Class:
Mondays, 4:00-6:30 p.m.; Dane Smith Hall, Room 126
Instructor:
Jason Ben-Meir
Office Hours:
Mondays, 2:30-3:45 p.m. and by appointment
Office:
Room 1059, Social Science Building
Phone:
277-0471
E-mail:
soc101@unm.edu
Course Website: www.unm.edu/~soc101/ (course
readings, class discussion materials and other informative
resources are posted)
Course Description:
Participatory development (PD) is a consortium of methods that help
local communities, in partnership with government and non-government agencies,
design, implement and evaluate projects that generate new income, food
and services. This course trains students in applying PD methods and in
analytical tools to help understand the social consequences of this community
development approach.
This course is generally composed of three concurrent activities that
take place throughout the semester:
1. As the beneficiaries of a community development process,
the participatory methods will be applied to the class (students then design
and implement, in reality, projects that address their needs)
2. The class applies the participatory methods (again, in reality) within the Albuquerque community
3. An analysis of: a) the properties of PD, b) the impacts it has when it is applied and c) whether and how PD satisfies the criteria for genuine development put forward by a variety of social theorists and philosophers
Training in applying participatory methods is best achieved by experiencing
it as a community member, facilitating its application to a community and
analyzing its broader consequences. This three-pronged approach allows
us to view PD from a variety of vantage points (this in itself is a PD
technique).
Course Objectives:
Teaching Philosophy:
The qualities of a true educational experience are also the qualities
of a genuine participatory community development experience. For example,
in
education, dialogue among teachers and students 1) draws out a wide
variety perspectives and allows for a more full understanding of the subject
and 2) can sensitize class members to others’ experiences and deeply felt
attitudes. In PD, dialogue is seen as providing the opportunity
to 1) consider perspectives and possibilities that were previously not
considered and 2) forge more trustful and mutually satisfying relationships.
So, friends, let’s strive to actualize this quality of dialogue in our
classroom and in so doing a) maximize our educational experience and b)
better understand this and other essential components that constitute participatory/sustainable
development.
Required Reading:
The readings required for this course are available on our class website.
Student Services:
Any student who, because of disability, may require some special arrangements
in order to meet course requirements should contact the instructor as soon
as possible to make necessary accommodations. It is the responsibility
of the student to request accommodations for individual learning needs.
UNM will make every attempt to accommodate all qualified students with
disabilities. For further information, contact Student Support Services
at 277-3506.
Course Requirements:
You will be graded according to the following three criteria, each
constituting one-third (1/3) of your total grade:
1) You need to be genuinely
engaged with the PD activities because it is ultimately through directly
experiencing them do we understand what they entail and the kind of social
change they induce. I realize that people will contribute in different
ways--some quietly and behind the scenes, others more visibly. What is
important is that you are sincerely involved in our PD experiences.
2) You will be responsible for keeping a journal throughout the course in which you express your ideas and reactions to what we experience, read and discuss. Journal statements are due every week.
3) You will be required to
write an 8-10 page paper on any aspect of community development of your
choosing. Your paper will be done in stages throughout the semester according
to the following schedule:
September 30—Paper proposal (two pages). This proposal should
include the topic you will be researching and how you plan to conduct your
research
November 4—First draft of paper (at least five pages). I will
be looking at the manner you present your argument. This paper should be
a framework for your final paper. You also need to cite five publications
you have read and will be using.
December 2—Final papers due. At least eight bibliographic citations
need to be included in the final version.
4) Ten percent will be added to your final grade by volunteering twenty hours in the semester to community service and writing a brief paper (3-5 pages) that relates your experience to some of the concepts discussed in class. On our class website, there is a list of non-profit community service organizations that need volunteers. You are also free to volunteer at other places. Just let me know where it is and the kind of community service they provide.
5) There are no exams.
Course Schedule:
August 19:
· Course overview
Week #1
· Interviewing and introducing each other
· Definition of PD
August 26:
· Community development artifacts (class project)
Week #2
· Societal consequences of PD
· Effective PD facilitation
· Film: Back from the Brink: The Chattanooga Case
September 2:
NO CLASS
Week #3
September 9:
· Film: Gender Matters
Week #4
· PD method: Community mapping by gender groups and debrief
September 16:
· Racial and ethnic conflict management and reconciliation
Week #5
· Film: 60 Minutes segment on reparations
September 23:
· Film: Block By Block: Hartford’s Frog Hollow
Week #6
· PD method: Pairwise ranking in small groups and presentations
of development priorities
September 30:
· Class-wide pairwise matrix based on small group priorities
Week #7
· PD method: Options assessment chart and strategic planning
October 7:
· Negotiation simulation
Week #8
· PD and simultaneously advancing development and nature conservation
· PD and successful technology transferences
· Action research and PD
· Papers due
October 14:
· PD in a Dependency world system
Week #9
· PD in a Socialist system
· PD in a Marxian system
· PD in Neo-classic economic system
October 21 –
· Facilitating PD in Albuquerque
November 11:
· Papers due November 11
Weeks #10-13
November 18:
· PD method: Creating a resource management plan
Weeks #14
November 25:
· Simulation exercise
Week#15
· PD and the opportunities of fruit and forestry tree planting
December 2:
· PD method: Participatory evaluation
Week #16
· Final thoughts
· Papers due