The assignment is to write a research essay (2,000-3,000 words) based on an influential work of social theory. In the essay, students will demonstrate an understanding of a book-length work and situate it within contemporary sociological literature. The essay’s argument/thesis will address how the work has been used by contemporary scholars, and in what ways it has been influential or controversial.
This assignment is meant to give you practice with two interrelated skills important for understanding theory:
Your assignment is to (1) understand the contents of a theoretical work and (2) to have some sense of how this work ‘fits’ in the larger context of social theory, including where it has been influential and where there have been academic debates or disagreements (controversies).
You can choose one of the following works, or propose your own (book-length). All of the authors listed below have written other books that may be acceptable choices for this assignment, or you can select a different theorist if this is more in line with your interests. If you are proposing a different work, ask the instructor to approve your choice before April 1.
Possible choices:
Barad (2007): Meeting the Universe Halfway
Beck (1992): Risk Society
Bourdieu (1984/86): Distinction
Butler (1990): Gender Trouble
Collins (2004): Interaction Ritual Chains
Fanon (1961): The Wretched of the Earth
Foucault (1978): The History of Sexuality
Wallerstein (1974): The Modern World-System
Your essay should include the following:
In your own words, summarize the book and its argument(s). Your summary does not need to be longer than a page or two (a longer summary could mean less space for other parts of the essay), but should include some sense of the author’s argument and a description of the contents. Do not describe every chapter in the book, but provide a sense of what they cover and how they fit together (Does the argument come together over the course of the book? Are some chapters empirical case studies?).
Also, contextualize the book in terms of its author and the development of social theory.
Here are the sorts of questions you can answer to contextualize the book you have chosen:
Where did this work come from, and where does it fit in terms of the author’s trajectory?
Was it an early work from a new scholar? An attempt by an aging theorist to consolidate or revise their old ideas? Something in between?
Where does the work fit in the development of social theory, and how has it been received?
Was it controversial when it was released? Did it make a new or innovative argument? Was it representative of a particular kind of social theory? Did it gradually become more influential over time, or was it forgotten?
Be specific about how the book has been influential as social theory.
Were concepts from the book adopted in sociology or related disciplines? Did other social theorists adopt, build on, or modify this theory? Is this book still cited today?
Finally identify one way in which the book’s influence has been controversial, and explain what the controversy is about.
As you are researching the book’s influence, look for elements that other authors have disagreed with, criticized, or argued should be theorized differently. If there is an influential concept associated with the book, one way of finding controversies is to look at disagreements over this concept (how other authors have addressed the concept, rather than the book as a whole). For the sake of clarity, it may be best just to choose one area of controversy (one concept, one assumption, one method).
Example Approach/Template
Here is a guideline for how to organize the essay (you can deviate from this format as long as you cover the same aspects):
Introduction (one paragraph)
Briefly contextualize the work (who/what/when/why) and present your essay’s argument. The argument can state in what way the work has been influential (one sentence) and in what way the work has been controversial (one sentence).
Example argument: “Bruno Latour’s Science in Action has become a foundational text for actor-network theory, demonstrating a method by which sociologists can trace associations. However, it has also been criticized by those who argue that it devalues scientific truth as a form of relativism.”
Summary (1-2 pages)
What is the author’s theoretical argument(s)? Does the argument depend on some specific concepts that the author has developed? How is the book organized, or what does it include?
Influence (1-2 pages)
Were concepts from the book adopted in sociology or related disciplines? Did other social theorists adopt, build on, or modify this theory? Is this book still cited today?
Controversy (3-4 pages)
Find something about the book which has been criticized or debated in an academic context. It is not necessary for you to take sides or explain who is correct in the controversy, only to demonstrate that you understand what the controversy is about. This is the most important part of the essay and should be based on substantial research using academic sources (basing this section on the book’s Wikipedia entry does not demonstrate substantial research). Ideally, you will want to use more than one academic source that takes issue with something in the book, and these sources and their claims should be connected together in your writing.
Conclusion (1 page)
Summarize your essay and its argument. You can also choose to provide any thoughts about how the book relates to the present or future of social theory, but do not introduce any new information.
Evaluation:
Demonstrates an understanding of the book: 5%
Demonstrates an understanding of the book’s influence: 5%
Demonstrates an understanding of a controversy about the book: 10%
Organization & clarity (grammar, spelling, structure): 5%
Referencing: 5%
Total: 30% of final grade
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