Class Descriptions

Women and Community Organizing

SW658

Course Description

Contemporary feminist thought challenges us to identify and analyze the connections between our day-to-day experiences and social patterns of gender inequality. In this course, we will explore the theory and practice of community organizations using a feminist lens. This lens brings into focus persistent patterns of inequality; it also reveals the persistence of community-based women organizers efforts to create positive change.

This course will examine concepts and techniques for organizing women at the community level. Students will learn about major models and methods of practice, intersectional and analytical skills, and roles of women as organizers and constituents of community organizations. Students will identify forces that facilitate and limit organizing of women in the community and will develop action principles for work with women in the community. Critical value and ethical issues for women and men concerned with women's issues and organizing will be explored, in addition to ways to develop alternative approaches to address these issues.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the changing context, historical development, dominant theories, research findings, and core concepts of community organization practice in social work and related fields related to women's issues. (Practice Behaviors 2.CO, 3.CO, 5.CO, 6.CO, 9.CO)
2. Apply culturally competent and intercultural methods of community assessment practice. (Practice Behaviors 4.CO, 5.CO, 10.b.CO)
3. Demonstrate knowledge of several strategies for creating community change in a culturally diverse society, inclusive of the following dimensions: ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation, as well community of residence. (Practice Behaviors 4.CO, 5.CO, 6.CO, 9.CO, 10.a.CO, 10.b.CO, 10.c.CO, 10.d.CO)
4. Implement culturally competent and intercultural methods of community evaluation practice. (Practice Behaviors 4.CO, 10.a.CO, 10.c.CO, 10.d.CO)
5. Design several strategies for organizing women at the community level. (Practice Behaviors 3.CO, 10.a.CO, 10.c.CO)
6. Apply social work professional ethics to issues commonly confronted in community organization practice, particularly as related to women's issues and organizing. (Practice Behaviors 2.CO, 4.CO, 5.CO)
7. Demonstrate knowledge of skills to strengthen pluralism and multiculturalism in community organization particularly as related to women's issues and organizing. (Practice Behaviors 2.CO, 3.CO, 4.CO, 5.CO, 6.CO, 9.CO)
8. Describe past, present, and future potential roles, strengths, problems and contributions of women as community organizers. (Practice Behaviors 1.CO, 3.CO, 4.CO, 5.CO)
9. Examine the ways that the previously mentioned diversity dimensions affect processes of community organizing. (Practice Behaviors 6.CO, 9.CO)
10. Compare and contrast key structures and processes of women's community organizations, and the gender-related dynamics of different contexts for organizing. (Practice Behaviors 4.CO, 5.CO, 6.CO, 9.CO)
11. Critically analyze existing community organization theory and practice from a feminist perspective. (Practice Behaviors 3.CO, 6.CO)
12. Identify critical value and ethical issues for women and men concerned with women's issues and organizing, and develop alternative approaches to address these issues. (Practice Behaviors 1.CO, 2.CO, 4.CO, 10.c.CO)

Design

Instructors may include readings, participation in discussions, written assignments, and individual and group exercises. Emphasis will be placed on experiential learning to strengthen gender and cultural self-awareness and community practice skills. Guest speakers from the campus and community may be invited to address special topics. Videos may be shown throughout the course to present a national and international perspective.