SOC112 Spring 2000
Final Exam "Take Home" Component
This is a sort of "seek and find" exercise designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to recognize real world instances concepts we talked about in this class.
Proceed as follows. First, read the articles below. In each one, circle or underline or otherwise highlight each example of a concept or idea from this class. Number the things you circle sequentially (like footnotes). On a separate sheet, name the idea or concept, define it or otherwise give a sense of what it is or means, and explain how the underlined material is an illustration if it is not obvious.
The point is to use this as an opportunity to show off what you know and how good a nose/eye for these things you've developed. Keep each entry brief, but say enough to make it clear you could answer the question "what's that?" if posed.
Lane Ranger
New Truck Rules
Sweatshop on Wheels
Tired Truckers
Examples
Suppose we had underlined the following passages:
We might write the following:
- Grounds and warrants. Claimsmaking. This is an example of the type of warrant — statements that justify drawing conclusions from grounds — called "deficient policies"*
- Foucault. Interplay between power (the state), science, and economic imperatives (productivity). In contemporary society these three "realms" are tightly intertwined. [DJR note: This one is admittedly a little bit of a stretch, but you get the idea.]
For your reference, here is a quick outline of grounds, warrants, and conclusions.
Grounds – the basic facts which provide foundation for discussion
- Definitions
- Domain Statements – “discovery” (ADD, hyperkinesis, depression, PTSD, “do you …., then you may have …”). Definitions, setting of bounds, helping people to recognize it.
- Orientation Statements – Including redefining problems as medical, say, or legal.
- Examples
- Estimating extent of problem
- Incidence estimates
- Growth estimates
- Range claims
Warrants – Statements that justify drawing conclusions from grounds (Selective list)
- Blameless victims
- Affiliated Evils
- Deficient Policies
- Historical Continuity
- Rights and Freedoms
Conclusions – calls for action – "what must be done" – best expert plans as to how to intervene – symbolic steps that are called for at once – what you all should demand