Texts:

• Pollock.(1999) Criminal Women.
• William & McShane.(1998) Criminology Theory: Selected Classic Readings.
• Dear Habermas Website [refer to handout]
• (optional) Adler, Mueller & Laufer. (2000) Criminology: The Shorter Version.
• College pocket dictionary

Materials/Resources:

• A bound notebook/journal
• An e-mail address (available through school)
• Internet access (access to PCs in microcomputing labs on campus)

Course Objectives

• To provide an experiential forum for civil discourse.
• To select social issues of importance to us for discussion of validity claims.
• To review the principles of ethics and legitimacy in the system of law.
• To produce collaboratively essays on the social issues chosen to serve as textual information for those to whom we present our discourse.
• To produce an actual forum in which to present our civil discourse as a model for other students and community leaders.

Learning Objectives

The student will learn:

• to recognize differences between theory, factual knowledge, and the application and synthesis of that knowledge in praxis. Become familiar with the interrelationship between criminological theories, policies, and practices. Measured by student's ability to choose between the types of knowledge and to balance them, as evidenced by grade form.
• to evaluate materials on crime and criminology. Measured by inclusion of citations in written and oral contributions to discourse.
• to work cooperatively with others, by juxtaposing strengths. Measured by self report, written and oral contributions to discourse.
• to use a vocabulary which permit discussion of theory: difference, the Other, structural violence, privileging subjectivity, unstated assumptions, transformative discourse, relativism, tolerance of ambiguity, and so forth. Measured by inclusion of references in written and oral contributions to discourse.

Grades and Grading

Grades can be important feedback when they are collaborative and used as feedback to guide further learning. They are harmful when they become a reified end in their own right. Because we are required by the institution to give grades, there must be a means of your letting us know what you hae learned. We expect each of you to communicate with us, so that we come to know you and your learning. Meaningful learnings come when we stretch the corners of each others' minds by looking at these concepts from multiple perspectives that come from our myriad unique experiences.

The 5Cs - communication, consistency, competency, creativity, and cooperation continue to represent our standards for evaluation. Refer to Evidence of Learning on the Dear Habermas web site. Your coursework must show scholarly discipline in conceptually linking your learning to theory, policy, practice, and to course readings and discussions.

Measures of Learning

Three times during the semester we will check that you have provided us with some evidence of your learning. That will establish a continuity in your learning. You are invited to choose the measure of learning that fits your learning style best. More details will be provided in class.

Statement on Plagiarism

DON'T DO IT!! Give credit to those whose ideas and words you use. Cooperation and sharing in this class will earn you a better grade. Adversarialism is not a part of our teaching. We believe that learning flowers in an environment that permits mutuality to flourish.

Other Important Notes

!!WARNING: THIS IS NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL COURSE WHERE THE PROFESSOR LECTURES WHILE STUDENTS QUIETLY TAKE NOTES. THIS PROFESSOR USES A COOPERATIVE LEARNING APPROACH AS WELL AS SEVERAL EXPERIMENTAL AND INNOVATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING TECHNIQUES. GROUPWORK IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THIS COURSE!