Proseminar: Contemporary Topics on Culture and Politics 4219-ZP038
The seminar is oriented towards social research on ethnic minorities and ethno-racial relations in the United States of America. The course examines American identity from both, contemporary and historical perspectives; it also examines legacies of historic migrations, settlements, and encounters among peoples who have formed the American nation. It encourages students to research minority groups in American society, their histories, cultures, and socioeconomic conditions; it also encourages them to investigate social diversity and understand the problems associated with it. Further, as varieties of feminist perspectives are emerging in 21st century, the course expects students to incorporate them in their work. Students could research cases to illustrate discussion of how race, gender, and class have shaped American society. While the focus is on ethnic groups with heritage from the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, the course also pays attention to emerging groups such as migrants and refugees. Finally, the course examines ethnic legacies in relation to Globalization and assesses the role capitalist corporations play in producing and reproducing ethnic identities and roles.
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: