Download Micro Sociology: Inequality and Everyday Life The Sociology

Department of Sociology and Anthropology
4400 University Drive, MS 3G5, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-993-1440; Fax: 703-993-1446 Micro Sociology: Inequality and Everyday Life The Sociology program faculty voted and approved the new graduate level course, SOCI 640: Micro Sociology: Inequality and Everyday Life, on November 20, 2013. In this course students will deepen their sociological perspectives in analyzing the relationship between everyday life and social inequalities. A particular focus is given to an investigation of micro approaches to the study of forms of inequalities in everyday life. The sociology of everyday life is an established area within sociology and brings together different micro perspectives on social life. This class will cover a segment of this large body of writing, its analytics, theoretical statements, methodology and empirical examples. We will consider how sociologists have crafted analyses that attempt to provide account of the relationship between governing structures of society and the structure of situational and interactional terrains as it plays out in the lives of everyday people. Students will learn how to formulate research questions taking interaction or situation as unit of analysis. There is clear need for a course focused on micro-­‐processes and their links to the formation and reproduction of social inequalities. The study of social inequality is a core area of focus in both our MA and PhD programs, yet we offer no courses that specifically address how social inequalities are manifest in social interaction. The bulk of our courses in inequality focus on institutional level processes, thereby filling a significant gap in our curriculum. We ran this course in spring 2011 as a special topics course with Professor Amy Best as instructor. Eighteen graduate students enrolled, which is high enrollment for a special topics course. Students who completed the course reported this course filled a void in their graduate –level coursework preparation. In the case of PhD students, several reported the course was essential for preparation of comprehensive exams, field statement, and the development of a dissertation topic. For MA students enrolled, the course provided templates for developing a MA thesis project that addressed inequality in situations and social interaction. Because the course is designed around reading several ethnography focused on the production of social inequality at the micro –level, students reported a great understanding on micro-­‐level processes and how sociologists specifically have understood them. Currently there is no competing course since the course is specifically designed to highlight the distinct sociological approaches to understanding small group processes, identity formation, social interaction, and situational dynamic. The program expects the course to continue to have significant enrollments given the previous offering and reported student interest. Currently, there are three faculty with expertise in micro approaches to sociology who could teach this class, Professors Amy Best, Mark Jacobs, and Shannon Davis. We expect to run the course every 4 semesters. This course fulfills the elective requirement for the Inequalities track in our PhD program, of which 2/3 of our PhD students are enrolled, and the general concentration in the MA program, of which 2/3 of our MA students are enrolled. For approval of new courses and deletions or
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Micro Sociology: Inequality and Everyday Life
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Analyze the relationship between everyday life and
social inequalities, with a particular focus on examining
theoretically and empirically the relationship between
governing structures of society and the structure of
situational and interactional terrains as it plays out in the
lives of everyday people.
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Shannon N. Davis
11/20/13
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Sociology 640 Micro Sociology: Inequality and Everyday Life Professor:
Amy Best
Office:
Robinson 321
Office Hours: Office telephone: Email: [email protected] In this course students will deepen their sociological perspectives in analyzing the relationship between everyday life and social inequalities. A particular (though not exclusive) focus is given to an investigation of micro approaches to the study of forms of inequalities in everyday life. The sociology of everyday life is an established area within sociology and brings together different micro perspectives on social life. This class will cover a small segment of this large body of writing, its analytics, theoretical statements, methodology and empirical examples. We will consider how sociologists have crafted analyses that attempt to provide account of the relationship between governing structures of society and the structure of situational and interactional terrains as it plays out in the lives of everyday people. . Required Text: (Available at GMU campus bookstore) 1) Small, Mario 2004. Villa Victoria: The Transformation of Social Capital in a Boston Barrio Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2) Lamont, Michele 2000. The Dignity of Working Men: Morality and the Boundaries of Race, Class and Immigration. Harvard University Press. 3) Zerubavel, Eviatar.2006. The Elephant in the Room: Silence and Denial in Everyday Life. New York: Oxford University Press. 4) Wacqaunt, Loic. 2004. Body and Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer. New York: Oxford University Press. 5) Sennett, Richard and Jonathan Cobb. 1973. The Hidden Injuries of Class. New York: Vintage Books. 6) Hochschild, Arlie 1983. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press. 7) Pugh, Allison. 2009. Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children and Consumer Culture. Berkeley: University of California Press. 8) Diamond, Tim. 1992. Making Gray Gold: Narratives and Nursing Home Care. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 9) Goffman, E. 1961. Asylums: essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. New York: Anchor Books. 10) Goffman Erving . 1971. Relations in Public: Microstudies of the Public Order 11) DeVault, Marj. 1994. Feeding the Family : The Social Organization of Caring as Gendered Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press E-­‐reserves: I have selected additional articles/book chapters (listed below). These articles may be accessed through Fenwick’s online library. 1.Blumer,Herbert 1969. “Society As Symbolic Interaction” in Symbolic Interactionism:
Perspective and Method Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ
2. Blumer, Herbert 1969. Sociological Analysis and the “Variable” in Symbolic Interactionism:
Perspective and Method Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ
3. Goffman, Erving “The Interaction Order” ASA Presidential Address (1983)
http://www.asanet.org/about/presidents/Erving_Goffman.cfm
4. Goffman, Erving “Deference and Demeanor” In Interaction Ritual
5. Handel, Warren. 1982 “Further Specification of the Common Sense Attitude: Cross-Purposes in
Natural Settings Pp. 80-100 in Ethnomethodology: How People Make Sense. Prentice Hall:
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
6. Garfinkel, Harold (1967) “Conditions of Successful Degradation Ceremonies” Pp. 205-212. in
Jerome Manis and Bernard Meltzer Symbolic Interaction: A Reader in Social Psychology.
7. Davis, Fred (1967) “Deviance Disavowal: Management of Strained Interaction by the Visibly
Handicapped” Jerome Manis and Bernard Meltzer Symbolic Interaction: A Reader in Social
Psychology.Pp. 189-204. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
8. Dorothy Smith 1987 “The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Methodology” in The
Everyday as Problematic
9. Dorothy Smith 1987 “Institutional Ethnography” in The Everyday World as Problematic
Please note an (*) indicates the reading is on 2 hr print reserve in JC Media Library ONLY and not as E-­‐reserve. Accessing articles on E-­‐reserves: 1) Go to GMU home page, 2) click on Libraries 3) click e-­‐reserves 4) click search electronic reserves 5) type course number or instructor name 6) type password: social
Course Requirements and Grading Policy: Participation Participation is essential for facilitating class discussion of readings, lecture materials and for the ongoing development of your understanding of the course content. My evaluation of your participation will be based on your contribution to the class and the extent to which your participation reflects a knowledge gained from readings and previous discussion. It is expected that you will have read and are prepared to talk about the assigned readings for that day (25%). Each student will be responsible for helping to direct class discussion for one class meeting. Expect to sign up the first week. Students’ charge will be to NOT summarize the readings but to identify between 3-­‐5 central questions (no more than 5) around which the readings cohere. You will work in teams of two and will submit typed questions. These questions will serve to orient us to the reading for that day. Questions must be submitted to me no later than Monday before class by 5:00 p.m. You will be expected to write a 2 page reflection paper on the discussion that followed from your questions. These are due the week following your presentation (5%). Annotated Bibliography (15%)
Students will complete an annotated bibliography of 5 peer-­‐reviewed journal articles published in the last 5 years. Social Psychology Quarterly, Symbolic Interaction, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Qualitative Sociology, Qualitative Inquiry, Social Problems, AJS, ASR and Qualitative Research Methods are all fine places to begin your search for articles that address how social inequalities are given expression in everyday life. Though you are not limited to these journals, the journals from which you draw must be sociological in their focus. Each abstracted article must be selected from a different publishing source. You may use any citation style you prefer but you must be consistent. Abstracts should be two paragraphs and should be written in your own words. (Do not simply borrow the abstract provided by the author of the article or chapter). The first paragraph will detail the central points of the article. (What is the author’s main argument? What sort of evidence does the author provide? What does the author propose to resolve the issue at hand?) The second paragraph should reflect your own engagement with and analysis of the questions and concerns the authors raised. It goes without saying these must be typed. Due Tuesday 4/26 Research project (45%)
Students will be responsible for completing a 20-25 page paper examining a topic relating to inequality in everyday
life and must engage micro-sociological perspectives. Students will be expected to provide a 10-15 minute
presentation on their project at the end of the semester. A detailed handout outlining the assignment will be provided
in class. Students will be expected to submit a 2 page research statement outlining research problem and /or
research questions no later than due 3/22.
Annotated bibliography Research Paper Presentation of paper Presentation of readings/reflective statement Participation 15% 45% 10% 25% 5% ACADEMIC INTEGRITY I expect all students to act in accordance with the University’s policy on academic honesty. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade for an assignment and judicial action. http://ods.gmu.edu DISABILITY SERVICES: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please
see me and contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 993-2474. All academic accommodations must be
arranged through the ODS.
WRITING CENTER: A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-­‐1200; http://writingcenter.gmu.edu UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES (CAPS): (703) 993-­‐2380; http://caps.gmu.edu UNIVERSITY POLICIES The University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university academic affairs. Other policies are available at http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/. All members of the university community are responsible for knowing and following established policies. 1/25 Week 1. Introduction to Course Reading due:
1. Blumer, “Society as Symbolic Interaction”
2. Blumer, Sociological Analysis and the “Variable”
3. Goffman, “The Interaction Order” ASA Presidential Address (1983)
http://www.asanet.org/about/presidents/Erving_Goffman.cfm
4. Goffman, “Deference and Demeanor” in Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-face Behavior
5. Davis, Fred “Deviance Disavowal: The Management of Strained Interaction by the Visibly
Handicapped” in Jerome Manis and Bernard Meltzer Symbolic Interaction: A Reader in Social
Psychology.
6. Garfinkel, Harold “Conditions of Successful Degradation Ceremonies” 205-212. in Jerome
Manis and Bernard Meltzer Symbolic Interaction: A Reader in Social Psychology.
2/1
Week 2.
2/8
Week 3. 2/15
Week 4. Reading due:
Goffman, E. 1961. Asylums: essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. New York: Anchor Books. Reading due: Goffman E. Relations in Public: Microstudies of the Public Order Chapters 1-4
Reading due: Goffman E. Relations in Public: Microstudies of the Public Order Chapters 5-­‐7 Warren, H.““Further Specification of the Common Sense Attitude: Cross-Purposes in Natural
Settings”.
2/22 Week 5. 3/1
Week 6. 3/8
Week 7.
3/15 Week 8.
Reading due: Sennett, Richard and Jonathan Cobb. 1973. The Hidden Injuries of Class. New York: Vintage Books Reading due: Zerubavel, Eviatar.2006. The Elephant in the Room: Silence and Denial in Everyday Life. New York: Oxford University Press. Reading due:
Hochschild, Arlie 1983. The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press. Reading due:
DeVault, Marj. 1994. Feeding the Family : The Social Organization of Caring as Gendered
Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
8. Dorothy Smith 1987 “The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Methodology” in The
Everyday as Problematic
3/29 Week 9. 4/5 Week 10.
Reading due: Pugh, Allison. 2009. Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children and Consumer Culture. Berkeley: University of California Press. Reading due:
Diamond, Tim. 1992. Making Gray Gold: Narratives and Nursing Home Care. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
D. Smith 1987 “Institutional Ethnography” in The Everyday World as Problematic 4/12
Week 11.
Reading due:
Lamont, Michele 2000. The Dignity of Working Men: Morality and the Boundaries of Race, Class
and Immigration. Harvard University Press.
4/19 Week 12. 4/26 Week 13. Reading due: Wacqaunt, Loic. 2004. Body and Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer. New York: Oxford University Press Reading due: Small, Mario 2004. Villa Victoria: The Transformation of Social Capital in a Boston Barrio Chicago: University of Chicago Press 5/3
Week 14.
Student Project presentations
5/10
Week 15.
Student Project presentations
Exam period. Final papers due 5/12
Syllabus may be subject to revision