Fall 2006
Gray Cox
#288-5015 ext.
326
Human
ecological approaches to problems and studies are all about using interdisciplinary
methods to integrate different
points of view and different theories in a more comprehensive understanding
of a person,
text, situation or problem. But how can we do that? What are methods, theories and
disciplines and how can they be integrated?
This
course is designed for
advanced students planning senior
projects or graduate theses that require methods to investigate and respond to
complex human problems such as poverty, inequity, exploitation, and cultural
conflict. It deals both with
challenges in choosing and using methods of research and the construction and application of theories in interdisciplinary contexts. Methods
looked at will vary depending on student interest but may include, for example, ethnographic interviews, participatory and/or community based research, econometric models, statistical analysis of sociological
data, historiography using primary
texts, SWOT analysis and other
forms of planning processes, Rapid
Rural Assessment, Illuminative Evaluation, Total Quality Management, et cetera. The key focus of seminar sessions will be on the methodological
challenges of approaching a project in a human ecological way i.e. how to do
define problems, do research, and
tie it into praxis when a project
involves multiple
disciplines, multiple points of
view, multiple relevant theories,
multiple stake holders and the urgencies of time and scarcity of resources
characteristic of real world challenges. HS, advanced,
consent of the instructor required for admission
Goals:
Students
will deepen their understanding of epistemologies/methodologies and theories that help or hinder problem-solving in
interconnected socioeconomic systems looked at at the local and/or global
level.
They will also gain skills in the process
of working with different methods and theories --
redefining problems, framing questions worth asking, assessing the
strengths and limitations of various methodologies in human studies, designing
studies that are valid, valuable, and feasible, articulating broader
implications or generalizations using a combination of most appropriate
methodologies, and identifying relevant applications.
Each
student will develop a clear and well thought through
methodological and theoretical approach for a major project in human ecology (e. g. a senior project, masters thesis or the like).
Format:
Classes
will be structured in a seminar format, alternating between examining
methodological and theoretical issues in exemplary texts and then in case
studies provided by the projects of seminar members. ”Seminar format’ in this context means that students will
take turns writing short papers
analyzing texts being read or presenting interim reports on their own projects
and then other members of the class will discuss them. For some sessions
everyone may be asked to write a short piece, for others, individuals will prepare a more detailed single
paper. Each student will also be asked to select a particular methodological or
theoretical approach and do a presentation on it, introducing it to the class, offering an overview,
one or more examples of its application, and a critique of its
limitations. There will be some
mini-lectures on philosophical issues,
occasional visits by other faculty, a movie, student
presentations and lots of discussion.
We will also all take part in the SHE conference and respond to the
stimulus of some of its sessions.
Students will meet one on one in weekly or bi-weekly
sessions with Gray to reflect on and develop the methodology and theoretical
approaches for their individual projects. They will each do a major presentation on their project during
the term (and relevant readings they select and share with the rest of us for
that presentation). A final paper/essay on it is due at the end of the term,.
The final essay should be in the range of 20 pages something comparable to a thesis chapter on
methodology and theory integration.
Readings
will start with THE SERPENT AND
THE RAINBOW and THE EVALUATION OF
CULTURAL ACTION and some other
short works. The initial plan is to then read INTERDISCIPLINARITY, THE ESSENCE OF DECISION and other works
but depending on the foci of student projects and interests and their
backgrounds the other class readings may be shifted some.
Evaluation:
Final
evaluations will be based on class
participation, (25%), short papers and homework through the
term (25%), individual project
presentation in class (20%), final
essay (30%).
9/7 Introductions,
Problem Posing Discussion: Methodologies and
Theories What are the issues?
9/11 THE SERPENT AND THE
RAINBOW
9/14 THE SERPENT AND THE
RAINBOW, ”The Rhythms of Education’ by Alfred North Whitehead
9/18 THE SERPENT AND THE
RAINBOW
9/21 THE EVALUATION OF CULTURAL ACTION
9/25 THE EVALUATION OF CULTURAL ACTION, Student project reports
9/28 Student project reports
10/2 THE EVALUATION OF
CULTURAL ACTION,
Student project reports
10/5 THE EVALUATION OF
CULTURAL ACTION, ”The Process of
Action’ from THE WAYS OF PEACE by Gray Cox
10/9 INTERDISCIPLINARITY,
Part I,, Student project reports 10/12
10/12 Student project reports
10/16 INTERDISCIPLINARITY, Part II, Student project
reports
10/19 SHE Conference
10/23 SHE discussion and Student project reports
10/26 INTERDISCIPLINARITY, Part III,, Student project reports
10/30 THE ESSENCE OF DECISION, website
info: http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/
NOTE:
Movie showing in extra session
11/2 THE ESSENCE OF
DECISION, ”Generalization in
Social Science’ from AFTER VIRTUE
by Alasdair MacIntyre,
11/6 THE ESSENCE OF
DECISION, ”The Autonomy of Historical Understanding’, Louis O. Mink, Student project reports
11/9 THE ESSENCE OF
DECISION, ”The Cuban Missile
Crisis’, by Irving Janis from VICTIMS OF GROUPTHINK
11/13 Student project reports
11/16 Closing
UPCOMING
READINGS:
Buber
Davis
Spradley
Classic Texts or
Interesting Exemplars of Methodological Issues:
PHILOSOPHY OF
NATURAL SCIENCE, Carl Hempel
THE STRUCTURES
OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONS, Thomas Kuhn
CRITICISM AND
THE GROWTH OF KNOWLEDGE, Imre Lakatos and Allan Musgrave
AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY, THE IDEA OF
HISTORY, AN ESSAY ON METAPHYSICS, R. G. COLLINGWOOD
”The Autonomy of
Historical Understanding’, Louis
O. Mink
METAHISTORY,
Hayden White
EXPLANATION AND
UNDERSTANDING, Georg Von Wright
AFTER VIRTUE,
Alasdair MacIntyre
POWER/KNOWLEDGE
and DISCIPLINE AND PUNISH, Michel Foucault
AN INCONVENIENT
TRUTH, Al Gore
GUNS, GERMS AND
STEEL, Jared Diamond
ALBION÷S
SEED, David Hackett Fischer
THE WELLBEING OF NATIONS, Robert Prescott-Allen