ILROB 2235 - Doing Harm: Group and Organizational Foundations

Fall. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

Enrollment limited to: ILR Sophomores or permission of the instructor. Satisfies the ILR Advanced Writing requirement. Limited to 15 students.

E. Lawler.

How it is possible that normal, everyday people can do significant harm to others (e.g. engage in humiliation, collective violence, mass killing, or “crimes against humanity”). This course uses social psychological and sociological theories to examine the group and organizational foundations for such behaviors. Topics include intergroup hostility, authority and obedience, group and interpersonal influences, organizational structures, cultural beliefs, and the sociology of ethics.