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Syllabus
UNST Capstone
Are We Too Violent?
CRN: 64010
UNST 421-588 Spring Term 2015
Location: NH 26M/W 10:15 am to 12:05
Instructor: DeEtte Beghtol Waleed Email:
Office Hours: By appointment
Brief description: Fergusson and other incidents of police violence have brought violence into sharper focus for us. What makes us violent? Is violence increasing? Can we change? Students will research causes of violence and learn strategies to overcome violence. Teams will interview individuals in the US and developing countries affected by wars and violence. You will work to plan and create a short film or other public education event with our community partners.
Topics include: Why are we violent? Factors leading to violence in cities in the US; Effects of violence on soldiers; Relationships between poverty and violence; Comparing strategies to overcome violence in the US and the developing world.
Unique Qualities of this Capstone Course
Using Skype software teams of students will interview leaders of projects to overcome violence in various areas of the world, including locally.Students will research the political and cultural background of conflicts in the country of the interviewee, refugees from Congo, returning veterans or groups in the US working to reduce police violence. You will prepare and set up interviews with selected people working with community based organizations to build peace in their regions. The basic focus of the interviews will be techniques and strategies the interviewees have found helpful in overcoming violence in their countries and situations.
This course offers opportunities to build interviewing skills, produce a short film and expand students résumés. It widens our perspectives and deepens analytical skills. It invites global awareness, preparing students for involvement in national and international issues
Community Partners
Students have their choice of working with either Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans (OATH) or Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA). Students will research the group of their choice and prepare a short film or other public presentation on the issues involved.
The CoSA group will produce a short film describing CoSA’s work to be presented to other groups.CoSA is a group of a few volunteers who form a support group to help a sex offender who has served his sentence successfully transition back into the community.
The OATH group will plan and present an event educating the public about the effects of human trafficking, which is endemic up and down the I-5 corridor.
Final product
Students will interview leaders from developing countries and in the US who have created projects to reduce violence. Teams of students will research political and cultural background of conflicts in the country of the interviewee. You will contact and set up interviews with peacebuilders identified through the International Fellowship of Reconciliation Women Peacemakers Program, and others working with community based organizations to build peace in their regions or locally. The basic focus of the interviews will be techniques and strategies field workers have found helpful in overcoming violence in their situations.
You will choose which of our 2 community partners you wish to work with. Some members of the class will produce a short film describing the work of Circles of Support and Accountability. Others will work with Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans to plan and produce an event educating the public about human trafficking and its effects on our communities.
Texts:
Canada, Geoffrey , Fist Stick Knife Gun, Beacon Press, 1995
Eggers, Dave, What is the What? Vintage Books, 2006
Grossman, Lt. Col. Dave, and DeGaetano, Gloria, Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill, Crown Publishers, 1999
Roy, Jody M., Love to Hate: America’s Obsession with Hatred and Violence, Columbia University Press, 2002
Ury, William, The Third Side, Penguin Books, 1999
Waleed, DeEtte Beghtol, Messengers of Peace, Inspiring Stories of Africans Creating Peace, CreateSpace, 2011.
Additional recommended reading:
Remaining sections not assigned of Eggers, Dave, What is the What?
Gilligan, James, M.D., Violence, Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes, G.F.
Putnam’s Sons, 1996
Grossman, Lt. Col. Dave, On Killing, The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War
and Society, Back Bay Books, Little Brown and Company, 1996
Miller, Arthur G., The Social Psychology of Good and Evil, Guilford Press, 2004, especially
Chapter 2 “Situationist Perspectives on the Psychology of Evil: Understanding How Good People are Transformed into Perpetrators
Roy, Jody M., Ph.D., Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead, Hawthorne Books and
Literary Arts, Portland, 2009.
Sippola, John, Blumenshine, Amy, Tubesing, Donald and Yancey, Valerie, Welcome
Them Home Help Them Heal, Pastoral care and ministry with service members returning from war
Turnbull, Colin M., The Mountain People, Simon and Schuster, 1972
Prof. Cornel West, noted black scholar, on “Gangsterism of America’s Black Community”
Youtube.com/watch?v=dDNvPLMnvCE&feature=fvsr
Youth and Violence - gatheringforjustice.ning.com, Youth & Violence: Malia Lazu on
Mobilization, UCLA re: youth incarceration
Human Trafficking - stopthetraffik.org
Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) – rawa.org
Reading: The first few weeks of the course will be concentrated on readings to ground students in theories of violence and on research on the subject. Assigned readings are a basic introduction into the subject. They are intended to lead to more in-depth readings on the “additional recommended readings” list and to your own research into the topic. Background reading on the history of conflict and political conditions in particular countries will be necessary to prepare for interviews.
It is expected that students spend about 12 hours per week in work outside of class, including 2 hours working onyour presentation with your chosen community partner. The schedule for reading assignments is heavier in the early weeks of the class and less in later weeks when more time will be required in preparing for interviews and our final presentation.
Writing: There will be weekly assignments to respond to questions on D2L regarding your personal reflections on our reading assignments and topics discussed in class.D2L posts must make it obvious you have read the materials and must demonstrate original thinking, not just parroting back readings.
Class Participation: You are required to participate in class discussions. Some ways to participate include asking questions, speaking up in class discussions, demonstrating you have done reading assignments and preparing for interviews. I will be posting online discussion questions on D2L which can be substituted for or supplement in-class discussions
During the term we will be discussing some controversial subjects about which people may have strong opinions. Our goal is to learn from each other, not to debate. It is expected that everyone will show respect for the opinions of other students, guests and instructors at all times. We learn more through being curious, instead of adversarial, about what is different.
At the beginning of the term, students will sign up to be discussion leaders for each day’s reading assignments. As discussion leader your job is to read thoroughly the reading assignments and to develop questions to guide class discussions.Questions should be open-ended; e.g. “How do you see X idea fitting in with Y?”, rather than “What did the author say about X?” This will be your opportunity to facilitate lively discussion through thoughtful questions which encourage analysis and “thinking outside the box.”
The class will divide into teams to conduct online interviews. Each team will have the responsibility of researching the history and politics surrounding the person being interviewed and preparing questions for the interview. The teams will present their research to the class and will conduct the interviews.
Expectations and Grading Standards
I am more interested in thoughtfulness and creativity in written assignments than in proper format for footnotes or even in getting assignments in by a certain day and hour. Weekly journal assignments will call for your personal reflections, not just feeding back what you have read. I hope we can work together to deeply explore difficult issues and question our personal involvement in cultural violence in the US. We will disagree on some issues; that’s a lively part of the learning process.
Participation and Attendance34 points
Leading class discussion12 points
Journal reflections (6 pts. each assignment)54 points
Presentation of Research on interviewee25 points
Final presentation25 points
Total possible points = 150
Participation Points: Class discussions where everyone participates are an integral part of this course. If you let me know ahead of time that you are going to miss class, or email me the day that you miss class due to illness or other urgent matter, it will be considered an excused absence and credited with the full two points for that day. You may do this twice. After that, no points will be received for participation unless you are actually in class and contributing to the discussion. It is also important that you arrive on time and stay the entire class period. Participation points start counting the second week of the term.
Grading Scale
A92% or aboveB-80% to 81%
A-90% to 91%C+78% to 79%
B+88% to 89%C72% to 77%
B82% to 87%C-70% to 71%
Class Courtesies
Out of respect for me, our guest speakers and your classmates, I ask that you please abide by the following courtesies:
- Arrive on time and ready to participate;
- Turn off cell phone and other electronic device noises;
- Keep laptops off and closed;
- If you must text or otherwise use your electronic devices, please step outside the classroom;
Student Conduct and Resources
It is strongly encouraged that you read the Student Conduct Code (see It details your rights and responsibilities as a student and as a member of Portland State Community.
The link to the Child Abuse Reporting is:
Additionally, PSU has a webpage devoted to the Safe Campus Module with frequently asked questions and answers. Please review this webpage at:
The email address for students to request exemptions or ask any other questions regarding the student, Safe Campus module is:
For information on food assistance and other resources please visit:
There are disagreements regarding a recent decision of PSU that campus police will carry weapons.Since this decision impacts the level of violence on our campus, we may include discussion of this issue in class.
Disability accommodations and Service Animals
Accommodations for disabilities and service animals are collaborative efforts between students, faculty, and the Disability Resource Center. Students with accommodations approved through the DRC are responsible for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through the DRC should contact the DRC immediately.
Veterans’ Services
We welcome veterans into this class. Vets have unique experiences with violence that non-vets can learn from. We encourage vets to share your views as part of our class dialogue.
We thank veterans for your service and welcome you as a valued member of our campus community. It is our goal to provide you with the highest quality education and a college experience which will serve you a lifetime.
Portland State University has a long and proud tradition of providing quality educational services to Oregon’s returning veterans. In fact, PSU was founded specifically to provide veterans returning from World War II with a state-supported university in the Portland metro area.
For more information about services to veterans, please contact PSU Veterans Services, 425 Smith Union, 503-725-3876, .
Communications
I enjoy communicating with students during the term and appreciate being updated on things outside of class that might impact your participation or the quality of your work. I think you will find that I am quite flexible if you communicate well.
Desire2Learn: I have set up a Desire2Learn (D2L) page for this class and will use it regularly for communication purposes. I will post assignments and your points there, as well as general announcements for the class. You are responsible for knowing the information posted so, please check it daily! You may also communicate with each other via D2L.
Email: My email address is . I will check my email at least once a day and more often during the week.
Phone: I prefer communicating by email. However, if you have an emergency or an urgent question, you can use my phone number: 360-253-8084.
Appointments: I would be happy to schedule an appointment with you. Please contact me via email to set up an appointment.
Week-by-Week Outline
Changes in reading, writing and due dates will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to be aware of any changes in due dates, whether or not these are announced in your absence.
Week 1
3/30 / Introductions; Syllabus Review; Brief Overview of Community Partners4/1 / Meet with Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA)
Readings:
Due: Reflection: How have I been affected by violence in my life?
250 words minimum
Week 2
4/6 / Meet with Oregonians Against Trafficking Humans (OATH)Readings:
Due: Week 1 journal entries
4/8 / Examples of Violence
Readings:
Canada, Geoffrey, Fist Stick Knife Gun, Parts 1 and 2, pp. 1-103
Handout on interviewing
Week 3
4/13 / Violence globally and locallyReadings:
Fist Stick Knife Gun, Part3, pp. 107-179
Eggers, Dave, What is the What?, Preface, Ch. 1-6, pp. 3-71
Due: Week 2 journal entries
4/15 / Biology, Gender of Violence
Readings:
Messengers of Peace, Ch. 8
Week 4
4/20 / Planning sessions with CoSA and OATHGenocide in Africa
Readings:
What is the What? Ch. 7-11, pp. 72-142
Due: Week 3 journal entries
4/22 / Guest speaker on Genocide of Native Americans
Genocide of Native Americans
Readings:
Due: Team 1 presents research on interviewee #1- IssaEbombolo
Week 5
4/27 / What makes people violent?Readings:
Roy, Jody, Love to Hate, Foreword and Part 1, pp. 1-67
Waleed, Messengers of Peace, pp. 81-88
Due: Week 4 journal entries
Team 1 conducts interview – IssaEbombolo
4/29 / How can we stop being violent?
Readings:
Love to Hate, pp. 71-144
Handout: article Finding Forgiveness from Ode magazine
Due: Team 2 presents research on interviewee #2
Week 6
5/4 / Can we make a difference?Readings:
Due: Week 5 journal entries
Team 2 conducts interview – Jo Ann Hardesty
5/6 / Are there alternatives?
Readings:
Stop Teaching our Kids to Kill, Ch.. 4-5
Love to Hate, pp. 145-179
Due: Team 3 presents research on interviewee #3
Week 7
5/11 / Effects of warsReadings:
Messengers of Peace, Ch. 1,3-5
Due:Week 6 journal entries
Team 3 conducts interview – Penny Dex
5/13 / The Business of Violence
Readings:
Grossman, Dave, Stop Teaching our Kids to Kill, Intro. + Ch. 1-3,+ pp. 121-122
Week 8
5/18 / Violence Against Sexual MinoritiesReadings:
Due: Week 7 journal entries
5/20 / How can we stop?
Readings:
Ury, William, The Third Side, Intro + Ch. 1-4
Week 9
5/25 / No Class - PSU holiday5/27 / OATHand CoSAFinal planning
Due: Week 8 journal entries
Week 10
6/1 / Final Presentations onOATH and CoSA6/3 / Wrap-Up, Course Evaluations