity?
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Part 5 - Evilness, Cruelty, and the “Other” AND Conclusion, including
Course Outcomes, revisited
Who is capable of being evil and committing acts of cruelty?
What influences evilness and cruelty?
What are some examples of torture, in both laboratory-like and real-world
settings?
What is the extent of modern human slavery, human smuggling, and human
trafficking?
What are some of the experiences of women and children in and at war, including
refugees?
What happened in Rwanda prior to, during, and after the 1994 genocide?
When is forgiveness possible?
What is the distinction between retributive and restorative justice?
What conclusions can we draw about our past, present, and future?
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Course Outline
Topics
Part 1 – Introduction AND Being Human
 6 classes (approximate)
Book Readings and Films
Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael, chapters 1-8
(through page 148)
Faces of Culture: The Nature of
Culture
Part 2 – Evolutionary Cross-Cultural
Challenges and Responses
 6 classes (approximate)
Wade Davis’ Light at the Edge of
the World, Preface and chapters 1-4
Ishmael, chapters 10-13
N!ai, the Story of a !Kung Woman
(1st half)
The Shaman’s Apprentice
Part 3 – Contemporary Culture Change
 4 classes (approximate)
Light at the Edge of the World,
chapters 5, 7
Contact: The Yanomami Indians of
Brazil
N!ai (2nd half)
Part 4 – Socio-Cultural Identity
 4 classes (approximate)
Light at the Edge of the World,
chapter 6
American History X
Skinheads USA
Part 5 – Evilness, Cruelty, and the “Other”
AND Conclusion
So Deep A Violence
Darfur Diaries: Message From
Home
Lost Boys of Sudan
Invisible Children
Ghosts of Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda
The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to
Hope
 10 classes (approximate)
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Readings
Books
The following books are available both at Circulation & Course Reserves in the Library
(on 24-hour loan) and in the Campus Store:
Wade Davis’ Light at the Edge of the World: A Journey Through the Realm of Vanishing
Cultures, 2007
Call #: GN316 .D38 2007
Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, 1992
Call #: PS3567.U338 I8 1995
Electronic Readings
Most readings (book chapters, articles) are available via the Course Materials section of
the Blackboard course site. To access some of these, you will need a Library PIN. If you
have not already created one for yourself, go to the Library’s Reference Services Desk
for assistance.
Films and Other Videos
The films and videos listed below are on 4-hour reserve in the Library’s Media Center
where they may be viewed. They may not be removed from the Library.
America History X
The Anatomy of Hate: A Dialogue to Hope
Ape Genius
Contact: The Yanomami Indians of Brazil
Darfur Diaries: Message From Home
Faces of Culture (several clips)
Faces of Culture: The Nature of Culture
Ghosts of Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda
Invisible Children
Lost Boys of Sudan
N!ai, the Story of a !Kung Woman
Nickel City Smiler
The Road
The Shaman’s Apprentice
Skinheads USA
So Deep A Violence
War Against Women
War Dance
*DVD Reserve items are shelved under Harley.
DVD-6226
DVD-5642
DVD Reserve*
DVD Reserve*
DVD-2572
DVD Reserve*
DVD Reserve*
DVD-1257
DVD-1795
DVD-2506
DVD-1590
DVD-3528
DVD-1970
DVD 6530
DVD 6068
DVD Reserve*
DVD-6255
DVD-6166
DVD-4501
A few of these and additional videos are accessible via the Course Materials section of
the Blackboard course site.
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Participation in Class
Since this course will frequently be based on class discussion, every student’s careful
preparation, attendance, active participation, and respectful behavior is essential for its
success. Careful preparation means, in part, having completed any assigned reading and
viewing as well as a readiness to respond to any reading and viewing prompts.
General Guidelines for Evaluating Participation
Excellent Contributor: Never or almost never misses class time or is tardy. Always
respects others. Frequent willingness and ability to contribute in class reflects thorough
preparation. Ideas offered are usually substantive, providing good insights and sometimes
direction for the class. Challenges are well substantiated and often persuasive. If this
person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussion would be diminished.
(500 points)
Adequate Contributor: Rarely misses class time or is tardy. Always respects others.
Occasional willingness and ability to contribute in class reflects satisfactory preparation.
Ideas offered are sometimes substantive, providing generally useful insights but seldom
offer a new direction for the discussion. Challenges are sometimes presented, fairly well
substantiated, and are sometimes persuasive. If this person were not a member of the
class, the quality of discussion would be diminished somewhat.
(300 points)
Unsatisfactory Contributor: Misses class time too frequently (unexcused absences
and/or repeated tardiness). Sometimes disrespects others. Rare willingness and ability to
contribute in class reflects inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are seldom substantive,
providing few if any insights and never a constructive direction for the class. Integrative
comments and effective challenges are absent. If this person were not a member of the
class, the quality of discussion would either remain the same or improve.
(100 points)
Assignments
(1) Reading and Viewing Prompt Responses
For each assigned reading and viewing, you will submit brief typed responses to selected
reading and viewing prompts. By brief I mean that a single word, phrase or sentence may
be sufficient for discussion in class. The prompts will be posted to the Assignments
section of the Blackboard course site. Your responses will not be scored, but failure to
respond appropriately to a prompt will result in up to 10 points being deducted from your
Class Participation point total. Failure to submit a complete set of responses per reading
and viewing assignment will result in 30 points being deducted from your point total.
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(2) Participation in Volunteer Activities
Beginning a few weeks into the semester (exactly when will depend in part on your
background check being run), you will volunteer at least once a week, participating in the
IRC’s Student Plus Program, Higher Learning Navigator (HLN) Program, or
Peacemakers’ Clubs for a total of at least 30 hours. There are a variety of potential
activities to choose from, including tutoring Crawford High students in a variety of
subjects, tutoring students in a California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) prep
workshop, tutoring students in a college prep workshop on how to write personal
statements and essays for college and scholarship applications, tutoring local community
college students, again, in a variety of subjects, in the HLN Program, and supporting
members of either of the Peacemakers’ Clubs.
Student Plus Program activities are usually scheduled for weekday afternoons, after
regular classes at Crawford High end. The Crawford High Peacemakers’ Club meets
Wednesday afternoons; the El Cajon Valley High Peacemakers’ Club meets Friday
afternoons. Both groups are comprised of mostly refugee students who make
presentations to local schools and at various community events. HLN Program tutoring is
done at the IRC office various times during the week, by arrangement with the volunteer
coordinator. Your participation, worth up to 400 points, will be evaluated by an IRC staff
person at the end of the semester.
(3) Biweekly Journal Entries
While you are participating in volunteer activities, you will submit 5 typed 2-3 page
journal entries, each worth 100 points, for a total of 500 points. These are intended to be
submitted biweekly (every two weeks). For each journal entry, you will be given a
writing prompt, indicating which ideas from class or course materials to integrate, reflect
on, and evaluate as they relate to your experiences at Crawford High, at El Cajon Valley
High, or at the IRC office. Like the reading and viewing prompts, these prompts will be
posted to the Assignments section of the Blackboard course site.
(4) Preliminary Journal Entry PowerPoint Presentation
This assignment, worth 200 points, consists of an oral presentation, accompanied by a
typed 2-3 page outline, connecting at least 3 ideas from the first part of the course. This
presentation will be given to me outside of class during week 5 (September 23-27). Exact
due dates will be staggered throughout that week, meaning that presentations will be due
each day of that week, determined by your last names (A to Z).
(5) Final Journal Entry PowerPoint Presentation
This assignment, worth 400 points, consists of an oral presentation accompanied by a
typed 2-3 page outline, connecting at least 6 ideas, including at least 1 from each of the 5
parts of the course plus 1 from the conclusion. This presentation will be given to me
outside of class during Finals Week (December 11-17, possibly including Saturday the
13th). Like the Preliminary Journal Entry Presentation, exact due dates will be staggered
throughout that week, meaning that presentations will be due each day of that week,
determined by your last names (Z to A).
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Course Points and Course Grade
The course points are distributed as follows:
Participation in Class
Participation in Volunteer Activities
Biweekly Journal Entries
Preliminary Presentation
Final Journal Entry Presentation
Total
=
=
=
=
=
=
500 points
400 points
500 points
200 points
400 points
2000 points
Your course grade will be determined as follows:
A = 90+ points out of each 100 points
B = 80+ points out of each 100 points
C = 70+ points out of each 100 points
D = 60+ points out of each 100 points
F = <60 points out of each 100 points
So, for example, if you have 1800+ points, your course grade will be an A.
NOTES:
 The detailed assignments for the Biweekly Journal Entries and the Journal
Entry Presentations will be posted to the Assignments section of the
Blackboard course site.
 There is the possibility of extra credit assignments.
 No unexcused late assignments will be accepted. Assignments may not be
submitted via e-mail without my approval or unless I require that you do so.
 No points or grades will be based on a curve, meaning that what you earn is what
you get.
 No grades will include a + or –, meaning, for example, that you can earn an A, but
not an A+ or A-.
 Please keep open 7-9 pm on Tuesday, November 18th. Tentatively, there will be a
showing of Nickel City Smiler in Room 63 of the Library’s Media Center. The
film chronicles Karen refugee resettlement in Buffalo, New York. It will be
hosted by April Moo, a Karen refugee who is a case-worker for the Karen
Organization of San Diego and a City College student. The 2 hours will count
towards your Participation in Volunteer Activities (see Assignments) and this
event will also be worth up to 100 extra credit points; the assignment will be
posted to BB later in the semester. And, yes, we will have our regular class that
day as well.
 Please also keep open 5-7 pm on Monday, November 24th. Tentatively, we will
meet in Room 63 in the Library’s Media Center for another special event. Several
refugee students will be our guests, presenting their life stories. The 2 hours will
count towards your Participation in Volunteer Activities (see Assignments).
 This syllabus is subject to change.
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