Social Norms, Social Change II (Coursera)

Finally, we look at a variety of tools policy makers may use to effect change, highlight the role of trendsetters in social change, and explore the conditions under which they can be successful. The course is a joint Penn-UNICEF project.

This course is Part 2 of the Social Norms, Social Change series. In this course, we will examine social change, the tools we may use to enact change, and put into practice all we have learned in Part 1. See Social Norms, Social Change Part I at this link: Social Norms, Social Change I.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Honors Lesson: Scripts and Schemas

This course is "part 2" of Social Norms, Social Change and the lessons here are a continuation of the first course. This module covers scripts and schemas, the cognitive structures in which social expectations are embedded, and their relationship with social norms.

WEEK 2

Norm Creation

WEEK 3

Norm Abandonment

This module covers the essentials of norm abandonment, including the relations between personal beliefs and social expectations. It also evaluates existing intervention strategies, including legal reforms, information campaigns, economic incentives, and group deliberations.

WEEK 4

Trendsetters and Social Change

This module covers trendsetters and their relations to social change. Who are trendsetters? What are their characteristics? How can we identify them? And how can we use them to bring about positive social change. This module also discusses the role of soap operas and edutainment in bringing about social change, how fictional characters and groups can act as trendsetters, and comparative advantages of edutainment interventions over traditional interventions.