Origins, Members, Transformations
FALL 1999
UNIV 300I Course Outline

Dr. Luis Arroyo, Professor, Chicano & Latino Studies, FO3-308, 985-4640, llarroyo@csulb.edu
Dr. Michael Blazey, Professor, Recreation & Leisure Studies, AS2-118, 985-4071, mblazey@csulb.edu

I. Course Description.

Prerequisites: Completion of general education foundation courses.

This course explores the formation, maintenance, and transformation of many types of human communities. Drawing primarily on the theories and methodologies of ethnic studies, cultural studies, history, sociology, and leisure studies, the course analyzes how and why humans come to conceive of (that is, "imagine") communities; the institutional and cultural means humans use to create, develop (organize), maintain, and revitalize communities; the significance of belonging to communities, that is, why humans join, remain, or leave communities; and in some cases, why and how communities decline and even cease to exist.

This class fulfills general education categories D.2.b. or E as well as interdisciplinary and human diversity.

II. Course Organization and Structure.

This is a team-taught interdisciplinary course. Instructors will lecture on Mondays and occasionally on Wednesdays. To facilitate both broad and in-depth understanding of the content, the instructors and teaching assistants will lead breakout sessions on Wednesdays. Lectures will be held in CBA-140A. Meeting rooms for the breakout sessions are:

Section 1 SPA-102 Blazey
Section 2 PSY-320 Arroyo
Section 3 ED2-175 TBA
Section 4 ED2-174 TBA
Section 5 LA3-206 TBA

III. Course Objectives.

Students enrolled in this course can expect to:
A. explore the question What is a community?
B. explore how and why different types of communities are created.
C. explore the question What does it mean to be a member of a community (viz. rights, privileges, obligations)?
D. explore institutions and movements that develop, maintain, or undermine community.
E. explore cultural traditions and rituals that develop, maintain, or undermine community.
F. explore the causes of the decline and termination of communities.
G. master several case studies that illuminate objectives A-Fas seen from the perspectives of identifiable U.S. communities, such as ethnic groups (Native Americans, African Americans, Asian & Pacific Americans, and Latino Americans), native-born and foreign-born men, women, senior citizens, immigrants, rural Americans, industrial workers, students, the Internet, and religion.
H. critically examine and compare experiences of the above groups.
I. utilize theories and methods from ethnic studies (such as race, ethnic group, class, and gender) to understand how different groups of persons have constructed community.
J. utilize theories and methods from history (such as change and continuity over time) to understand how different groups of persons have maintained/transformed community.
K. utilize theories and methods from sociology (such as roles, social stratification, social affiliation, and life stage) to understand how different groups of persons have constructed and participate in communities, particularly leisure-based communities.
L. improve their reading comprehension and analytical skills.
M. utilize critical thinking skills in order to develop compelling and logical arguments for class discussions, individual presentations and writing assignments.
N. improve their library research skills, such as use of electronic data bases.
O. use the course web site to receive class information and E-Mail to communicate with one another and the instructors. In addition, some students may also wish to A. learn to construct web pages B. design and post their own virtual communities on the course web site.

IV. Course Requirements.

Attendance: In order to fully grasp the course materials, students are expected to attend every lecture and breakout session and be thoroughly familiar with all assigned readings.

Required Readings: (Available for purchase in the 49er Bookstore.)
Butler, Octavia, Parable of the Sower.
Etzioni, Amitai, The Spirit of Community: Rights, Responsibilities, and the Communitarian Agenda.
Hillerman, Tony, Sacred Clowns.
University 300I Course Reader.

Cheating & Plagiarism: You must do your own work. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and could result in a grade of "F" for the course. For more information, please talk to the professors and/or refer to pages 122-123 of the CSULB Fall 1999 Schedule of Classes.

Make-Up Exam Policy: Make-up exams will be granted ONLY for extraordinary and verifiable reasons. In the event of a missed examination, you must contact your break-out session instructor to arrange an alternate exam date.

Dropping & Withdrawal Policy: The university policy on dropping and withdrawal from classes is set forth on page 32 of the CSULB Fall 1999 Schedule of Classes. Students are obligated to withdraw officially from their courses even though they have not attended. Depending on when you drop a course, withdrawals require the signature of the instructor, the chairperson and the dean of the college. Drops are not permitted during the last two weeks of instruction, except under extremely extenuating circumstances such as grave illness or injury.

V. Course Grade.

The course grade is based on the following required assignments:

* Two Essay Exams (20 points each, for a total of 40 points)
* Four Brief Reports (10 points each, for a total of 40 points) (1 to 2 pages each; three on Odyssey-scheduled events, one on a community event of the student's selection. Guidelines to be distributed in class.)
* One project (20 points) (This is a service learning project and a short paper. Guidelines to be distributed in class.)
* Students may also earn extra credits (one to five points altogether).These assignments will be announced in class; they will likely be drawn from the many scheduled Odyssey events. All extra- credit assignments MUST be turned in by 29 November.

The course grade will be computed by adding the scores for all the required assignments and the extra-credit points (if any). Letter grades will be assigned, according to the following scale:
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
<60 Fail

N.B. The instructors reserve the right to modify the above scale and assign grades based on a curve.

VI. Tentative Schedule of Topics & Readings.

Introduction
Week 1:
Read:
Aug. 30 Overview of Course Objectives, Class Organization, Examinations; Introduction of Instructors.

Section 1: Imagining Community
Read: 1/3 Parable of the Sower
Sept. 1 Luis Arroyo, "What is a Community? Theories & Concepts for Studying Community" (for Lecture Notes click here)

Week 2:
Read: 1/3 Parable of the Sower
Sept. 6 Labor Day Holiday: No Class
Sept. 8 Breakout Session: Student Views on Community; Prepare for Butler's Talk

Week 3
Read: 1/3 Parable of the Sower
Sept. 13 Octavia Butler guest lecture, "A Talk with Octavia Butler": Dystopian Communities, Science Fiction, & 21st Century Southern California
Sept. 15 Breakout Session: Discuss Butler's Talk and Assigned Readings

Section 2 Creating Community
Week 4
Read: Etzioni: Introduction and Chapter 1
Sept. 20 Michael Blazey, "Community Formation in the United States: The Case of the San Gabriel Valley" (for Lecture Notes click here)
Sept. 22 Tony Gleaton guest lecture: Memory, Photography, and Understanding the Connections between the Self and the Community(ies)

Section 3 Individuals and Community
Week 5
Read: Etzioni: Chapters 2 & 3
Sept. 27 Randy Shaw guest lecture, "A New Activism":
Luis Arroyo, Membership in Communities Not of One's Choice (Ethnic, Racial, Religion, Scholastic) (for Lecture Notes click here)
Sept. 29 Breakout Session: Discuss Gleaton's Talk and Assigned Readings

Week 6
Read: Etzioni: Chapters 4 & 5
Oct. 4 Membership in Communities of One's Choice (Municipal, Leisure and Virtual Communities) (for Lecture Notes click here)
Oct. 6 Breakout Session: Student Views on Advantages and Disadvantages of Belonging to Voluntary & Involuntary Communities

Week 7
Read: Etzioni: Chapters 6 & 7
Oct. 11 Perspectives on an Individual's Rights, Privileges & Obligations as a Community Member
Oct. 13 Breakout Session: Student Views on Rights and Responsibilities

Section 4 Institutions, Culture and Community Development, Maintenance, & Revitalization
Week 8
Read:
Oct. 18 Laurie Oester, guest lecture: "The Religious Community in Contemporary Perspective: The Case of the Branch Davidians"
Oct. 20 Breakout Session: Exam 1

Week 9 Service Learning Week
Read: 1/3 Sacred Clowns
Oct. 25 Women's Community in Historical Perspective: The Case of the Lowell Mill Women Workers
Oct. 27 Breakout Session:

Week 10
Read: 1/3 Sacred Clowns
Nov. 1 David Carrasco guest lecture: An Ethnic Community in Historical & Contemporary Perspective - Masking Community: Cristos de Cana, Mashimon, and Chicano Walls
Nov. 3 Breakout Session: Discuss Carrasco's lecture and assigned reading.

Section 5 Institutions, Culture and Community Transformations
Week 11
Read: 1/3 Sacred Clowns
Nov. 8 Leisure Communities -- From Surf City to Leisure World (for Lecture Notes click here)
Nov. 10 Breakout Session:

Week 12
Read:
Nov. 15 Mabelle Drake, American Indian Studies Program, CSULB guest lecture: An Ethnic Community in Contemporary Perspective: The Navajos: Reservation and Urban Communities
Nov. 17 Breakout Session: Discuss Navajo lecture & Sacred Clowns

Week 13
Read:
Nov. 22 Youth Communities -- With Whom Did, Do and Will You Hang (for Lecture Notes click here)
Nov. 24 Breakout Session:

Section 6 Looking Back, Looking Forward, Community in 21st Century America
Week 14
Read:
Nov. 29 Another Look at Dystopian Communities (for Lecture Notes click here)
Dec. 1 Breakout Session:

Week 15
Read: Etzioni: Chapters 8 & 9, Conclusion and Preamble (pp. 253-267)
Dec. 6 Utopian Communities: A Communitarian View of 21st Century Southern California (for Lecture Notes click here)
Dec. 8 Breakout Session: Discuss Lecture & Etzioni readings

Week 16 Final Exams Week. Good Luck!
Dec. 13 Exam 2, 10:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m.