ENV-305
	Advocating Environmental Reform

General Education Requirement (S)

Advocating Environmental Reform is a course designed to expose active particpants to a semblance of the advocacy process that lies at the core of the American social and political system. We do that for you to practice articulating reform concepts, explaining existing policies and criticizing the status quo. By the status quo, we mean the current political, social and economic conditions. We do this so participants realize the ways and means, as well as the necessity, for transforming existing power relationships at the state and national levels to more effectively protect people, property and wildlife.

Participants in the class will select and defend policy positions and then present those ideas to the class and the policy-making audience based on research. Topics may include environmental protection as it intersects with energy, wildlife,endangered species, water, land-use, family planning or public health issues.

We practice advocating reforms because by understanding the existing political process, learners should become aware that political advocacy efforts are critical to any understanding of civil society and civic duties in the United States. But advocacy is also crucial to comprehending various analyses of the central dogmas of natural resource allocation, power, and social inequities that so characterize the ongoing conflicts of contemporary society. The skills of analyzing, researching and defending widely recognized reforms is done to “prepare students for active citizenship.”

By examining dilemmas arising from legislative organization, law making, lobbying and issue advocacy, learners in the class will see first hand the social institutions that shape policies and pass laws. By comparing the Congressional and state levels of legislative decision making, participants will practice life-long speaking, writing and social skills. Participants can actively engage proposing reforms that will “contribute to their ability to reflect critically on their environment and will enable them to” practice methods which may better “sustain,” if not “transform the communities in which they live.”

Texts to read and interpret in you writings:

Its My Party Too. Christine Todd Whitman,

Don’t Think of an Elephant. George Lakoff, 2004

Worse than Watergate.  John Dean, 

Geopolitics in a Changing World. Gordon Dodds,

Spin Works! Robert Bray, 2000, Independent Media Institute

Boiling Point. Ross Gelbspan,

Research | Reliable research sites | On-line research

Kennedy, Crimes Against Nature (reserve)
Bowers, Mindful Conservatism
Fiedler, Mays, & Siry, Feeling the Heat
Axelrod, Downie & Vig, The Global Environment
Carter, Our Endangered Values

What must you do to excell in this class?

Bi-weekly verbal reports Who did you contact, what did they say? What was the ask? (six) 15%
Position papers A research draft (typed 5 to 6 pages, notes & sources additional) and redrafted. 25%
Talking points Summary of what to say on a position (typed 1 to 2 pages of notes). 10%
Letters to Congress & the editor Formal (typed .5 to 1 pages), sent to Campus or local papers. 10%
E-mail alerts Practicing with an electronic communications (typed .25 to .5 pages). 5%
Assessment Essay What you learned by the process: (typed, 8 to 9 pages) due at final exam, A summary verbally reported at the final exam. 20%
Attendance Everyday you earn points for participating in class discussion and responding to questions about the readings. 15%

All work in the class is judged by the following criteria:
Grades: all assignments are graded with careful attention to each of these criteria: {CLIFS}

1. C clarity, coherence, spelling, grammar & logical consistency
2. L length & development of your arguments, ideas, or presentations
3. I information from the class texts, library research, or interviews
4. F frequency of examples from the lectures, journal, notes & readings
5. S subject developed & discussed in a thesis, introduction, summaries, & conclusion.

This will be an unusually challenging class, because it unfortunately deals with real life. By that I mean its difficulty lies in the fact we are trying to influence a legislative process in which we have very little influence, but to which we must raise our voices in concern.

All work must be your own, other's ideas or words must be attributed by a specific reference, or else you have committed a fraud, and you are guilty of plagiarism, for which you can fail this class.

Your audience is the public, their elected officials and the staff members in legislative or Congressional offices.

Study Guide

Calendar Dates, days, topics and activities.

DATES Texts to read and interpret in class and all your writings:            Use of the Internet: www.web.rollins.edu/~jsiry

1. Don’t Think of an Elephant. George Lakoff, 2004.
2. Spin Works! Robert Bray, 2000, Independent Media Institute.
3. Geopolitics in a Changing World. Gordon Dodds.
4. It’s My Party Too. Christine Todd Whitman.
5. Worse than Watergate.  John Dean.
6. Boiling Point. Ross Gelbspan.

Reserves) recommended but not required
Axelrod, Downie & Vig, The Global Environment.                                                                    Bowers, Mindful Conservatism.                                                           
Carter, Our Endangered Values.                                   
Kennedy, Crimes Against Nature.
Douglas E. Booth, Hooked on Growth.

Advocacy Fall Calendar



Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
August


27            Introduction: Who are we?
29             What is advocacy? Watch the Lehr News Hour & compare to the Daly Show
31  surveys & pretest, what is your issue and how is that serious?

September


5            Browner film, evidence for the argument.
7            Progressivism, Legacy or wake?  Don’t Think of an Elephant. pp. iv-34.

10             Framing, Don’t Think of an Elephant. pp. 35-74.
12            Citizenship, What is it, not? Don’t Think of an Elephant. pp. 75-96.
14            Citizenship, follow-up. FAQs and Don’t Think of an Elephant. pp. 97-119.

15            Beach clean-up day: (Saturday 8 to 4PM) Community Engagement Office
17             Why advocate for changes?  Spin Works, pp. 2-10
19            What are the Basics in a campaign? Spin Works. pp. 11-36.
21            The Campaign: your targets Spin Works, pp. 38-77. Draft of your issue analysis essay.

24            Peace film festival and the Internet Spin Works, pp. 79-96. Schedule an evening.
26            Media and advocacy Spin Works, pp. 98-108.
28            How ought we approach the film’s message and framing?
Don’t Think of an Elephant is compared and contrast with Spin Works,

October

1             What do we mean by geo-political? Geopolitics in a Changing World, pp. 1-35.
3             Position paper “Is a global commons repairable?” Geopolitics in a Changing World. pp. 41-91.
5            What are talking points to accompany a verbal summary? Web page examples
8  Columbus Day: Position paper drafts due, Geopolitics in a Changing World, pp. 92-125.
10            Verbally present 1. talking points & 2. position paper, Geopolitics. pp. 126-160.
12             Mid term break: no class, in lieu of films and beach clean-up attendance.

15            Mid term break: no class
17            Who is the author & how important is she? It’s My Party Too. Pp. 1-100
19            What is Lincoln’s legacy according to Whitman? It’s My Party Too. pp. 101-141.

22            What did Bush say to Whitman? It’s My Party Too. pp. 141-196.
24            How does she frame the Republicans’ problems? It’s My Party Too. pp. 197-243.
26           Lette to the editor: what informs their frame, in the books, Gov. docs., LOC ?           

29            What is a serious global problem? Survey
31            Is he an advocate with a framed message? Boiling Point. pp. ix-1 & 1-36.

November


2            What is the problem (message)? Boiling Point. pp. 37-85
5 How does he frame it? Boiling Point. pp. 87-126.
7             How does he use stories to convey facts? Boiling Point. pp. 127-174.
9            Research Essay: "What informs their frame, using the books, Gov. docs., LOC ?
            convert the essay into a Letter to the editor. Both due: draft essay & redrafted letter.

12            What are Gelbspan’s prescriptions? Boiling Point. pp. 175-205.
14            Who is J. Dean and what does he advocate? Worse than Watergate. pp. ix-53.
16            What evidence is there of excessive secrecy? Worse than Watergate. Pp. 54-92.            See also: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/04/06/1354218
19

            Thanksgiving break: no class

26 Message and framing of Research Essay: books, Gov. docs., LOC
28            What are the executive branch’s offenses? Worse than Watergate. pp. 93-130.
30            What reform is this author suggesting? Worse than Watergate. pp. 131-198.

 
December


3 Compare and contrast: Whitman, J. Dean & Gelbspan.
5            Due date for the final, revised Research (Position paper) Essay & Letter to editor:
7            Last day Brunch celebrating and assessing our campaigns.
           
10            11 AM to 1 PM,  Final Exam: Focused 5-minute oral presentation on: What I learned.

Grades: all assignments and all work in the class are evaluated with careful attention to each of these criteria: {CLIFS}                                                                                                                •  C clarity, coherence, spelling, grammar, conceptual depth, & logical consistency.                            •  L length & development of your arguments, ideas, or presentations.                                                     •  I information from the class texts, library research, or interviews.                                                      •  F frequency of examples from the lectures, journal, notes & readings.                                           •  S subject developed & discussed in a thesis, introduction, summaries, & conclusion.                       All work must be your own, other's ideas or words must be attributed by a specific reference, or else you have committed a fraud, & are guilty of plagiarism, which violates the College’s honor code.

At the Final Exam, You Present a five-minute prepared statement on what we did and what you would change when advocating a position to Congress, the legislature and the press.

What must you do in the class to do well?

I reward you for working hard and developing your own answers to the rather deep and challenging questions posed weekly in the class. For every hour of class, three hours of study is expected.

Be alert, & respond weekly to e-mail, so that you can contact congressional offices and other class mates with the correct information on your positions, so attendance and the six weekly verbal reports (briefings) are important for you to tell us what you know, are discovering and will do next week. (conference calls.)

Meet with me monthly, Set up ten-minute meetings with me in my office to discuss your talking points, position papers, and letters to Congress, before discussing, in April, your final comprehensive essay about what you did and how you would change your approach.

Tie the texts to our ideas, after we have discussed the relevant passages, so that your position papers become a work-in-progress that is under constant revision to improve its message.
Participate in one or more of the meetings: Congressional staff, or one of the lobbying trips.

Using the Study Guide, because it has discussions of key terms and your assignments in detail, is important for your success.

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