SOCY 3605 Social Movements
Social Movements
SOCY 3605
Professor Alex S. Vitale
Fall 2018
Office: 3101 James
Mon, Wed. 12:50- 2:05 PM
Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: 11:00AM-12:00 & by Appt.
avitale@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Course web page: http://www.alex-vitale.info
Objectives
Books
Required
Optional
Requirements
Ground Rules
Course Schedule
Mon 8/27 Introduction. #BlackLivesMatter
Wed 8/29 Smith Ch. 1-2
Wed 9/5 Smith Ch. 4-5
Wed 9/12 Smith Ch. 6-7
Mon 9/17 Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet” on YouTube
Mon 9/24 MLK Ch. 2
Wed 9/26 MLK Ch. 4
Mon 10/1 MLK Ch. 5
Wed 10/3 Foner Intro, Ch. 1
Wed 10/10 Foner Ch. 3 p39-47, 50-70
Mon 10/15 Foner Ch. 8 p151-161, Ch. 9 p. 167-181
Wed 10/17 Fanon “On Violence” p. 1-52
Mon 10/22 Baldwin, “Letter from a Region in my Mind”
Wed 10/24 Baldwin, “Letter from a Region in my Mind”
Mon 10/29 Midterm Paper Due
Wed 10/31 Taylor Intro and Ch. 1
Mon 11/5 Taylor Ch. 4
Wed 11/7 Taylor Ch. 6
Mon 11/12 Guest Speaker
Wed 11/14 Taylor Ch. 7
Mon 11/19 Davis Ch. 2 and 7
Wed 11/21 Davis Ch. 8 and 9
Mon 11/26 Guest Speaker
Wed 11/29 Alexander Ch. 4
Mon 12/3 Alexander Ch. 7
Wed 12/5 Khan-Cullors Part 1
Mon 12/10 Khan-Cullors Part 2
Wed 12/12 Khan Cullors Part 2
Thurs 12/20 Final Paper Due by 5PM
Social Movements
SOCY 3605
Professor Alex S. Vitale
Fall 2018
Office: 3101 James
Mon, Wed. 12:50- 2:05 PM
Office Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: 11:00AM-12:00 & by Appt.
avitale@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Course web page: http://www.alex-vitale.info
Objectives
- To understand the importance of the legacy of slavery in the construction of the modern criminal justice system.
- To learn different theoretical approaches to understanding the intersection of race and justice.
- To explore the portrayal of blacks in the Criminal Justice system in the popular media.
- To learn the myths underlying mass incarceration and possible alternatives.
- To communicate ideas effectively in class and in writing.
- To explore the role of collective action in creating change in the criminal justice system.
Books
Required
- Smith, Mychal Denzel. 2016. Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching: A young black Man’s Education. Nation Books.
- Kahn-Cullors, Patrisse and Asha Bandele. 2017. When They Call You a Terorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. St. Martin’s Press.
- Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta. 2016. From #BLACKLIVESMATTER to Black Liberation. Haymarket.
Optional
- Alexander, Michelle. 2012. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press.
- Davis, Angela, Y. 2016. Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement. Haymarket.
- Fanon, Frantz. [1963] 2004. The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press.
- Foner, Philip S. ed. [1970] 2014. The Black Panthers Speak. Haymarket.
- King, Martin Luther Jr. [1968] 2010. Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Beacon Press.
Requirements
- Class Participation 25%: Students are expected to be in class on time and well prepared. This means reading the assignment and participating in classroom discussions. You should be prepared to be called upon to answer questions at any time.
- Midterm Paper 30%: Write an essay comparing and contrasting the views of Martin Luther King and the Black Panther Party on the use of violence, the role of militarism in American society, and how best to fight economic inequality.
- Final Paper 45%: The final paper will be 9-10 page research paper. Students must investigate an example of an organization that is working to improve the treatment of Blacks in the criminal justice system and integrate concepts developed during the class into the paper.
Ground Rules
- If you miss class, contact the instructor by email before the next class to receive any missed assignments, handouts, etc.
- Please do not disturb class with cell phones, side conversations, or excessive eating in class
- Plagiarism (writing someone else’s words as your own), sharing your exam or paper with another student, or copying another student’s paper or exam will result in an F in the course.
- If you feel you are not doing as well as you would like in the course you should come and see me in my office or after class. Grades can not be adjusted after an assignment is completed or once the semester is over.
Course Schedule
Mon 8/27 Introduction. #BlackLivesMatter
Wed 8/29 Smith Ch. 1-2
Wed 9/5 Smith Ch. 4-5
Wed 9/12 Smith Ch. 6-7
Mon 9/17 Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet” on YouTube
Mon 9/24 MLK Ch. 2
Wed 9/26 MLK Ch. 4
Mon 10/1 MLK Ch. 5
Wed 10/3 Foner Intro, Ch. 1
Wed 10/10 Foner Ch. 3 p39-47, 50-70
Mon 10/15 Foner Ch. 8 p151-161, Ch. 9 p. 167-181
Wed 10/17 Fanon “On Violence” p. 1-52
Mon 10/22 Baldwin, “Letter from a Region in my Mind”
Wed 10/24 Baldwin, “Letter from a Region in my Mind”
Mon 10/29 Midterm Paper Due
Wed 10/31 Taylor Intro and Ch. 1
Mon 11/5 Taylor Ch. 4
Wed 11/7 Taylor Ch. 6
Mon 11/12 Guest Speaker
Wed 11/14 Taylor Ch. 7
Mon 11/19 Davis Ch. 2 and 7
Wed 11/21 Davis Ch. 8 and 9
Mon 11/26 Guest Speaker
Wed 11/29 Alexander Ch. 4
Mon 12/3 Alexander Ch. 7
Wed 12/5 Khan-Cullors Part 1
Mon 12/10 Khan-Cullors Part 2
Wed 12/12 Khan Cullors Part 2
Thurs 12/20 Final Paper Due by 5PM
