Assignment

Week 6: Call to Action: Applying Social Change on an Individual Level
Whatever our situations, we all face a choice. We can ignore the problems that lie just beyond our front doors; we can allow decisions to be made in our names that lead to a meaner and more desperate world. We can yell at TV newscasters and complain about how bad things are, using our bitterness as a hedge against involvement. Or we can work, as well as we can, to shape a more generous common future (p. 33).
—Paul Rogat Loeb

It can be daunting to study the historical precedents set by social change movements. It is also humbling to recognize the seemingly heroic actions of those who led these movements. Issues seem immense and it is easy to doubt what one individual, particularly oneself, can do to achieve change. Yet if you look back at the past several weeks, you are reminded that individuals did bring about changes—and are still doing so. Effecting positive social change is an opportunity open to everyone.
The ideal of positive social change is Walden University’s mission, and the culmination of this course is an appropriate time to reflect on what this means to you. In this final week of the course, you critique each other’s’ call to action submissions and consider your own thoughts about social change. You also submit your Final Project.
Learning Objectives
Students will:

Critique the effectiveness of social change approaches
Analyze key aspects of a social change movement of the pre-modern era
Analyze key aspects of a social change movement of the modern era
Assess the relationship of Walden University to a past or present social change movement
Reflect on changes in personal insights regarding social change

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Walden University. (2016a). Scholars of change. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/scholars-of-change
Walden University. (2016b). Social change. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/
Document: Final Project Guidelines (PDF)

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HIST 2050C: U.S. History through the Lens of Social Change
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Week 6: Call to Action: Applying Social Change on an Individual Level
Whatever our situations, we all face a choice. We can ignore the problems that lie just beyond our front doors; we can allow decisions to be made in our names that lead to a meaner and more desperate world. We can yell at TV newscasters and complain about how bad things are, using our bitterness as a hedge against involvement. Or we can work, as well as we can, to shape a more generous common future (p. 33).
—Paul Rogat Loeb

It can be daunting to study the historical precedents set by social change movements. It is also humbling to recognize the seemingly heroic actions of those who led these movements. Issues seem immense and it is easy to doubt what one individual, particularly oneself, can do to achieve change. Yet if you look back at the past several weeks, you are reminded that individuals did bring about changes—and are still doing so. Effecting positive social change is an opportunity open to everyone.
The ideal of positive social change is Walden University’s mission, and the culmination of this course is an appropriate time to reflect on what this means to you. In this final week of the course, you critique each other’s’ call to action submissions and consider your own thoughts about social change. You also submit your Final Project.
Learning Objectives
Students will:

Critique the effectiveness of social change approaches
Analyze key aspects of a social change movement of the pre-modern era
Analyze key aspects of a social change movement of the modern era
Assess the relationship of Walden University to a past or present social change movement
Reflect on changes in personal insights regarding social change

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Walden University. (2016a). Scholars of change. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/scholars-of-change
Walden University. (2016b). Social change. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/about/social-change/
Document: Final Project Guidelines (PDF)
Discussion: Call to Action for Social Change
Social change leaders have always relied on persuasive approaches to galvanize support for their causes. For this Discussion, you developed a call to action designed to garner immediate support for a specific cause. This week, you will share and critique your work with your colleagues.
In preparation for this Discussion:

Review the calls to action posted by your colleagues in the Week 6 Discussion Forum.
Consider the effectiveness of these communications and why or why not they succeed.

With these thoughts in mind:
By Day 2
Post a response to the Discussion Spark post. Your response should contain at least two significant paragraphs. Read the Discussion Rubric as it will inform your writing. Important Note: The Discussion Spark and the Discussion topic will be graded together. You will see one score in your My Grades area.
By Day 4
Post feedback to at least one other presentation in the Week 6 Discussion Forum in one or more of the following ways:

Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the piece.
Does it accurately address the interests and concerns of the issue? If yes, how? If no, why not?
What is the single most compelling aspect of this piece?
Is the “mechanism” for immediate response effective?
What, if anything, does it lack?
What might you do differently?

Read the feedback received to your own call to action.
By Day 7
Respond to at least one feedback posting you received in one or more of the following ways:

Share an insight related to that feedback.
State why you agree or disagree with the feedback.
Offer and support an opinion.
Expand on a colleague’s posting by offering a new perspective or insight.

Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Discussion Rubric
Post Discussion Spark by Day 2
Post by Day 4 and Respond by Day 7
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 6 Discussion
Final Project
This week, you submit your Final Project.
In preparation:

Review the comments received from your Instructor to the draft submitted in Week 4. Use those comments to inform your final paper.
Review the Final Project Guidelines located in this week’s Learning Resources.

The Assignment

Analyze an important social change movement of the pre-modern era (pre-1945).
Analyze an important social change movement of the modern era (post 1945).
Compare and contrast both movements.

Analyze and explain the leadership structure of both movements. Who led these social change efforts? Was it an individual or a collective effort? What prompted individuals to become leaders of the movements?
Analyze how the movements parallel or complement each other.
Evaluate the success of these movements in promoting social change.

Be sure to include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference page, using APA format to cite each of your sources.