Neil H. Katz, Ph.D.
neilkatz44@gmail.com tel: 315-443-3163
Over the past 35 years, Neil H. Katz has distinguished himself as an
innovator, leader, teacher, scholar and highly successful practitioner in
academia and in organizational consulting. Dr. Katz currently serves as Program
Manager for Training and Organizational Development for the Executive Education Programs
and faculty member in the Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts
in the nationally renowned Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at
Syracuse University, and as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Conflict
Practice at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. After receiving his
doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1974, Neil’s academic career at the
Maxwell School included service as founder and director of the Program in
Nonviolent Conflict and Change, founder and director of the Annual Summer
Institute on Creative Conflict Resolution, co-founder and faculty supervisor for
the Campus Mediation Center and the Conflict Resolution Consulting Group, co
founder and associate director of the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of
Conflicts and associate professor of Social Science and Public Affairs.. In
addition to these University positions, Neil also serves as President of his own
consulting firm, Dr. Neil Katz & Associates.
Dr. Katz is the author of over 35 books, articles and book chapters on conflict resolution, interest-based negotiation, mediation, and nonviolent action, and is a board member of national organizations, He is a Danforth Teaching Fellow, a mediator, a process consultant, a facilitator, and a trainer/consultant in organizational leadership, conflict resolution and negotiation skills for business, government, education, and community groups. Katz's clients for professional consultation and training services include: Smith-Barney Financial Services, Allstom Transportation Systems, Eaton Corp. Rural/Metro Corp., American General‑U.S. Life Insurance Co., Bristol Myers‑Squibb, Inc., Mutual of New York, the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Personnel Management, the National Science Foundation, the Patent and Trademark Office, the Census Bureau, the Defense Security Services, Rome (N.Y.) Laboratories (U.S.A.F.), the N.Y. State Martin Luther King Jr. Institute/Commission on Nonviolence, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, Onondaga County (N.Y.) Police Services, the Bergen County (N.J.) Dept .of Probation, the Danforth Foundation, the N.Y. State Council of School Superintendents, the N.Y. State Departments’ of Education, Health and Labor, the N. Y. Office of Mental Health, the N.Y. State Governor’s Office of Employee Relations, the National Association of School Board Members, The Downtown College Consortium (Oklahoma City) the Onondaga County (N.Y.) Legislature and Office of the County Executive, and the International Red Cross, University Hospital and Mayor’s Office in Reykjavik, Iceland. Most recently he has been involved with many school districts throughout the country in training and successfully facilitating school contract negotiations using an interest-based approach.
In recent years Dr. Katz headed a consulting/training team from the Executive Education Programs of the Maxwell School that has worked closely with the U.S. Social Security Administration and with the New York State Departments’ of Health, Labor and Education. In this capacity he has directed over 150 programs in communication and conflict resolution skills, team building and group dynamics, leadership and learning, and interest‑based negotiations for members of labor‑management teams and over 8000 managers throughout the country. During his career, Dr. Katz has received many accolades, among them, the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Award from the Syracuse community for his career long commitment to nonviolent conflict resolution and the principles embodied in Dr. King’s life and work.
FUNDAMENTALS OF CONFLICT STUDIES
IRP 601, PPA 601, SOS
601
Fall 2009, 12:45-3:30 PM
Crouse-Hinds Hall 020
Office
hours: By Appointment
The goals of this class are to provide students with a broad overview of the interdisciplinary field of conflict analysis and resolution, to introduce them to faculty and the work they are doing in this field, and to help them to develop a framework for diagnosing and responding to conflicts within their own area of interest. The majority of the semester will be devoted to exploring the diverse range of (sometimes contradictory) theories of social/political conflict found across the social science disciplines. We will also devote some attention to the applied side of conflict studies; that is, the techniques and tools used by practitioners in the field to manage conflicts across different settings and contexts. Of particular interest throughout the course will be uncovering how our theories about the nature of social conflicts result in our making particular choices about which conflict resolution activities make sense under which conditions. Relying on a number of guest speakers, documentaries, and group projects, we will consider how conflict manifests across multiple levels of analysis (interpersonal, organizational, and international) as well as within specific topical areas (ethnic/racial, environmental, foreign policy, labor/management, etc.). Students are encouraged to use this course as a ‘gateway’ to conflict studies and to take advantage of the one-to-three credit seminars on applied conflict management offered by the Program on the Analysis and Resolution of Conflicts throughout the year. We wish to acknowledge Professor Bruce Dayton who created the basic design for this course.
READING MATERIALS
Most of the reading material listed in the syllabus is available on the class website. In addition, a few books are required, including the main textbook for the course. These books will be located at the Follette Bookstore on the Marshall Street Mall. Good news: The 4 “Little Books” should only be in the range of $5 each!
Conflict Resolved? by Alan C. Tidwell (Continuum Publ. Or Pinter Publ. 1998) Each student should have a copy of this book as we will refer to it often throughout the course.
The Little Book of Conflict Transformation by John Paul Lederach. Good Books Press., 2003
The Little Book of Strategic Negotiation: Negotiating During Turbulent Times by Jayne Seminare Docherty. Good Books Press., 2005
The Little Book of Restorative Justice by Howard Zehr. Good Books Press., 2002
The Little Book of Strategic Peacemaking by Lisa Schirch. Good Books Press, 2004.
To access the class website go to http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/nkatz/
Remember when accessing class readings via the blue colored hyperlinks below you will be asked to enter the log in and password which was emailed to you
We will work with you individually to identify
additional reading materials related to a particular domain of conflict studies
that you are interested in.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS
1. Reports on Two External Activities: 40% of final grade
The field of conflict studies is impossibly large to cover
in one short semester. Accordingly,
each student is required to attend 2 events at the
External Activity Report, Example 1
External Activity Report, Example 2
Readings/External Activity Report Example 3.pdf
2. Research Paper: 40 % of final grade
Each student will write a 16-18 page (use 12 font, Times New Roman, double spaced) case-study research paper in the form of a major proposal for foundation funding. The paper will: 1) analyze a conflict of your choice (in consultation with me); 2) develop a set of goals for a project to transform that conflict from a negative to a more positive state; 3) outline a specific conflict management plan that flows from your expressed project goals, 4) describe how you will evaluate the impact of your project. The paper is due in two parts. A full description of this project is available at the back of this syllabus.
Readings/Research Paper, Example 3.pdf
Readings/Research Paper, Example 4.pdf
3.
Group Facilitation and Individual Participation:
20% of final grade
Each student will be placed in a small group of 3 or 4 students. Each group will work together outside of class to prepare some opening remarks to extend the learning by initiating dialogue with the lecturer and by facilitating class discussion on the assigned readings and lecture. Your small group should highlight:
A. Significant insights from the readings (you might want to have a brief PowerPoint presentation and/or handout for this)
B. Observations on
how the readings and the lecture connect with one another
and with the central
framework
of the course
You need to check in with me or my assistant on the
Friday prior to your presentation on your plans for the group facilitation.
In addition, each member of your group needs to
complete a Group Processing Exercise form and discuss the results with
your group. You will then write a
3-4 page paper about your group process and ideas for improvement. (to be handed
in the week after your presentation).
The class participation portion of your grade will be based on: 1) my evaluation on whether or not you have read the assigned material and prepared for class, 2) the degree to which you are an active and constructive participant in the class, 3) the degree to which you regularly attend all class sessions. 4) Your group presentation and group processing paper.
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International Crisis Group www.intl-crisis-group.org Saferworld www.saferworld.co.uk/conflict/ |
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