Soc 490: Senior Seminar in Sociology
Spring 2010                      Instructor: Dr. Gonzalo Santos
 
diminished hegemonyburj-khalifabeautiful-earth
G-20 200

Class meets: 6:00 pm -8:30 pm, MW       Room: TBA
Dr. Santos' Office: DDH-AA205                Phone: 661 654-2191
Office Hours:     11:00 - 12:30 pm MWF.  

Textbooks:

Course Content:

This Senior Seminar in Sociology will focus on the theories and dynamics of global integration in the contemporary social world, how it affects, and in turn is affected by, the world's economic, political, cultural and social structures, trends, and processes. First, using the Steger anthology of articles, we'll analyze some of the key theoretical perspectives on the origins, many structural dimensions, consequences, and contemporary trends and challenges of  globalization, from some of the principal scholars in the field. Then, using the McMichael anthology, which analyze case studies from specific countries, we explore the many ways humans react collectively, from the bottom up, through social movements of all sorts, to globalization, and in so doing, change the pace and direction of globalization itself. We will also read three articles from Dr. Santos web site: one on the nature of anti-systemic movements since 9/11/01 and two on the origins and nature of the US and worldwide severe economic crisis since 2007.

Course Structure:

The course will be run as a seminar. Students will form eight groups of mostly three students each and take turns introducing and analyzing the assigned readings for each seminar session, followed by class discussion. In this manner, each group will make class presentations twice during the quarter.

Attendance is mandatory (please, no tardiness or early departures). All students must come prepared to discuss the readings.

The students will also collaborate within their groups to produce:

a) a research project on a topic related to the course; each student will contribute their own research paper as part of the project.

b) a group portfolio containing each of the students' curriculum vitae and a letter of application to a graduate school or professional job. Use this rubric for guidance: click here.

Class Presentations: At the beginning of the course, the students will be organized in groups of three. There will be two readings (first book) or three (second book) readings assigned per class. Every class, a different group will present on the assigned readings, on a rotational basis - groups can expect to present twice in the quarter. Students shall do their presentations in Power Point. Class discussion will follow the presentations. Time allotted per individual presentation should be about 10 minutes. Each presenting student will introduce, describe, highlight, and summarize his/her own portion of the assigned readings, and raise one or two key questions for subsequent discussion. As a precaution, please bring your presentations in a USB-type memory stick and also email it to your own email account. When it's your turn to present, please show up early to set it up & test it. It is each group's responsibility to organize the division of labor of their presentations ahead of time, so there will be minimum overlap.

Each student presentation will be graded based on: (a) the analytical strength of the presentation, including its depth & breath (how well it covers all the main aspects), (b) the pertinence and quality of the question(s) posed at the end, (c) the quality & style of the oral delivery, and (d) the quality of the visual presentation, including charts, tables, figures, and images.

Research Paper: Each student group will design and organize a research volume of individual research papers on a topic related to the main areas of the course. Each volume will contain 2 or 3 individual research papers related to different aspects of the volume's topic. The papers need to be submitted in both electronic form and printed on paper. The volume is due on Thursday, June 10, before noon, at Dr. Santos' office.

All topics - the group's general topic as well as each individual's subtopic - must be pre-approved by Dr. Santos no later than May 12.

Each printed volume should be bound and include a title page and a table of content, listing each paper by title and student author. Each individual paper should be between 10 and 12 pages long (excluding the bibliography). For a precise guide on the paper's format and citation style, go to:

http://www.csubak.edu/~gsantos/guide-paper.html
Each individual paper should pose a central argument, or thesis, or hypothesis, and include the following sections: an introduction, stating the thesis/topic, a literature review as well as the theoretical approach and methodological framework of the paper; an analytical section on the relevant historical & contemporary processes, facts, data, related to the topic; this section should not only be descriptive, but it should include your critical analysis to explain these things, as well as other plausible alternative explanations in the literature and your critique of them; your summary and main conclusions; a bibliography; appendices (if any). The bibliography ought to reflect a good search on the World Wide Web, as well as consulted books and scholarly journals in the library. Appendices should include charts, graphs, and figures covering the pertinent topic - the better selected, relevant, and more global in nature, the better. No need for a group bibliography or consistent pagination - each papers' own will suffice.

Extra Points: A way to get extra credit is to attend those campus events Dr. Santos announces in class and write a two-page report on each of them.

Lastly, there are two general studies courses that students are strongly encouraged to take if they wish to develop their research skills, and if they do (either or both) will receive extra credit in this course: These courses will enable students to develop the necessary competencies to navigate their way around the complexities of researching print and electronic sources.  To ensure students develop independent research skills, course instructors do not conduct the research for the students.
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GST 126 - Researching the Electronic Library (2 units)
Introduces students to effective research techniques using Library electronic resources. Emphasis will be placed upon skills necessary for the identification, retrieval, and evaluation of information for general and specific topics. Students will acquire the competencies necessary to develop an effective search strategy and find research materials, including references to journal articles, full text articles in electronic format, government publications, books, and Internet resources.

GST 153 - Research on the Internet (2 units)
Introduces students to the information resources available on the Internet for research purposes Students will develop general knowledge of the Internet, navigation skills, effective search strategy skills, familiarity with Internet finding tools, evaluation methodologies and other Internet research skills.
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Plagiarism: To prevent students from wittingly or unwittingly engaging in plagiarism, Dr. Santos strongly recommends students to carefully read and abide by the document CSUB Classifications of Plagiarism found at: http://www.csub.edu/tlc/options/resources/plagiarism/4plagiarimclassifications.htm.

Furthermore, students are advised that all papers will be submitted to TurnItIn.com, a professional web site that some CSUB faculty subscribe to and now routinely use to quickly detect plagiarism. Anyone found guilty of engaging in plagiarism will automatically fail the course and be reported to the Office of Student Discipline and Judicial Affairs for further disciplinary action.

Grading: The final research paper is worth 40 points. Each class presentation is worth 15 points (30 points total). Active participation in the seminar discussions is worth 20 points. The portfolio including the C.V. and letter of application is worth 10 points. Every absence is penalized by taking one point off the final grade (besides the zero grade you'll get for either failing to present or for missing a reading assessment). The final letter grade will be assigned, on a scale of 0 to 100, as follows:
94-100 = A           84-86 = B              74-76 = C

90- 93 = A-           80-83 = B-             70-73 = C-

87- 89 = B+          77-79 = C+            65-69 = D                 < 65 = F
Office Hours & Communications with Dr. Santos: All students are encouraged to visit Dr. Santos regularly during posted office hours (see above), especially to ensure their research paper topics are approved and well focused (no emails on this topic, please), or to discuss any question from the class lectures, the textbooks, or their class presentations.  Dr. Santos much prefers students either come to his office during office hours or call him by phone, rather than to receive e-mail messages that require more than a one-line reply. This is due to his large email traffic and the ease of talking, as opposed to typing. But if you wish to send Dr. Santos a brief, to the point, personal message, you may do so at his address above.

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Schedule of Reading Assignment

Week
 Monday Wednesday
1
March 29, 31
INTRODUCTION
 HOLIDAY
César Chávez Day
2
April
5, 7
Dr. Santos
Steger Reader:

  Introduction: The emergence of Global Studies
Group 1:
Steger Reader:

Articles 1: The Globalization of Markets, by T. Levitt


Article 2: Disjuncture & Difference in the Global Cultural Economy, by A. Appadurai
3
April
12, 14
Group 2:
Steger Reader:

Articles 3: The Globalization of modernity, by A. Giddens

Article 4: Mapping thre Global Condition, by R. Robertson
Group 3: 
Steger Reader:

Article 5: Globalization: The Necessary Myth?, by P. Hirst & G. Thompson

Article 6: Preface to Empire, by M. Hardt & A. Negri
4
April
19, 21
Group 4: 
Steger Reader:

Article 7: The Global City Model, by S. Sassen

Article 8: The Globalization of Sexual Identities, by D. Altman
Group 5:
Steger Reader:

Article 9: Globalization: An Ascendant Paradigm?, by J. Mittleman

Article 10: The Promise of Global Institutions, by J.
5
April
26, 28
Group 6:
Steger Reader:

Article 11: Five Meanings of Global Civil Society, by M. Kaldor

Article 12: Al Qaeda & the New Terrorists, by Oliver Roy
Group 7:
Steger Reader:

Article 13: From Market Globalism to Imperial Globalism: Ideology & American Power after 9/11, by M. Steger

Article 14: The World as a Polder, by J. Diamond
6
May
3, 5
Group 8:
Steger Reader:

Article 15: The Specter that Haunts the Global Economy: The Challenge of Global Feminism, by V. Moghadam

Article 16: Arguing Globalizations, by P. James
Group 1:
Steger Reader:

Article 17: The Urban Climacteric, By M. Davis

Article 18: The New Public Sphere: Global Civil Society, Communication Network, and Gloabl Governance, by M. Castells
7
May
10, 12
Group 2:
Steger Reader:

Article 19: Globalization and the Emergence of the World Social Forums, by J. Smith & M. Karides

Article 20: Globalization: Long Term Process or New Era in Human Affairs, by W. McNeill
Group 3:
Web Readings:

Immanuel Wallerstein: New Revolts Against the System

Immanuel Wallerstein: Systemic Crises
Robert Wade: Financial Regime Change?
8
May
17, 19
Group 4:
McMichael Reader:

Articles 1, 2, 3,
Group 5:
McMichael Reader:

Articles 4, 5, 6
9
May
24, 26
Group 6:
McMichael Reader:

Articles 7, 8, 9,
Group 7:
McMichael Reader:

Articles 10, 11, 12
10
May 31
June 2
 HOLIDAY

Memorial Day
Group 8:
McMichael Reader:

Articles 13, 14, 15
11
June 7
 FURLOUGH  DAY - NO CLASS
 Research papers and Student Portfolios are due by noon, Thursday, June 10, at Dr. Santos's office.
My group number is: _____

My other group members' names, phones & email addresses are:

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________

My group's two presentations will be on these days:

          Date:                          My own presentation will be on:

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________


My group's research project title:  _________________________________________

My own research paper title: _____________________________________________