Spring Semester, 2011 Dr. Eric Carter
MWF, 11:00-11:50, ASC 132 HOL2 23; 863-7968
SOC 335: Sociology of Appalachia
Office Hours: 10:00-11:00 Monday, Wednesday
2:30-4:30 Tuesday, Thursday
(Other hours by appointment)
Course Description:
This course offers an introduction to the sociology of the Appalachian region. Since its recognition in the 1960s as a federally recognized administrative entity, the Appalachian region, and how it is studied sociologically, have both changed profoundly. One of the goals for this course is to examine both of these changes—that is, transformations in the social life of the region and how these have been imagined (and reported) in both popular and academic contexts.
Throughout the course we will ask how Appalachia is socially and sociologically constructed, that is, how battles over symbolic representation—in everyday life and the academy—are related to the “real” life of Appalachian peoples and communities. We will begin the course by looking at two interrelated issues: mountaintop removal coal mining and poverty. Then we will examine the historical background of Appalachian regional development and social history to understand how they have come about. Topics will transition from agriculture to industry, coal mining, family and kinship relationships, and politics.
To do this, we will primarily use an analytic framework developed by the critical sociologist Jurgen Habermas who suggests that we view society from two standpoints. One is a lifeworld (social actors’ meanings, social interactions, and personal experience); the other is as a system (the impersonal, aggregate effects—often unintended—of combined economic and political actions). Synthesizing the classical sociology of Marx and Weber, Habermas suggests that the combined system forces of commodification (money) and bureaucratization (power) often threaten or undermine the lifeworld of peoples’ cultural meanings, social interactions, and personal well-being. Habermas refers to this outcome as the “colonization” of the lifeworld. This tension, according to Habermas, gives rise to social reform movements, some of them “progressive” and other “reactionary.” We primarily will use Habermas’s approach to look at Appalachian social movements (past and present) that have focused on such issues as labor and economic justice, health care, religion, and the environment.
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course students should be able to:
- Describe and analyze the major transformations (i.e., agriculture to industry, etc.) in the Appalachian region.
- Describe and analyze how the major transformations of the Appalachian region have been socially constructed.
- Interpret Appalachian social issues (i.e., mountaintop removal coal mining, poverty, etc.) from a critical sociological perspective.
- Describe and analyze the historical and contemporary factors that have brought about MTR and inequality.
- Describe and analyze major Appalachian social movements.
- Explain how community engagement and community partnerships (i.e., service learning) can be both beneficial to students and the community.
Course Values:
The structure and practice of this course are informed by values and commitment to an Engaged and Critical Pedagogy. Based on these values, you can expect:
- To find more questions than answers.
- To share your ideas with class members.
- To listen and learn from others as co-teachers.
- To have your ethos and worldview challenged.
- To be pushed toward action and the application of knowledge.
Required Texts:
The following textbooks are required and are available for purchase at the bookstore for this course:
Barney, Saundra Lee. 2000. Authorized to Heal: Gender, Class and the Transformation of
Medicine in Appalachia, 1880-1930. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina
Press.
Billings, Dwight & Kathleen Blee. 2000. The Road to Poverty: The Making of Wealth and
Hardship in Appalachia. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Gaventa, John. 1980. Power and Powerlessness: Quiescence and Rebellion in an
Appalachian Valley. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Reese, Erik. 2006. Lost Mountain. New York: Riverhead Books.
Scott, Shaunna. 1995. Two Sides to Everything: The Cultural Construction of Class
Consciousness in Harlan County, Kentucky. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
One of the following books:
Giardina, Denise. 1987. Storming Heaven. New York: Ivy Books.
Giardina, Denise. 1992. The Unquiet Earth. New York: Ballantine Books.
Course Requirements:
This is a seminar-style course, which means that the course is reading, writing, and discussion intensive. In order to promote effective practice of critical pedagogy, students are encouraged to take responsibility for the content, quality, and direction of the discussions. Participation is therefore of the utmost importance for this course.
Participation:
Reading. The most general expectation that I have for this semester is that all of you read the required works and do so in a responsible and rigorous fashion, and in a spirit of good faith and intellectual camaraderie. I ask then that you make every effort to engage in a dialogue with these works, being attentive to their respective voices, acknowledging their particular historical position in the world, and finally, working to imagine how we today might best retool the insights and modes of analysis of their various “unfinished projects.” In this way, I hope that we will develop a much more complex and profitable understanding of both the power and originality of these arguments and traditions.
Acting as a Leader. In order to facilitate and enrich our discussion of the literature, each of you will be responsible for introducing and situating the week’s readings. As I imagine all of our work fundamentally to be a collective project, you will do this in groups of two. Each group will be asked both to provide a brief introduction to the material and to serve as “facilitators” on the readings for that week. Your group can take a variety of approaches to this task: you may want to highlight some of the central issues the readings address; briefly outline their main arguments; note the ways they engage with what has come before; place them in historical, intellectual, and political contexts; note connections to other models and practices; give overviews of some of the secondary readings of these works; offer some questions for discussion; and so forth. I only ask that you keep the opening comments brief (15 minutes) so that we can begin our general discussion as soon as possible. I also hope that your groups will continue to work together throughout the semester, sharing ideas, giving support, discussing research projects, and other important tasks. I will be happy to meet with your group beforehand to suggest some secondary readings and discuss approaches and tactics.
Guided Discussion. Each of you will be responsible for discussion of either Storming Heaven or The Unquiet Earth by Denise Giardina. For those who read Storming Heaven, each of you (in this discussion section) must come to class prepared to suggest how one particular character in Storming Heaven resisted or opposed some of the negative consequences of industrialization in their own unique ways. Be prepared to discuss specific cultural or social resources they drew upon in their struggles to retain freedom and dignity. For those who read The Unquiet Earth, each of you (in this discussion section) must come to class prepared to describe an institutional problem (health, education, the economy, local government, etc.) confronting the lives of coal field citizens and communities and how one of the characters in The Unquiet Earth attempted to cope with it. Discuss whether you believe the author’s portrayals of the problems and the responses are realistic.
Service Learning. According to Berea College’s Center for Excellence in Learning through Service (CELTS), “service-learning is an educational experience based upon a collaborative partnership between college and community. Learning through service enables students to apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet genuine community needs. Through reflection and assessment, students gain deeper understanding of course content and the importance of civic engagement.” This semester, on top of traditional learning in the classroom, you will be encouraged to “learn through service.” Thus, we will be partnering with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) and participating in “I Love Mountains” Day in Frankfort on Monday, February 14. We will discuss the details of this early in the semester.
Class Discussion. Each of you will have a unique way of interacting with the course material, and with me, as well as, with the other students in the class. In order to have what I would call “successful” discussions (i.e., productive, exciting, insightful), I believe we are responsible both as individuals and as a group for creating an environment that lays the groundwork for that success. Trust and respect figure prominently here, but these don’t come without a certain kind of work. Please get to know your fellow students; listen to them—to what they say and what they don’t. Chat with them, both formally and informally. Do your part to actively create an environment you would like to have in our classroom.
Excellent participation comes in many forms, and does not usually or necessarily equate with talking the most. For your participation grade, I will take into account the effort you put into the readings, how and when you respond during our class discussions, and your interaction with me. In other words, your participation grade depends on your active engagement with the learning process in a variety of ways.
Writing:
Reading Journal. The reading journal should constitute your own personal record of your encounter with the assigned readings and you may write as informally as you like. Copy into the journal phrases and sentences you admire or which provoke ideas or reactions from you. Note your own interpretations of paragraphs or sections, connections to other readings, and your ideas for class discussion or questions you want to raise. Write as you read, not after: the journal should work as an active part of your reading process. If you read a section, then try to write the journal entry later, you may well forget your best ideas. I encourage you to keep responses or notes to class discussions as well. You may find that writing about topics covered in class will help you connect the theoretical readings with (hopefully!) our attempt to put these into practice in the classroom and our communities.
The minimum requirement: write one journal entry for each assigned reading (article, chapter, or set of chapters), one page per reading. Journal entries may be typed or handwritten (provided they are legible). Journals should be kept in a folder with pockets, to be turned in three times during the semester.
Research Paper. For the final paper, you will write an 8-10 page original research paper, which will be due on the last day of class: May 9.
Due 2/11: Reading Journal
Due 3/28: Reading Journal
Due 5/19: Research Paper (8-10 pages) and Reading Journal
Hints about Papers: Your essay should be organized around a clear thesis, which is an argumentative claim. In this context, “argument” does not mean you should necessarily argue with the author’s claim. In academic analysis, the “argument” is the main point of your paper, and should be clearly stated in the first paragraph.
The topic for this paper is meant to be open-ended. You are encouraged to focus on a topic of your choice relevant to this course (something you’re interested in!). This will allow you to explore a particular issue related to this course in more detail. Along with utilizing some of the readings from this course, your own research and original sources, empirical data, etc. must be utilized for your paper. Let me know if you have any questions about your writing.
Critical Book Analyses. For the critical book analysis, you will write a 1500 word critical review of Power and Powerlessness by John Gaventa (due 2/18). We will discuss this assignment in detail during the first part of the semester.
Again, please note that this is a reading, writing, and discussion intensive class: all assignments involve significant reading and writing, and attention is paid throughout to your critical reflection of the readings and the quality of your writing.
When and How to Cite a Text: You will be citing text in your papers. Do so as follows.
When: Not only when you quote, but when you paraphrase or draw an idea from a text, you must cite the source.
How: Place the citation, including the page number, in parenthesis at the appropriate point in your essay. For instance: (Reese, 2006: 111). Then at the end of the paper, list the works you cited as follows:
Reese, Erik. 2006. Lost Mountain. New York: Riverhead Books.
Do the same thing with all your citations. If you use additional sources, treat them the same way. If you repeat sources, you don’t have to repeat the citation in the bibliography.
Cautionary Note: I take citation seriously. You have been warned. I also take plagiarism very seriously. If you do not produce your own material you will fail the class (see honesty policy below).
Instructor reserves the right to make appropriate adjustments to schedule and all assignments.
Evaluation of Performance:
The final evaluation for the course will be based on the following:
Participation:
Acting as a Leader25 points
Guided Discussion50 points
Service Learning50 points
Class Discussion/Participation25 points
Writing:
Reading Journal75 points
Critical Book Analysis50 points
Research Paper75 points
350 total points
Grading will be based upon the quality and comprehensiveness of all assignments. The following grading scale will be used: 92-100 (A); 91-88 (A/B); 87-83 (B); 82-78 (B/C); 77-73 (C); 72-65 (D); 64—(F).
Grade Interpretation:
A – Indicates truly superior work and active participation in the learning environment. Students at this level demonstrate an ability to think critically in oral and written form and integrate theories and concepts. Students have a level of knowledge relevant to the course that is beyond expectations and far above average and also have the ability to use this knowledge in unfamiliar situations.
A/B & B – Demonstrate a level of knowledge relevant to the course that is beyond expectations and above average. Students will be able to use and extend this knowledge in some situations.
B/C & C – Demonstrate and acceptable and average level of knowledge relevant to the course in terms of familiarity with readings, integration of theory and concepts, level of critical thinking, and active participation. Students at this level should be able to continue learning in this field of study.
D – Demonstrate less than satisfactory performance in the course requirements and a barely adequate level of knowledge relevant to the course. Students at this level are unlikely to be able to apply knowledge, nor successfully continue studies in this direction.
F – Demonstrates insufficient knowledge to be given credit for this course, and/or dismal performance and little to no class participation.
Class Policies:
Attending Class. Class participation is directly related to attendance. If you are not in class, you cannot participate and will not do well. Active participation in this class is a must. A portion of your final grade (25 points) will be based on your class participation. You should be involved in a lot of value added discussion in this class. Comments which advance the discussion contribute to meaningful participation. Please note that you will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation in this class.
As a matter of grading, the following policy will govern attendance in this class:
Each student is allowed 3 absences
Every unexcused absence after 3 = 2 points off your final grade
More than ten minutes late to class without an excuse is considered an unexcused absence
Observing our Academic Honesty Policy: This course adheres to the Georgetown College Honors System as outlined in the Student Handbook. Therefore, we expect the work you turn in to be reflective of your own efforts. As we seek to instill in the student the importance of understanding the social world, we are conscious of the need to build relationships based on trust. As a result, we take academic honesty quite seriously and punish it quite severely.
The following infractions can cause a student to receive an automatic “F” in the class:
Cheating
Plagiarism
Lying
Stealing
Double assignments (using one assignment to fulfill requirements for two different courses)
Be aware that we do check all paper submissions for plagiarism. Plagiarism in this course will result in automatic failure.
Practicing General Classroom Etiquette: In general, appropriate attention and respect are to be given to all participants in the class at all times. You show respect by not chatting during class, sleeping, coming in and out of the classroom, being late or leaving early, listening to your ipod, texting, and surfing the Internet during class. Active disruption of class will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave if noise, or any other form of disruption, becomes a problem.
In order to have this practice contain any significance, several of the infractions in this area will be cause for you to receive an unexcused absence for that day (for more information about unexcused absences, please see the policy above). Among the items that would cause you to receive an unexcused absence for the day are:
Falling asleep during class
Texting during class
Surfing the Internet during class
Listening to an iPod or other similar device
Coming and going during class
Maintaining Openness during Class Discussion: Because of the nature of all sociology courses, it is likely that we will be discussing issues in this class that are not often addressed in public. It is vital that you maintain openness to people who have different opinions than you. In this class, people will have a right to express opinions, however different from yours those opinions may be.