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Description
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We will meet next on April 11th at 9AM.
Lessons
Course Description
Current capitalist crises are affecting people worldwide. In pursuit of profit maximization, corporations across the world are externalizing environmental, social and economic costs. Externalizing costs has led to climate crises, economic instability, extreme inequality, poverty, and political conflict, among many other negative consequences.
In this course, we look at social enterprise development and social innovation as a way to solve some of these crises; to transform our economy and create positive values in the world, ones that are beneficial to people and the planet. In this course, we take a theoretical approach by exploring contemporary literature on social value creation, social innovation and social economy. Students read and discuss a variety of book chapters, articles, and other sources. We also take a practical approach by creating community value. Students are encouraged to start a social enterprise of their own, participate with one that already exists and/or write a case study about a social enterprise in Montreal.
This course provides students with the tools to navigate the Community Economic Development Sector in Montreal. Students learn about writing a social enterprise business plan, reading financial statements for social enterprises, practicing socially responsible investing, getting social economy grants and start-up funds, types of legal structures for social enterprises, and creating bylaws and constitutions for social enterprises. Students also learn about the organizations that promote, fund, and support the social economy sector in Montreal.
Students also take a critically approach by reflecting on contradictions, limitations, and negative consequences arising from the social economy sector.
Course Evaluation
Assignments | Due Date | Grade Weight |
Participation | Ongoing | 10 |
Final Project: Social Enterprise Business Plan, Case Study, or Project Report | April 25th | 30 |
Two Reading Reports and Presentations | February 14th and March 14th | 30 |
Interview Report and Presentation | March 14th | 30 |
Total | 100 |
Participation: The participation grade is based on attendance, involvement in discussions, participation in classroom activities, supplemental tasks and completing the readings.
Final Project: Students choose one of three projects.
1 – Students may start a social enterprise of their own. In creating a social enterprise, students must write a business plan and create a constitution.
2 – Students may work with a social enterprise that already exists. In working with a social enterprise, students must write a case-study about the organization looking at governance, labour, economic practices, value production, needs and assets evaluation, and/or finance.
3 – Students may perform another project, like a mapping project of social economy enterprises in Montreal; volunteer with an emerging social enterprise, then write an auto-ethnography; or a literature review about emerging topics in a social economy or social innovation.
Reading Report and Presentation: In small reading groups, students read, summarize and present two chapters from the book Innovation and the Social Economy: The Quebec Experience. Students must write a report and do a presentation for their classmates.
Interview and Presentation: Interview a social entrepreneur and write a research report summarizing the interview. The interview should address the reason why the interviewee works in social economy, the organization/project they are working with and lessons they have learned by starting (or working with) the social enterprise or social innovation project.
Letter Grade Equivalency
Your numerical grades will be converted to letter grades as follows:
A+ (95 – 100%) B+ (80 – 84.9%) C+ (67 – 69.9%) D+ (57– 59.9%)
A (90 – 94.9%) B (75 – 79.9%) C (63 – 66.9%) D (53 – 56.9%)
A- (85 – 89.9%) B- (70 – 74.9%) C- (60 – 62.9%) D- (50 – 52.9%)
Course Schedule
January 17th – Introduction to Social Economy and Social Innovation
February 14th – Models of Social Economy and Tools for Social Innovation
March 14th – Social Economy in Practice
April 11 – Project Presentations and Wrap-Up
A list of Student Services and Useful Resources
Counselling and Psychological Services: http://concordia.ca/students/counselling-life-skills
Concordia Library Citation and Style Guides: http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/citations
Student Success Centre: http://concordia.ca/students/success
Health Services: http://concordia.ca/students/health
Financial Aid and Awards: http://concordia.ca/offices/faao
HOJO (Off Campus Housing and Job Bank): http://csu.qc.ca/hojo
Academic Integrity: http://concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity
Access Centre for Students with Disabilities: http://concordia.ca/offices/acsd
CSU Advocacy Centre: http://csu.qc.ca/advocacy
Dean of Students Office: http://concordia.ca/offices/dean-students
International Students Office: http://concordia.ca/students/international
Student Hub: http://concordia.ca/students
Sexual Assault Resource Centre: http://concordia.ca/students/sexual-assault.html
Indigenous Directions: http://concordia.ca/about/indigenous.html
University Rights and Responsibilities
Academic Integrity: “The Academic Code of Conduct sets out for students, instructors and administrators both the process and the expectations involved when a charge of academic misconduct occurs. The regulations are presented within the context of an academic community which seeks to support student learning at Concordia University.” (From Article 1 of the Academic Code of Conduct). Full text:
http://www.concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity/offences.html
Plagiarism: The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement.” This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the work of a fellow student, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –it can refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignment and artistic works. Finally, if you translate the work of another person into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism. In Simple Words: Do not copy, paraphrase or translate anything from anywhere without saying where you obtained it! Source: Academic Integrity Website: http://concordia.ca/students/academic-integrity
Disabilities: The University’s commitment to providing equal educational opportunities to all students includes students with disabilities. To demonstrate full respect for the academic capacities and potential of students with disabilities, the University seeks to remove attitudinal and physical barriers that may hinder or prevent qualified students with disabilities from participating fully in University life. Please see the instructor during the first class if you feel you require assistance.
For more information please visit http://concordia.ca/offices/acsd
Safe Space Virtual Classroom: Concordia classrooms and virtual ‘classrooms’ are considered ‘safe space classrooms’. In order to create a climate for open and honest dialogue and to encourage the broadest range of viewpoints, it is important for class participants to treat each other with respect. Name-calling, accusations, verbal attacks, sarcasm, and other negative exchanges are counter-productive to successful teaching and learning. The purpose of class discussions is to generate greater understanding about different topics. The expression of the broadest range of ideas, including dissenting views, helps to accomplish this goal. However, in expressing viewpoints, students should try to raise questions and comments in ways that will promote learning, rather than defensiveness and feelings of conflict in other students. Thus, questions and comments should be asked or stated in such a way that will promote greater insight into the awareness of topics as opposed to anger and conflict. The purpose of dialogue and discussion is not to reach a consensus, nor to convince each other of different viewpoints. Rather, the purpose of dialogue in the classroom is to reach higher levels of learning by examining different viewpoints and opinions with respect and civility.
Land Acknowledgement
I acknowledge that Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community. (Indigenous Directions Leadership Group, Feb. 16, 2017)