Project Mentors: David Alpher, Alma Abdul-Hadi

Learning is the process

whereby knowledge is created

through the transformation of experience.

David Kolb

 Course Description

Prerequisites: CONF 501 or CONF 502, CONF 660 and CONF 650,651,652 or 653, or permission of instructor. 

10:00 am to 4:00 pm—May 30 (Sat), June 13 (Sat), June 27 & 28 (Sat/Sun), July 25 & 26 (Sat/Sun)

This course is a capstone course and must be completed in the final semester of the certificate program.  It is designed to revisit, expand and examine critical themes developed during the course of study in each of four ICAR certificate tracks. Designed to prepare students to utilize Conflict Analysis and Resolution approaches in a variety of settings, the Graduate Certificates integrate theory, research, and practical technique. 

A central purpose of this course is to provide the student with the opportunity to apply the theoretical concepts developed in coursework. In addition, this course prompts students to integrate the ideas, theories and practices considered in each track within the larger field of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, as well as within the students’ work settings.

Objectives

This course is designed to engage the students in three different areas:

• Theory: revisit, examine and expand on critical themes and their linkages to the field of conflict analysis and resolution. Examine what we know about analyzing conflicts, intervening towards resolution and assessing our impact.
• Practice: experiential learning through an applied (hands-on) project. 
• Integration and Reflection: Synthesize professional experience and conceptual knowledge obtained through coursework.

An overall objective is to create a learning community where the responsibility for sharing of information, experience, feedback, challenges and insights rests on all members of the course, both instructor and students. We draw on the principles of experiential and adult learning for structuring the course and creating a collaborative and constructive learning experience. Reading assignments on theory, in class discussion and practice, journal keeping and outside assignments all serve to provide material for a learning cycle built around action and reflection.

Requirements

Participation                                                                                                                           10 %

There are a variety of ways you can contribute to the class, including sharing ideas, questions, and commentary about assigned readings and projects during class discussion and/or online. To continue the intellectual dialogue between class meetings, we will use the Blackboard discussion forum. Good postings are characterized by succinct writing, clarity, thoughtful reflection and invitations to interaction.  

Project Plan                                                                                                                            30%

A modest, hands-on, field practice project must be carried out by the student with the approval of the instructor. The field practice project should be closely related to the themes of the student’s certificate track and the applied nature of the work must be clearly demonstrated. The project should be active and experiential, allowing the exploration of relevant questions and developing key competencies in conflict analysis and resolution.  Further details provided in class. Your project plan should outline what you are proposing to do for this experiential learning requirement and should include an initial assessment, objectives, and proposed activities. Five to six pages. 

Due: Monday, June 8^th     (see extended assignment description)

Project Log                                                                                                                             20%

You will keep a project log/ journal capturing your learning process in planning, implementing, and evaluating your work; this log also provides a record for further reflection for the final paper.  Two entries will be responses to question prompts and shared with the class—all other entries are directly shared only between the student, the project mentor and the instructor. We will be using the journal and discussion functions on the class webpage. Criteria for assessment will be confirmed in class. Due: July 17^th (see extended assignment description)

Reflective Practice Paper and Presentation                                                             40%

The project will be completed prior to the final weekend; you will present highlights of your project during the last class and turn in your final paper. Your Reflective Practice Paper (seven to eight pages) should include:

1)      A summary of your field practice project (1 page). What was your objective? What did you do? How did you do it? What were your goals, internal and external?

2)      What did you learn?  Project Log entries may be incorporated to illustrate your learning process. How did you learn it? Make sure to document the reflective practice process.

3)      Identification of an important theme, question or idea that you encountered during your field work.  Identify this theme from the context of your work and locate it as a general problem/idea within the field of conflict analysis and resolution. For instance, consider readings or material from certificate classes relevant to the issue you have identified.  What do these additional perspectives add to your discussion/argument?  Here you are making the theory to practice connection.

4)      Standard elements of graduate level writing: proper form, citations, organization.

Due: Saturday, July 25th

Reading List—all readings available online

Berghof Handbook: http://www.berghof-handbook.net/std_page.php?LANG=e&id=11

Kraybill, Ron. 2004. Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation  (optional)

Miall, Hugh. 2004. Conflict Transformation: A Multi-Dimensional Task

Paffenholz, Thania. 2004. Designing Transformation and Intervention Processes  (optional)

Shapiro, Ilana. 2006. Extending the Framework of Inquiry: Theories of Change in Conflict Interventions

Reina C. Neufeldt. 2007. Frameworkers" and "Circlers" – Exploring Assumptions in Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment

Other reading:

http://www.mediate.com//articles/adlerTheEnd.cfm

Burgess, Heidi and Burgess, Guy. 2006. Intractability and the frontier of the field. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Vol. 24, Number 2, Winter 2006.

Chaitin, et al. 2002. Environmental work and peace work: The Palestinian-Israeli case. Peace and Conflict Studies, Vol. 9, Number 2, December 2002.

Coleman, Peter T, et al. 2008. Reconstructing Ripeness I: A Study of Constructive Engagement in Protracted Social Conflicts. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Vol. 26, Number 1, Fall 2008.

Hubbs, Delaura L. and Brand, Charles F. 2005. The paper mirror: Understanding reflective journaling. The Journal of Experiential Education, Vol. 28, Number 1.

Portilla, Julian. 2006. What exists is possible: Stories from conflict resolution professionals. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Vol. 24, Number 2, Winter 2006.

Marsick, Victoria J. and Alfonso Sauquet. 2000. Learning through reflection. The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, Morton Deutsch and Peter T. Coleman, eds. Jossey-Bass.

Ross, Marc Howard. 2004. Some guidelines for conceptualizing success in conflict resolution evaluation. Peace and Conflict Studies, Vol. 11, Number 1, Spring 2004.

Shmueli, Deborah; Elliot, Michael, Kaufman, Sanda. 2006. Frame changes and the management of intractable conflicts. Conflict Resolution Quarterly, Vol. 24, Number 2, Winter 2006.

Practitioners theorize (a,k.a. “problem solve” or “brainstorm”) in meeting, through case conferences, with colleagues in parking lots—often sharing information and knowledge informally. We distill the learnings and make the ever-evolving final product (applied knowledge) available for other’s use….     Mary Adams Trujillo

Class Plans and Assignments

Weekend One: May 30th

Reflective Practice

Explanation of field practice project, brainstorming and getting started

In-class Activity (Journal): Write a two minute “elevator speech” answering the following question: What is conflict resolution?  Time yourself speaking out loud to ensure it is only 2 minutes long. This will be “delivered” during a subsequent class session.

            Reading and Preparation:

¨      Marsick and Sauquet, Learning through reflection

How does learning from experience differ from other forms of learning? What are “single loop” and “double loop” learning?  How does examination of our assumptions and values increase our effectiveness and ability to learn from experience?

¨      Hubbs and Brand, The Paper Mirror

Describes using journals for professional development. How can you best use your journal for this course?

¨      Portilla, What exists is possible

What does this article say about the role of the intervenor? Your experiences with conflict? What you might keep in mind as you begin your project?

Weekend Two: June 13^th    (Project plan due to mentor via email before class: Monday, June 8^th)

Intervention processes and conflict intervenors

            Entry points in protracted conflict

            Project discussions

            In-class Activity (Journal): TBA

Reading and Preparation:

¨      Bentz and Shapiro, Mindful Inquiry in Social Research, Magic Formulae (Handout)

¨      Review intervenor roles from The Third Side (online at www.thirdside.org)

¨      Coleman, et al, Reconstructing Ripeness I: A Study of Constructive Engagement in Protracted Social Conflicts 

                 Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory.

It instigates to invention. It shocks us out of sheep-like passivity and

sets us at noting and contriving. John Dewey

Weekend Three: Saturday and Sunday, June 27 & 28    

What are we trying to change? How does change happen?

Review, overview and further exploration: The field of conflict analysis and resolution

Causes and conditions of conflict

Project updates

In-class Activity I: Certificate tracks field mapping

In-class Activity II:  Journal entry shared reading and discussion

Reading and Preparation:

Case Study:

¨      Chaitin et al,  Environmental Work and Peace Work

What tools were identified for working with conflict?  What theories are implicit? What obstacles existed? How is this similar or different to conflicts in your arena of interest?

            Change and Conflict:

¨      Shapiro, Extending…Theories of Social Change

How do theories of change impact program design and development? What theories of change underlie your project work?

¨      Reina C. Neufeldt, Frameworkers and Circlers

Where do you fit in these approaches?

¨      Burgess and Burgess, Intractability

What makes a conflict intractable? Tractable? What “constructive” parts can you see to play in the “drama.”

¨      Shmueli, Elliot and Kaufman, Frame Changes

What can the understanding of frame contribute to working with conflict? What conflict frames (or reframes) have you encountered?

The Field (The “field”?):

¨      Miall, Conflict Transformation

What distinctions are drawn between “management,’ “resolution” and “transformation.” How might they be useful distinctions? How should differences between structure, relationships and issues be considered when intervening in conflicts? How do power, relationships and structural issues interact in conflict resolution?

By July 8^th, Wednesday –On-line Discussion Entry DUE

Post one of your field practice project journal entries to the forum and pose questions to your peers related to the entry.  Do any of the readings from this course or prior courses help you understand something from your project in a new way? Respond to at least one postings by the following Wednesday (July 15^th).

Weekend Four: July 25^th and 26^th  

Learning from the Field: Field Project Presentations (10-15 min each, dep. on class size)

Becoming a reflective practitioner—What did you learn about yourselves and the field through the field practice projects?

Conclusions, reflections and evaluation of course and certificate program.

Celebration! (Sunday, July 26^th)

Reading and Preparation:

¨      Ross, Some Guidelines for Conceptualizing Success

            Papers and project journal due.

“Reflecting alone, a practitioner learns; deliberating with others,

practitioners learn together and craft strategies to act collaboratively.”

John Forester