Social Movements

Social Movements

SYA4930, Section 012A

Turlington Hall 2346

Tuesdays 3:00-4:55, Thursdays 4:05-4:55

Instructor: Kirsten Fitzgerald

Email:

Office Location: Turlington Hall 3355

Course Description & Goals

The goal of this course is to equip students with the intellectual tools and ability to understand the myriad groups who come together to work for social change. The course begins with a broad overview of the ways we study social movements: the theories and issues at hand. From there, the course moves into studying select movements, where we will apply and interrogate the applications of each perspective. By the end of the course, students will have learned to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with social movements theory and perspectives.
• Critically assess research and current events on social movements and activism.
• Engage in their own research and writing on social movements.
• Understand and critique the social issues that social movements seek to address.

Required Materials

*There is no required textbook for this course. All readings are located on Canvas in the “Files” tab, “Readings” folder. The schedule for these readings is located on the Canvas syllabus page.

Access to Canvas: If you do not have access to Canvas, please contact the UF Help Desk.

Recommended Materials

Staggenborg, Suzanne. Social Movements. Oxford University Press. Any edition.

Course Requirements & Grading

Participation – 50 points (10%)

Participation in this class is mandatory and will be graded. I will look for your ability to think critically and sociologically about the concepts or issues at hand. I expect you to be attentive and polite to your fellow classmates and remain on-topic.

Reading Responses – 50 points (10%)

Each week, you are expected to provide a 1-2 page reaction to that week’s required readings. You will turn these in on Canvas before the beginning of class each Tuesday.More information on what I expect from reading responses can be found on Canvas.

Discussion Questions – 50 points (10%)

On Canvas, you will post 1-2 discussion questions about the readings by 12:00 PM the day that the class meets. This means you will be posting questions for each set of readings, due on both Tuesday and Thursday.

Theory and Issues Exam – 75points (15%)

At the end of the first few weeks, after we have covered the primary theoretical perspectives and issues in social movements, I will assign a take-home exam on these. You will turn this in to me, on Canvas, before midnight January 31.

Course Project – 150points (30%)

This course requires you to complete a research project while working with local community organizers. This will include participant-observation and at least one interview with theorganizers. Because this project requires coordination with this organization, I expect you to turn in a schedule of your availability to me by January 12. In order to complete this assignment, you must provide proof of your CITI Training by January 17.More detailed information on this assignment can be found on Canvas.

Final Paper – 125points (25%)

You will have two options for your final paper: you may either turn your course project into a research paper, or you may conduct a thorough literature review on a social movement of your choice. Either assignment will require you to include both assigned readings from this course and a selection of external empirical and theoretical sources. Detailed information on this final paper can be found on Canvas. This first draft of this paper is due on Canvas on April 10. The finaldraft is due on Canvas, before midnight on April 25.

Extra Credit

Should extra credit opportunities arise, I will provide you detailed information of how you may earn these points. Do not ask for extra credit, and please note that this will not exceed 2% of your overall grade.

Grading Overview

Points / Percentage / Grade / GPA
465-500 / 93-100% / A / 4.00
450-464 / 90-92% / A- / 3.67
435-449 / 87-89% / B+ / 3.33
415-434 / 83-86% / B / 3.00
400-414 / 80-82% / B- / 2.67
385-399 / 77-79% / C+ / 2.33
365-384 / 73-76% / C / 2.00
350-364 / 70-72% / C- / 1.67
335-349 / 67-69% / D+ / 1.33
315-334 / 63-66% / D / 1.00
300-314 / 60-62% / D- / 0.67
0-299 / 59% or less / F (E) / 0.00

Participation: 50 pts

Reading Responses: 50 pts

Discussion Questions: 50 pts

Theory & Issues Exam: 75 pts
Course Project: 150 pts

Final Paper: 125 pts

TOTAL: 500 pts

Classroom Policies

Attendance

Attendance in my classroom is strongly encouraged. While it is not mandatory, please note that participation and reading responses (due in class) together comprise 20% of your grade. If you are not present, you cannot receive credit for either of these. I will not accept late reading responses. You are responsible for any material you miss in your absence. I understand that there may be circumstances where you have to miss class. It is your responsibility to inform me beforehand of your absence. I may ask you to provide some written confirmation (such as a doctor’s note, coach’s note, etc.) in order to count your absence as excused.

Excused Absences include: illness, family emergencies, University-sanctioned events (conferences, athletic competitions, etc.), military obligations, religious holidays, and legal obligations (such as jury duty)

Unexcused Absences include: vacations or other non-University-sanctioned trips, events for your student organization, sleeping in, missing the bus, car trouble, and meetings with bosses or advisors

Make Up & Extension Policy

I do not allow make up work or extensions without an excused absence. An excused absence without proper documentation (doctor’s notes, coach’s notes, etc.) must be pre-approved in order to allow you to make up your work. It is your responsibility to keep me informed of your absences and to schedule time to make up your work. In the event that I grant you an extension or the opportunity to make up an assignment, you must schedule and complete the assignment within one week of the original due date.

Email Policy

You may contact me at any time through UF email (). Please use your University of Florida email address to communicate with me. If you have a question regarding course policy or upcoming assignments, please refer to your syllabus to see if the question has been answered there before emailing me. Include the course name in the subject line of your email. Compose your email in a professional manner, and sign off with your full name.I do not accept assignments via email, and I cannot discuss your grades via email. If your question is about your grades, please see me in my office during office hours, or schedule an appointment to meet with me.

Technology Policy

Students are not allowed to take photographs, audio recordings, or video recordings in my classroom without prior, explicit permission from me. I also expect students to be courteous and attentive to me and to their peers. To this end, I expect you to turn off and put away your cell phones in my classroom and remove any headphones. I do allow the use of laptops and tablets in my classroom. However, should I catch you using your laptop or tablet for anything other than taking notes or accessing course reading materials, I will ask you to put it away. I reserve the right to remove anyone from my classroom who cannot comply with these rules, and your participation grade for the day will be forfeit.

Classroom Behavior

You are expected to be courteous to me and to your fellow students at all times. I will not tolerate disruptive behavior and will ask you to leave. Common disruptive behaviors can include loud conversations during class, interrupting other students, answering your cell phone in class, and talking back to or insulting me or other students. Moreover, this class will cover controversial and uncomfortable topics that may be particularly sensitive to many people. While you may have many questions regarding certain topics and, in particular, inequalities, and while I hope to help you grow through healthy discussion of these topics, it is also important that this classroom remain a safe space for all. To that end, any language or action that harasses or disrespects me or your fellow classmates, particularly any remarks that are racist, sexist, or homophobic, will result in my asking you to leave the classroom, and you will forfeit your participation points for that day.

University Policies & Resources

Academic Services

The Office of Academic Support ( can help you work on many of the skills you need in my course. This includes note-taking, studying and writing. If you find you have difficulty with these skills, I strongly encourage you to arrange a meeting with OAS early in the semester. Throughout the semester, you can get free tutoring from the Teaching Center ( online, by appointment, and by walk-in. The Writing Studio ( can help you improve or refine your academic writing abilities, which will not only help you on your final paper, but in your future classes.

Disability Services

Students who need accommodations for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students Office ( The DSO will then provide you with documentation that you must give to me when requesting accommodations. Accommodations will not apply retroactively, so it behooves you to provide this documentation prior to any quizzes, assignments or exams. I am more than willing to provide accommodations in my classroom, but I must abide by university policy, and more importantly, you must communicate with me in order for me to do so.

Technical Services

Technical issues are not an excuse for late, incomplete, or missed assignments. If you need any help accessing Canvas for this course, please contact the UF Help Desk:

• (352) 392-HELP (4357)

Incomplete Grade Policy

You can find information regarding incomplete grades at the Academic Advising website for CLAS ( From this form: “Incomplete, or "I," grades should be assigned only after the instructor and the student have explicitly arranged, before the final exam for the course, to have the student complete exams or other required course work for the course after the semester is over. The "I" arrangement should be used only when the student is doing passing work ("D-" or better) in the course at the time of the arrangement and the student has not already dropped the class.”

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values to the University and in my classroom. You should make yourself familiar with the UF Student Conduct Code ( I take violations of this code very seriously. Students caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a zero on the assignment and a failing grade in my course, and they will be referred for disciplinary action.

Course Evaluations

Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of a course via course evaluations, typically in the final two or three weeks of the semester. These evaluations are accessible online ( and I will remind you on the specific date that these evaluations open.

Course Schedule

A detailed list of each reading is available on the Canvas syllabus page. Major due dates are as follows:

Date / Assignment Due
January 10 / Last Day to Add/Drop Classes
January 12 / Schedule of Availability
January 17 / Confirmation of CITI Training
January 31 / Theory & Issues Take-Home Exam
March 4-12 / Spring Break – NO CLASS
April 10 / First Draft of Final Paper
All Project Notes, Memos, Etc.
April 25 / Final Paper
Any Outstanding Project Notes, Memos, Interview Transcripts

Note: I reserve the right to alter the syllabus and course schedule at any time. The present syllabus best represents my intentions. I will notify you in advance of any changes in class, via email, and on Canvas. If I must change a deadline, I will only extend it, not bring it closer. It is your responsibility to keep track of any changes I announce.