Welcome to the new year and a new semester of conflict resolution and the
internet.  This is the first message of the new year, and lays out the bases
of this course.  Feel free to introduce yourselves as we once again attempt
to teach within this fascinating medium. Much of what follows you have
already seen, but by way of introduction and to check out the system, I
submit it again.


  For the last three years, over 25 universities and 400 students from
around the globe have participated in a unique and intriguing course based
upon the internet. These students, under the supervision of their
professors, have shared a common set of readings, discussions and concerns
regarding the increased xenophobia and racial/ethnic hostilities that are
present in our world today. This is an invitation for you and your students
to join in this experience.

Xenophobia has reemerged throughout Europe, while Racism and ethnic
hostilities are on the rise in America. Scapegoats and groups are being
singled out for hostile reactions, discrimination, and hate. Uncertainty,
fear, economic recessions, political instabilities are the most identifiable
causes of these problems. In the light of the latest wave of xenophobia
and racism it is increasingly essential that students become involved in
race relations and
conflict resolution. Thus, the objectives are:

1. To enhance student awareness of the impact of perceived realities upon
intergroup
relations, misunderstandings, and hostilities.

2. To widen the student's frame of reference in studying race relations and
conflict
resolution through interaction with students in other institutions, both in
the
United States and abroad.

3. To develop student awareness of the many forums and perspectives
available
on the Internet from either enhance or undermine race relations.

4. To stimulate individual research into identifying, analyzing, and
cross-culturally
comparing race relations problems and proposing possible action plans for
conflict resolution.

For the third strait year, we are please to offer "Conflict Resolution and
the Internet". This course provides the student with a unique opportunity to
engage with their peers around the globe on issues of ethnic and racial
relations. More specifically, Beginning with a general introduction to
various aspects of conflict, this course proceeds to a study of hate groups
on the world wide web and then to the different conflict sites in the world
itself. The essence of the course is extensive use of the internet to gain
information, both from various web sites and in electronic communication
with other students simultaneously taking this course elsewhere in this and
other countries.


rodney coates

associate professor of sociology

miami university