Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Sustainable Post-Disaster Reconstruction
Online course at the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters at the University of Massachusetts Boston, see a short introductory video, published on Jan 12, 2014
Adenrele Awotona is the Founder and Director of the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He is a former Dean of the College of Public and Community Service at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Before then, he was at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he served as the Dean of the School of Architecture and at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom where he was director of graduate studies in architecture and urban design as well as director of the Center for Architectural Research and Development Overseas. [read more]
Course Syllabus
CRSCAD 521 – Graduate Credit
PRFTRN 104 – Professional Development Credit
3 Credits
Teaching Team of the Course:
Linda M. Hartling, Ph.D.
Evelin Lindner, M.D., Ph.D., Ph.D.
Michael Britton, Ed.D., Ph.D.
Ulrich Spalthoff, Ph.D.
Course Description:
Understanding the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights in today's world is crucial for those working in post-disaster reconstruction. Greater awareness of human rights ideals brings to the forefront the risk that post-disaster strategies and responses, once accepted and considered helpful, are perceived as deeply humiliating. This course will explore how globalization dramatically alters how we engage in helping relationships at all levels. It proposes that post-disaster reconstruction can be an opportunity to implement innovative and sustainable solutions that support the healing, health, and dignity of all involved in post-disaster recovery.
Course Summary and Rationale:
This course will explore the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights in the context of post-disaster reconstruction. In today's world, human rights ideals stipulate that each human being possesses an inner core of dignity and therefore should not be humiliated. It is important that post-disaster strategies and responses not be perceived as humiliating.
The phenomenon of humiliation will be central to our discussion. We will use a relational perspective to examine the history and theory of humiliation from the context of globalization, culture differences, inter-group conflict, cooperation and competition, negotiation and mediation, economic justice, trust, violence, and power. We will consider why awareness of humiliation is gaining importance as the world becomes an ever more interdependent global village. In addition, we will discuss how post-disaster responses interface with ongoing structural disasters (e.g., international conflict, economic injustice, environmental exploitation, etc.) that can trigger or intensify feelings of humiliation. People who feel demeaned, devalued, or dehumanized on either side of a disaster response (victims and interveners) may engage in behaviors that ultimately deprive people of the crucial resources and relationships they need to recover from catastrophe.
This course recognizes that the world is in the midst of a human rights revolution. People are moving away from systems of ranked honor toward equal dignity. This involves a global transformation of power in relationships, dramatically altering how we engage in helping relationships at all levels. We propose that post-disaster reconstruction can be an opportunity to implement innovative and sustainable solutions that build and strengthen "right relationships," relationships free from humiliation, relationships that support the healing, health, and dignity of all involved in post-disaster reconstruction.
The structure of this online course will consist of introductory presentations given by the instructors and guest lecturers, as well as discussions, exercises, and in-class presentations by students on topics that focus on the links between theory and practice, as well as an out-of-class project.
Course Design:
At the beginning of the semester, the weekly assignments will become available in the Sessions folder on the course home page.
You should log on to the course website at the start of each week to read the notes and assignments and plan your schedule accordingly. We expect you to log on to this course web site several times each week and spend approximately three to four hours each week on course work.
Course Goals:
This course is designed to achieve the following goals:
1. to introduce the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights in the context of post-disaster reconstruction.
2. to gain an understanding of the historical roots of humiliation, human dignity, and human rights which influence the effectiveness of post-disaster strategies in a globalizing world; and
3. to apply an understanding of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights to critically analyze past post-disaster responses and formulate new strategies to advance sustainable recovery and reconstruction.
Course Requirements:
Readings, discussions and exercises, in-class presentations, and papers:
- A one-page case example of a post-disaster response that you experienced, witnessed, or reflected upon that illustrates the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights.
- A self-reflective journal of the course (approx. 13 pages in length) one page per week, submitted weekly throughout the course.
- A 10-20 page paper on your out-of-class project (3-5 pages for professional development students).
Class Participation:
Students are expected to attend online sessions and read required papers and chapters before each class. Students are also expected to participate during class sessions and group activities.
Contacting Instructors:
Students are welcome to contact the instructors between scheduled class times via their professional email addresses (Please see the first page of syllabus). Please keep in mind that the instructors are in different time zones (Pacific Coast, East Coast, and Europe), which will impact the timing of their responses. Dr. Lindner, in particular, will be traveling throughout our course.
Class Conduct:
Academic dishonesty and misconduct will be addressed in accordance with standards and practices of the University of Massachusetts.
Technology:
The hardware, software, and skills needed for this course will be consistent with other online courses offered through the University of Massachusetts.
Synchronous Meetings
We will be meeting synchronously online over the semester via Flashmeeting, a video conferencing platform. We will never meet as a class in an actual location. Please try to arrange your schedule so you can participate in these meetings. If you are unable to participate you will be able to access an archived recording of the session.
The dates and times of these meetings will be available in the course syllabus. Please plan to allow at least one hour for all meetings)
Flashmeeting
We may also use Flashmeeting to do video conferencing as needed.
Grading:
Graduate Credit: 3 Credits. 50% of the grade is based on active participation in class and the other 50% is on written assignments. In accordance with UMass policies, "B" is a minimum acceptable grade (80% or higher). Any grade less than a "B" is not deemed acceptable for graduate credit. All grades below "C" automatically become "Fs."
Professional Development Credit: 3.5 CEUs. 75% of the credit is based on active participation in class and the other 25% is on written assignments. This is a non-credit course. Students will receive a Pass/Fail grade.
Incomplete Grades
If for some reason a student is unable to complete the required study or meet with the instructor weekly due to come extenuating circumstances, the student may request an academic withdrawal from the University OR the student may petition for an incomplete grade in line with Departmental and University policy. Otherwise, an academic withdrawal through the University is the recommended course of action.
Discussions and Exercises:
All students will participate in class discussion of readings, videos, and presentations. In particular, we invite students to share their understanding of the concepts and terms explored in this course. Thank you for posting your contributions to the discussions, rather than attaching files.
Case Illustration:
Each student is asked to prepare a short paper (one page) of a case example of a post-disaster response that illustrates the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights that you observed or experienced (on the personal level, group level, or international level). You are asked to link your presentation to the books and articles in the reading packet. Students will present their case examples in an online session during the second week of the course. Students will also be asked to present their out-of-class project during the sessions scheduled in the last weeks of the course.
Assignments due:
1. Case Illustration: (Due Session 2)
Each student will prepare a case illustration (one page) of a post-disaster response that you observed or experienced that illustrates the intersecting dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights and link your example to required or recommended course readings.
2. Self-Reflective Journal: (Begin in Session 1; complete in Session 13)
Each student will write a self-reflective journal that documents learning, observations, and insights throughout the course (maximum 14 pages). The journal should refer to the theoretical concepts that you have derived from the readings (please specify author and reference), your online experience in the sessions, and the application of course concepts to your personal and professional life.
By "self-reflective," we mean you do not need to tell us what happened, but rather what you felt in response to session discussions and other activities, e.g., how you grew, what you resisted or learned, and how the material connects to your life. Throughout your journal, please explore the dynamics of human dignity, humiliation, and human rights as these concepts relate to sustainable post-disaster reconstruction, and please integrate your experience and your theoretical point of view. Rather than attaching files, thank you for posting your reflections in the journal section of the course.
3. Out-of-Class Assignment, second paper: (Due Session 13)
Each student will write a paper of 10-20 pages (for graduate credit; 3-5 pages for professional development credit) that analyzes a disaster response of your own choosing (this may be based on an interpersonal, social, or global event) in which the dynamics of humiliation, human dignity, and humiliation played a role. Your paper should integrate theory (with citations) and practice, but should emphasize the practical applications. Ideas for paper topics include post-disaster responses at the personal level, community level, or international level. Grades will be based on demonstrating the knowledge you acquired in the class. This includes integration of theory, both class and personal life experience, and the required readings. Your paper may also include the following topics as they might pertain to post-disaster reconstruction or you may propose an alternative one:
- Analysis of the relationship between human rights and humiliation
- Analysis of the relationship between human dignity and humiliation
- Analysis of the relationship between globalization and humiliation
- Differences and similarities of the concepts of shame and humiliation
- Differences and similarities of the concepts of humility and humiliation
- Differences and similarities of the concepts of equality, egalitarianism, equity, and equal dignity
- Culture-dependence of the notion of humiliation or human dignity
- An analysis of the interaction between human dignity and human resilience
- Analysis of a film of your choice with regard to post-disaster reconstruction
- Analysis of a book of your choice with regard to post-disaster reconstruction
Pre-Reading
Lindner, Evelin (2010a). "Disasters as a Chance to Implement Novel Solutions that Highlight Attention to Human Dignity"
• Orientation to the Course
• Review of syllabus and course overview
Session 1 – Introducing You and Our Topic
Begin Assignment #1: Initial Case Illustration (one page)
Lindner, Evelin (2010a). "Disasters as a Chance to Implement Novel Solutions that Highlight Attention to Human Dignity"
Lindner, Evelin (2006). "The Concept of Human Dignity"
Begin Assignment #2: Self-Reflective Journal (ongoing)
• Introducing yourself to our learning group
• Instructions for assignments
• Dialogue Space S1: Discussion of pre-reading, videos, and your objectives
Session 2 – Dignity, Dialogue & Inquiry: Ways to Begin
Due Monday: Assignment #1 – Initial Case Illustration of a Post-Disaster Response
Lindner, Evelin (2009). Emotion and Conflict: How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict
Chapter 4 – "What is Humiliation?"
Klein, Donald C. (2004). "Appreciative Psychology: An Antidote to Humiliation"
Hartling, Linda (2010). "A Frame of Appreciative Enquiry: Beginning a Dialogue on Human Dignity and Humiliation"
Flashmeeting #1: Please see the syllabus for date and time
• How do we approach our topic?
• Exploring approaches: appreciate enquiry, dignifying dialogue, and more.
• Presenting case illustrations
• Dialogue Space S2: Discussion of readings, videos, and ways we can encourage constructive engagement in our course as well as in our work in the world
Session 3 - Looking Back: A History of Human Rights, Humiliation, and Human Dignity
Lindner, Evelin (2006). Making Enemies: Humiliation and International Conflict
Chapter 1 – "The Mental Landscape"
Chapter 2 – "Once the Cure, Now the Disease"
• Exploring a history of human dignity and humiliation
• Dialogue Space S3: How has humiliation become a powerful force in world affairs?
Session 4 – Moving Forward: Post-Disaster Response in the Context of Globalization
Lindner, Evelin (2007). "In Times of Globalization and Human Rights: Does Humiliation Become the Most Disruptive Force?"
Lindner, Evelin (2006). Making Enemies: Humiliation and International Conflict
Chapter 3 – "Globalization and Egalization"
Chapter 4 – "Humiliation and Misunderstandings"
• How does the context of globalization influence efforts to implement sustainable post-disaster responses?
• What are some of the misunderstandings that can occur when we work in a context of globalization?
• Dialogue Space S4: How does globalization impact our responses to post-disaster reconstruction?
Session 5 – Toward a Science of Right Relationships: Creating a Relational Foundation for Rebuilding Lives and Communities
Hartling, L. M., & Miller, J. B. (2005). "Excerpts from Moving Beyond Humiliation: A Relational Reconceptualization of Human Rights"
Banks, Amy, & Jordan, Judith V. (2007). "The Human Brain: Hardwired to Connect"
Kendler, K.S., Hettema, J. M., Butera, F., Garnder, C. O., & Prescott, C.A. (2003). "Life event dimensions of loss, humiliation, entrapment, and danger in prediction of onsets of major depression and generalized anxiety"
Hartling, Linda M. (2007). "Humiliation: Real Pain, a Pathway to Violence"
Hartling, Linda M. (2003). "Strengthening Resilience in a Risky World: It's All About Relationships"
• Exploring the qualities of relationships necessary for sustainable rebuilding
• Understanding obstacles to right relationships, including humiliation, stress, disconnection, and social pain
• Dialogue Space S5: How can we think more relationally and systemically in response to disasters?
Session 6 – When Helping Hurts; When Helping Heals
Lindner, Evelin (2000). "The Relational Anatomy of Humiliation"
Fontan, Victoria (2003). "The Dialectics of Humiliation: Polarization between Occupier and Occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq"
Hartling, Linda (2005). "Humiliation and Assistance: Telling the Truth about Power, Telling a New Story"
Flashmeeting #2: Please see syllabus for the date and time
• Understanding the ways good intentions and actions can intensify indignity after disasters
• Exploring the operations of power in relationships
• Dialogue Space S6: Building our capacity to look at reconstruction efforts from many perspectives
Session 7 – Victims, Witnesses, and Workers: Obstacles to Healing and Helping
Nadler, Arie (2002). "Inter-Group Helping Relationships as Power Relations: Maintaining or Challenging Social Dominance"
Jones, James (2006). "Post-Victim Ethical Exemption Syndrome: An Outgrowth of Humiliation"
Miller, Jean Baker (1983). "The Necessity of Conflict"
Lindner, Evelin (2006). "Some Guidelines to How We Can Build a More Decent and Dignified World Effectively: The Case of Dignifying Abusers"
• How do we preserve the dignity of all involved in disasters and rebuilding, including victims, witnesses, workers, and others?
• Why is dignity important as we consider the behavior of victimizers?
• Dialogue Space S7: What are the obstacles to preserving or serving the dignity of various people and groups in the aftermath of disasters?
Session 8 – Dignifying Differences: The Transformation of Relationships and in the Context of Disaster
Lindner, Evelin (2010b). Gender, Humiliation, and Global Security: Dignifying Relationships From Love, Sex, and Parenthood to World Affairs
Chapter 4 – "Gender Roles, How They Can Humiliate"
Chapter 9 – "Globalization: How Co-Egalization Can Dignify Us All"
Flashmeeting #3: Please see the syllabus for the date and time
• How do individual differences impact our efforts, exploring gender, race, religion, SES, and other differences
• Dialogue Space S8: Can we (or should we) realize "equal dignity" in our efforts to create sustainable reconstruction after disasters?
Session 9 – Dignity, Disaster, and Economics: Money Motives Matter
Lindner, E. (2012). A Dignity Economy: Creating an Economy that Serves Human Dignity and Preserves Our Planet
Introduction
Chapter 1 – "While Critical Voices Get Louder, a Sense of Helplessness Prevails"
Chapter 4 – "When Scarcity and Environmental Degradation Become Systemic"
Chapter 12 – "We Need Many More Voices and a Clear Direction!"
• How do financial practices intensify feelings of humiliation in the aftermath of disasters?
• Dialogue Space S9: What do we need to learn about financial practices influencing the direction and effectiveness of post-disaster responses?
Session 10 – Rebuilding the Web of Relationships: Systemic Change to Create a Sustainable Future
Lindner, Evelin (2009). Emotion and Conflict: How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict
Chapter 6 – "How Human Rights Can Dignify"
Additional readings to be announced in the session.
• Rethinking and rebuilding the individual and systemic relationships necessary for effective and sustainable responses to disasters
• Dialogue Space S10: What might be the key priorities for rebuilding a web of individual and structural relationships in the aftermath of disaster?
Session 11 – Turning Ideas into Action
Lindner, Evelin (2008). "What the World's Cultures Can Contribute to Creating a Sustainable Future for Humankind"
Lindner, Evelin (2009). Emotion and Conflict: How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict
Chapter 8 – "How Can We Reinvent Our Contexts"
Session 12 – Student Presentations: Ideas into Action
Lindner, Evelin, Hartling, Hartling, Linda, & Spalthoff, Ulrich. "Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies: A Global Network Advancing Dignity through Dialogue"
• Students will share their analyses of a disaster response that they have chosen to examine
• Dialogue Space S12: Reflecting on student presentations
Flashmeeting #4: Please see the syllabus for date and time
• In this session we will begin identifying specific tools and strategies that offer a more promising path to sustainable and dignifying post-disaster efforts
• Dialogue Space S11: How do we turn ideas about the dynamics of human dignity and humiliation into actions that lead to sustainable post-disaster reconstruction?
Session 13 – Next Steps: Where Do We Go From Here?
Lindner, Evelin (2008). "The Need for a New World"
Due Monday, May 5th: Assignment #3: Analysis of a Disaster Response (10-20 pages)
Due Wednesday, May 7th: Self-Reflective Journal (final day to post or submit reflections)
• Exploring next steps
• Dialogue Space S13: What are the next steps for you and your? What are you going to take with you from this course? Comments and remaining questions
Pre-Readings: To be read prior to the first session of the course
Lindner, Evelin (2010a). "Disasters As a Chance to Implement Novel Solutions That Highlight Attention to Human Dignity." In Awotona, Adenrele (Ed.), Rebuilding Sustainable Communities for Children and Their Families After Disasters: A Global Survey, pp. 335-358.
Readings: Primary Texts for the Course
Lindner, Evelin (2006). Making Enemies: Humiliation and International Conflict. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, Greenwood.
Lindner, Evelin (2009). Emotion and Conflict: How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, Greenwood.
Lindner, Evelin (2010). Gender, Humiliation, and Global Security: Dignifying Relationships From Love, Sex, and Parenthood to World Affairs. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Security International, ABC-CLIO.
Lindner, E. (2012). A Dignity Economy: Creating an Economy that Serves Human Dignity and Preserves Our Planet. Lake Oswego, OR: World Dignity University Press.
Please note: As scholars and life-long learners ourselves, we are keenly aware that costly textbooks can be an obstacle to participation in this course. Therefore, we will do our best to make the required readings—selected from the textbooks above and other sources—available as PDF files. These will be posted in advance of each session. Because we are using individual chapters and articles, rather than whole books, students will encounter some overlapping information. If you want to extend or deepen your learning experience, we encourage you to buy the textbooks above for your personal or professional library, as you can afford to do so.
Required Selected Readings (These will be posted in each session of the course).
Banks, Amy, & Jordan, Judith V. (2007). The Human Brain: Hardwired to Connect. Research & Action Report, 28 (2), 10-11.
Fontan, Victoria C. (2003). The Dialectics of Humiliation: Polarization Between Occupier and Occupied in Post-Saddam Iraq. Paper prepared for the Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies network.
Hartling, Linda (2005). Humiliation and Assistance: Telling the Truth about Power, Telling a New Story. Paper presented at the 5th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, Berlin, Germany.
Hartling, Linda (2009). Strengthening Resilience in a Risky World: It's All About Relationships. The Power of Connection: Recent Developments in Relational-Cultural Theory. New York: Routledge.
Hartling, Linda (2007). Humiliation: Real Pain, a Pathway to Violence. Brazilian Journal of Sociology of Emotion, 6 (17), pp. 466-479.
Hartling, L. M., & Miller, J. B. (2005). Moving Beyond Humiliation: A Relational Reconceptualization of Human Rights. Excerpts from a paper presented at the Summer Advanced Training Institute: Encouraging an Era of Connection, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA.
Jones, James (2006). Post-Victim Ethical Exemption Syndrome: An Outgrowth of Humiliation. Paper presented at the Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict, the 8th Annual Meeting of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, Columbia University, New York.
Kendler, K.S., Hettema, J. M., Butera, F., Garnder, C. O., & Prescott, C.A. (2003). Life Event Dimensions of Loss, Humiliation, Entrapment, and Danger in Prediction of Onsets of Major Depression and Generalized Anxiety. Archives of General Psychiatry, 60, 789-796.
Lindner, Evelin (2006). Making Enemies: Humiliation and International Conflict. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, Greenwood.
Lindner, Evelin Gerda. (2006). Is It Possible to "Change the World"? Some Guidelines to How We Can Build a More Decent and Dignified World Effectively: The Case of Dignifying Abusers. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, www.humiliationstudies.org#evelin02.php.
Lindner, Evelin (2007). The Concept of Dignity. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, http://www.humiliationstudies.org/whoweare/evelin02.php.
Lindner, Evelin (2008). The Need for a New World. Paper presented at the 2008 Workshop on Humiliation and Violent Conflict, Columbia University, New York, December, 2008.
Lindner, Evelin (2008). What the World's Cultures Can Contribute to Creating a Sustainable Future for Humankind. Paper prepared for the 11th Annual Conference of Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, July 2008, in Norway.
Lindner, Evelin (2009). Emotion and Conflict: How Human Rights Can Dignify Emotion and Help Us Wage Good Conflict. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International, Greenwood.
Lindner, Evelin (2010). Gender, Humiliation, and Global Security: Dignifying Relationships From Love, Sex, and Parenthood to World Affairs. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Security International, ABC-CLIO.
Lindner, E. (2012). A Dignity Economy: Creating an Economy that Serves Human Dignity and Preserves Our Planet. Lake Oswego, OR: World Dignity University Press.
Lindner, Evelin, Hartling, Linda M., & Spalthoff, Ulrich. Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies: A global network advancing dignity through dialogue. Policy Futures in Education, 9 (1, Special Issue: The Council of Europe's White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue ), 66-73, www.wwwords.co.uk/PFIE.
Nadler, Arie (2002). Inter-Group Helping Relationships as Power Relations: Maintaining or Challenging Social Dominance. Journal of Social Issues, 58 (3), 487-502.
Miller, J. B. (1983). The Necessity of Conflict. Women & Therapy, 3, 3-9.
Recommended Readings (Not required):
Gilligan, James (1996). Violence: Our Deadly Epidemic and How to Treat It. New York, NY: Putnam.
Margalit, Avishai (1996). The Decent Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Miller, William Ian (1993). Humiliation and Other Essays on Honor, Social Discomfort, and Violence. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Zehr, Howard (2002). The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
Core Teaching Team Biographies
Instructors:
Founding President Evelin Lindner, M.D., Ph.D. (Dr. med.), Ph.D. (Dr. psych.). Dr. Lindner chooses to live as a world citizen to develop a global understanding of dignity. She is without a doubt the world's leading scholar on the experience of humiliation and humiliation theory.
Director Linda Hartling, Ph.D., who conducted the earliest research assessing the experience of humiliation, is an expert on relational-cultural theory. She is the past Associate Director of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College (Boston, Massachusetts), the largest women's research center in the United States.
Michael Britton, Ed.D., Ph.D., a practicing psychologist and scholar who conducted interview research with retired U.S. military commanders/planners who had dealt with nuclear weapons during the Cold War, exploring their experience of the moral responsibilities involved. He has lectured internationally on the implications of neuroscience for our global future, and provides training for conflict resolution specialists on applications of neuroscience to their work.
Ulrich (Uli) Spalthoff, Ph.D., Director of Project Development and Systems Administration for Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies. He is the former Director of Advanced Technologies at Alcatel-Lucent in Germany and France. As Director of Advanced Technologies, his leadership included mentoring start-ups and consulting high-tech companies in IT, telecommunication and semiconductor industries from countries all over the world.
This course may also include guest lecturers who will be announced in advance.
Academic Integrity #1:
All students are expected to treat each other and the instructor respectfully so as to maintain an environment conducive to online collaborative learning. This includes a commitment not to engage in dishonest acts such as copying another student's work, plagiarizing, using Internet sources without citation, fabricating data, etc.
The Distance Learning program operates on the assumption that students in class are thoroughly familiar with the Code of Student Conduct, as it is used, for instance, at UMass Boston, available at: http://www.management.umb.edu/undergrad/undergrad_code_of_conduct.php
An online tutorial from the Healy library will help you to avoid plagiarism and provides reference material related to proper citation of material from other sources in your work. It is available at http://www.lib.umb.edu/newtutorial/module6.cfm
Academic Integrity #2 (If Using Plagiarism software):
Students should be aware that, at the discretion of the instructor, assignments may be submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism. Students in this course must be prepared to submit an electronic version of any written assignment upon request of the instructor.
Online Learning Tips:
How can I be an effective online learner?
Manage your time wisely. Online courses are similar to face-to-face courses in that there are fixed work requirements and deadlines. However, because there are few live classes to attend, some participants find that due dates fall off their radar screens. The best way to avoid this pitfall is to read the course requirements carefully. At the beginning of the course, record deadlines on your calendar, even deadlines for informal assignments like posting discussion comments. Budget how much time you can afford to spend on each assignment. Then schedule exactly when that time will be spent.
Schedule a regular time for your coursework. Decide what time of day and which days of the week are optimal times for doing your coursework. Keep your time slots realistic—don't plan to start your coursework at midnight if you have to get up at five a.m., and don't pick two p.m. if sitting at the computer after lunch makes you sleepy. Once you've decided on a time slot in which you generally have energy, schedule it into your calendar and stick to it! Consider it a weekly investment in your future.
Expect the unexpected, and reward yourself. Even the most organized students encounter events they haven't planned for, so it's healthy to expect the unexpected and not get frustrated by technical or scheduling problems. However, it's also important to stick to your work schedule as much as you can. One way to stay motivated is to give yourself small rewards for finishing projects on time. Whether it's time spent shooting hoops, playing scrabble, or reading for pleasure, small incentives can make finishing your work a little more inspiring.
How much technology knowledge do I need to feel at ease in an online course? You do not have to be a technological wizard to excel in an online learning environment! Even novices in the field of computer technology can be star students as long as they understand a few core concepts, including how to use plug-ins, how to access streaming video, how to participate in synchronous and asynchronous discussions, and how to send email attachments. Also, don't be intimidated by the jargon. These concepts sound more complicated than they really are.
Students with Documented Disabilities:
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 offers guidelines for curriculum modifications and adaptations for students with documented disabilities. If applicable, students may obtain adaptation recommendations from UMass Boston's Ross Center for Disability Services http://www.rosscenter.umb.edu/http://www.rosscenter.umb.edu (617-287-7430). The student must present and discuss these recommendations with each professor within a reasonable period, preferably by the end of the Drop/Add period.
2003 – present, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies