HSV 133 - Conflict Resolution

Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Lab Hours: 0
Practicum Hours: 0
Work Experience: 0
Course Type: Open

This course is designed to study the history, components and process of conflict resolution and to examine the implications for the use of conflict resolution within the human services, psychology and social work fields. This course will provide students with the opportunity to develop conflict resolution skills, as well as to examine their own comfort with conflict and how conflict is presented in the media. The course will also focus on the application of mediation in terms of social justice issues, in particular on child welfare, juvenile problems and restorative justice.
Competencies

Understand the theory, underlying concepts and steps in conflict resolution
1. Students will be able to describe the history of conflict resolution
2. Students will be able to describe and demonstrate the introductory phase of conflict resolution
3. Students will be able to describe and demonstrate the story gathering phase of conflict resolution
4. Students will be able to describe and demonstrate the resolution phase of conflict resolution
Students will be able to differentiate conflict resolution from other forms of intervention such as counseling/therapy, advocacy, arbitration and litigation
1. Students will compare and contrast conflict resolution with counseling/therapy
2. Students will compare and contrast conflict resolution with advocacy
3. Students will compare and contrast conflict resolution with arbitration
4. Students will compare and contrast conflict resolution with litigation
Students will demonstrate basic skills associated with the mediation/conflict resolution process and link these processes to mediation theory
1. Students will demonstrate the introductory stage of mediation
2. Students will demonstrate the story-gathering stage of mediation
3. Students will demonstrate the resolution stage of mediation
4. Students will explain how these stages relate to mediation theory
Students will have the opportunity to explain mediation techniques used to resolve an impasse and techniques used to work with challenging people in mediation
1. Students will be able to explain and demonstrate ways of dealing with an impasse
2. Students will be able to describe types of challenging behaviors in mediation and demonstrate techniques for working with them
Students will clarify their own conflict resolution style and comfort with conflict
1. Students will examine different styles of conflict and identify their own conflict resolution style and comfort with conflict
2. Students will observe how conflict is presented in the media
3. Students will keep a conflict journal
Students will be introduced to culturally sensitive principles that may apply to conflict resolution
1. Students will examine cultural differences in conflict
2. Students will be able to list cultural differences and how they may impact mediation
3. Students will be able to demonstrate strategies for dealing with cultural conflicts in mediation
Students will understand the concept to restorative justice
1. Students will be able to define restorative justice
2. Students will be able to compare and contrast restorative justice with retributive justice
3. Students will be able to list and explain restorative justice practices