INTRODUCTION TO INTERDISCIPLINARY SOCIAL SCIENCE

        ISS 3010 Section 901

                     

Janna Jones,  Ph.D.

Voice: 974-8123

Email: jjones1@chuma1.cas.usf.edu

Office hours: 4:00-6 Thursday and by appointment

Office location: FAO 269

 

      purpose of course

         The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to various systems that currently effect people in the United States, particularly in urban areas. The class will focus on the interrelated elements of urban life that help to create and perpetuate both healthy and dysfunctional organizational patterns. The course readings, discussions and other related materials and activities will help the student understand how economic, government, cultural, social, and educational systems affect everything from the planet (as a whole) to the individual. The course will help the student develop critical thinking skills while focusing on such important topics as ethnicity, class, and social stratification. In addition, the student will enter the research field (in Tampa Heights) and conduct oral histories of community residents for the purpose of more clearly understanding how the various social systems have an impact on individuals.

 

  objectives of course

A. The student will understand the complexity of global and local systems and how such                     systems shape the way that the country, urban areas, families and the individual are                        developed.

B. The student will think critically about such organizational systems and consider how           alternative systems may have the ability to influence change.

C. The student will understand how ethnography and qualitative research can help the             researcher understand particular urban structures and systems. In addition, the student       will undertake a study in order to practice ethnographic methods and learn about a              particular neighborhood in the Tampa Bay area.

D. The student will gain knowledge about the impact of urban systems on the under                             class and minority groups.

 

required texts and other resources for ISS 3010

 

Amazing Grace, by Jonathan Kozol

Oral History, by James Hoopes

A tape recorder, batteries, and cassette tapes.

A microphone is optional.         

 

Copies of the books are available for purchase at the USF Bookstore. Amazing Grace is easy to acquire on Amazon.com or at a local bookstore, but Oral History was special ordered for this class and you will have to buy it at the USF Bookstore.

                     

requirements and expectations

Each student is required to carefully read the two assigned texts and additional publications (mostly newspaper articles about Tampa Heights) provided for you. In addition, each student is required to be present and be prepared to contribute to class discussions during each time that the class meets. Each student is required to write ten (of 13 possible) 250-300 word responses to the weekly readings and/or the prior class discussions and events. Each student is required to attend five class sessions that will take place in Tampa Heights, a Tampa Bay neighborhood, located near downtown Tampa. In Tampa Heights at the YMCA we will be doing the following: we will be working with a group of middle school and high school students who live in the community. We will be interviewing them, and they will be interviewing us. As teams, you will then interview other people who live the community. After the five-week period is over, we will then be returning to the USF classroom. At that point you will be transcribing your interviews and creating oral histories from the interviews that you conducted in Tampa Heights. In the end, your work in Tampa Heights will include: at least three (of your ten)250-300 word responses;  interviews of both the middle/high school students and another member of the community; written oral histories (based on your interviews) and  an 8-10 page analysis of the Tampa Heights neighborhood based on the information that you gathered over the semester.

                     

          grading

Grading is based on a normal scale (100-90=A, 89-80=B, etc.) The following will be included in the assessment of the student=s performance:

 

Participation-20% (evaluation includes attendance during class meetings; willingness to discuss class topics during class time; attentiveness to fellow class members= ideas and  presentations; ability to be flexible, tolerant, and capable of coping with an unusual classroom atmosphere; and ability to work well with Tampa Heights residents)

 

Writing/Class Responses- 30% (evaluation includes writing 10 of the 13 assigned responses. No late writing responses will be accepted. Responses will address the following questions in 250-300 words: 1. What does the reading/classroom discussion/classroom experience contribute to the understanding of human experience and social life?  2. How are these perspectives conveyed?; what is the methodology used? What are the consequences of thinking this way? 3. What did I learn from this reading? How might I apply this understanding in everyday life?)

 

Tampa Heights Analysis-30% (evaluation includes thoroughness and detail of observations; sensitivity and thoroughness of interviews; well-written and thoughtful analysis with clear thesis and development of evidence).

 

Oral Histories-30% (evaluation includes effectiveness of interviews as reflected by written presentation; sensitive and thoughtful presentation; well-written oral history).

 

 

 

                     

                     

 

scheduled class readings and discussions

 

I. Creating a Context for Understanding Social Systems

 

January 11- introduction to course and explanation of requirements;

        Listen to Ghetto 101                              

 

January 18-read: pp.5-54 of Amazing Grace and response #1 due

                  Watch Unequal Education

 

January 25-read: pp.57-249 of Amazing Grace and response #2 due

      Watch Bronx: A Cry for Help

 

February 1-read: Tampa Heights reading packet and response #3 due

      Guest speaker: Pam Glas, Tampa Heights Jr. Civic Association director

 

II. Developing a Methodology for Researching Social Systems

 

February 8-read: pp.3-58 of Oral History and response #4 due

 

February 15-read: pp.61-120 of Oral History and response #5 due

        Practice interviews in class

 

III.  Entering the Field: Conducting qualitative research in Tampa Heights

 

February 22-March 29B Class meets at the YMCA in Tampa Heights.

 

Response # 6 due on 2/22;

Response # 7 due on 3/1;

Response # 8 due on 3/8;

Response # 9 due on 3/22;

Response #10 due on 3/29.

 

  IV.  Leaving the Field: Analyzing the Research and Writing the Oral Histories

 

April 5-read: pp. 123-147 of Oral History and response # 11 due

 

April 12-response #12 due

 

April 19-response #13 due

 

April 26-Oral Histories due. Tampa Heights Analysis due to my office by May 3 at 6:00                 P.M.