GRAD > GISD
Global Inclusion and Social Development Courses
GISD 601 Current and Historical Perspectives on Global Inclusion and Social Development +
Description:
There has been a growing interest in recent decades in ensuring that people and populations are included and that society is supportive of the equality of its members and the chance for prosperity for all. This course focuses on social inclusion and social development in a global context. The term ''social inclusion'' has been conceptualized as a process, a state of being included, and a method for integrating those excluded or at risk of being excluded due to disability or other reasons and conditions into society. In development studies, the term ''social development'' captures the idea of improving people's well-being and quality of life, and is often defined in reference to particular social problems. Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among economies, societies, and cultures across the globe through forces such as international trade and transport and advances in communication technology. Students will examine definitions, current and historical perspectives on and approaches to these concepts, and their implications for policy and practice. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to apply these concepts to particular policy areas including disability, health, labor market, and economic policy affecting particular communities, countries, or regions. More Info
Offered in:GISD 602 GISD 602 Research in Diverse Settings: Challenging Epistemological Hegemony +
Description:
This course introduces students to the basic premise of scientific inquiry as a process of knowledge generation and production that transpires in a field of power relations. It focuses on the relationship among knowledge, power and representation, and their constitutive role in shaping epistemology: 'the theory of knowledge,' or 'how we know what we know,' and ontology: 'our assumptions about the form and nature of reality.' The aim of the course is to develop an awareness of how knowledge is constructed, critically examined, evaluated, and transformed, by communities and individuals. The course introduces students to theory as it emerges from particular knowledge claims. It reviews the construction of concepts, the use of concepts in social inquiry, and the inherent challenges of representation, and focuses on the key decision point of formulating a research question as it emerges from theory and articulates concepts, or a conceptual framework. It also introduces students to a range of epistemologies in the interdisciplinary social sciences that explicitly address issues of positionality, reflexivity, power, the lived experience of those we study, and critical consciousness. These epistemologies include critical theory, decolonial studies, postcolonial studies, feminist perspectives, critical race theory, indigenous theory, queer theory, institutional politics, disability theory and others. Discussions address the many ways in which power influences the research process at every step. Further, this course emphasizes a public scholarship approach to research in contemporary times, which produces knowledge that is available outside of the academy, useful to relevant stakeholders, and vital to the democratization of research. The themes of global inclusion and social development permeate all key concepts of the course. More Info
Offered in:GISD 605 International Responses to Social Inclusion +
Description:
This course introduces students to international organizations that address both the development and the monitoring of populations around the world. The goal is to increase students' understanding of the range of approaches and strategies that these organizations use to respond to pressing societal issues (such as human rights, health and disability, women's and children's welfare, education, refugee and disaster relief) and crises (such as war, hunger, poverty, natural disaster, genocide) but also of the impact that these issues and crises can have on cross-cultural communities, vulnerable population, and social inclusion. A particular emphasis is placed on the non-governmental sector and its role in addressing immediate and long-term issues and crisis and in promoting the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this course students will learn how to interpret the world of opinion, ethics, judgment , need, and urgency as it is driven by what is known and what is transmitted. They will realize the importance of communication, public awareness and understanding of ethical and moral concerns and how these interrelate with social inclusion at all levels. More Info
Offered in:GISD 606 Research and Evaluation in Diverse Settings: Methods and Implications +
Description:
This is an introductory course on quantitative and qualitative research methods and program evaluation. A particular emphasis is placed on the concept of cultural diversity and its implications for design and methods choices as well as stakeholder participation in research and evaluation. ''Cultural diversity'' refers to differences among (groups of ) individuals with respect to ethnicity, race, age, gender, disability/health, socio-economic status, and other dimensions. The course is organized into five parts. Part 1 introduces students to the scientific method, the research process and he role of ethics in conduction human subjects research. Part 2 focuses on quantitative methods, including sample selection, survey development, and basic statistical methods used in hypothesis testing. Part 3 provides an overview of qualitative methods, including participant observation, interviews, focus groups, and case study. Part 4 focuses on methods for evaluation whether or to what extent programs achieve their stated goals. Finally, Part 5 examines the various methodologies ((quantitative, qualitative, evaluation) in terms of their strengths and weaknesses for researching diverse populations and researching comparatively (cross-culturally and cross-nationally). More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 608 Ethics and Professionalism in Global Inclusion and Social Development +
Description:
Ethical issues are prevalent in multiple contexts. At the personal level, ethics may determine how we choose to interact with others; within organizations, ethics may influence the strategies used to reach organizational goals; nationally, ethics can have a role in determining priorities and shaping the policy agenda; and at the global level, ethics may often determine the quality of relationships and degree of cooperation between international bodies. Ethical competence by individuals, organizations, and nations requires that one's conduct be congruent with generally accepted moral principles and values. This course introduces students to ethical theory and how ethics are shaped by values, as well as ethical standards and codes that guide professional practice and conduct in global inclusion and social development. The course also teaches students strategies and techniques to identify and help address ethical issues in practice, research, and evaluation in a variety of contexts (local, regional, national, global, cross-national) and settings (health, disability, community development, cross-cultural). Students in the master's and doctoral programs in global inclusion and social development can choose to take this course or the Cultural Competency: Impacts on Innovations and Model Development course. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 609 Justice: A Global Transdisciplinary Framework for Culture and Innovation +
Description:
Amidst calls for racial and social justice heard from disenfranchised communities across the Global South and Global North, this course focuses on global justice from diverse cultural perspectives and brings together critiques and innovative solutions that do not derive from the Global North and/or Euro-American history. The course employs an expansive epistemological approach to focus on the theme of justice in its many facets, including racial, gender, social, economic, climate/environmental, global, spatial, criminal/retributive, restorative/reparative, distributive, poetic, natural, and divine. The course integrates a global transdisciplinary framework with the explicit and pronounced de-centering of Euro-American knowledge in favour of amplifying voices and experiences from Majority World contexts. It therefore centers specifically (if not exclusively) on Global South and Black, Indigenous and People of Color's critiques of the global political economy from the standpoints of those at the ''margins''. With that, it engages students in a detailed confrontation of the sometimes searing Global South critiques of 'development' as an imperialist and racist idea alongside highlighting critical, postcolonial, and/or radical theoretical concepts such as racial capitalism, alternate conceptions of gender, pluriversality (as contrasted with the binary of universality versus cultural relativism), third world approaches to international law, calls for decoloniality and antiracism, and more. Through the course, students will focus on innovative ways of thinking about and doing justice, inclusion, and development work as an intersectional 'insider' to the economically, socially, or politically excluded community of affinity or choice. The course therefore draws stark contrast with most scholarship on 'culture' and social justice 'innovation' that concerns itself with preparing outsiders to go into marginal 'other' communities to do socially transformative work. More Info
Offered in:GISD 610 Strategies for Systemic Change +
Description:
Systems change is an important undertaking in organizational development, and represents a mechanism by which organizations respond to shifting dynamics in government, business, community and interpersonal environments. This course introduces students to the concept of organizations as systems and to major theories on systems and systemic change, including assumptions of the nature of change and the change process. Students will learn approaches, strategies, and methods to planning, implementing, and evaluating systemic change and to engage stakeholders in the change process. Systemic change will be explored through case studies of organizations addressing issues in health, disability, and community development. The role of culture on systemic change efforts and implications for change agents and practitioners will be considered as well. Real-world examples, provided by leaders who are experienced change agents, will demonstrate how organizations and systems grow and change in dynamic ways. Students in the master's and doctoral programs in global inclusion and social development can choose to take this course or the Managing Change: Supporting communities and Embracing Cultures course. More Info
Offered in:GISD 611 Managing Change: Supporting Communities and Embracing Cultures +
Description:
This course examines key concepts of change management in community settings. It provides an introduction to social change theories and their application to community settings and to models and approaches to community change. The course teaches students strategies for identifying and addressing issues in the change-managment process, and for managing change more effectively, giving consideration to the cultural, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic make-up of the community. The role of culture and the impact of globalization on change efforts and implications for practitioners in global inclusion and social development will be considered as well. Real-world examples focused on health, disability, and development, provided by leaders who are experienced change agents, will demonstrate how communities can effectively manage change. The course also teaches students how to assess the needs and abilities of communities for change and to evaluate community change efforts with a particular emphasis on stakeholder involvement. Master's and doctoral students in global inclusion and social development can choose to take this course or the Strategies for Systemic Change course. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 615 State, Sovereignty and Governance for Inclusion and Social Development +
Description:
State and governance regimes of various sorts design, implement, as well as comprise crucial context for any work within global inclusion and social development. This course familiarizes students with theories, research and practice regarding the role of the state and governance as it pertains to inclusion and development. The course examines the emergence of the state, including pre- and non-Westphalian state contexts, specifically experiences of colonization and the development, and the near-universal inheritance of the modern state. We explore contemporary forms of the state, and pressures emerging and surrounding it, including those of the market, civil society and democracy. The course then moves to the recent transformation of statehood and the shift to new modes of governance, specifically the role of non-state actors across scale--from local to global--and investigates how various institutions, corporate power and political society shift the role of states. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 616 Population Needs and Global Practice +
Description:
Changing global trends, practices and procedures have created new global concerns. This course introduces students to the concept of population and related theories; and reviews the interrelationship of global population policies with medicine, science, technology, development, gender, race, immigration and the environment. The course reviews population needs and how these can be addressed through policy, strategy and practice; including issues and challenges to implementation, effectiveness, and impact. More Info
Offered in:GISD 624 International Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice +
Description:
The modern human rights movement began after World War II with the creation of the United Nations in 1945. One of the primary purposes of that organization is to promote and encourage respect for human rights for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. This course provides an introduction to international human rights law, policy and practice, examining the progress since 1945 in developing standards and institutions to implement human rights. Students will become familiar with the core international human rights instruments and the United Nations human rights mechanisms as well as their relevance to current human rights challenges int he United States and around the world. More Info
Offered in:GISD 625 Human Rights-Based Approaches to Social Justice +
Description:
Over the past two decades, nonprofit organizations and social justice activists around the world have adopted human rights frameworks, strategies and tools to advance their goals. At the international level, Oxfam and Action Aid, for example, have embraced human rights-based approaches to their work. National and local nonprofit organizations and activists from Vermont, Peru, South Africa and India and have also discovered that human rights provide a legitimate and coherent framework for analyzing public policy and organizing people to demand social justice. Drawing on case studies from the United States and globally, this course examines human rights-based approaches adopted by nonprofit organizations to advocate on social justice issues affecting marginalized groups, including women, children, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and migrant workers. More Info
Offered in:GISD 626 Global Health and Human Rights +
Description:
Health and human rights are inextricably linked. This course examines the relationship between health and human rights, including (1) human rights violations that result in ill health, (2) human rights promotion that benefits health, and (3) health promotion that benefits human rights. Through these relationships the course illustrates the common goals and strategies of the health and human rights communities which both seek to advance the wellbeing of individuals, communities and populations. Much of the course focuses specifically on the right to health, its definition, normative content and methods of implementation. the course uses case studies from around the globe to consider the value of incorporating human rights generally and the right to health specifically into law, policymaking, programming and practice. Students prepare a final project by selecting one health issue and exploring frameworks, strategies and tools to address it from a human rights-based perspective. More Info
Offered in:GISD 696 Independent Study +
Description:
Independent study in School of Global Inclusion & Social Development More Info
Offered in:GISD 697 Special Topics +
GISD 801 Social Innovations in International Settings Seminar +
Description:
This course will expose students to international leaders seeking to improve inclusions as well as social and economic development opportunities for all - particularly for vulnerable and diverse populations - through innovations and model development in policy and practice. This will be achieved by inviting these leaders (in person or via videoconference) as guest speakers to the seminars as well as students working on proposals for international entities to help address challenges identified by the NGO. Seminars are aimed at engaging leaders in the fields of disability, health and wellness, education, community and workforce development, international cooperation and development, public policy, administration and other fields. They may be policymakers, practitioners, business leaders, researchers, scholars, community leaders, advocates, public officials or others. Through exposure to their caliber of leaders and their innovative thinking, planning and actions, the seminars intend to provide students with real-life examples of leaders to whom they are encouraged to aspire. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 802 Social Innovations in Domestic Settings Seminar +
Description:
This course will expose students to local and national leaders seeking to improve inclusions as well as social and economic development opportunities for all - particularly for vulnerable and diverse populations - through innovations and model development in policy and practice. This will be achieved by inviting these leaders (in person or via videoconference) as guest speakers to the seminars and working in conjunction with local NGO's to identify areas of need and develop a plan for community engaged activity. Each student will work directly with an NGO of their choosing throughout the course of the semester. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 803 Qualitative Methods: Research Praxis for Global Justice +
Description:
This is an introductory course on qualitative research methods. The course aims to provide students with a basic knowledge of social science research methodologies as they relate to the methods that give them effect, to reflect on the ethics and politics of carrying out those research methods in practice, and to inculcate the critical capacity to conduct qualitative research and analysis in an ethical manner. Particular emphasis is placed on the concepts of cultural diversity and power, and their implications for design and method choices as well as stakeholder participation in research and evaluation. 'Cultural diversity' refers to differences among (groups of) individuals with respect to ethnicity, race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability/health, socio-economic status, and other dimensions. The course is intended to help students reach an understanding of how different qualitative research methods can best be used to reach their objectives in diverse contexts, depending on the underlying purpose of the research endeavor. It therefore focuses on the conception, design and implementation of qualitative studies that seek to understand theoretical and practical issues in public policies pertaining to culturally diverse populations. More Info
Offered in:GISD 804 Capstone Seminar: Engaging Communities in Research and Practice +
Description:
The main purpose of this course is to provide the culminating, integrative curricular experience for students enrolled in the GISD MA Program during their last semester prior to graduation. The Capstone Seminar offers students an opportunity to undertake community-based research, increase their impact and effectiveness as a leader, or explore other dimensions of global inclusion and social development. Students develop an initiative for a real-life project that can be work, community, or university-based. The purpose of the Capstone Project is for the students to apply knowledge acquired during the GISD MA Program to a project involving actual data in a real-life setting. More Info
Offered in:GISD 894 Graduate Seminar on Paper Writing and Publication +
Description:
This is a special seminar for graduate students in the social sciences on the art and craft of writing research papers for publication. We will pursue three goals this term: 1) learn by doing the process of writing social science 2) become knowledgeable about the process of submission/publication in peer-reviewed journals in social science fields 3) become more familiar with the hidden processes of journal review, publication ethics, and interpreting and responding to editorial decisions. More Info
Offered in:- TBA
GISD 897 Special Topics +
GISD 898 Transdisciplinary Research to Practice Group +
Description:
Students will engage in mentored independent research for up to 4 semesters (12 credits) with a transdisciplinary research to practice group. This research practicum will be an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned in their core and elective coursework to real-life research settings. Specifically, students will join a research group for one to two years. Each student will either be affiliated with one of the ICI's research or practice activities or with the research team of a faculty member associated with the school. A student may also be paired with a faculty member engaged in relevant research or practice activities in another department at UMass Boston, a related institution of higher education affiliated with the school, or a related research center in another country. More Info
Offered in:GISD 899 Dissertation Research Seminar +
Description:
This course provides support for the dissertation proposal, research, and writing. It introduces students to all aspects of the dissertation process and relevant University of Massachusetts Boston and School for Global Inclusion and Social Development (SGISD) policies, procedures, and guidelines. The course addresses broad dissertation areas, yet allows flexibility based upon students' particular topics, progress, and needs. The course will help students a) identify or refine their dissertation topics, conduct a literature review and create a conceptual framework, develop a research design and a plan for completing the proposed research and dissemination the results; b) form a dissertation committee; c) develop and submit an application to receive ethics approval for human subject research (if appropriate); d) prepare the oral defense of their proposal; e)identify potential funding sources and develop research funding application. The course uses a combination of instructional approaches and learning methods intended to help students complete their proposal. Additionally, the course intends to foster student peer interactions as a source of academic and personal support for students as they are embarking on the dissertation process. This is a core course for doctoral students in Global Inclusion and Social Development. More Info
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