CRES 155 Introduction to Conflict Resolution: Science and Art

This course introduces students to different theories about conflict and different approaches to resolving conflict. Conflict is explored in many contexts, including interpersonal, cross-cultural, and international. Students will be asked to reflect on their own style of conflict resolution and will practice interpersonal communication skills used to resolve conflict. Students will examine the spectrum of intervention processes for interpersonal conflict resolution and identify key ethical considerations for each.

Credits

3

Hours Weekly

3

Course Objectives

1. Identify and evaluate various conflict perspectives, assumptions, and context, and then apply these to establish one’s own conflict management positions and style.
2. Summarize the major approaches to conflict resolution, and how the lens model of conflict interaction can be used to evaluate each.
3. Identify and evaluate the relevance and quality of supporting evidence to recognize bias and value judgments in conflict resolution by examining the role of communication, language, power, and culture in conflict.
4. Explain one's core personal beliefs by identifying ethical concerns that exist in a conflict situation, and analyze possible solutions to the situation by applying alternative ethical perspectives.

Course Objectives

1. Identify and evaluate various conflict perspectives, assumptions, and context, and then apply these to establish one’s own conflict management positions and style.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Conflict and Me Paper

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT2
2. Summarize the major approaches to conflict resolution, and how the lens model of conflict interaction can be used to evaluate each.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Journal Assignment: "Conflict Resolution Approaches"

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT1
3. Identify and evaluate the relevance and quality of supporting evidence to recognize bias and value judgments in conflict resolution by examining the role of communication, language, power, and culture in conflict.

   This objective is a course Goal Only

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Journal Assignments: "Hidden Dimensions of Communication" and "Interests, Goals, and Power"

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT3
4. Explain one's core personal beliefs by identifying ethical concerns that exist in a conflict situation, and analyze possible solutions to the situation by applying alternative ethical perspectives.

   Learning Activity Artifact

   • Other (please fill out box below)
   • Group Research Project and Presentation

   Procedure for Assessing Student Learning

   • Critical and Creative Thinking Rubric

   Critical Thinking

   • CT4

   Ethics Goals

   • ET1
   • ET2
   • ET3