Graduate Portfolio Program in Dispute Resolution

Faculty: Amon Burton, Adjunct Professor and Michael Hebert, Adjunct Professor

Description: This course is designed to help students develop and refine negotiation skills utilizing the problem method. This course attempts to teach negotiation skills, to foster understanding of the psychological dynamics of the negotiation process, to evaluate methods of overcoming deadlocks, and to offer an opportunity for each student to receive an evaluation of his or her own negotiating skills, both from negotiation opponents and from the instructors.

Faculty: Amon Burton, Adjunct Professor and David C. Hricik, Adjunct Professor

Description: This course is designed to help students develop and refine negotiation skills utilizing the problem method. This course attempts to teach negotiation skills, to foster understanding of the psychological dynamics of the negotiation process, to evaluate methods of overcoming deadlocks, and to offer an opportunity for each student to receive an evaluation of his or her own negotiating skills, both from negotiation opponents and from the instructors.

Faculty: Alan S. Rau, Professor

Description: This course will familiarize students with many of the typical techniques used in negotiation settings, create a heightened awareness of the negotiation process and of the lawyer's role in personal manipulation, and create an appreciation of the importance of irrational forces in the negotiation process, including some understanding of the reaction of others to one's own behavior in the negotiation setting. In addition, the course can provide a valuable opportunity to receive an objective evaluation of one's own negotiating skill, both from opponents and from third parties. The students will begin with a consideration of some theoretical materials designed to introduce the nature of the bargaining process. The focus of the semester, however, will be a series of simulated negotiations between teams of students concerning a common contractual problem (such as a sale, contract of employment, lease, settlement of a lawsuit, etc.).

Description: This course is designed to teach practical negotiating skills. The course will examine theories of negotiation, negotiation strategies, and cultural and gender issues in negotiation. The course is designed to teach students skills to identify and avoid common negotiation mistakes, techniques for dealing with difficult negotiators, and techniques for dealing with impasse.

Faculty: Francesco Francioni, Visiting Professor

Description: The purpose of this course is to explore the increasing variety of techniques, norms and institutions available to States and other actors for the peaceful resolution of international disputes. The first part of the course will cover the general methods of dispute settlement, including non-binding methods such as negotiation, conciliation and inquiry, and legally binding methods such as judicial settlement through the International Court of Justice and arbitration. The second part of the course will be devoted to some of the recently established international Tribunals, such as the Law of the Sea Tribunal, the dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade organization and the ad hoc Tribunals established for the prosecution of atrocities committed by individuals in the course of armed conflicts. Particular attention will be given to problems of access to these tribunals, of transparency, and of reciprocal interaction between an increasing number of jurisdictions potentially applicable to the same subject matter.

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Description: This is the only course at an American law school devoted exclusively to negotiation in criminal cases. This new three-credit offering is designed for those interested in criminal prosecution and defense. The class meets two hours per week. In addition, students average one out-of-class hour per week participating in simulated negotiations and observing real negotiations at the Travis County Courthouse.

Faculty: Cynthia Bryant, Lecturer

Description: This course will examine the variety of methods used to resolve disputes. Although primary attention will be given to "legalized disputes," some consideration of matters before reaching the court alternative will also be explored. The entire menu of ADR processes, including adjudicative, evaluative, and facilitative models, will be covered as well as the numerous and still expanding rules, statutes, and cases which now govern the ADR practice.

Faculty: Alan S. Rau, Professor

Description: This course will examine the variety of methods used to resolve disputes. Although primary attention will be given to "legalized disputes," some consideration of matters before reaching the court alternative will also be explored. The entire menu of ADR processes, including adjudicative, evaluative, and facilitative models, will be covered as well as the numerous and still expanding rules, statutes, and cases which now govern the ADR practice.

Faculty: Cynthia Bryant, Lecturer

Description: This course is designed to provide the student with an in-depth understanding of the mediation process and its role in the resolution of disputes. The underlying theory of mediation as a problem-solving tool, as well as its practical application, will be studied. Focus will also be on the law of mediation, from its developmental stages through recent legislation and case law. Historical and contemporary research will be surveyed, and ethical considerations raised. Initial classes will explore underlying conflict theory, methods of resolving disputes, and the concept and practice of mediation as a process by which a neutral facilitates discussion and solutions derived from the parties themselves. The principles of the negotiation process will be examined, and the variety of theories of effective negotiation evaluated. The class will also involve role-playing exercises, providing hands-on application for the student. underlying theory of mediation as a problem-solving tool, as well as its practical application, will be studied.

Faculty: Eric Galton, Adjunct Professor

Description: This course is designed to provide the student with an in-depth understanding of the mediation process and its role in the resolution of disputes. The underlying theory of mediation as a problem-solving tool, as well as its practical application, will be studied. Focus will also be on the law of mediation, from its developmental stages through recent legislation and case law. Historical and contemporary research will be surveyed, and ethical considerations raised. Initial classes will explore underlying conflict theory, methods of resolving disputes, and the concept and practice of mediation as a process by which a neutral facilitates discussion and solutions derived from the parties themselves. The principles of the negotiation process will be examined, and the variety of theories of effective negotiation evaluated. The class will also involve role-playing exercises, providing hands-on application for the student. underlying theory of mediation as a problem-solving tool, as well as its practical application, will be studied.

Faculty: Cynthia Bryant, Lecturer

Prerequisite: Mediation

Description: In this clinic students mediate pending cases in the Justice of the Peace courts in Travis and surrounding counties. Through practical experience in the mediation process, students develop and refine the skill necessary for mediation and for problem solving in general.

Faculty: Alan S. Rau, Professor

Description: In this seminar, students will look at arbitration as a method for resolving commercial disputes -- both domestic disputes and disputes arising out of international transactions. Students will be looking at both the law and the practice of commercial arbitration. During the first few weeks, as background, there will be reading and discussion that will touch on the following areas: a) the law of commercial arbitration: e.g., federal and state status favoring arbitration, international treaties, and court review of arbitration awards; 2) setting up an arbitration e.g., choosing the arbitrators, and the various arbitration bodies like the International Chamber of Commerce and the American Arbitration Association; c) drafting arbitration clauses, and planning to provide for unforeseen events--what rules should govern the arbitration?; d) the conduct of an arbitration--how are a lawyer's skills in arbitration different from litigation skills?

Faculty: Jan Summer, Adjunct Professor, Susan Schultz, Lecturer, and Margaret Menicucci, Lecturer

Description: This seminar will focus on the use of alternative dispute resolution processes in resolving public policy and government disputes. The course will first provide an overview of ADR processes and interest-based negotiation theory. Analysis will be focused on a range of specific government ADR uses from employment disputes to multi-party and complex public conflicts. This is a writing seminar.

Faculty: Dr. John Daly, Distinguished Teaching Professor

Description: In this course we address the question of how it is that people become more or less persuasive. We review major strands of research on social influence and place that work within applied settings such as business and politics. The course highlights major theories of attitude change, conceptualizations drawn from marketing, practical advice from the "self-help" industry, and empirical studies of persuasion.

Topics include: message design, influence strategies at meetings, network, use of narrative in persuasion, theories of attitude change (e.g., balance, dissonance, social judgement, elaboration likelihood), marketing theory and research as it relates to personal skills as influence, heuristics, methods associated with compliance and commitment, and the measurement of attitude change.

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Description: Social and personal life, including family and work relations, child socialization and education, race and ethnic relations, labor relations, law, politics, international diplomacy - the list is perhaps infinite - depend in large measure on talk and the handling of conflict. While it was once assumed that these were unrelated fields, that assumption is being challenged today. This class will take up this question.

Topics include: the relations between social structures and communication, communication or language theories we may derive from the study of conflict talk, the application of interaction and language theories to the study of conflict. In this seminar we examine conflict talk from a number of situational perspectives, including both events with and without third parties (such as mediators) who intervene in the communication.

Faculty: Dr. Madeline Maxwell, Professor

Description: The role and status of indigenous minority language communities are examined through case studies of US (e.g., American Sign Language, Spanish, Navajo, French, Meti) and other countries (e.g., Spain, Canada). Current controversies in bilingualism, language politics and individual interaction are explored, primarily in the context of individual interaction. Students propose a field study.

Faculty: Dr. Madeline Maxwell, Professor

Description: This course provides hands-on training and practice in conflict intervention techniques, including various forms of mediation. You will participate in the Conflict Resolution Center, make presentations about conflict mediation to organizations and classes, provide supervised conflict services to other students, and participate in research on mediation. Students may repeat this class (with instructor approval) for credit. Once you have taken the class, you have the option of staying on the list of mediators as a volunteer.

Faculty: Dr. Anita Vangelisti, Associate Professor

Description: This course examines current research and theory in the area of family communication. Topics include courtship; parenthood; step families; domestic violence; and extended families.

Faculty: Dr. Anita Vangelisti, Associate Professor

Description: Theories of development and change; research methods; relationship types; gender and roles; emotion; self-disclosure; secrets; lying; compliments; conflict; complaints; persuasion; dissolution processes; rejuvenating, repairing, and maintaining relationships.

Faculty: Dr. Mark Knapp, Professor

Description: Civil, strategic, and manipulative communication. Deceptive acts and their detection; e.g., self-deception, children, con artists, political campaigns, advertising, close relationships, and computer-generated realities.

Faculty: Dr. Dana Cloud, Assistant Professor

Description: Philosophies, strategies, and effects of modern sociopolitical and religious movements designed to produce change.

Faculty: Dr. Madeline Maxwell, Professor

Description: Conflict and communication are pervasive in human social life. There are differences in disputes involving participants with different backgrounds and goals in different situations, but there are similarities and identifiable underlying dimensions in conflict talk. Some relevant dimensions may be gender, role, ethnicity, nationality, and even family background. The purpose of this class is to acquire a framework for systematic analysis of conflict and communication and to learn some of the effects of communication on conflict and of conflict on communication. Activities for learning include reading about conflict and communication, analyzing conflicts, and experiencing and evaluating communication behaviors that are said to be effective in conflict talk.

Faculty: Dr. Larry Browning, Professor

Description: This course includes both theoretical perspectives and experiential learning on how individuals reconcile their need to be individualistic (competitive) and a community member (cooperative). The course topics include: Individual aggression and submission; the rewards of competition and cooperation; and organizational structures that lead to cooperation or competition.

Faculty: Dr. Dana Cloud, Assistant Professor

Description: Speeches and other documents of major American social movements 1830-present; the social, political, and economic contexts for those movements and how movements have responded to social conditions; analysis of the audiences, messages, and strategies of movement spokespeople; original research into and critical writing about a social movement of your choice; survey of current debates over in the field of social movement studies.

Description: Provides hands-on training and practice in conflict intervention techniques, including various forms of mediation.

CRP 381.05 Dispute Resolution

Faculty: Professor Robert G. Paterson, Associate Professor

Description: A review and demonstration of the application of various means of resolving conflicts in the public and private sectors.

Description: This course is designed to teach practical negotiating skills. The course will examine theories of negotiation, negotiation strategies, and cultural and gender issues in negotiation. The course is designed to teach students skills to identify and avoid common negotiation mistakes, techniques for dealing with difficult negotiators, and techniques for dealing with impasse.

Faculty: Jan Summer, Adjunct Professor and Suzanne Marshall, Adjunct Professor

Description: This seminar will focus on the use of alternative dispute resolution processes in resolving public policy and government disputes. The course will first provide an overview of ADR processes and interest-based negotiation theory. Analysis will be focused on a range of specific government ADR uses from employment disputes to multi-party and complex public conflicts. This is a writing seminar.

Faculty: David Schkade, Professor

Description: This course focuses on understanding the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations in the context of competitive situations. The objectives of the course are to help students to develop negotiation skills experientially and to understand negotiation in useful analytical frameworks. Considerable emphasis is placed on realistic negotiation exercises and role playing. The exercises serve as catalysts for the evaluation and discussion of different types of negotiation situations. In-class discussions and lectures supplement the exercises. A focus on understanding the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations in the context of competitive situations.

Faculty: Ralph Hasson, Lecturer

Description: This course focuses on understanding the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations in the context of competitive situations. The objectives of the course are to help students to develop negotiation skills experientially and to understand negotiation in useful analytical frameworks. Considerable emphasis is placed on realistic negotiation exercises and role playing. The exercises serve as catalysts for the evaluation and discussion of different types of negotiation situations. In-class discussions and lectures supplement the exercises. A focus on understanding the behavior of individuals, groups, and organizations in the context of competitive situations.

Faculty: Dr. G. Edward Gibson, Jr, Associate Professor

Description: Legal aspects of engineering and construction contracts and specifications; contract formation, interpretation, rights and duties, and changes; legal liabilities and professional ethics of architects, engineers, and contractors.

Faculty: Dr. John D. Borcherding, Adjunct Professor

Description: Contracts, documentation requirements, claims avoidance, and settlement of claims by alternative dispute resolution.

Faculty: J. Carole Taxis, Instructor

Prerequisites: N226, N356, N456P or permission from the instructor

Description: This course presents a conceptual framework for understanding the nature of conflict and relevant research regarding the etiology and prevention of aggressive behavior. It includes the application of negotiation, dispute resolution and crisis management skills in the prevention of violence, as well as the promotion of healthy environments.

Faculty: Gordon Bennett, Associate Professor

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Faculty: Professor Lester Kurtz, Professor

Description: Peace and Conflict studies will provide a general, systematic introduction to that emerging academic field, i.e., how can we discover the causes of violence and the conditions of peace, and how can we carry out conflicts creatively? Although it assumes that peace is desirable, it does not assume that any one path to peace is definitive. We will explore a variety of options, from violent deterrence to nonviolent civilian-based defense. We will study war, peace, conflict resolution, and the issue of violence from interpersonal to global levels and from a variety of disciplinary frameworks (with a bias towards sociology). We will read sources from Calusewitz to Gandhi and talk about how the Gulf War started and the military coup in Moscow failed, as well as nonviolent alternatives to violence in our communities and our lives.

Faculty: Lester Kurtz, Professor

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Faculty: Lester Kurtz, Professor

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Faculty: Dr. Michael Lauderdale, Clara Pople Willoughby Centennial Professor of Criminal Justice in Social Work

Description: Introduction to major theories of organizations. Foundation knowledge needed for effective practice in human service leadership and management. Includes alternative solutions to service delivery problems; divergent roles and agendas of the public, board members, management team and direct service staff in the operation of human service organizations; value dilemmas and ethical issues.

Faculty: Dr. Dorothy Van Soest, Associate Dean, School of Social Work

Description: Examines the history, demographics and cultures of various disenfranchised groups over the life course. Family and community diversity (including communication and relationship patterns, roles, values, norms, beliefs, myths, rituals, and world views) within families, formed groups, and communities. Emphasis on the impact of discrimination by individuals and society on people of culturally diverse backgrounds and orientations. Ethics and values related to developing cultural competence and culturally sensitive practice.

Faculty: Dr. Michael Lauderdale, Clara Pople Willoughby Centennial Professor of Criminal Justice in Social Work

Description: Diverse approaches by community groups and professional to dealing with youth gangs and gang prevention. Alternative approaches for working with gang members. Research and policy issues for working with youth.

Faculty: Dr. Dorothy Van Soest, Associate Dean, School of Social Work

Description: Using a broadened conceptualization of violence as the theoretical framework, this course addresses issues of violence at micro, meso, and macro levels. Through a critique of various causes and impacts of violence, implications are analyzed related to: the effects of violence on normal human development; gender violence; violence against children; drug-related violence; ethnoviolence; and violence-related trauma. Social policy and social justice implications for social work practice are analyzed, such as systemic issues related to culture and institutions; linkages between poverty and violence; economic/fiscal priorities connected with situations of violence; and social and economic development initiatives as an antidote to violence. The course focuses on preventive measures as well as individual interventions and conflict resolution, including effective strategies for addressing the causes and effects of violence worldwide.

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Description: focus is on developing effectiveness in dealing with ethical issues and dilemmas in social work practice. Theoretical frameworks used to examine value and ethical dilemmas in a systematic manner. Intended to both deepen awareness of new and emerging ethical issues and to provide tools and methodologies for reflection and analysis. Orienting frameworks include: philosophical systems underlying major ethical theories; models for ethical choice; codes of ethics; social ethics; organizational ethics; human rights issues; client, third parties, and colleague issues and conflicts; the ethics of indirect practice - administration and supervision, and bioethics.

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Description: models of community practice and intervention strategies used in community development to promote social justice. Politics of social change. Community organizing models, roles, and skills. Tensions, barriers, conflicts and value dilemmas inherent in grassroot citizen participation, advocacy and community empowerment.