Proseminar: Contemporary Topics on Culture and Politics 4219-ZP038
In this course, students are encouraged to pay close attention to both the mainstream and counter-currents of U.S. politics, society and culture. The course places particular emphasis on the themes of ethnicity and race, political protest, and cultural dissent. Geopolitical hegemony in the Americas is a topic that is also analysed.
The course is entirely practical. Each week, students will work through a research process that will help them write the degree thesis. Students will apply their knowledge of the United States to formulate research questions.
The research process taught in this course is qualitative. This is reflected in the methodology that is learnt, but it is also evident in the way in which students will research the topics of their choosing. Students' research is expected to draw on a variety of primary and secondary sources, including historical documents, social media communications, manuscripts and other data sources.
Type of course
obligatory courses
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the student:
KNOWLEDGE:
- Understands key concepts and theories in social research related to ethnic minorities and racial-ethnic relations in the United States.
- Understands the importance of academic integrity.
SKILLS:
- Can critically use theories and concepts to explain issues related to ethnic minorities and racial-ethnic relations in the USA.
- Formulates critical arguments in both oral and written English.
- Draws conclusions and formulates synthetic summaries in oral and written English.
- Participates, under the guidance of a supervisor, in the preparation of research projects related to the USA.
SOCIAL COMPETENCES:
- Is prepared to articulate their own critical opinions on issues related to ethnic minorities and racial-ethnic relations in the USA.
Assessment criteria
The main requirement to pass the course is to write the outline of the BA paper and the introductory chapter. Throughout the semester, students will prepare the thesis statement, bibliography, outline, and introductory chapter. Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to select and research a topic. Completion of the seminar also requires: Compulsory attendance with the exception of two absences allowed per semester (this also includes distance learning), careful preparation and active participation in class, and meeting all deadlines. The outline and its process of elaboration (research, reading discussion, and writing-up) will be assessed.
Grading:
5: 100-88
4: 87-73
3: 72-57
2: 56-0
Bibliography
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. 1995. The Craft of Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Knopf, Jeffrey W. 2006. Doing a Literature Review. PS: Political Science & Politics 39, no. 1: 127–32. doi:10.1017/S1049096506060264.
Patil, Shridhar. 2020. Research Methodology in Social Sciences. New Delhi: NIPA
Redman, Peter and Maples, Wendy. 2020. Good Essay Writing: A Social Science Guide. Sage
Publishing. Available at: https://study.sagepub.com/redmanandmaples5/student-resources/chapter10/referencing-dos-and-don%E2%80%99ts
Sage Research Methods. 2022. Project Planner. Research Stages. Sage Publishing. Available at: https://methods.sagepub.com/project-planner
Van Evera, Stephen. 1997. Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science. Cornell University Press.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: