COMM CONFLICT RESOLUTION

RESEARCH TOPIC & PAPER OUTLINE

MY RESEARCH TOPIC IS: “The Gandhi's Salt March”

1.     Research the historical facts of the situation. Depending on how long ago your topic is, you will find newspaper articles or history books. These will be factual sources.

2.     Label who you are calling the Agitators and label who you are calling the Establishment/Control

3.     Determine a short statement of the ideology of the Agitators and determine a short statement of the Establishment/Control

4.     Determine which strategies from Chapter 2 were used by your Agitators and which strategies from Chapter 3 were used by your Establishment.

5.     Name of Strategy- define it. Thing/Event(s) done by your Agitators/Establishment that is an example of the strategy

6.     Do this for each strategy that you see used. There should be examples from both the Agitators and the Establishment.

7.     This analysis will be your opinion! It is unlikely you will find academic sources that will speak directly to this.

8.     Which strategies were most successful? Why? ​This is your opinion​. Remember that it doesn’t mean that the successful strategies were only by the “winner” of the conflict; it could have been a successful event along the way or part of a still ongoing conflict.

9.     Now put this information into an outline. (See sample)

10. Start to put your above information into paragraphs.

11. Worry about transitional sentences AFTER you have the foundation.

RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS

Each student will be required to write a 10-page paper on a societal conflict. It must include at least 4 citations to outside resources. None of the class texts are acceptable as one of the 4 resources, but you ​​should​​ use ​​The Rhetoric of Agitation of Control​. ​ You should NOT be using the other class texts for this paper. The resources may and should be articles from the internet, from news sources, journals, texts etc. If you are able to find articles on your topic through Google, that is acceptable. You ​​must​​ have your topic approved by the instructor. This must be done in writing (via email). Any topics not pre-approved are done at the risk of the paper being unacceptable and is at risk of a failing grade or no credit. It is the sole responsibility of the student to seek approval.

Your goal is to explore your issue more in depth after learning about the use of rhetoric in societal conflict. The paper should include a discussion of the historical context, a discussion of agitators and establishment and their ideologies in that context, a discussion of the strategies/tactics used by each and conclude with an analysis and critique of effectiveness or ineffectiveness of each. YOU are providing the scholarly analysis!

The paper MUST be an analysis of the use of rhetorical communication strategies/tactics by agitators and established authority and not solely a history paper or term paper describing the facts of the conflict.

Your paper will be an analysis of a large scale public conflict that has significant ramifications. The focus is on development of social agitative groups and groups within or between countries.

You should use concepts from ​​The Rhetoric of Agitation and Control​​. Explain how these concepts were utilized by the agitators and the establishment that you chose to write about.

You should ​​not​​ write a history paper but parts of the paper obviously will touch on history.

The difference is that history records the facts and the chronology. Communication analyzes it asking, “How can communication bring people together? -identification, common ground,petition, solidification) or pull people apart? (alienation, polarization) Communication looks at how people are persuaded to take sides because of common stories or symbols----i.e. flags, slogans, songs. (What are the symbols/stories that are

told on the different sides? Why are these stories/symbols effective or ineffective). Who are the Agitators? Who are the Establishment?

Communication recognizes diverse types of power. How is the Establishment’s power used in the conflict? Communication looks at possible ways of problem solving and alternatives- which are used in this conflict? What are alternatives for peace? What strategies and tactics are used by the establishment? By the agitators?

Your goal is to examine the arguments raised by both/all sides of the issue. You should evaluate the arguments. You should analyze why and how people are persuaded to take a stand on a particular issue- i.e. how did the agitators gain and keep their supporters? How do the leaders keep their followers motivated to follow? You should focus on propaganda and persuasion used by both agitators and establishments. Where is identification built? Look at the symbols used.

If you do not know how to properly cite library sources in a reference list, go to the Communication Department website to access a copy of our Handbook for Majors. Students will be graded for proper citation in Works Cited as well as throughout the paper. There are also many free websites that will assist you in creating a Works Cited page.

Although this is not an English class, writing is important for all professionals and all college graduates. The instructor will review writing, grammar and style. Get help from the Writing Center on the first floor of the CAS building if needed. They are now familiar with my expectations for this paper! Texting and social media shorthand are not acceptable in formal writing!

open Rhetoric of Agitation and Control Chapter 1 here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6nkXzf5LHA

Rhetoric of Agitation and Control Chap. 2

Strategies of Agitation

        Petition

      Promulgation

      Solidification

      Polarization

      Nonviolent Resistance

      Escalation/Confrontation

      Gandi and Guerilla

      Revolution

Easy ways to fail the paper:

·         ●  Topic inappropriate or not related to communication

·         ●  Paper less than 10 full pages

·         ●  No use of class concepts

·         ●  Paper is all history

SOME acceptable topics include: This list is NOT all-inclusive! There are many, many acceptable topics!

War in Iraq and Afghanistan, US conflict/war with Al Queda or ISIS and terrorism -- **(NOT Chapter 8 of RAC) It must not be about the dissent against the war here in the US
US conflict/war with Al Queda and terrorism Egypt Revolution

Boston Tea Party/ American Revolution

Israel's invasion of Lebanon (2006)
Somalia conflict- government and Ethiopian troops
Pakistan- people v. the ruling power
Civil war in Syria
Greece and Macedonia
Israeli/Palestinian conflict
Colombia and FARC
ISIS
War in Iraq and Afghanistan, US conflict/war with Al Queda or ISIS and terrorism -- **(NOT Chapter 8 of RAC) It must not be about the dissent against the war here in the US US conflict/war with Al Queda and terrorism
Recently students have also successfully done​: Australia and its aboriginal population Student movement in Spain
Ireland
There was also a recent nationalist movement in Scotland that yielded a vote (ultimately independence was voted down)
Philippines – various attempts at democracy
Gay Rights movement – you MUST pick a group or an individual upon which to focus- **not just a history paper of the movement
Apartheid in South Africa
Cuban Crisis
Women’s suffrage
French Revolution
Bolshevik Revolution
Gallaudet University (School for the Deaf)