Contesting Injustice

Why, when and how do ordinary people organize collectively to challenge political, social and economic injustice? We will analyze the conditions that lead ordinary people to organize to contest injustice, the various tactics and strategies of mobilization, the moral, political, and strategic dilemmas that activists face, and the conditions for success in altering the norms and institutions that sustain injustice. We will explore theoretical approaches to understanding mobilization against injustice, including those centered on self-interest, moral outrage, social preferences, social networks, political opportunity, and movement culture. Films that document the experience of injustice as well as the process of mobilization are an integral part of the course. Our focus will be on mobilization in both the US and international settings.

Teaching Evaluations

Overall assessment 5/5. See full text of student evaluations (TA evaluations start pg. 10)

Course Details

Department(s): Political Science, Latin American Studies, African American Studies, Sociology
Course Number: AFAM 186/LAST 214/SOCY 170/PLSC 378
Role: Writing Requirement Graduate Teaching Fellow
Level: Undergraduate (with Writing Requirement)
Primary Instructor: Professor Elisabeth Wood
Responsibilities Prepared and gave one lecture on "Suppressing Resistance," concerning state strategies of repression (slides available upon request). Teach sections and host office hours, grade all assignments and exams, answer student questions. This was a Writing Requirement (WR) class at Yale, meaning extra writing instruction is required by teaching fellows, who underwent five weeks of coursework devoted to teaching writing.

Syllabus

Available upon request.