COURSE NUMBER: MBA292N.1
COURSE TITLE:
Large-Scale Social Change: Social Movements
UNITS OF CREDIT: 2
INSTRUCTOR:
Nora Silver
E-MAIL ADDRESS: silver@haas.berkeley.edu
PREREQUISITE(S): None
CLASS FORMAT:
The class explores significant social change movements through written cases,
articles, portions of books, films, podcasts, featured guests, and experiences
that students bring to the class.
REQUIRED READINGS: Readings will take the form of written cases,
featured guests, portions of books, films, articles, podcasts, and more, and
will be available on bCourses.
BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: The final grade will be based on class attendance
and participation (30%), 1-2 short individual papers analyzing social movements
(20%), a group project designing a social movement (30%), and an
individual reflection paper (10%).
ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: Haas students have repeatedly demonstrated their
desire for opportunities to engage in healthy discussions about meaningful
social issues. There has been a growing need for a class that provides the
frameworks and tools necessary to usher in positive, large-scale social change.
History is packed with examples of this social change in action, from Indian
independence to #MeToo. Behind many of these
advancements lies a social movement: collective action by ordinary people
working outside existing institutional frameworks toward a common goal, with
the intent to disrupt the status quo. Graduate students interested in creating
large-scale impact often take courses on leading and managing individual
institutions. Yet much large-scale social change occurs extra-institutionally,
beyond the purview of individual businesses, governments, and social sector
organizations. In this course, we will move beyond the walls of traditional institutions,
building an understanding of the key levers available to those seeking to
create major social change: Rising business leaders also have much to learn
from social movements. This course will teach us to think big, look beyond
traditional institutional change, and challenge ourselves as we learn to apply
different levers to diverse issues and constituencies. It will help us
appreciate and understand how movements around the world have mobilized and,
crucially, how we might contribute to large-scale social change in our future.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Nora Silver is Adjunct Professor and Founder
and Faculty Director of the Center for Social Sector Leadership at
Haas. She brings over 30 years of leadership experience as a two-time social
sector founder, executive director, board member, and funder of social sector
organizations and social change. She has consulted internationally with
hundreds of social change organizations, authored books and articles on
leadership and community involvement, and lectured at universities and
conferences around the world. Her recent research is on multisector leadership,
networks, and next generation social impact leaders.