Question #1: Dr. Dagenais' lecture from October 26th
Demonstrate that contemporary suicide offers itself to be understood as a social phenomenon. Your demonstration must rely on the features presented in class.
- Note all the key features in the interpretation of contemporary suicide
- Do not refer to all the features, but select a few to make your argument
- In the same way, a list of features with a one line statement on the social character is not sufficient.
- Pay close attention to the question. It does not ask WHY there is such a thing, but rather it asks about the NATURE of the phenomenon (key word: social)
- It is not necessary to bring in Durkheim
Question #2: Dr. Best's lecture from November 2nd
Describe one or more of the ways in which, according to Marx, the capitalist application of machinery in production inverts the potential of machinery (or contemporary technical innovations) to make work easier for people.
- Re-read the assigned excerpts from Capital
- Note that you are asked to describe one OR MORE ways
- (key words: capitalist application of machinery - in other words, do not focus solely on machinery or capitalism, but explain how these relate to each other)
- Extra Hint: I am looking for the objective reasons why machinery, under capitalism, results in poor living conditions for the worker
Question #3: Dr. Ikeda's lecture from November 9th
In the Great Transformation, Karl Polanyi is deconstructing the liberal argument according to which market economies are the automatic outgrowth of the natural propensity of individuals to do commerce. Polanyi puts forward two arguments:
1. He stresses the existence of non-market 'economies'
2. He emphasizes that the modern national (or internal) markets actually found their origins in the world trade.
Resume the first aspect of Polanyi's argument in order to explain this perspective.
- Note - answer the question by referring only to the first point (existence of non-market economies)
- Be careful: it is not sufficient to copy out your reading report
- Use the examples given in the text
- I am looking for some pretty specific key concepts that had been emphasized in class but come directly from the text
- Extra hint: An essential part of answering the question is to refer to and explain the liberal argument that he deconstructs (READ: classical theory...the argument is in the question itself)
Question #4: Dr. Lafrance's lecture from November 16th
Identify and discuss one major development in modern society that has contributed to making the body a relevant object of contemporary sociological analysis.
- Re-read articles - the Chris Schilling one may be helpful
- There have been several but do note that you are to identify and discuss ONE major development (while some are tied to each other, you are not to identify every single one)
- Be specific in drawing a link between the development and its direct contribution to making the body a relevant object of analysis (details)
- Extra Hint: In constructing your argument it may be helpful to refer to how the body was discussed prior to this major development