Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2023 - LBST 401 D100

How to Make Change: Community-Labour Organizing and Action (4)

Class Number: 7853

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 6 – Dec 5, 2023: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    LBST 100 or 101 or permission of instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explores community-labour organizing strategies and theories that workers and communities have used to effect social change. Beyond the formal labour movement, we focus on marginalized workers and communities who have turned to one another to amplify their power and fight against diverse forms of injustice. Students develop their organizing and critical analysis skills through popular education and a decolonial praxis. Students with credit for LBST 330 under the title "Action and Change: Community-Labour Organizing 101" may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

This upper-level course explores community-labour organizing strategies and theories that workers and communities have formulated to effect social change throughout the globe. Moving beyond the formal labour movement, we will turn our focus to marginalized workers and communities who have turned to one another to amplify their power and fight against diverse forms of injustices and exploitation with limited resources.  This is a hands-on course that will involve students to work collectively and individually to develop their organizing and critical analysis skills as community-labour organizers and labour scholars through popular education and a decolonial praxis. As such attendance and seminar engagement are important in this course. Guest speakers organizing for social change at the frontlines will form an integral part of the course curriculum. 

Please note that students with credit for LBST 330 under the title "Action and Change: Community-Labour Organizing 101" may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course students will be able to …

-Situate themselves in the historical process of change

-Identify various strategies and movements that have accomplished fundamental change throughout the globe

-Map power structures and social problems to develop a plan for action and solutions

-Explain key theories of social change

-Apply various theoretical and educational tools to work with and in community   

 

Grading

  • Personal-Political Journal Reflection 25%
  • Final Critical Reflection Paper 25%
  • Seminar Engagement 20%
  • Group Project Proposal 10%
  • Group Project Presentation 20%

NOTES:

Grading: Where a final exam is scheduled and the student does not write the exam or withdraw from the course before the deadline date, an N grade will be assigned. Unless otherwise specified on the course syllabus, all graded assignments for this course must be completed for a final grade other than N to be assigned. An N is considered as an F for the purposes of scholastic standing.

Grading System: The Undergraduate Course Grading System is as follows:

A+ (95-100) | A (90-94) | A- (85-89) | B+ (80-84) | B (75-79) | B- (70-74) | C+ (65-69) | C (60-64) | C- (55-59) | D (50-54) | F (0-49) | N*
*N standing to indicate the student did not complete course requirements

Academic Honesty and Student Conduct Policies: The Labour Studies Program follows SFU policy in relation to grading practices, grade appeals (Policy T 20.01) and academic honesty and student conduct procedures (S10.01‐S10.04). Unless otherwise informed by your instructor in writing, in graded written assignments you must cite the sources you rely on and include a bibliography/list of references, following an instructor-approved citation style.  It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of the content of SFU policies available on the SFU website.

Centre for Accessible Learning: Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need classroom or exam accommodations are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (1250 Maggie Benston Centre) as soon as possible to ensure that they are eligible and that approved accommodations and services are implemented in a timely fashion.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All materials will be made available electronically via the SFU library and canvas.


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the semester are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.