In recent years both scholars and policymakers have expressed a remarkable amount of interest in the concepts of social capital and civil society. A growing body of research suggests that the social networks, community norms, and associational activities signified by these concepts can have important effects on social welfare, political stability, economic development, and governmental performance. This discussion based course examines the roles played by these networks, norms, and organizations in outcomes ranging from local public goods provision and the performance of democracies to ethnic conflict and funding for terrorism.

This graduate seminar examines civic engagement in international, national and local environmental governance. We will consider theories pertaining to civil society development, social movement mobilization, and the relations that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have with governments and corporations. During the course of the semester, particular attention will be given to the legitimacy and accountability of NGOs. Case studies of NGO and community responses to specific environmental issues will be used to illustrate theoretical issues and assess the impacts that these actors have on environmental policy and planning.

This lesson focuses on comparing and contrasting national governments in North America and/or Central America. It is the second in a sequence, the first being "Comparing Governments - Local, State, and National" by Tami Weaver and Wendy Pineda.

A selection of Library of Congress primary sources exploring the United States Constitution. This set also includes a Teacher's Guide with historical context and teaching suggestions.

Students use Library of Congress primary sources to examine the forces that shaped the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

This lesson focuses on the drafting of the United States Constitution during the Federal Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. Students will analyze an unidentified historical document and draw conclusions about what this document was for, who created it, and why. After the document is identified as George Washington’s annotated copy of the Committee of Style’s draft constitution, students will compare its text to that of an earlier draft by the Committee of Detail to understand the evolution of the final document.

Understanding the constitutional convention is key to better understanding how our government works today. In this lesson student read and watch about the convention. Then, pretend they are a delegate from one of the original states at the convention. Students research about their state and decide what plan would best help their state and how they should vote. Teachers are encourages to hold their own class constitutional convention. 

The delegates at the 1787 Convention faced a challenge as arduous as those who worked throughout the 1780s to initiate reforms to the American political system. In this unit, students will examine the roles that key American founders played in creating the Constitution, and the challenges they faced in the process.

An integrated language arts and social studies unit designed to develop student’s literacy skills while giving them an understanding of the general purpose of government, the structure and processes of Washington’s state government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The unit culminates with an optional mock legislature simulation that has students write and argue for a bill.

UC Berkeley Professor of Government, Ernst B. Haas, discusses his life, his work and his most recent book, "Nationalism, Liberalism, and Progress, When Knowledge is Power" with Harry Kreisler. (52 min)

The Drake Equation relates to many important lessons for students. While the math/science implications are obvious, there are philosophical implications that are also important for students. This Socratic Seminar offers points of departure for critical thinking, debates, writing assignments, and further class discussion. (These points can also be used as lecture notes.)

This course covers approaches to research and evaluation in the planning field, for those preparing to write 1st-year doctoral and other research papers. Topics include narrowing down research interests, using quantitative and qualitative techniques complementarily, and interviewing and other fieldwork challenges. The course uses a seminar-type format in which readings, class discussions, and assignments are built around (1) generic themes that run across the research interests and paper topics of students in the class, and (2) lessons about methodology to be learned from the case comparison studies assigned.

While studying the Articles of Confederation government and the Constitutional Convention in this problem-based learning module, the students will determine the benefits of peacefully changing an inept government.  They will deduce the crucial steps needed for peaceful change to happen within a society.  An area of research will be chosen to help solve a problem critical to the students’ middle school lives.  Feedback will be gathered through a video interview or a Google Form survey of crucial stakeholders.  Students will research the alternatives to improve upon their selected problem.  Students will present their findings to a decision maker and wait to receive feedback.

The purpose of this toolkit is to understand what threatens the quality of education in your school so that you can take informed action to remedy the situation.

There are different ways of combating discrimination and creating a safe and nonthreatening environment at school. An important contribution can be made by implementing an Anti-Bullying Policy.

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a helpful, detailed checklist for SMTs to plan and manage their school nutrition programme.

The purpose of this toolkit is to use a brainstorming technique to come up with creative ideas respond to the challenge of providing aftercare support for vulnerable learners. To use the ideas from the brainstorming session to inform the development of a draft set of ideas for an aftercare strategy.

The purpose of this toolkit is to conduct a situational analysis or assessment that will help you to understand the size of the challenge and the current capacity of your school to set up a counselling service. To assist you to decide on the most suitable options for implementing counselling support in your school context.

The purpose of this toolkit is to conduct a situational analysis or assessment that will help you to understand the size of the challenge and the current capacity of your school to set up a counselling service. To assist you to decide on the most suitable options for implementing counselling support in your school context.

Connect particular phrases and ideas set down in the Bill of Rights with texts that preceded it.