Civility Week

Spring 2023 Civility Week

IMAGINE SOCIAL MEDIA CONSCIENCE

The presentations and discussions of Civility Week in the Spring Semester of 2023 seek to closely examine social media’s impact in the following and other areas:

The ways in which global social media platforms allow for marginalized communities to be seen and heard
Legal and political issues that consider limitations on and protections of individuals’ rights to freedom of expression in view of broader sociological constellations and the common good
Issues relating to the manipulation of social media algorithms in ways that may enable actors in the private sector and in governments to monitor citizens’ behavior and interfere with privacy rights
Consideration of how the functioning of algorithms may encourage the proliferation and amplification of hate speech and violent ideas on social media platforms
The future of social media in the direction of civility

Spring 2023 Civility Week Program

The LibGuide created by Theresa Agostinelli supports presentation topics and Open Conversation events. LINK TO Spring Civility Week LibGuide

Civility Statement

“Brookdale Community College is committed to freedom of expression while maintaining a civil and ethical learning environment. We believe that a community composed of people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities promotes learning and engagement. We are responsible for treating one another with respect and kindness regardless of our differences.”

The following is the description of Civility Week in Fall 2022 that continues to guide our discussions into the Spring of 2023

Social media allow us to interact with others, becoming part of global communities in ways previously unknown in history. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok are shaping collective perceptions of ourselves, others, and the world. Social media creators and users often establish and maintain positive connections through these platforms. Such affiliations and affirmations can contribute to a sense of community and a greater common good.

However, there are increasing concerns regarding the practices of social media platforms and their effects. Manipulative algorithms and anonymous bots present the information we see in the form of user-specific clickbait intended to influence users’ actions. User data is collected and sold, and users are carefully guided by predictive analytics to increase engagement and profit. Furthermore, social media
frequently disseminate misinformation, hate speech, and violent political ideas which enter the mainstream, threatening civility and democracy.

In light of this complex situation, there are urgent calls for regulation, for platform transparency, and the right to privacy, without compromising free speech. In this regard, forms of civil discourse and rational deliberation, in national and global contexts, allow for the critique of the harmful societal effects associated with social media. Moreover, civility—in behavior, action, and policy—provides the foundations for the reconstruction of the values of democracy in this emergent landscape of social interaction here and around the world.

SPRING 2023 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

All of the Civility Week Events will take place at the Student Life Center, Twin Lights I room except where stated.

2/13 @ 12 pm Civility and the Legal System: What We Can Learn from the Legal System About Fallacies to Develop Civility
2/13 @ 1pm Open Conversation: Freedom of Expression and the Constitution of the United States
2/14 @ 11:45 am Transcending Divisions: Does Social Media Allow Free Speech Everywhere?
2/14 @ 1pm Open Conversation Social Monitoring Implications for Freedom of Expression and the Call for Social Media Regulations
2/15 @ 10am Who Follows Who – Using Social Media to Enhance Happiness, Health and Well-Being – Take our survey: Scrolling Our Way Through Wellbeing
2/15 @ 1pm The Great Firewall: How the Chinese Government Censors Information and Free Expression
2/15 @ 3pm Open Conversation Social Monitoring Implications for Freedom of Expression and the Call for Social Media Regulations
2/16 @ 12pm Living Room Conversation: Free Speech, Hate Speech and Campus Life
2/16 @ 6pm Pushing and Pulling: Media as Medium, held in the CVA Gallery
2/17 @10am Transcending Divisions: Global Read Event The Book of Joy: Selected Readings and Discussion, Webinar
2/17 @ 12:30pm Social Media and the Agora: Musings on Civility and Antiquity

REGISTER HERE

Civility Recognized Events

Global Citizenship Project: The Global Read
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World.

“What if healing divisions was not only beneficial for our world but also for our physical and mental health? What if building community, rather than focusing on ourselves, was the key to finding and sustaining lasting personal happiness? According to the Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Hoiness the Dalai Lama, our ability to repair our world is inextricably linked to our capacity to cultivate joy.” Excerpt from Global Citizenship Project Newsletter. Curated by Ashley Zampogna-Krug, Faculty Liaison to the International Education Center. (Fall 2022- Spring 2023 (21)).

Transcending Divisions: Happyvism (A Global Read Event)
March 31 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Join us as we enhance our reading of The Book of Joy with an interactive event. Justis Lopez will guide and engage the audience in Happyvism, a project that activates and spreads joy in black and brown communities by embracing self-love.

Sponsored by Global Citizenship Project, International Education Center, Diversity and Inclusion/CCOG

Transcending Divisions: International Festival
April 4 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Free and Open to the Public

Each spring the International Student Association hosts the annual International Festival. The festival is a multicultural celebration, featuring ethnic food, dance and music, arts and crafts, and cultural booths. Several Brookdale clubs and organizations, and individual students are involved in the festival representing their unique international and cultural significance. A highlight of this year’s festival will feature Afro Brazilian Capoeira: Spanning 500 years this martial art was hidden in dance, music and the coded language of Brazilian Portuguese. The Crew: Baiano, Amazonas, Gaivota, and Graveto are all professional instructors and practitioners who come from all parts of NJ to demonstrate and facilitate the workshop which will involve the movements, music, and magic of the art of Capoeira. Join us! No experience necessary! Watch a video showcasing Capoeira martial art: VIDEO LINK

Sponsored by International Student Association, Student Life and Activities, International Education Center, Diversity and Inclusion/CCOG

Transcending Divisions: The “Challenges of Mental Illness in Nigeria”
April 13 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Dr. Ogonnaya Ndupu will discuss the “Challenges of Mental Illness in Nigeria” based on her experience as a neuropsychiatrist. Sponsored by the Global Citizenship Distinction Initiative, International Education Center Link to join via Zoom: https://brookdalecc.zoom.us/j/984 8848 1066

Brookdale Community College’s Civility Research Guide

The Civility Research Guide created by Theresa Agostinelli provides links to books, articles, websites, videos, and databases related to civility. The LibGuide supports presentation topics and Open Conversation events. LINK TO Spring Civility Week LibGuide

Civility Week is Sponsored by the Brookdale Foundation

Michele McBride, 90.5 the night, talks with Dr. Ave Latte discussing Brookdale’s Civility Week