SOC 410: Senior Seminar in Sociology
Social Problems in Global-Historical Perspective
WED 1-4 pm, Asbury 206
DePauw University
FALL 2006
Professor Thomas Hall
Office: 106 Asbury, x4519, email: thall@depauw.edu
OFFICE HOURS: TuTr 1-1:50; W 11-12; & by
appt
Syllabus
Last
Updated 8-21-06
Please review the Welcome page for policies and the reasons behind the Global-Historical approach and some suggestions for topics.
In short, you can address any topic you choose and place it in a global-historical context. The idea here, is to pull together everything you have learned about sociology and anthropology in a way that is meaningful to you by studying a problem that YOU argue is important to study.
In brief, there are three "assignments" for the seminar. First, to write a thesis on a social problem which puts that problem in a global-historical perspective. The second is to determine how to develop a theory of social problems that is global-historical in its scope. To help each other produce the best thesis each of you are able to write.
A Hidden Agenda
The fourth "assignment," the
hidden agenda, is whether and how to develop a course on global social problems.
Ideally, such a course would fit in Sociology, Anthropology, and Conflict
Studies. Some issues are what is an appropriate course, the level at which it
should be taught (100, 200, 300, 400), what materials work and do not work,
types of assignments etc. As graduating seniors you are in an excellent position
to help me design this course. I hope you will think of doing this as your
"graduation" present to your junior colleagues and to the department. Such a
course would contribute to President Bottoms's call for further study of
globalization.
The
Readings
Since I picked the
topic, I picked some books, listed below to get us started. Some inspired this
course. Some I have just read myself, and they have already caused me to
rethink some of the issues. I also have, or will, put a few things on reserve. For texts [at Fine Print bookstore] see the
Textbooks and the Reserves List.
For more details see Course Schedule. I will update this schedule weekly, adjusting the schedule to reflect our progress and our shifting interests. Here is rough overview of what and how we will read these:
On the first day, August 23, I will discuss the course and give an overview of the course, the readings, and associated topics. Try to read all these for the next meeting. Read them to get a sense of what the books are about and what in them will be most helpful to you. As we discuss these readings in the first 2 or 3 meetings, and as you begin to narrow your choice of social problem to study, we will design the remainder of the schedule. What I list below is not as much as it seems: introductory essays are easy to read, some of it will be familiar to some of you, some of it will not be. Concentrate on the material that is new, use the rest to refresh yourself on what you have learned in other courses.
Advice from Former Seminar
Students
Among many comments made by
students in my senior seminar, two are very consistent:
1. Make sure
EVERY student does ALL THE READINGS. Students note that when they skipped over readings, they had a great deal of
trouble organizing their theses and especially pulling in the broader
perspective elements. [See Discussing the Readings for the assignments inspired by these
comments].
2. "Do whatever you must, no matter how mad it makes students, to start early on their thesis." This is a direct quote from several evaluation, many others paraphrase it one way or another. This is why your topic is due no later then start of class in the second week, and your proposal at the start of seminar in the third week. If you know your topic now, you can hand in your topic and proposal early and get rolling on your research and writing.
Some advice from me, the prof [and the one who assigns grades!]: Given the structure of senior seminar, that most of your grade depends on your thesis, for the other parts of the thesis, proposal, drafts, etc. you are MUCH BETTER OFF handing those in on time or early, and less well done than you would like, rather than being late and "better." That is why I will grade all preliminary assignments +, check, or - [more on that below]. You will need time for revisions, so the earlier you hand in preliminary drafts, the more time you will have for revisions. I will look at parts of theses early if you want. We will talk more about this in class after the first couple of weeks when you all have a sense what you are doing and what that entails.
Tentative Schedule of Activities
We will take 6
to 8 meetings to go over readings and discuss issues. These will be listed on
separate pages, especially the Course Schedule. This will take us until sometime in
October depending on our pace with the readings. Each week
students will turn in 1 to 2 paragraphs on the relevance of each reading for
their thesis topic. This assignment, by the way, came straight from
evaluations from previous seminars! For instructions on how to comment on
the readings see Discussing the Readings.
Remember, throughout the seminar, but especially in the opening weeks, it is perfectly reasonable to say that you do not understand something: the requirements, a reading, a presentation, etc. Depending on which courses you have had so far, some of the readings will seem "obvious" and repetitive, and others may seems like a crash course on new material. I cannot go into more depth on something and explain it better, if you do not let me know you need such assistance.
For main texts see Textbooks. For other readings see Reserves List.
By the second meeting [August 30] you need to choose the social problem that you will study. This need be no more than a short note [or email] naming it. By the fourth meeting [Sept. 13] you will need to turn a typed discussion of your "problem," that is a Thesis Proposal. You also need to submit an Annotated Bibliography that week [Sept. 13].
Part of the third week, Sept. 6, will be used to discuss the Thesis Proposal and the Annotated Bibliography.
The web pages have more details on these assignments. Do keep in mind, however, that your proposal is a tentative statement. Some thesis topics evolve and transmute as you dig out more information on them. Still, the more precisely you can state your problem at this point, the easier it will be to find material on it. But keep in mind that research is a discovery process, which will lead to rethinking your initial proposal.
Most of the fifth week (Sept. 20) will be devoted to a library session with Josephine MacPhail. I will share your topics, your proposals, and your annotated bibliographies with her so she can plan the session to be of maximum help to you. In the past many students have used these sessions to find a great deal of material on their topics, and to learn how to find more efficiently.
Once we finish the readings, we will break to work on individual projects. This will be in October. Most likely we will NOT have a seminar for one week. Rather, I will hold individual meetings to discuss your thesis and your progress on it. Many of these meetings will be during the time seminar would have met.
We will then resume meeting regularly in week 10, October 25 for presentations on theses. I will have separate pages describing presentations of thesis. This will be where and when the seminar truly becomes a seminar. We will have FOUR presentations a meeting on November 1, 8, 15. If we have any further presentations we will also meet on November 29. If not, I will hold individual meetings that week to help you as you work on your final drafts.
Think of PRESENTATIONS as mid-way reports, not the final word. They are an opportunity to present what you have discovered about your topic AND to ask the class for help and suggestions in areas where you are having difficulty.
Week 10, October 25, you will need to turn in the first two sections of your thesis: Introduction and Discussion of the Problem. These must be in acceptable format, including references (see Draft Introduction to Thesis for more details). The point here is to get you started and to fix any formatting problems early so you do not get jammed up at finals time.
The Monday before you present your thesis, you need to turn in:1) any revisions to what you submitted on the 4th; and 2) as much of the analysis, conclusion, and ameliorations sections as you have done. These may be in draft format (see Draft Body of Thesis).
From this point, November 1st, we have a very rigid schedule because everyone needs to present and receive comments in order to complete her or his thesis by the final.
Once you have presented you have 9 days to turn in the
penultimate draft of your
thesis. I will read it and give you feed back. In rare cases where
the thesis is sufficiently complete, I will give you a provisional grade. [If
you are satisfied with that grade, your thesis will be complete. If you are not
satisfied with the provisional grade, then you will have until Dec. 12 to make
further revisions. But remember, the thesis is "only" 70% of your grade]. This
works out as
follows:
PRESENTATION
PENULTIMATE DRAFT DUE
Wednesday November 1
Friday November 10
Wednesday November 8
Friday November 17
Wednesday November 15
Monday November 27 [or sooner] -- due to
Thanksgiving Break.
Also, I will comment on drafts of sections at any time. I will say more about this later. The dates above are last possible times.
For each presentation, everyone [except, obviously, the presenter] must provide oral discussion of the thesis and written comments due within 24 hours. I will collect these comments, add my own, and give feedback to the presenter. Making these comments is a vital part of the course. This is how we all, together, help everyone write the best possible thesis. Failure to make comments in a timely and thoughtful way will have consequences for your grade. See How to present you thesis to the seminar.
In the week following your presentation I will collect the comments, add my own, and meet with each of you individually to work on revisions.
Once presentations are completed I will meet to discuss drafts and revisions plans with each of you.
We will conclude at the last class, Wednesday, December 6, with a brainstorming session that will:
Final drafts of theses are Tuesday, December 12, by 6pm -- OR SOONER!
In order to have time to read theses, they need to be turned in on time.
I reserve the right to lower the grade on a thesis by a letter or more for being late.
GRADES:
Your grade will be
determined as follows:
Thesis
70 % this
includes proposal, bibliography, and drafts
Participation
15 % this includes oral
and written comments on readings
Comments on Theses
15 %
this includes oral and written comments on presentations
I will NOT give letter grades on reading reports or comments, but grade as +, check , -. With a decent job being a a check; a "+" for outstanding, and a "-" for perfunctory or deficient report or comment. I will then look at the overall result of all of these. If you have several +'s it can raise your course grade above what you receive on the thesis; if you have several -'s it can lower your grade below what you receive on the thesis.
COMMUNICATIONS WITH PROF HALL
The
best way to get in touch with me is by email. Assignments and general issues
will be posted on this website.
I will be in my office most afternoons, in addition to office hours, but
check with me so you don't come by just after I decided I had to get some
coffee, or had to go to a meeting..
Send comments or questions to thall@depauw.edu
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