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Syllabus
Comm 411: Communication and Conflict Management Spring, 2014
Instructor:

Michael Dues, Ph.D.
Office: Comm 204
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1:00 to 1:45

Texts: (required) Wilmot & Hocker (2011). Interpersonal Conflict. 9th Edition Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Course Objectives:
1. To consider the central role of communication in conflict management.
2. To identify functional and dysfunctional conflict management processes in interpersonal, organizational, community, and international contexts.
3. To recognize significant research and theory that can be helpful in conflict management.
4. To become aware of the work and ideas of some leading professionals working the field of conflict management. 5. To acquire and practice constructive methods of conflict management.
6. To apply conflict management research and theory in practical ways to identify better ways to manage specific conflicts in personal, organizational, community, and global contexts.

The general goals are to gain better understanding of conflict management processes and challenges, to appreciate the role and limitations of research and theory in developing ways to better manage conflict, and to improve our ability to manage conflicts constructively. At this time in history, it is especially important to try to understand the challenging and complex conflicts that threaten to destabilize nations and threaten international peace, to try to understand conflicts about deep moral values and conflicts and fundamental issues for society and our environment, and to consider whether existing conflict theory and research offers promising avenues to constructive resolutions. Major Assignments: Papers

1.

A case study of interpersonal conflict. Describe and analyze an interpersonal conflict with which you are familiar. Description should identify the participants, the issues, the background events leading to the conflict and conflict context, the conflict management behaviors of the participants, and the outcomes of conflict management behaviors. (It may be prudent to alter the names of the participants to honor confidentiality.) Analysis should employ theories and principles drawn from assigned readings and class lectures and discussions. Try to use these theories and principles to identify ways the participants could more constructively and effectively manage the conflict.
Maximum of 7 pages. Typed. Clean. Competently written. Properly referenced.
2. A case study in organizational conflict. Description should identify the type and size of the organization, the participants, the issues, the background events and conditions leading to the conflict and conflict context, the conflict management behaviors of the participants, and the organizational and individual outcomes of conflict management behaviors. (It may be prudent to alter the names of organization and the participants to honor confidentiality.) Analysis should employ theories and principles drawn from assigned readings and class lectures and discussions. Try to use these theories and principles to identify ways the participants could more constructively and effectively manage the conflict. Maximum of 7 pages. Typed. Clean. Competently written.
Properly referenced.

3. A thorough investigation and report on an international, intercultural, or “moral” conflict. You may work alone on this project or team up with up to two other class members. Some class meetings during the semester will be set aside for teams to meet and work together on this assignment. Papers

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should offer a sound, well-researched explanation of the conflict, including its history, participants, issues, and resolution strategies, and should apply principles we have been studying to analyze resolution strategies and offer recommendations for improved outcomes. Maximum of 20 pages.
Typed. Nine top papers, selected for excellence in research and analysis, will be selected for oral presentation to the class and seminar discussion. (See “seminars” noted in the course schedule).
Individuals and team members who present their papers to the class will have the option of receiving the grade they have at point in the course, and skipping the final exam. If they choose to take the final exam, it will affect their final grade only if it increases that grade.

4. Extra credit excursion: The Titan Missile Museum, just south of Tucson on I19 is an important historical resource concerning the Cold War, and a remarkable positive step in managing a conflict that literally threatened to destroy this world. Tours take about an hour and a half, and provide valuable learning relevant to part three of Comm 411. Take the tour.
Turn in a 3 page paper describing your experience on the tour and what you learned from it, plus your receipt, documenting that you actually took the tour. This buys you 5 points extra credit in 411. Due date = April 24.
Exams: Two: a mid-term and a final.
Mid-term exam will be a combination of multiple choice and “short answers” test. A detailed study guide will be provided for the short answer portion of the exam.
Final exam will be part multiple choice and part essay. A study guide will be provided for the multiple choice portion. For the essay portion you will be presented a hypothetical conflict situation and asked to assess the situation, consider the context and climate in which the conflict has arisen, evaluate the conflict management behaviors of participants, and the potential outcomes, and to offer advice to participants on how they might best proceed. This essay portion of the exam will be testing your ability to apply all we have discussed and read in this course to better understand and manage conflict.
Course Policies
Attendance: This course meets twice each week in this classroom. You will be responsible for knowing material presented in lectures and for ideas that emerge through class discussions. We will generally post announcements about any adjustments in schedule or assignments on D2L, but that’s not a promise. And we will often post outlines of lectures, but not always, and when we do post outlines they won’t tell the whole story. To do this class well, you need to show up.
Preparation: This is a senior level class. I expect you to bring to this class a background in general knowledge, background in knowledge of communication research and theory, ability to study, learn, and think independently. I expect you to read assigned materials BEFORE the class for which they are assigned, and to come to class prepared to think and contribute to discussions.
Quality of Work: Written assignments should show competence and care in English grammar, spelling, and organization. Papers should be clearly responsive to the assignment, and should follow an appropriate academic style style.
Timeliness: All assignments are due at class time on the assigned date. When papers are received on time we will take full responsibility for reading, grading, and returning them to you on time. When papers are turned in late, and there is a good, documented reason for their being late, I will make an attempt to read, grade, and return them to you, but there is no guarantee.
Academic Integrity: This university has a clear code of academic integrity. Violations of the university’s code of academic integrity, if caught, will result in your receiving an E for the course. Written assignments must be your own work. Authors from whom you draw language or ideas must be cited.

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Grades
Grading in this course will be based on points earned. A total of 160 points are possible (165 counting extra credit). Papers 1 & 2 can earn up to 20 points each. Paper 3 can earn up to 40 points. Exams can earn up to
40 points each. At semester’s end, a total of 145 or more = A; 130 to 144 = B; 115 to 129 = C; 100 to 114 =
D. 99 or less = E.

Tentative Schedule NOTE: We will adjust this a bit as we proceed/
Week Topic(s)

Assignments

1/16

Introduction to the course

1/21

The Nature of Conflict
W&H Ch 1
Wrong ideas about conflict and their consequences
W&H Ch 2
Conflict contexts: Interpersonal, organizational, community, international, cultural

1/23

“What are we fighting for?” Our multiple goals in conflict
Self-awareness and conflict goals
Discussion of major Paper 3, Paper 3 topics, and optional work teams

W&H Ch 3

1/28

Power as a conflict variable

W&H Ch 4

1/30

Emotions as conflict variables

W&H Ch 6

2/4

Conflict strategies: Functional and dysfunctional

W&H Ch 5

2/6

Constructive Conflict Resolution

W&H Ch 7

2/11

Managing conflict in intimate personal relationships

W&H Ch 8

2/13

Beyond the interpersonal context: Conflict in organizations

2/18

Organizational processes for managing conflict: hierarchy, adversarial procedures, negotiation, mediation, ombudsmen

2/20

Management’s role in organizational conflict management:
Managing both conflicts and the conflict climate

2/25

Bullies and other problem people in organizations

2/27

Conflict mediation and facilitation

3/4

Mediating Dangerously: Challenging thoughts on conflict and its management

3/6

Review for Mid-term Exam

3/11

Mid-Term Exam

3/13

After the conflict: Forgiveness, atonement, & healing

Paper 1 due
W&H Ch 8

W&H Ch 9

W&H Ch 10

Spring Break
3/25

Community Conflict: Managing issues that divide citizens

3/27

The Public Sphere: Is dialog about issues deteriorating?

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Paper 2 due

4/1

“Moral Conflict:” What is it? And how can it be constructively managed?

4/3

The challenge of “negotiating with the Devil”

4/8

Clashes of cultures and peoples: Examples from history

4/10

The search for constructive solutions

4/15

Some great examples of success in managing major cultural conflict

4/ 17, 22, & 24

Paper 3 due

Seminar Presentations on Major Contemporary Conflicts

4/29

Can we apply principles of conflict management to major cultural conflicts?

5/1

Can democracies deal effectively with cultural conflict?

5/6

Summary & review

Final Exam:

Tuesday, May 13, 1:00 to 3:00 pm

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