About HLP

Syllabus


MAKING CHANGE IN COMMUNITIES:
The Work of Leadership
Public Policy 196S.39
Spring 2005

Mondays, 6:00-8:30 pm
102 Terry Sanford Institute


Julie Thomasson Mooney
Office and Home: 489-5650
e-mail: juliemooney@nc.rr.com

Office Hours: By appointment. Please feel free to contact me at any time either at home or the office to set up phone or in person appointments. I will also generally be in
Room 148 an hour before class, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

~~~

To understand your country, you must love it. To love it, you must, in a sense, accept it. To accept it as it is, however, is to betray it. To accept your country without betraying it, you must love it for that which shows what it might become. America -- this monument to the genius of ordinary men and women, this place where hope becomes capacity, this long, halting turn of the no into the yes, needs citizens that love it enough to reimagine and remake it.
The Future of American Progressivism, Cornel West and Roberto Unger

Most Americans welcome the voice that lifts them out of themselves. They want to be better people. They want to help make this a better country…What you can do is to awaken them to the possibilities within themselves. So those who have not succumbed to the contemporary disaffection and alienation must speak the world of life to their fellow Americans. It is not a liberal or conservative issue. It is not Democrat versus Republican. It is a question of whether we are going to settle into a permanent state of self-absorption or show the vigor and purpose that becomes us. We don’t want it said that after a couple of great centuries we let the American Experiment disintegrate.
John Gardner, as quoted in Civil Society: The Underpinnings of American Democracy, by Brian O’Connell.


I. Course Description

The process of community change involves efforts to fundamentally shift power, resources, and opportunity for people. It requires local leadership to create this change. This course will draw on the lessons learned by the course instructor and many leaders throughout the region about how to lead citizen-driven efforts to increase economic and civic equity. We will examine several models of change, including community organizing, community development, collaboration, advocacy, service, electoral, and others, and we will examine the intersection of these strategies. We will also examine the work of leadership in leading change efforts – the skills and qualities required of effective leaders.

While we will explore lots of models and cases about how other people have created change, the class will allow students to learn some of the skills and tools required for leading change efforts yourselves. There will be opportunities for reflection about how you see yourself as a leader in your community, now and in the future.

The course will use Durham as the community within which we examine approaches to change, but the approaches we examine are common throughout the US, in both rural and urban communities.

  • The course will be structured around the following learning objectives:
  • to understand the need for an analysis of the economic, political, and social context in a community when considering approaches to change;
  • to develop an understanding of the nature and meaning of leadership in the context of community change -- what it is, what it requires;
  • to understand a range of approaches to leading change at a community level and on the part of community leaders;
  • to develop the analytic ability to frame a change response to community challenges;
  • to understand oneself in the context of community leadership roles (e.g., current expectations and hopes for the future, personal strengths and weaknesses) and determine short and long-term learning goals;
  • to learn how to do qualitative research using interviews with community members/leaders (to supplement traditional research); and
  • to learn more about the collaborative process of working in groups.


II. Approach and Requirements

The course is built around a variety of learning experiences, and students are expected to draw from the following sources:

1. Assigned readings. Students will be expected to have read assigned readings before class and be prepared to discuss them.
2. Class discussion. Participation is key, but thoughtful participation is essential.
3. Guest presenters. Outside guests are an incredible resource to you, and students should be prepared to dialogue with them and pose substantive and challenging questions.
4. The ideas and insights of each other, during class discussions and as you work on group assignments.
5. The wisdom and experiences of people in the organizations you choose to study. Remember that people like to talk about themselves. This is often particularly true of people who do the work of community change – they are often unsung heroes. Don’t be shy in asking as many questions of people as possible.
6. Your own reflection about yourself -- your understanding of yourself as someone who cares about moving change in communities and your hopes for how you want to develop over time.

Course grades will be based on the following:

1. Participation (25%): Full attendance and thoughtful and informed discussion within the class is crucial. High marks in participation hinge on active involvement in class discussion, as evidenced by the raising of thoughtful questions to presenters and each other, reflection on assigned readings, careful listening, a willingness to challenge one’s own assumptions, and the sharing of ideas and insights. All absences should be discussed with me. More than one absence will cause the participation grade to be reduced by 20% for each class missed.

2. Leadership and Change Analysis Project (40%): In this project, students will spend time studying the approaches to change employed by a particular organization (or group of people) around a single issue in Durham. This will involve attending meetings and events of this organization. Each student will work individually and, for some aspects of the project, with a small group, in order to analyze approaches to change that leaders are currently implementing in Durham. Draft sections of the final report will be turned in at three points during the semester. These will be graded as part of the final grade for your project. During the classes of April 4, 11, and 18, students will present findings-to-date for feedback from the rest of the class. The project paper will be a composite of the earlier sections that will have been completed in draft form, plus further analysis completed in April.

3. Periodic reflection papers (20%): A number of short papers (five) will be required over the course of the class. Papers will be graded based on level of effort, organization of thought, quality of analysis (ability to support your arguments), and the extent to which you draw from and grapple with readings and class discussions. Attention will also be paid to grammar and editing. You will be graded down for work that has not been carefully proofread. A separate handout will be distributed with specifics on the writing assignments.

4. Final Paper (15%): A final paper will be due during exam week that ties together your learnings over the course of the semester through a discussion of your own “theory of change.”

About the readings: Most of the required readings will be available on-line through the reserve system at Perkins Library. Some will be distributed in class. Occasionally a book may need to be on reserve only. Additional readings will be recommended that are specifically related to project topics.

Flexibility: The assigned readings will likely change as new sources emerge and/or to reflect the experiences and needs of the class as a whole. I may make changes via email, so please open any email from me quickly.

Papers: Please turn in 2 copies of your assignment at the start of class on the due dates. Emailed papers will be considered late. Late papers will be graded down a full grade. Papers a week late will be graded down two letter grades. Papers will not be accepted beyond a week past the due date.


III. The Course Schedule

January 12: Overview of the Course, Discussion of Expectations

  • Introduction of faculty, experience and organizational affiliations.
  • Student introductions.
  • Overview of course: goals, approach, assignments.
  • Assumptions about change.
  • Overview of major approaches to mobilizing people for change in communities.
  • Norms for a learning community.

January 24: Understanding Community and the Context for Change – Durham, NC

  • Presentation and discussion with guests: Wib Gulley, former State Senator and former Mayor of Durham and Keith Corbett, Self-Help Credit Union: community context and why it matters.
  • An overview of Durham’s culture, economy, political climate, and racial dynamics and why they matter in the work of leadership.
  • “Force-field analysis” – how to take stock of the historic, economic, social, political, cultural “forces” that influence the process of change.
  • The nature of long-standing community divisions and challenges.

Required Readings:

  • Jean Bradley Anderson, Durham County, Durham: Duke University Press, 1990. Pages 243-249, 303-307, 395-450.
  • Frank Hyman, “In Durham Elections, Endorsements Matter,” The Independent Weekly, October 9, 2002.
  • City of Durham Office of Economic Development, Final Report: A New Era on Parrish Street, August 2004. http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/eed, pp. 1-9.
  • City of Durham Office of Economic Development, State of Durham Economy, selected pages. http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/eed. (See handout for pages to view.)

Assignment for January 24: Short essay about a change effort you helped lead in the past, your approach for creating change, and the context for change within which you were working.

January 31: Overview of Community Change Strategies

  • Assumptions about what needs to change; definitions of community.
  • Overview, strengths and weaknesses of different strategies for influencing community change (e.g., collaboration, community organizing, advocacy, electoral, top-down, education).
  • Leadership challenges and issues related to change strategies.

Required Readings:

  • All students read --- John Gardner, Building Community, Working Paper for Leadership Studies Program, Independent Sector.

Students assigned in small groups to read on one topic:

  • Collaboration: Bruce Adams and John Parr, Boundary Crossers: Case Studies of How Ten of America’s Metropolitan Regions Work. Chattanooga – The Sustainable Cityww.academy.umd.edu/Publications/Boundary/CaseStudies/bcschattanooga.htm
  • Advocacy: Bill Barrow, Battling the Odds, Southern Exposure Magazine, Summer 2003, pp. 65-66.
  • Advocacy: Pam Silberman, A Consumer’s Guide to Health Care Policy Making: How to Change NC Health Policies, 1997. pp. 1-32.
  • Service: Robert Coles, The Call of Service, NY: Houghton-Mifflin, 1993, pp. 31-67 and 94-114.
  • Top-Down: Douglas Henton, John Melville, Kimberly Walesh, Grassroots Leaders for a New Economy, Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1997, pp. 33-60.
  • Community Organizing: Mary Beth Rogers, Cold Anger: A Story of Faith and Power Politics, pp. 106-126.
  • Community Organizing: Larry Parachini and Sally Covington, The Community Organizer’s Toolbox: A Funder’s Guide to Community Organizing. http://www.nfg.org/cotb. Read following sections: What is CO?; A Brief History of CO; Community Organizers: Who Are They?
  • Community Development: Neal R. Peirce and Carol F. Steinbach, Corrective Capitalism: The Rise of America’s Community Development Corporations, Ford Foundation. Pages 8-16.
  • Community Development: United Way Impacts Community Through Neighborhood Partnerships, United Way, 1997. http://www.cpn.org (go to Topics->Community->Stories and Case Studies; read first three sections plus case studies on Houston and Memphis.)
  • Education: Daniel Yankelovich, Coming to Public Judgment: Making Democracy Work in a Complex World, Syracuse University Press, 1991. pp. 59-94.
  • Education: Organizing Community-Wide Dialogue for Action and Change, Study Circles Resource Center, pp. 1-5; 115-127. http://www.studycircles.org (go to publications).

Assignment for January 31: Students will present an overview of one of the change strategies in class, using a set of guiding questions. Essay with reactions to the reading will be turned in.

February 7: Organizing Major Project Assignment

  • Overview of project assignment.
  • Selection of issues and related organizations.
  • Issues of accountability to the organization.
  • Negotiating a relationship with organizations.
  • Analytic tools to be used in the project.
  • Determine presentation dates.
  • Caucus with teams to jumpstart research.

Required Readings:

Recommended Resource for Work with Small Groups – for future reference:

February 14: The Work of Leadership in Community Change

  • Defining leadership as values based, adaptive work.
  • Examining approaches to leading with and without authority.
  • The task of leadership at multiple levels -- personal, interpersonal, organizational, community, systemic.
  • Discussion of the importance of values and vision in providing the impetus for change.
  • Exploration of personal life experiences and values.

Required Readings:

  • Peter Block, From Leadership to Citizenship, in Insights on Leadership: Service, Stewardship, Spirit, and Servant-Leadership, Ed. by Larry C. Spears, John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
  • Ronald A. Heifetz, “Leadership Without Easy Answers,” Harvard University Press, 1994, pp. 13-27; 69-124; 183-206.
  • Parker Palmer, Leading from Within: Reflections on Spirituality and Leadership. http://www.teacherformation.org/html/rr/leading.cfm.
  • Larraine R. Matusak, Finding Your Voice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997, pp. 3-23 and 33-45.

Assignment for February 14: Essay on exploration of personal values that relate to community change.

February 21: Leadership, Race, and Community Change

  • Racism, white privilege, internalized racist oppression, and their effects on change efforts.
  • Personal experience with racism.
  • The leadership challenges in understanding and addressing racism.

Required Readings:

  • Beverly Daniel Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? NY: Basic Books, 1997.
  • Robert Jensen, White People Need to Acknowledge Benefits of Unearned Privilege, Baltimore Sun, 2001.
  • Keith O. Lawrence, Race and Community Building, Aspen Roundtable on Comprehensive Community initiatives, 2000. pp. 1-9 and 17-26

Optional Reading:

  • Cynthia M. Duncan, Worlds Apart: Why Poverty Persists in Rural America, Yale University Press, Chapter 2 and pages 187-200.

Assignment for February 21: Essay on reactions to the reading, drawing from personal experience.

February 28: The Work of Leadership in Community Change

  • The task of leadership at multiple levels -- personal, interpersonal, organizational, community, systemic.
  • Exploration of the leadership challenge at organization, community, and systems levels.

Required Readings:

  • Kathleen E. Allen and Cynthia Cherrey, Systemic Leadership: Enriching the Meaning of Our Work, University Press of America, 2000.
  • James MacGregor Burns, Empowerment for Change, Rethinking Leadership Working Papers, Academy of Leadership Press, 1998.
  • Gill Robinson Hickman, Transforming Organizations to Transform Society, KLSP: Transformational Leadership Working Papers, Academy of Leadership Press, 1997.
  • Ann Howard, The Empowering Leader: Unrealized Opportunities, The Balance of Leadership and Followership Working Papers, Academy of Leadership Press, 1997.
  • Derek Okubo, Community Visioning and Strategic Planning Handbook, National Civic League, 2000. pp. 1-42. http://www.ncl.org (Go to online publications.)

Assignment due February 21: Project assignment Part 1 (Overview of the issue and what needs to change.)

March 7: Change Approaches – Community Organizing and Advocacy

  • Case presentation on advocacy as a change strategy.
  • Case presentation on community organizing as a change strategy.
  • Leadership challenges and issues related to these approaches.

Required Readings:

  • Dave Beckwith, “Community Organizing: People Power from the Grassroots,” Introduction to Organizing, Center for Community Change, February 2000. pp. 1-11.
  • Community Organizing Toolbox: A Funder’s Guide to Community Organizing at http://www.nfg.org/cotb/index.htm; read the section entitled Community Organizing: The Basics.
  • Richard L. Wood, Faith in Action: Religion, Race, and Democratic Organizing in America, The University of Chicago Press, 2002, Chapters 1 and 2.
  • Jim Schultz, The Democracy Owner’s Manual: A Practical Guide for Changing the World, Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.

Optional Reading:

  • Robert J. Chaskin, et. al., Building Community Capacity, Aldine De Gruyter, New York, 2001. Chapter 4.
  • Si Kahn, How People Get Power, NASW Press, 1994. Pages 1-94.

Assignment for March 7: Project Assignment Part 2 due (Develop draft power analysis and force-field analysis).


March 14: Spring Break

March 21: Change Approaches - Collaboration and Service

  • Case presentation on service as a change strategy.
  • Case presentation on formal, community-wide collaboration as a change strategy.
  • Leadership challenges and issues related to these approaches.

Required Readings:

  • David Chrislip and Eric Larson, Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference, Chapters 2-7.
  • Robert Coles, The Call of Service, NY: Houghton-Mifflin, 1993, pp. 31-67.
  • McKnight, John. "Why Servanthood is Bad." The Other Side 31, 6 (November-December 1995).

March 28: Change Approaches – “Top-Down” and Community Development

  • Community development as a change strategy.
  • “Top-Down” as a change strategy.
  • Leadership challenges and issues related to these approaches.

Required Readings:

  • The Whole Agenda: The Past and Future of Community Development Corporations, LISC, 2002.
  • Consensus Organizing Institute, The Consensus Organizing Model, http://www.cpn.org/topics/community/consensus.html.
  • Ron Nored, Reweaving the Fabric: How Congregations and Communities Can Come Together to Build Their Neighborhoods, River City Publishing, 1999. Pages 19-60.
  • John McKnight and John Kretzman, Mapping Community Capacity: http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/publications/papers/mcc.pdf
  • Bruce Adams and John Parr, Boundary Crossers: Case Studies of How Ten of America’s Metropolitan Region’s Work, James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, 1998.
  • Douglas Henton, John Melville, Kimberly Walesh, Grassroots Leaders for a New Economy, Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1997. pp. 80-111, 149-151, and 170-171.
  • Ezra Vogel, Comeback: Building the Resurgence of American Business, Simon and Schuster, 1985. pp. 240-262.

Optional Viewing:

  • Higher Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street (video, on reserve at Lilly Library).

Assignment due March 28: Written reflection on one or two leaders using the framework of 5 levels of leadership for community change.

April 4: Issue Groups Present
Individual students share results so far of learning about particular change strategies and related leadership issues. Students should have met as a group to prepare collective responses and key questions to focus class discussion.
Share with class in advance components of research that will provide backdrop for discussion.

Assignment due April 4, 11, or 18: Draft of Part 6 of Project Assignment. This is due in the week that your team is responsible for class.

April 11: Issue Groups Present, as above.

April 18: Issue Groups Present, as above.

April 25: Theory of Leadership and Change

  • Theories of change; competing views on theories of change.
  • Personal reflection on insights about leadership, where your passions lie, and hopes for the future in terms of connecting with those passions.

Required Readings:

Assignment for April 25: Develop a visual representation of your theory of change and the role of leadership and be prepared to share it with the class.


Exam Week: Final paper on your own theory of change, rooted in discussion of your own values, using the issue you studied as a way of grounding your theory of change.


 

 



 

 


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