COMM 4310U – Non-Violent Communication

This course incorporates Gandhi’s method of “ahimsa,” or nonviolence, to the communicative context. In this course, students will consider the meaning of violence, and how communication can be both violent or compassionate (and everything in between). Students will learn nonviolent communicative strategies that can be applied to their own personal and professional experiences, as well as how nonviolent communication can be incorporated into national and international challenges. Media contexts such as music, film, blogging, microblogging and social media are examined in the context of respect, power, and safety. The course intends to provide students with meaningful scholarly analysis of nonviolent communication case studies and theories such that students become more self-empowered, build a better understanding of others, are able to bridge differences, and can build harmonious relationships on a variety of levels.
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours: 3
Prerequisite(s): Fourth-year standing in Communication, Criminology, Community Development and Policy Studies or Legal Studies