Course Goals: The demographic reality of increasing diversity in the United States serves as the course’s point of entry and raison d'être. Against this backdrop, participants will:
1. Probe the social and cultural differences among a variety of categorizations of American diversity including race, ethnicity, religion, social class, gender and ideology;
2. Engage both historic and contemporary debates about the implications of such diversity for the creation and sustainability of America's national character and vitality;
3. Explore a variety of contemporary approaches to dealing with diversity, e.g., interfaith dialogue, multiculturalism in the workplace and public school racial integration; and
4. Given the 2006 mid-term elections, reflect on politics as a basic social process that presumes the necessity of “negotiating” differences.
Expectations:
Four to five, typed pages per section (that is, per a class session's assigned reading) is sufficient. The major point material can be in bullet paragraph form. Personal reactions should be in narrative form. Please keep your typed, log sections in a three ring binder.
| September 14 |
Pluralism, Diversity (Plurality) And Me
Class Exercises: Who Am I
Inventorying Your Life Experience With Difference |
| September 21 |
Skills and Tools
Class Exercise: Bring a copy of a recent paper you wrote
Reading: Guidelines for Inclusive Use of the English Language
Conflict Mediation Across Cultures, pp 1-142 & 187-258
Catholic Common Ground Initiative. “Principles of Dialogue.”
Swidler, Leonard. “The Dialogue Decalogue: Ground Rules
for Interreligious, Interideological Dialogue.” |
| September 28 |
Shared Experience
Movie: Crash (Note: You should get a head start for Race 1 reading) |
| October 5 |
Debrief Crash |
| October 12 |
Race 1
Reading: They and We, all
Race Relations: Opposing Viewpoints, pp 12-70 & 199-223 |
| October 19 |
Race 2
Reading: We Can All Get Along, handouts |
| October 26 |
Gender
Reading: Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints, pp 12-81 & 252-295
Conflict Mediation Across Cultures, pp 164-186
Hand in Written Reflection Binder for review |
| November 2 |
Diversity in the Workplace and Affirmative Action
Reading: Making Diversity Happen, all
Affirmative Action, all |
| November 9 |
Politics & Post Mid-Term Election Debriefing
Reading: “The Political Frame,” all
How Does Religion Influence Politics, all |
| November 16 |
Homosexuality
Reading: Gay Marriage |
| November 30 |
Religion 1
Reading: U.S. Lifestyles and Mainline Churches, all
Enduring Issues in Religion, handout |
| December 7 |
Religion 2
Reading: The Windsor Report |
| December 14 |
Multi-Culturalism and Reconciliation
Reading: Cultural Wars: Opposing Viewpoints, pp 13-69 & 156-199
Conflict Mediation Across Cultures, pp 259-287
Hand in Written Reflection Binder
|
If you are ordering your books from somewhere other than the Seminary bookstore, please note that we will use the most recent edition that is in paperback.
Books:
Augsburger, David W. Conflict Mediation Across Cultures. Louisville, Westminster/John Knox, 1992.
Morrison, Ann M., Marian N. Ruderman and Martha Huges-James. Making Diversity Happen: Controversies and Solutions. Greenboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership, 1993.
Rose, Peter I. They And We: Racial And Ethnic Relations In The United States (6th Edition – 2005 Paper). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Sample, Tex. U.S. Lifestyles And Mainline Churches. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1990.
Opposing Viewpoints Series. Greenhaven Press; San Diego, CA
• Male/Female Roles (paperback edition) (July, 2004) ISBN: 0-7377-2241-X
• Culture Wars (paperback edition) Edition 3 Published/Released: June 2003 ISBN: 0-7377-1680-0
• Race Relations (paperback edition) Edition 2 Published/Released: April 2005 ISBN: 0-7377-0519-1
At Issue Series. Greenhaven Press; San Diego, CA
• Affirmative Action (paperback edition) Edition 2 October 2004 ISBN: 0-7377-2002-6
• Gay Marriage (paperback edition) Published/Released: October 2004. ISBN: 0-7377-2377-7
• How Does Religion Influence Politics (paperback edition) Published/Released: January 2006 ISBN: 0-7377-3426-4
Class Handouts:
Catholic Common Ground Initiative. “Principles of Dialogue.”
www.nplc.org/commonground/principlesOf Dialogue(print).htm.
Commission for Communication. “Guidelines for Inclusive use of the English Language.” Chicago: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1989.
Ford, Clyde W. We Can All Get Along: 50 Steps You Can Take to Help End Racism. New York: Dell Books, 1994. (October 6) --
John Lyden, Enduring Issues in Religion. Greenhaven Press, 1995. Selected pages.
The Lambeth Commission on Communion. The Windsor Report. London: The Anglican Communion Office, 2004.
David A. Roozen “The Political Frame,” Center for Social and Religious Research Working Paper 9508, Hartford Seminary.
Swidler, Leonard. “The Dialogue Decalogue: Ground Rules for Interreligious, Interideological Dialogue.” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 20:1, Winter 1983 – Sept 1984 revision.
