Spring 2012/Houston

CN506

K Slaikeu, and D. Slaikeu

CN506: CONFLICT AND CONCILIATION. Karl Slaikeu and Diane Slaikeu.

DESCRIPTION: Conflict in personal, familial, congregational, and communal life are continuing problems and possibilities in Christian ministry. This course offers an experiential, clinical, theological, and pastoral approach to the management, resolution, transformation, and utilization of conflict in both personal and pastoral perspectives. As an interdisciplinary approach it will draw on communication theory, therapeutic process, conflict studies, and mediation skills.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The capacity to go beyond survival of conflict to both transform it and utilize it in creative growth is essential in ministry as a pastoral counselor, caregiver, mediator, educator, or administrator.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: All class participants will (know) develop a cognitive grasp of conflict theory; (be) integrate affective growth in comfort with and appreciation of conflict dynamics; and (do) develop skill in coping, recreating, and redirecting tensions in constructive conciliation.

COURSE FORMAT: An integration of lecture, dialogue, experiential exercise, small groups, simulations, and class discussion of cases, theory, and theology will allow opportunity for personal as well as professional growth experiences to be processed and integrated into pastoral identity. Class meets once each week for three hours.

REQUIRED READING:

A maximum of 1200 pages of cases, theory, theology, and practice including:

Augsburger, David. Conflict Mediation Across Cultures. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1992. ISBN 0664256090. 310 pages. $13.46.

Fisher, Roger, and William Ury. Getting to Yes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981. ISBN  0143118757. 160 pages. $11.64.

Slaikeu, Karl, When Push Comes to Shove: A Practical Guide to Mediating Disputes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. ISBN   078790161X. 301 pages. $11.79.

Slaikeu, Diane and Slaikeu, Karl. Resolving Conflict: A Handbook for Christians. In preparation, 2012. 278 pages. $10.95.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Augsburger, David. Helping People Forgive. Louisville: Westminster/ John Knox Press, 1996. ISBN 0664256864. 192 pages. $20.30.

Lederach, John Paul. The Moral Imagination. New York: Oxford University. 2005. ISBN  0195174542. 200 pages. $14.40.

Sande, Ken. The Peacemaker. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group. 2004. ISBN   0801064856. 318 pages. $6.75.

Stevens, R. Paul. The Other Six Days. Vancouver, British Columbia: Regent Publishing Co., 1999. ISBN 0802848001. 289 pages. $15.50.

Stassen, Glen H. Just Peacemaking. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2008. ISBN 082981793X. 234 pages. $14.84.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Class attendance and participation. 20%.

2. A conflict case analysis (10 pp.). 40%.

3. Personal or church action plan based on templates offered in this course (10 pp.). 40% Details in syllabus.

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

FINAL EXAMINATION: The final action plan functions as the exam.