.Estranged.Nomad.

De Toq Review Set 1

2007-09-25T07:18:00.001-07:00

De Toqueville ch1,2
Consider the following in today’s reading:

What is the role of inheritance in American Democracy according to de Toqueville?

What is the relationship, for de Toqueville, between economic meritocracy and political equality as a precondition for true democracy?

What is the need/role of universal education in a democracy?

Where, in the text, does de Toqueville show his concern with balancing equality and liberty?

Why does de Toqueville think local communities are so important to democracy? How do they promote stability/ inoculate a society against turmoil?

What is the effect of participation in local governments for the people? How does this involvement allow for liberty without undermining equality?

Explain de Toqueville’s understanding of the relationship between state or federal law/mandates and local/municipal governments.

Explain what de Toqueville thinks of American central/decentralization of government.

On page 63, is de Toqueville talking about government transparence? Why?

What does de Toqueville think is distinctive about the American Federal constitution?

What are manners to de Toqueville? What is their function in a democracy?

Deviance Review set 3.1 1984 book 2

2007-09-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Book Two, Chapter 1
How does Winston react to the note from Julia before he reads it? How does Winston react to the note after he reads it? How do they manage to meet? Describe the "parade" in Victory Square. Why does the Inner Party provide the spectacle for the proles? For the Outer Party members?
Book Two, Chapter 2
Why is Winston ill at ease once he is alone with Julia? What does Julia bring with her that she has obtained on the black market? What is Julia’s philosophy? (More about his in chapter 3) What familiar sign does Winston find? What is the significance of the thrush music? What does Winston mean when he says that he loves Julia all the more because she has had scores of sexual encounters?
Book Two, Chapter 3
How and where do Julia and Winston meet? What is Julia’s job? What is her background? What is her attitude toward the Inner Party? Describe Winston’s marriage. What do Winston and Julia disagree about?
Book Two, Chapter 4
How does Winston react to the singing prole woman? What pleasures of the senses are mentioned in this chapter? What is Orwell’s point in mentioning them? What is Winston’s reaction to rats? Julia’s reaction? Winston is interested in the church bells that once played in the city even though he is not religious. What do church bells mean to him? Winston sees the coral paper weight as a symbol of what?
Book Two, Chapter 5-6
Who has vanished? Describe the preparations for Hate Week. In what ways does the Inner Party excel in building spirit? Julia and Winston have some differences. Explain them. What finally convinces Winston that O’Brien is a member of the Brotherhood?
Book Two, Chapter 7
What does Winston remember about his family and his relationship with his mother? What does Winston realize about love and loyalty as a result of his dream? What is the difference between confession and betrayal?
Book Two, Chapter 8—9 (through p. 151)
Contrast the living quarters and style of the Inner Party members with those of the Outer Party members and proles. How does O’Brien test Julia and Winston? What information does O’Brien give them about the Brotherhood? How will O’Brien get The Book to Winston? What are the ways in which the Inner Party builds spirit during Hate Week?
Book Two, Chapter 9, The Book (p. 151-164)
Why does Orwell include detailed passages from Goldstein’s Book in 1984? Notice that Orwell repeats the first paragraph of The Book on p. 152 and p. 166. Why would Orwell repeat himself in that way? What is the purpose? What three classes of people have always existed? (p. 152) In What ways have these three classes changed? (p. 152)
What is the purpose of war in the world of 1984? What are the two aims of the Party? What are the two problems with which the Party is concerned? Why do all three superpowers forbit their citizens from associating with foreigners? The governments of the three superpowers are alike in essence even though their forms of government have different names. Identify these similarities and explain why they exist?
What is the real "war" (p. 164) fought in each of the three governments? Your answer will explain the party slogan, "War is Peace." What are the aims of the three groups? (p. 166-167) What changes in the pattern occurred in the nineteenth century? How did socialism change in the twentieth century?
Why are the rulers in the twentieth century better at maintaining power than earlier tyrants? What are the four ways an elite group falls from power? (p. 170-171) How does the Inner Party make certain it will not fall from power? (p. 171-172)
How is a person’s class determined in the 1984 world? What is doublethink and what is its purpose to the ruling class? Why is the mutability of the past important to the ruling class? Why will this ruling class live on while earlier tyrants fell?
Book Two, Chapter 10
What understanding does Winston gain about the common people? What is the significance of the glass paperweight here?

Theory Review Set 3

2007-09-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

We are doing something a little different in class today. Come readdy to dive into the reading as usual. You will be generating your own questions however.

Deviance Review Set 3 The classical perspective

2007-09-18T05:44:00.000-07:00

1. Explain the relevance of the two quotes on p.61
2. What do you make of the “way” of controlling deviance in the Netherlands? Pfohl alleges that is is less different than the way the Captain handles the control of deviance in his home state than might appear at first look. How can this be?
3. Explain how the demographic, political, economic, religious and intellectual changes of the period led to the transition from demonic to classical explanations of and attempts to control deviance. Make a chart, it will help.
4. Assumptions of the classical perspective:
a. naturalness of the “social contract”
b. rational rule of the state through law
c. free will
d. calculated rationality
Explain them.

5. Baccaria could be said to be the thinker behind what is commonly referred to today as “the rule of law” when we are talking about the stability of developing nations. Explain.
6. Baccaria’s contributions of the classical perspective:
a. Separation of Law and Guilt
b. Hedonistic Psychology
c. political arithmetic
d. deterrence
e. control of acts not actors

6. What is the guiding basis on which the State should devise the laws in the classical perspective?
7. Why is the french penal code of 1791 important?
8. Explain the neoclassical modifications. Premeditation; mitigating circumstances; insanity
9. Classical theorizing about deviance was focused on making good laws and devising effective enforcements of the laws so as to control deviance not deviants. Yet the classical perspective ultimately led to the state centralization of and reliance on imprisonment as its primary for of control. Controlling the deviants to control the deviance as it were. Once centralized imprisonment became the preferred and primary form of rational punishment, control of deviance by controlling deviants began to evolve into treating deviants. explain.
10. Specific deterrence; general deterrence; certainty; severity; tipping point; overload hypothesis. Explain
11. What are Pfohl’s reservations about deterrence and do you agree with him? explain.
12. Explain how the rationality of the classical perspective is unjust in its application in real life according to Pfohl.

Theory Review Set 3

2007-09-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

IDST Ch 4 Perfectibility through Education: Rousseau’s Emile---and Sophy
1. Who do you think Rousseau is talking to about their child rearing practices?
2. What do you make of Rousseau’s explanation of how he would raise Emile if given the duty to do so?
3.pg. 33 what do you make of Emile’s recognition of the role of fate? How might we think of this fate sociologically?
4.What is to be the understanding of religion for Emile? What do you make of this?
5. What are the gender differences according to Rousseau? What do you make of these assertions of difference?
6. What is Rousseau’s overall point about the nature of human society by writing this extensive account of how he would raise a child?
IDST Ch 5 Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
1. Explain Burke’s principles of natural subordination.
2. Explain how the Vindication of the Rights of Women is both built on and a critique of the enlightenment philosophies.
IDST Ch 6 The Romantic-Conservative Reaction
1. What was the turn in philosophic focus in the 19th century? What is meant by romantic and conservative in this context?
2. Explain Locke’s empiricism.
3. Explain Kant’s “a prioris”.
4. How is the interpretive mind different from the tabula rasa? How is it similar?
5. Enlightenment = only empiricist science can lead to true knowledge about the nature and potential of society and man because the mind is only the sum of its experiences; Romanticism = intuition, faith can also lead to knowledge about the nature of society and man because the mind is more than the sum of its experiences. The mind interprets. Explain.
6. Explain Burke’s “organic” conception of society and how it lead to his assertion that gradual reform was much preferable to sudden revolutionary change.
7. Explain why and how Burke believes that rights are not inherent of natural.

Deviance Review Set 2.1 pp19-55

2007-09-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

Chapter 2
Why begin a historical consideration of explanations of deviance with a demonic explanation in today’s secular world?
What is the demonic perspective? What are the two roads to demonic deviance?
What are cosmic consequences?
What do you make of the “tests of guilt” in demonic deviance? Do we continue any of these today? What forms of bodily assault do we utilize today to prove a person worthy?
What five types of evidence were utilized in the salem witch trials? What do you make of spectral evidence?
What was the Lateran Council of 1215? What important transformations is the view of deviance came form the Council?
How was the investigation of and punishment of demonic deviance illustrative of the assertion that control of deviance is control of society? Were the acts of enforcement about controlling the accused or controlling to onlookers or both?
Explain the importance of symbolism in controlling demonic deviance.
What is an acephalous group and how is deviance managed in one?
How was outlawry related to community control of deviance?
Explain the phallocentric/ heterosexist/ patriarchal consequences of demonic deviance for women.
“After acephalous society, control of deviance is preservation of power.” explain.
Lilith Fair? Explain the symbolism.
Your examples of conservative and progressive uses of demonic deviance today?
The role of demonic deviance in the debate over gay marriage. Policy based on demonic deviance or science?
Wayward Puritans?
What can the demonic perspective teach us about the modern world?

Theory Review Set 2

2007-09-10T05:28:00.000-07:00

IDST Ch 2 Montesquieu (1689-1755)
Explain how Vico is a transitional figure between medieval thinking and modern thinking.
What is meant by “seeking laws” of society?
What is an “ideal-type”? How does the discovery of type lead to the ability to discern the forces that lead to such a type?
Montesquieu claimed that sociocultural variables determine forms of government, laws, and other institutions. Explain.
What is the source of human freedom for Montesquieu?
What is the nature of human nature according to Montesquieu?
What did Montesquieu mean by “spirit”?
What was Montesquieu’s contribution to what later would be know as the sociology of knowledge?
Explain Montesquieu’s classification of societies and his conception of laws?
IDST Ch 3 Rousseau (1712-1778)
Explain Rousseau’s notion of man in a state of nature?
Explain the difference between Rousseau’s state of nature and Hobbes’ notion of natural man depicted in his Leviathan?
What is the source of The State and War according to Rousseau?
What is the “general will”? How does Rousseau’s social contract differ from Hobbes’?
How is Rousseau’s contribution seen as a forerunner of sociology?

Deviance Review Set 2.0 1984 Book 1

2007-09-10T05:25:00.000-07:00

Book One, Chapters 1-2 What bothers Winston? What is wrong with his society?
What are the three slogans of the Inner Party?
What are the four ministries? What items are written in italics?
How does the Two Minute Hate work? What happens to Winston during the chant?
During the film (p. 11), how did the audience react?
What is "thoughtcrime"? What are the Thought Police?
Who are the Parsons and what do they represent?
How do the Parsons’ children behave? What is Winston's dream about O’Brien?
What is announced on the news? (p. 25)
Book One, Chapters 3-4
What is Winston’s dream about his mother? How does he feel about himself in that dream?
What is his dream about the "Golden Country"?
What does he remember about the big events of the past? Bombs? Past Wars?
Explain the Party slogan, "Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past."
What does he know about the legends concerning Big Brother?
Describe Winston’s job. How is the past controlled?
What special literature, music, and entertainment is produced for the proletariat (proles)?
How does Winston feel about his work? What sort of "creativity" is involved?
What is the significance of Comrade Ogilvy?
Book One, Chapters 5-7
What is the problem with obtaining razor blades?
What is revealed about Inner Party philosophy in the discussion between Winston and Syme?
Why does Winston feel that Syme will be vaporized?
Parsons brags about his children for doing what?
What is the significance of the telescreen announcement? (p. 51)
What are Winston’s feelings about the present time after he hears the cheerful announcement on the telescreen?
Winston predicts that certain people will be vaporized and that certain people will never be vaporized. Who? Why?
What is the purpose of marriage in the state?
What do Winston’s memories about visiting a prostitute reveal about his attitudes towards sex in Oceania?
How does Winston view the proles? How are the proles controlled (prole control)?
What lies/half-truths does the Party teach about history?
Winston suspects that the Party lies about progress made since the war. What Party claims does he doubt?
What is the story of Aaronson, Jones and Rutherford? Why is this story so meaningful for Winston?
What is Winston’s unanswered question?
Book One, Chapter 8
Why does Winston go off on his own? What activities is he missing out on?
What is life like in the proles’ end of London?
What does Winston think about after his conversation with the old man in the pub?
What does Winston discover at Mr. Charrington’s shop? What is Mr. Charrington like?
What does Winston think when he sees the dark-haired girl outside Mr. Charrington’s shop?
How does one’s own body betray a person?
Why does Winston wonder about church bells ringing in London?

Theory Review Set 1

2007-09-10T03:26:00.000-07:00

What social forces lead to the Enlightenment? What is the significance of the Enlightenment to Social Theory?

Who were the Philosophs? What was their contribution to both the Enlightenment and to the birth of social theory?

How does truth vary in meaning from the 17th to 18th century? And what does Newton have to do with this it?

What does it mean to talk of the mind as a tabula rasa? Why was this idea radical?

Reason + observation & experimentation --> true knowledge...why is each alone insufficient?

What is meant by “negative” philosophies?

What three distinct blows did the French Revolution deliver to society history and politics?

How did Hegel’s actions lead to the development of an autonomous social theory (from philosophy)?

What role did industrial capitalism, mechanical innovation, and the development of the working class play in the development of social theory?

What does it mean to conceive of society as a set of structured fields external to the self? Why do you think this was such a radical thought on its time?

Deviance Review Set 1 pp 401-417

2007-09-10T03:23:00.000-07:00

Explain how the vignette related by Pfohl about the reporter’s question illustrates the way sociological thinking is different than normal every-day attempts to explain human social behaviour. This is what C.Wright Mills called the sociological imagination. Explain.

What are the theoretical and practical roots of the critical perspectives in sociology? Why do these roots demand critical self reflectivity? Explain

Why are power and knowledge inherently linked for Marxist theorists?

What do we mean when we say power in the context of this text and this course? Based on what you have read thus far, can you take an educated guess at what we might mean if we said “Structural Violence”? Explain.

How is knowledge linked to power? How can it both amplify and subvert power? Explain.

What are the cognitive, moral, and bodily knowledges? What do they have to do with our exploration of deviance?

Explain the following concepts as they are used in understanding deviance:  Historical Materiality  Symbolic Social Controls  Hegemonic Ritual Interactions

General Sociology

2007-09-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to General Sociology!
You have now completed one week of class. If you show up on Tuesday you must be staying in the class and taking the dare. Hopefully by now you have familarized yourself with the Blackboard pages for this class and started the Diagnostic Quiz for chapter one. Maybe you have even completed the DVD Quiz. Now you can begin to think like a sociologist. Perhaps you have begun developing your sociological imagination. Keep on reading and thinking through what it means to think sociologically.
See you in class on Tuesday.

Welcome to a new semester...or perhaps your first

2007-09-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

Hello all!
Welcome to a new semester at Siena! I will be using this blog to communicate with all of my classes this seemster. As I have indicated in class, I will label all posts that are pertement to each class (Deviance & Social Control, Social Theory, General Sociology). I am looking forward to a productive and exciting semester of exploring with you! I hope you are finding the reading interesting and engageing this far. I'll see you all on Tuesday!

Final

2007-04-11T04:52:00.000-07:00

Some of you have been asking about the final. It will be a take home final, similar to the midterm. It will be distributed in the class the last week of class and due electronically on the day and time of the scheduled final. For extra credit between now and then, I will take suggestions for essay questions from the peanut gallery of your blogs.

Back On TRACK

2007-04-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

We have 8 classes left counting today. The reading will be as follows:

1. Power: Finish Section I
2. Power: Section II

3. Power: Section III (Class Presentation
4. Power: Section III
5. Power: Section IV

6. Power: Section VI
7. Mountains Beyond Mountains
8. Mountains Beyond Mountains

The next Blog entry will be as follows:

Your country in the news: Post a blog of 250 words describing some recent news story or collection of news stories about your country. This may be a bit challenging to find but there is news on all of your countries on the web and in the periodicals indexed in ebsco-host. Ask the library staff for help if you need it. Due Next Saturday by 4pm.

Country expert Blog Assignment

2007-03-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Introduction: Week 8

Give a brief historical overview and a map. Explain the basics of the country.
Example: Language, political structure, religion , how long independent and from whom,
allies and adversaries, major/minor conflicts both internal and external, etc…

Note: In everything that follows be sure to use the readings thus far in the semester together
with all other sources of material covered thus far, to inform your understanding of your country.

Causes of Poverty: Week 8/9

Political History
Climate
Overpopulation
Colonialism
Economic Issues? Debt? Market Economy
ETC.

Consequences: Week 10

Life expectancy
Infant Mortality Rate
Health Issues
Education issues
Housing Issues
Conditions for Women and Children
Dollar Amount Per Year
Hunger
Refugee Issues
Other

Cures: Week 11

What types of things are being done in this country?
Find specific Examples
Sustainable development, etc.

Conclusion : Week 12

What do you think the future holds for this country? Why?

CITE Where Appropriate!!!!

GPC Revised Reading for Weeks 8-11

2007-03-12T04:59:00.000-07:00

Week 8
Finish Colonial Present and Read Section III pgs 65-78 and 93-114 in Power

Week 9
Section IV, V pgs 115-170 in Power

Week 10
Section VII pgs 239-286 in Power
Peace Part I

Week 11
Peace Part II

Reading Schedule and Class Friday.

2007-03-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

Here is the new reading schedule adjustment:
Through Chapter 6 by Friday.
Through Chapter 8 by the Monday we return.
Finish the book by Wednesday after break.

On the first day of this book (Colonial Present) I distributed a chart. The first box asked you to summarize Gregory's argument. The arrows led to three separate boxes titled "Iraq", Israel/Palestine" and "Afghanistan" respectively. Those boxes asked you to articulate Gregory's argument through the specific case in each box. On Monday after break I would like to have a full class discussion about these four boxes on the chart so come to class prepared to discuss as a full class these three cases and the general argument offered by Gregory. This conversation and the understanding of this book is crucial to your success on the final.

On this Friday, I will be in class to help with either the above task or the midterm or both. I am a resource for you. Come with your questions and with your problems on either and I will help you in class, in groups, individually, or as an entire class, to work your way through the material.
See you on Friday.

Drj

Palistine is still the issue

2007-02-28T04:37:00.001-08:00

Study guide for "Palestine is still the issue.

http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/guides/pisiguide.pdf

And a pro-Israeli review

http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=22&x_article=653

Back on Track---Next Blog for GPC

2007-02-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

Time to get back on track.....So since your last blog you have:
Finished Barnett, seen part of the film "Control Room"; seen most of a film "The Yes Men"; and begun reading about the role of the State in the world and this thing called 'globalization' in the Power book.

So the next blog then is to do the following:

Go to Youtube and search for videos with "Naomi Klein" in the title.
You will find 4 videos titles:
"Naomi Klein - No Logo (1 0f 4)"
"Naomi Klein - No Logo (2 of 4)"
"Naomi Klein - No Logo (3 of 4)"
"Naomi Klein - No Logo (4 of 4)"

Watch them all and then react on your Blog using concepts from the recent reading and the videos in class.

Due before you leave for break.

Note: Your midterm will be distributed on Monday in class and Due the Monday you return from Spring Break. It is a take-home.

Klare Class Notes

2007-02-02T11:45:00.001-08:00

Chapter 2
3 reasons Klare sites for prediction that oil will remain at the center of global conflict for the immediate future

Chapter 3
CENTCOM?
3 war cenario?
Saudi connection/link

Chapter 4
Goals of

policy in

Caspian
Basin

Transit security
Resource development
Supply
Development projects. Contracts

Chapter 5
Oceans/seas
Development
Transport
Demand
EEZ's
Mischief reef

Chapter 6
Issue: Water Location:

Nile

Why is water going to be/already is an issue?
Internal destabilization by external interests
Water Again

Jordan

T&E àEthnic Tensions:

Indus
-colonial constructions
-internal/external balance

Klare Class Notes

2007-02-02T11:44:00.001-08:00

Chapter 2
3 reasons Klare sites for prediction that oil will remain at the center of global conflict for the immediate future

Chapter 3
CENTCOM?
3 war cenario?
Saudi connection/link

Chapter 4
Goals of

policy in

Caspian
Basin

Transit security
Resource development
Supply
Development projects. Contracts

Chapter 5
Oceans/seas
Development
Transport
Demand
EEZ's
Mischief reef

Chapter 6
Issue: Water Location:

Nile

Why is water going to be/already is an issue?
Internal destabilization by external interests
Water Again

Jordan

T&E àEthnic Tensions:

Indus
-colonial constructions
-internal/external balance

Barnett Resources

2007-02-02T11:24:00.001-08:00

Barnett Resources:

http://www.jhuapl.edu/POW/rethinking06/SeminarArchive/docRedirect.cfm?folder=110205&id=BarnettNotes.pdf&track=83E8ADC5-F3DB-93EE-31C6528101E56E22

Post assignment #3:

2007-02-02T11:09:00.001-08:00

1. Go to this link: http://www.globalpublicmedia.com/lectures/170

2. Listen to the entire program. (you can stream it or right-click and save it as am mp3 to listen to on your Ipod or other mp3 device.) It is Klare talking about his new book, "Blood for Oil".

3. Take note while you listen.

4. When you are done listening, react to what you have heard within the context of the course material we have covered so far.

Remember to follow the directions for posting outlined in the syllabus.

First Take

2007-01-29T13:39:00.000-08:00

Best Blogs so far:

http://fostergpcblog.blogspot.com/

http://elliewvwc.blogspot.com/

http://ekg-gpc.blogspot.com/

http://www.funnybuddhist.blogspot.com/

http://jess8586.blogspot.com/

http://globalpc07.blogspot.com/

Klare 1.0

2007-01-29T10:13:00.001-08:00

Michael Klare. 2001. Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict

Klare's basic argument is that many past, some recent and most future conflicts will center around claim about ownership of, transport of, and access to, resources. He covers seven major geographic regions-the Middle East, the Caspian Basin, the South China Sea, and the Nile, Jordan, Tigris and Euphrates, and Indus River Basins-and introduces a host on intrastate conflicts over minerals, diamonds, and timber.

Ch1 The Contexts
What is CENTRAZBAT?
US security policy fundamentally changed in the late `90's, both geographically and operationally. Explain.
Explain the new relationship between US National Security and economic globalization.
What basic economic assumptions are built into the economization of National Security?
Explain EEZs and "lootable" resources and how these contribute to contexts of current conflicts.
On pages 13 and 14 Klare refers to Huntington, Kaplan, and Friedman. What is assessment of each?
Klare identifies 4 reasons that he thinks resources will be at the center of future conflicts:
a. economization of security
b. increasing worldwide demand
c. scarcity
d. ownership disputes

I will add a 5^th…..Growth assumption and privatization…in a word, NEOLIBERALISM

To Klare, future conflicts will follow this geography….
a. resources that cross international borders
b. oceans and seas
c. transportation routes
d. Intranational factional conflict

Isn't it interesting that Klare is writing this book, making this argument prior to the "War on Terror" and that most if not all of the current new US Military deployments around the world correspond to resource conflict zones with US interests at stake. Isn't it interesting that such deployments and plans for them were well under way prior to the "War on Terror"? Some argue that this tactic is not new, that the "War on Drugs" was/is cover for meddling in the affairs of Latin American counties. What do you think?

Blog Assignment #2 GPC

2007-01-24T11:07:00.001-08:00

What if the movie The Matrix is a metaphorically accurate description of our social world? What if what you have been taught is the real world, what you have been taught is human nature, what you think are "common sense" self evident explanations for why the world is the way it is, is not true? What if, by looking across history and across cultures, by comparing hard data to what we "think" is true, we can see that societies come in many different forms, that the behaviors we attribute as part of human nature, or natural, are also similarly culturally diverse, and that our perceptions of the real world do not line up with the data? What if hard data, about income distribution, social class mobility, who has and uses social power, etc. shows us that society is not what we believe it to be? What if?

We have been learning a lot about how critical theorists within political sociology think about power in modern society. Our basic questions have been "Who rules?", "Why does everyone else go along with the ruling?" and "What are the consequences for our thinking of having a ruling class, a Power Elite (ie. G. W Bush and his entourage, or the whole enchilada)?" Critical social theorists look at the data and see a society (US) in which a ruling class has created the most successful, stable, and non-revolutionary society in history (the US and to some extent the rest of Western Capitalist society). Far from there being revolutionary sentiments among the masses or direct coercive control over the masses as Marx predicted, the working classes of this society "go along" for the most part with the status quo in which they have little real power or real wealth. Why do they continue to go along? Why do they not rise up as Marx predicted and demand a more equitable distribution of wealth and power? Why do they continue to live in false consciousness? Why are their sociological imaginations (follow the "next" link at the bottom of the page opened by this link) not actively discovering the social processes and structures that keep them from making any significant progress up the social ladder, even as they believe it possible? Why do we believe in the myth of meritocracy?

Gramsci and Marcuse try to answer this question. Gramsci's answer is hegemony...the development of a ruling set of ideas that makes acceptance of the status quo a "common sense" belief reinforced and replayed over and over again in the cultural practices of a society (like the Pledge of Allegiance, "one nation" really?, "with liberty, and equality for all" really?). To Gramsci, the ruling class transforms the cultural practices of the masses into practices that support and reaffirm an ideology that justifies the current power and wealth distribution. Where Marx saw the power of the ruling class lying in political and economic power, Gramsci sees the power of the ruling class lying in the "common sense" cultural practices, the hegemonic ideology of a society.

Marcuse adds to Gramsci by elucidating the intoxicating power of the market commodities of late industrial society. According to Marcuse, those not of the ruling class have their revolutionary tendencies and energies transformed into consumer impulses. The new social order creates false needs which integrate individuals into the existing system of production, consumption, and power relations via mass media, advertising, industrial management, etc. To Marcuse, the modern world is characterized by the invasion of market forces into our everyday lives and even our ideas such that we become preoccupied with consuming, we need to consume, consumption of every aspect of our lives is life itself. Thus revolutionary tendencies become needs to buy and wear a Che' t-shirt and eat Cherry Garcia ice cream. Radicalism becomes co-opted as part of the market.

So far in class we have focused in large part on the US. How we understand power in the US is crucial to understanding how we think about conflict in the world today since few of us have first hand knowledge of the causes and consequences of global conflicts, and therefore the possible ways of framing and understanding global conflict are in large part fed to us by "experts" and politicians, liberal and conservative, who are members of the ruling class, the power elite.

Is this problematic? Is there reason to question or think critically about the way global conflicts are framed for us by the ruling class? Here are some of your options:

1. Benevolent: If you believe that the ruling class is a benevolent force that shepards over all of us, this is not a problem. Just as our parents knew best when we were children, we rightly should deffer to the ruling class because they know best.

2. Just like us: Or if you believe that the ruling class is really just a collection of individuals who are just like average Americans, from similar backgrounds as average Americans, with similar outlooks and concerns as average Americans, and who by their individual achievements and qualities rose through society to their current position of power, then again there is no real problem with leaving the thinking about global conflict to them. They have earned their positions as framers of complex issues for the rest of us.

3. From a different world: Or maybe you think, or for the purposes of this class at least entertain the possibility that the interests of the ruling class are not the same as those of the average American, that the interests of the most powerful and richest among us are not the same as the typical 9 to 5 working American. And maybe you are now or have been thinking that the vast majority of those in the ruling class are from the ruling class by inheritance or luck, not achievement? Maybe you think there is really nothing in the genetics of a Rockefeller or a Kennedy or a Bush that makes them particularly more capable of ruling than you. In fact, maybe you are beginning to think that the lists of personal achievements that each of these folks can demonstrate to us has as much or more to do with the opportunities and advantages that their starting status birth positions in the ruling class afforded them. Ah, but this is radical hogwash. Or is it? You decide.

Read, skim, and explore the following web links.

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/who.html
http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

Then write a post to your blog that answers the following:

a. What is meant by a "ruling class" or power elite?
b. Who are the ruling class in the US? Which case above (1.benevolent, 2. just like us, or 3. from a different world) seems to best fit the evidence? ie. How do the vast majority of people in the ruling class get to be in the ruling class?
c. What interests might the ruling class have in framing global conflict as it is often framed:
inevitable, a result of human nature and radical crazies, irrational hatred, etc.
d. How much of what you think about the world and about global conflicts is received knowledge, filtered through media, politicians, and other institutional sources?
e. Why does any of this matter to our course goals? Specifically to our ability to make sense of global conflicts and possibilities for peace in the world?
f. What can such an understanding of power contribute to our exploration of global conflicts?

Do not simply restate each question and then give a simple brief answer. This should be a flowing essay response that covers the questions above. Cut and paste where appropriate as long as you provide links to the original text for attribution.

POST BY Wed. 31st of January.

MFD Kuhn resource

2007-01-23T05:46:00.001-08:00

This is the best summary of Kuhn I have found. Read it and it will help you think through you papers on MFD.

http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Kuhn.html

More GPC Resources

2007-01-20T06:00:00.001-08:00

Movies:
Barber (Jihad vs McWorld)
.....On Democracies
.....McLaughlin Group. 30 second Bio
.....McLaughlin Group. Why Jihad and McWorld are NOT Democracy
.....McLaughlin Group. What is Jihad and McWorld
.....1 Hour Debate with economist Tyler Cowen (Creative Destruction) at CATO Institute
.....More audio and video on Barbers Page

Robert Kaplan (Coming Chaos)
.....Briefing the Pentagon
.....On Imperial Grunts

GPC resources

2007-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

Huntington---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clash_of_Civilizations
http://www.csmonitor.com/specials/sept11/flash_civClash.html
http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/41032/
http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=252

Drezner---
http://www.danieldrezner.com/blog/
http://danieldrezner.com/

Barber---
http://www.benjaminbarber.com/
http://www.commonwealthclub.org/archive/02/02-04barber-audio.html

Kaplan---
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_D._Kaplan
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/by/robert_d_kaplan

GPC Blog Assignment #1

2007-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

Set up your blog for this class on the free Blogger-blog hosting service. Your first entry should:

say something about yourself, who you are, or why you are in the class, etc.
say something about your anticipations, hesitations, concerns, excitements about this course
Email me at johnson_m@wvwc.edu with the address of your blog and be sure to sign your e-mail so I know who you are.
Due Date: Saturday January 20^th by 12:00 noon.

this is the next step

2007-01-13T12:10:00.001-08:00

so, for years I have maintained web pages for my classes. each summer I would diligently convert my syllabi into HTML. at the beginning of each semester I would direct students to those pages. sometimes on the university server, sometimes on a server I purchased hosting from. inevitably though, before the third week of the semester I abandoned the web page except as a reminder for students of what the course syllabus was. i found it too onerous to use the web page for regular communication between myself and my students. e-mail list serves became my default. cut and paste as I browsed and sent along. at the end of each semester however I was left with no continuous record of the communications I had had with my students over the course of the semester.

finally, I gave up on pages a couple of years ago.....but, e-mail is less than adequate, during the semester many students claim not to have received important information I sent via e-mail, and I find course-ware websites as onerous as web pages.

sooooooo, I have decided to make a foray into the blogosphere to see if this might be a means for communication with my students. we'll see how it goes.

below you will find the required book for the classes I am teaching this semester. they were my test posts...with the help of a program called Zoundry.

Books for Sociology 420

2007-01-13T11:54:00.001-08:00

Books for Sociology 420: Senior Seminar
1. A Hidden Wholeness --Palmer ISBN: 0787971006
2. Avoiding Politics --Eliasoph ISBN: 052158759X
3. New Rules of Marriage --Real ISBN: 1400064015
4. Fear --Robin ISBN: 0195189124
5. The Fire This Time --Labaton & Martin ISBN: 0385721021
6. Democracy's Edge --Lappe ISBN: 0787943118

Books for SOCI 288

2007-01-13T11:17:00.001-08:00

Books for Sociology 288: Marx, Freud, and Darwin

1. The Freud Reader (Paperback) ISBN-10: 0393314030
2. The Marx-Engels Reader (Paperback) ISBN-10: 039309040X
3. Human Nature After Darwin(Paperback) ISBN-10: 0415212448
4. Darwin's Cathedral (Paperback) ISBN-10: 0226901351

Books for SOCI 308

2007-01-13T10:41:00.001-08:00

Books for Sociology 308: Global Peace and Conflict
1. The Colonial Present Derek Gregory ISBN: 1577180909 Blackwell
2. Resource Wars Michael T Klare ISBN: 0805055762 Owl Books
3. Pentagon's New Map Thomas Barnet ISBN: 0399151753 Putnam
4. Wimp Factor Stephen Ducat ISBN: 0807043443 Beacon Press
5. Mountains Beyond Mountains Kidder ISBN: 0812973011 Random House
6. Power: A Critical Reader Egan & Chorb.ISBN: 013183438X Prentice
7. Peace by Peaceful Means: Johan Galtung ISBN: 0803975112 Sage