Request for Designation as a Community Interest (CI) Course in Explorations
Name Natalie Davis
Course number and title PS 307/HON 307 Civil Rights and Justice
Departmental endorsement___yes (political Science)______________________________
Has this course been submitted for any other Explorations designation? no
If so, which one? ______________
Please list which of your course assignments or activities addresses each of the guidelines, state
briefly how this is accomplished, and attach a syllabus or a preliminary redesign plan for the
course.
The criterion for a global perspectives CI course is a primary focus on interests in competing
ethical, moral, or community interests.
As is evident from the title of the course, CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE, this class explores issues
which directly affect community. We explore the civil rights movement in America as a way to
directly address “competing ethical, moral, or community” interests. A simple example: The
Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that owners of restaurants must serve all customers, regardless
of race. If I own a restaurant, shouldn’t I have the “right” to serve whom I wish. This is not an
archaic debate. There are elected officials in the U.S. Senate today who believe I should have
that right. Should a more affluent school district be required to divert some of its funding to a
less affluent district in order to assure “equity”—the so-called “Robin Hood” principle.
We also deal at a more macro level by examining movements toward democratization. Here,
we review what’s happening in the Middle East right now, the “Arab Spring,” go back a little to
the “Prague Spring,” and later to the events of 1989.
The two essay assignments directly address the CI emphasis of the course. The first focuses on
the Civil Rights Movement itself (see syllabus). It asks students to be a modern day
deToqueville and comment on the state of the American community. The second essay
requires students to take one equal access issue (see syllabus)—such as education, same sex
marriage, comparable pay—and lay out both sides of the issue, and then take a stand. While
elements of the major research paper have not been formulated, it will likely be an extension of
the second essay.
Return this form as one electronic file with a syllabus appended to shagen@bsc.edu by 30 May 2011.
Natalie Davis
307
HON 307/PS 307
Fall 2011
ndavis@bsc.edu ext. 4837; HB
[NOTE: This syllabus is a draft. It is my adaption of Ed LaMonte’s
syllabus; I will be teaching the course in the Fall, and so, this should be
viewed as a work in progress. However, I am definitely adding some
international content, and the essay which I have developed will not
change.]
PS 307/HON307 CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE
PURPOSE OF COURSE
This seminar has four major objectives. First, it will provide students with a
history of the Civil Rights Movement with emphasis on the American South
from 1954 – 1965. Second, the seminar will explore the judicial process and
the role of American courts more broadly in responding to civil rights issues
to the present day—we draw attention to race and ethnicity, gender, and
political dissent. To do this, we will examine contemporary issues related to
education, immigration, and political representation which reflect our
country’s continuing struggle with the issues of human rights, civil rights, and
justice. Third, the course moves beyond the American case to explore political
and human rights in global context by focusing on the “Arab Spring” (2011)
and the movement toward democratization there. Fourth, the seminar will
explore the topic of leadership and how it connects to securing civil and
human rights; HON 307/PS 307 is a designated Leadership Studies course.
An ongoing theme throughout the entire term will be the topic of leadership,
as we identify specific leaders and consider various types of leadership. The
course will include guest lecturers and a field trip to the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Regular seminar attendance and participation; two essays during the term
based on the readings; a research paper on a major civil rights and justice
issue; a 1-2 page reaction paper based on your visit to the Birmingham Civil
Rights Institute; and an Honor Code Statement that you have completed the
assigned readings. The first essay will be due October 11th; the second will
be due November 15th; research papers will be due December 7thth by
12:00 noon.
Topics for all three written assignments must be approved by the instructor.
The two shorter essays should be in the 1500 - 2000 word range (about 6-8
typed and double- spaced); the research paper should be approximately 10-15
pages long. Each student will make a brief report in class on November 22nd,
November 29th, or December 6th on the civil rights/human rights issue
which is the basis of the research paper.
GRADE
Each of the two briefer papers represents 20% of the final grade; the major
paper represents 40%; and class participation accounts for the remaining
20%.
GENERAL OUTLINE OF COURSE
PART I: UNDERSTANDING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
READINGS:
SIMPLE JUSTICE
COMMON GROUND
Collateral pieces
“Letter from Birmingham Jail”
VIDEOS:
portions of “Eyes on the Prize”
“Freedom Riders”
“The Shooting of Father Coyle at St. Paul’s”
ESSAY #1:
Alexis deTocqueville is often cited as a key observer of
American political culture in the 19th century. Pretend you
are a foreign visitor to the United States who knows a great
deal about the history of the American Civil Rights
Movement. What would you say about its impact on the
American political system as well as on the American
community. You need to sort through the question of what
brings Americans together and what divides them. This
essay is not intended to be an exercise in patriotism.
PART II: ASSURING EQUAL ACCESS TO THE AMERICAN DREAM: GENDER,
ETHNICITY, and REPRESENTATION
READINGS:
IN A
COMMON GROUND
Peters and Wolper, eds., WOMEN'S RIGHTS, HUMAN
RIGHTS:
INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST
PERSPECTIVES
David Jacobson, ed., THE IMMIGRATION READER: AMERICA
Research Proposals Due
MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE
Excerpt from Stephen Carter, THE CULTURE OF DISBELIEF
(He raises the question of the role of religion in the public
square.)
Excerpt from Christopher Lasch, THE REVOLT OF THE
ELITES
(Attention is drawn to his criticism of affirmative action)
ESSAY #2:
Take one equal access issue where you fairly,
substantively, and objectively explain both sides of the
issue and then offer your own view and why you take the
position you do?
PART III: CIVIL RIGHTS IN INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
READINGS:
Counterattack
James Petras, The Arab Revolt and the Imperialist
Additional Readings TBA
PART IV: WHAT MAKES FOR LEADERSHIP: MLK, GHANDI, BELLA, AND
GOLDA
Would there have been a civil rights movement without
Martin Luther King? A Protestant Reformation without
Martin Luther? An independent India without Mohatma
Ghandi? Increasing numbers of women in political office
without Bella Abzug? An independent state of Israel
without Golda Meir? [OK—that’s a stretch.] To what extent
are major civil rights movements a function of the skills and
abilities of individual leaders or is securing civil rights an
inevitable feature of modern society?
READINGS:
excerpts from Gary Wills, CERTAIN TRUMPETS
Excerpts from
Victor Wolfenstein, THE REVOLUTIONARY PERSONALITY
December 7th:
RESEARCH PAPERS DUE by noon.
HONOR CODE
The Honor Code is strictly observed throughout the course. All papers turned
in must have a signed Honor Code statement at the end. I invite students to
use their laptops or IPADS to take notes or to do class work. However, I
consider use of electronic equipment in class for other purposes (texting,
FACEBOOK, etc.) a violation of the HONOR CODE.