Professor
Community Organizing for Social Justice
What You'll Learn
- Examine core concepts of social justice.
- Develop practical steps to set goals and priorities, assess community assets and needs, develop action plans, and build support for implementation.
6 Modules
12 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Community Organizing for Social Justice
The course examines specific strategies for community organizing for social justice in a diverse, democratic society.
It examines core concepts of social justice and practical steps for bringing people together to set goals and priorities, assess community assets and needs, develop action plans, and build support for implementation. It includes information on how to form core groups, build organizational capacity, and formulate strategy for reaching out to constituents and allies.
Because each person learns in a different way, the course features a variety of learning activities, information on successful programs, individual instructions, and small group exercises, as well as hands-on materials for problem solving and program planning. You can use these activities with individuals, with a small group of people, or with several groups in a community campaign.
The course draws upon work with people who are striving for community change in metropolitan Detroit, an area which is becoming both more segregated and more diverse. But it is designed for people who want to create change in communities, everywhere.
If you were to take the course with ideas in mind, and conclude with plans in hand, then our purpose will be served.
Skills You'll Gain
- Community Advocacy
- Community Organizing
- Diversity Management
- Social Justice
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Community Organizing for Social Justice focuses on organizing across difference in increasingly diverse and segregated societies. Drawing on youth-led dialogue and community projects, the course emphasizes reflection, social identity, and action-oriented learning while supporting learners in developing ideas for social justice organizing in varied local and global contexts.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Introduction to Community Organizing for Social Justice
- Reading: Welcome to your MOOC Experience
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Reading: Help us learn more about you
- Reading: Considerations and Support
- Reading: Acknowledgements & References
- Video: Segregation & Diversity
- Video: Common Language Definition
- Discussion Prompt: Seeing & Drawing Activity [Online]
- Reading: Seeing & Drawing Activity [Group]
- Video: Social Justice Definition
- Video: Community Definition
- Video: Organizing Definition
- Video: Leaders Definition
- Video: Believing in Change Definition
- Reading: What You'll Hear: Celina & Naomi
- Video: People in the Field: Celina Miranda – Boston
- Video: People in the Field: Naomi Milstein – Chicago
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 1
- Graded: Week 1 Reflection
Module 2: Strengthening Diversity
- Video: Introduction to Strengthening Diversity
- Video: Social Identity Discussion
- Reading: Who Are You ? Social Identity Activity
- Discussion Prompt: Social Identity Activity Discussion
- Video: The Cycle of Socialization Discussion
- Video: Prejudice & Discrimination
- Video: Power & Privilege
- Reading: Power & Privilege Activity
- Video: Understanding Discrimination
- Video: Everyday Discrimination with Micah Discussion
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 2
- Graded: Week 2 Reflection
Module 3: Intergroup Dialogue
- Video: What is Dialogue?
- Video: Differences & Stereotypes
- Video: Communication & Conflict
- Video: Responding to Triggers
- Reading: How Do You Respond to Triggers
- Video: Youth Dialogues
- Reading: Introduction to Roger & Qiu
- Video: Dialogue in Action
- Reading: Practicing Dialogue Activity
- Discussion Prompt: Applying LARA Discussion
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 3
- Graded: Week 3 Reflection
Module 4: Organizing & Planning for Community Change
- Reading: Assessing Your Community
- Video: Introduction to Organizing & Planning
- Video: Starting with People
- Video: Entering Communities
- Video: Engaging Community Members
- Video: Gathering Information
- Video: Making Plans
- Video: Building Capacity
- Video: Taking Stock
- Video: Organizing in Action: Kim McGill
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 4
- Graded: Week 4 Reflection
Module 5: Strategy
- Video: What is Strategy and Why is It Important?
- Video: Elements of Strategy: Goals
- Video: Elements of Strategy: Issues
- Video: Elements of Strategy: Constituencies
- Video: Elements of Strategy: Targets
- Video: Elements of Strategy: Tactics
- Video: Using the Elements of Strategy
- Video: Building Support
- Video: Talking Points
- Reading: Elevator Pitch
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 5
- Graded: Week 5 Reflection
Module 6: What Matters Most?
- Discussion Prompt: What does social justice mean to you?
- Video: Part 1: Organizing
- Video: Part 2: Planning
- Video: Part 3: Strategy
- Video: Part 4: Community
- Video: Conclusion
- Ungraded Plugin: What have you learned?
- Discussion Prompt: Notice and Reflect: Week 6
- Graded: Week 6 Reflection
Grading Policy
All graded reflections are completion-based and used to confirm engagement with the course material.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
