Micro-Seminar: Protests, Social Movements and Civil Rights: What You Don’t Learn in the Back of a Police Car PART TWO

Micro-Seminars have two parts. Attendance to both parts is required. Registering for the PART ONE session will automatically enroll you in the PART TWO session on Friday.

Part 1: Thursday, August 22, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm (PST)
Part 2: Friday, August 23, 2024 from 10:00 – 11:30 am (PST)

Designed for freshman who want an interactive, fun, and thought-provoking experience focusing on understanding controversy, strategies for both sides of protests, legal and Constitutional rights, crisis communication, and the actions of passionate people on college campuses. Why do people protest? What makes protests effective? What are your actual Constitutional rights? How do you convince the press, social media, and the public take your side? Through simulations, debates, and other activities, we will explore the strategies and actions of protest from the perspective of Psychology, Communication, Journalism, and Law.

The class will develop a deeper understanding of the actual meaning of our rights to Free Speech and our right to Peaceful Assembly. Students will learn how to talk with police, what to say to authorities, and how to be effective with the press. Teams will produce crisis communication strategies and conduct a mock press conference.

ACTIVITIES: Through simulations, student teams will participate in strategic planning for protesters and for organizations anticipating being protested. Teams will plan protester and protestee activities and actions, public statements, demands, and will participate in arbitrations and mediations, engaging with police, and act as communication professionals to create engaging narratives for the press on behalf of both sides of the conflict.

Day 1: Strategy and planning. Students will discuss what they believe to be their rights to assembly/protest and free speech, and what they think are best practices for protesters and for organizations being protested. Then, through a series of simulations, teams will take on both sides of the conflict, make tactical decisions and demands, engage with police, and engage in arbitration.

Day 2: Press Conference. Using faculty as consultants, Teams will develop Communication and PR strategies, learn to talk with journalists/reporters, plan strategic use of social media, and conduct a press conference.

Lead By:

Professor Karen North

Karen North, PhD, is a clinical professor at USC’s Annenberg School. She is a recognized expert in digital social media and in psychology. Her primary interests including social networks, product (app) development, online privacy and safety, the Dark Web, digital business strategy, Artificial Intelligence, brand building, and crisis communication & reputation management. She regularly appears as an expert on national, international, and local news. Trained as a clinical and social psychologist, with considerable experience in federal policy and practice, she previously worked in the White House (Clinton Administration) and before that on Capital Hill where she focused her efforts on domestic policy issues and the emerging digital world (including rolling out the WWW).

Professor Michael Overing

Michael Overing, J.D. is a practicing lawyer and Adjunct Professor at the Iovine and Young Academy of USC and also USC’s Annenberg School. He teaches legal issues to undergraduate and graduate students, with favorite classes focusing on First Amendment rights and on digital and social media law. He is also a well respected debate coach. Michael’s legal areas of expertise include First Amendment rights, digital media law, business law, and arbitration/mediation. Michael is the author of several publications and presentations, including “Understanding BitTorrent and the Law,” and “The Legal Twists in Securing a Homeland.”

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