HS 342B — Policy Advocacy, Protest, and Community Organizing

Provides students with an overview of the processes by which individuals and groups operating at the national, state, and local levels in the United States and other countries can effectively shape social policy that advances social justice. It will focus on two complementary sets of issues: 1) How theoretical knowledge and frameworks can be used to promote social justice, the barriers that face those who seek to use knowledge to change policy, and the kinds of strategies that have been and are likely to be effective in overcoming these barriers in the future, and 2) The practical strategies that advocacy organizations can utilize in promoting policy changes that benefit different segments of society, especially those with relatively little economic or political power.

Each week, there will be one or more guest speakers who in recent years have included current or former elected officials (including US Senators, US members of the House of Representatives, Massachusetts state representatives, and Massachusetts city councilors); key staff of Massachusetts Governors; lobbyists from or executive directors of groups such as the National Rifle Association, Black Lives Matter, Neighbor to Neighbor and Centro Presente; a SID graduate who is an expert on the farmers protests in India; a participant in the Arab Spring protests in Egypt; national and local community organizers with decades of experience; leaders of groups that promote communication of complex issues, such as Just Vision; and leaders/representatives from all sides in the 2015 Ford Hall sit-ins and protests at Brandeis. Most classes include small group discussions to maximize opportunities for students to share their perspectives and opinions. Usually offered every year.