Course Syllabus

ARCH 509

Design Activism and Social Change

Fall 2016 – 003 (21721)

Tuesday 9 – Noon

2227 A&AB

 

Craig L. Wilkins, Instructor

Cell: 612.813.1430

Email: clwilks@umich.edu

 

This course examines the history, theory and mechanisms through which architects, designers, planners and other socially-conscious activists put their professional skills in service to an idea of social change.

The resurgence in socially-conscious design is due in large part to groups of students and practitioners who are inspired by the widening gap between the haves and have nots; some in the field have leaped back into the arena of problem-solvers with great enthusiasm. Empowering people to take direct control over their environmental development, the resulting work has been both impressive and promising.

Labeled as “social entrepreneurs” by some “design activists” by others, this loose group of designers has mashed the issues of accessibility, affordability, mobility, sustainability and aesthetics into a small, but exciting field of design activism. The projects of these broad-minded, multi-talented designers are impacting and improving lives, preserving local cultures and providing hope for the future in this country and all over the world. Their efforts bring balance to the perception that architecture is only concerned with the object by drawing attention to the kind of design that has the inherent ability to transform and in some cases, actually save lives.

Without insisting on a determinist point of view that attributes to design the power to transform society, the course examines a series of interventions, strategies, theories, and works that impact people in perhaps modest ways that hold the potential for significant social change over the long haul with an eye towards both advocacy planning and design activism. To establish a groundwork for discussion, the course introduces theories of social change that inform much of this work. In weekly readings that address both design and the urban environment, the class will be invited to reflect on how the articulation of space shapes and reflects political and social subjectivities.

Objectives

• Understand the inception, development, principles, and practice of public interest design
• Identify and analyze advantages, disadvantages and opportunities in the field
• Apply course material to specific concern
• Expand the definition of architectural practice

Overall Course Format

This course will be taught through assigned essays, case studies, lectures and class discussions in addition to creating a collaborative design intervention of your choosing for a site to be determined in Southwest Michigan. The class will consist of a lecture setting up the parameters of the issues to be explored by the class. These parameters will be part of the reading assigned the previous week and there will follow class-wide discussions/debates on the issues raised by the lecture and readings. Students are expected to complete and contemplate all the readings in time for class discussion. The purpose of this course is to facilitate individual and collective engagement with the material and additional issues that grow out of that engagement. To that end, students are expected to identify their ideas and concerns openly (even when signified by "I don't get it"), and likewise are expected to respect the position and the needs of others in class. (because there will be a time when all of us in the class "Don't get it")

Expectations

Look, it is my sincerest wish that this course will be an exciting, enjoyable and positive learning experience for you. As such, I think it only fair that I be as clear as possible about my expectations concerning how you can make that happen:

• Take yourself, your classmates and the material seriously
• Read each work until you have a basic understanding of it
• Be brief and to the point when speaking in class
• Listen to what other people have to say
• Be open to suggestions
• Give everyone a chance to speak
• Build on other peoples' ideas
• Be tolerant of the instructor (he can be a little dense at times…and his jokes are quite awful)

Class Structure

• The course meets once a week, sans any normal holiday falling on a scheduled class day. In case of bad weather, the class will meet unless the University is officially closed.
• Please do your best to be on time. Arriving late disrupts the learning process for the entire class. 20 minutes late to class (+ the Michigan 10), you’ll be counted as absent. Missing class because of tardiness will count as an unexcused absence. But, as we all know, things happen. So…if you’re going to be late, simply 1) call my office and leave a detailed message as to why or 2) email me with the same information, prior to the start of class and you’ll be fine. Also, if you must leave early, do let me know at least 30 minutes prior. I may have something planned that day that will need adjusting given your absence.
• Finally, 3 unexcused absences will trigger a review to determine the viability of your continued inclusion in the course. Acceptable excuses vary, but unacceptable excuses, sadly, remain the same: 

No ride to campus; My alarm didn't go off / I over slept; I had a test after this; I thought classes were canceled; The train had a flat; blah, blah, blah…

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Should you think you need an accommodation for a disability, please let me know at your earliest convenience. Some aspects of this course, the assignments, the in-class activities, and the way the course is usually taught may be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, we can work with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office to help us determine appropriate academic accommodations. SSD (734-763-3000; http://ssd.umich.edu) typically recommends accommodations through a Verified Individualize Services and Accommodations (VISA) form. Any information you provide is private and confidential and will be treated as such.

Understand and adhere to these rules of civility:

Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or academic advancement, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions or academic decisions affecting such individual, (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is knowingly presenting another person's ideas, findings, images or written work as one's own by copying or reproducing without acknowledgement of the source. It is intellectual theft that violates basic academic standards and will not be tolerated. In order to uphold an equal evaluation for all work submitted, cases of plagiarism will be reviewed by the individual faculty member and/or the Program Chair. Punitive measures will range from failure of an assignment to expulsion from the University.

The academic policies of the college

Can be found here: http://taubmancollege.umich.edu/students/academic_policies/general/

Information on writing assistance

Should you feel the need, the university has vast resources for writing instruction and assistance beginning with Theresa Rohick who has office hours in our building (trohick@umich.edu.) The resources of the Sweetland Center for Writing are available as well. They offer classes, one-on-one assistance in a variety of modalities, and resource guides. Sweetland Writing Center: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/sweetland

Lastly for this syllabus, here’s a link to general resource guides designed for undergraduates, and grad students: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduate/writingguides

Finally, please remember to fill out your course evaluations

There will be an announcement of when they are available. We will most likely set aside time during studio for this to be accomplished.

Evaluation & Grading Criteria

This course will adhere to the following standards:

A: Achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.

B: Achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.

C: Achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.

D: Achievement that is worthy of credit even though failing to meet fully course requirements.

I (Incomplete): Assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances, e.g., hospitalization, a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between instructor and student

Your work in this class will be graded according to the following percentages:

• Attendance 20%
• Participation 20%
• (4) 2-page response papers 8 pages total 20%
• Final project 40%

TOTAL: 100%

 

Attendance

Be here. Easy, right?

PLEASE NOTE: A CRLT researcher will be in attendance to conduct a Mid-Course Review on October 11th. Your attendance is especially required.

Participation

You are required to review no less than 8 essays for each meeting. Some weeks there will be more, but rarely less. Each set of weekly readings is organized in two categories: Required and Choice. The Required readings are the base for our class discussion that week, so everyone should be familiar with each essay in order to fully participate. The Choice category however, is more flexible. You may choose which essays in this category to read as your interest suggests.

Each set of weekly readings has a theme and several sub-themes; in other words, they’re grouped together for a reason. It might be they’re variations of a position, practice or idea. They may also be in contrast to each other, presenting opposing views about the same issue. In any case, there’s some unifying thread or threads of thought or action that brings these pieces into relationship with each other. You will notice I’ve provided sub-themes for each week as well as tagged each essay in relationship to those sub-themes. For example in Week 1, the sub-themes are:

Capitalism, Educational Structure, Professional Structure, Democracy,

General Ethics, Professional Ethics & Responsibility

Each essay includes a tag in parentheses. For example:

1. Ralph Ketcham. “A Rationale For Civic Education: Preparing for democracy.” Current. (Nov 1992). p.10-14. (ES/D)

The tag relates to one or more of the sub-themes: ES = Educational Structure, D = Democracy. Not only does the tag identify what idea(s) each essay engages but also helps you determine which Choice essays to select for further reading.

You’re not only expected to be familiar with the essays; you’re also responsible for critiquing the theme of each – and the essays/authors that present them – and have those critiques, questions, comments or concerns ready to share with the class as well. You do NOT have to have answers to your issues (although feel free to present them if you do; that would be great) but you should have a reason for your concerns. You may be asked to give us your theme and critique at any point during any class, so you should be prepared. You’re free to prepare in any manner you wish but if I may make a small suggestion, writing your analysis and comments on paper in some manner is very useful.

Response Papers

Your response papers are your opportunity to get deeper into an article or set of articles, Sub-themes or ideas that interest or excite you than we have time for during the meeting of the course. It’s your opportunity to have a dialogue with the author(s) and myself about something read or discussed that caught your attention. It’s really a quick essay documenting your current state of thinking about the subject matter. A momentary snapshot, if you will, that by the end of the course should show the evolution of your understanding of the material. Think of each as pages in the diary you’re writing about your time in the course. You may use those pages to respond directly to an author or you can use the paper to extend an argument or position, you may use it to theorize about an opposing idea or what kind of future will develop should such ideas come to pass. One great advantage of documenting your weekly analysis and comments is that it will assist in writing your response papers.

Final Project

In the last third of the course, you will be assigned to a team and challenged to engage what we’ve been studying. Each team will identify an issue that aligns with the principals discussed in the course, propose and present a practical design intervention to address it.