Community Engagement for Social Change

3 credits

Required of all Macro students. This course develops skills in bringing about social change through collective action. It focuses on methods by which social workers bring about planned change in communities and organizations and provides a grounding in the theory and practice of community organizing. Throughout the course, students will confront issues regarding community power, conflict versus cooperation, use of the political system, strategy and tactics, and various theories of social change as they relate to examples ranging from local neighborhood improvement to international social movements. The course highlights social work values in the practice of community organizing and development, including the role of the social worker in facilitating democratic participation and mobilizing and empowering community members and other constituents for action.