SOCIOLOGY 2032: SEMINAR IN GENDER, RACE, & CLASS
SPRING 1998
Dr. Kathleen Blee
Sociology office:
2J22 Forbes Quadrangle
624-7590
Women's Studies office:
2632 Cathedral of Learning
624-6486
email: kblee+@pitt.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Course Objectives
This course will explore current issues and methodological approaches to the study of race, gender, and class from a variety of social scientific and historical perspectives. Particular attention will be paid to issues of racial and gender identity, social policies that affect racial, gender, and class hierarchies, and the reproduction of racial, gender, and class domination in everyday life.
We will read and discuss both theoretical/conceptual works and exemplary studies that analyze structured social inequalities of gender, race, and class. During the course of the semester you also will be engaged in developing or refining your own research in the area of gender, race, and/or social class inequality.
Required Texts (on sale at Pitt book center and on reserve at Hillman Library)
James Scott. Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts. Yale University Press. 1990.
Patricia Hill Collins. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. Routledge, 1991.
Robin D. G. Kelley. Race Rebels: Culture, Politics, and the Black Working Class. Free Press. 1994.
Margaret Wetherell and Jonathan Potter. Mapping the Language of Racism: Discourse and the Legitimation of Exploitation. Columbia University Press, 1992.
Mary Romero. Maid in the U.S.A. Routledge. 1992.
Marjorie DeVault. Feeding the Family: The Social Organization of Caring as Gendered Work. Chicago University Press. 1991.
Barrie Thorne. Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School. Rutgers University Press. 1993.
Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton. American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass. Harvard University Press. 1993.
William Wilson. When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor. Random House. 1996.
Jill Quadagno. The Color of Welfare: How Racism Undermined the War on Poverty. Oxford University Press. 1994.
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There may be additional readings assigned, depending upon student interests.
Requirements and Grading
1. Class Preparation and Participation (10% of final grade)
The success of the seminar depends upon quality of the preparation and participation of all members. Attendance at each seminar meeting is required. Any absence that is not due to extraordinary circumstances will result in a lowered grade. You will be expected to prepare carefully for each class meeting by completing the required reading and by preparing questions and critical comments about the readings for that week to organize your participation in the seminar.
2. Summarizing class discussion (10% of final grade)
You will be expected to participate in summarizing orally and summarizing/analyzing in writing the class discussion for one week of the semester, perhaps with another student. A sign-up sheet will be available at the first class meeting.
The focus of the summary should reflect your own sense of what was important and worthwhile in the seminar readings and discussion. You should be prepared to use the final 10 minutes of the seminar to summarize the main points and the unresolved issues of the week’s discussion and then prepare and circulate by email to all members of the class a 1-2 page summary and analysis of the seminar’s discussion in relation to the main issues raised by the readings for that week. This should be circulated to members of the class no later than the Monday following the week for which you are responsible.
3. Weekly Reaction Papers (40% of final grade; 5% per assignment)
Before each class meeting, you need to prepare a short (2-4 page) critical commentary on the readings assigned for that week. These commentaries should be organized as follows: (1) no more than one paragraph that summarizes the main argument(s) of the reading; (2) one paragraph (or so) that positions the reading within the main arguments and methodological approaches that we are exploring in this seminar; (3) one or two pages that outline the major contributions and major weaknesses of the book; (4) (optional) a list of one to three questions or discussion points that will guide your participation in the seminar discussion.
You do not need to submit written comments for the week in which you are summarizing the class discussion and you are allowed 1 "miss," so 8 reaction papers are required. Late reaction papers will not be accepted.
4. Research Paper and Presentation (40% of final grade)
A research paper is required and due on April 23. A 2-3 page summary outline of the paper must be prepared and circulated to the class by March 16 and you will present your research-in-progress to the class on either March 19 or March 26 for feedback and suggestions before you begin writing your final draft. The 10-15 page paper must integrate issues of gender, race, and class through an analysis of empirical (observational; historical; textual; interview; census; etc.) data
The research paper need not involve any outside readings but will give you the chance to integrate a set of assigned readings and apply these to an empirical problem that is of interest to you. You may use this requirement to further your work on a master’s thesis or dissertation, or to work toward a publishable paper.
I am very glad to work with you to develop your research paper, or other assignments in the class. Please feel free to call or come talk with me about written work or any other aspect of the seminar.
Grades are assigned on the following scale:
A: Truly exceptional and outstanding work
B: Solid, acceptable graduate-level work
C: Below acceptable level for graduate work
OUTLINE OF WEEKLY TOPICS AND REQUIRED READINGS
Jan 8: Introduction and Overview
Jan 15: Frameworks for Studying Domination and Resistance: I
James Scott. Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts
Jan 22: Frameworks for Studying Domination and Resistance: II
Patricia Hill Collins. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment
Jan 29: Historical Constructions of Domination and Resistance
Robin D. G. Kelley. Race Rebels: Culture, Politics, and the Black Working Class
Feb 5: Discursive Constructions of Domination and Resistance
Margaret Wetherell and Jonathan Potter. Mapping the Language of Racism: Discourse and the Legitimation of Exploitation.
Feb 12: Interviewing Methods for Studying Racial, Gender & Class Dynamics
Mary Romero. Maid in the U.S.A.
Feb 19: Ethnographic Methods for Studying Racial, Gender & Class Dynamics: I
Marjorie DeVault. Feeding the Family: The Social Organization of Caring as Gendered Work
Feb 26: Ethnographic Methods for Studying Racial, Gender & Class Dynamics: II
Barrie Thorne. Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School.
Mar 5: Spring Break
Mar 12: Individual Meetings on Research Project: Submit Outline by Mar 16
Mar 19 Presentations of Research-in-Progress
Tera Hunter "Work that Body: African American Women, Work and Leisure in the Jim Crow South" 3:30-5:00 pm
Read paper outlines for presentation March 19
Article by Tera Hunter, to be assigned
Mar 26: Presentations of Research-in-Progress
Read paper outlines for presentation March 26
Apr 2: Demographic/Ecological Approaches to Race, Gender, Class: I
Douglas Massey and Nancy Denton. American Apartheid: Segregation and the Making of the Underclass
Apr 9: Demographic/Ecological Approaches to Race, Gender, Class: II
William Wilson. When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor
Apr 16: Policy Analysis of Race, Gender, Class
Jill Quadagno. The Color of Welfare: How Racism Undermined the War on Poverty
Apr 23 Submit Final Research Papers