Social Theory

SOCIAL THEORY AND HIGHER EDUCATION
Professor Sheila Slaughter
Fall 2006
1:25 PM-4:25 PM
Meigs 218
Office hours: Tuesday 1:30-5:00PM. Office phone: 542-0571; Email:slaughtr@uga.edu
Course description. The course deals with social theory relevant to problems in high education. First we will deal with theories that treat the relation of higher education to its external environment. These theories deal with the relation of higher education to the society as a whole, and the relation between higher education and the state. Second, we will look at the place of women in higher education and feminist theory. Third, we will examine theories of organizations. Fourth, we will look at theories that deal with students: social stratification and questions of reproduction and socialization. Fifth, we will deal with the organization of knowledge: professionalization theories and sociology of science. Sixth, we will explore postmodern theory.
Course objectives. (1) Introduce social theories in historical as well as current context that address higher education problems; (2) Show how theory shapes our understanding of these problems; (3) Work through the limits and possibilities of these theories; (4) Explore ways of theorizing.; (5) Use theory to frame a problem of interest.
Course assignments. Students should come to class prepared. They should access the readings for the first day of class via e-reserves or library reserves. They should be prepared to discuss: (1) what problem(s) the theory addresses; (2) how the theory purports to explain the problem(s); (3) the assumptions implicit in the theory; (4) the analytical purchase provided on the problem(s) by the theory; (5) the types of methods the theory to which the theory lends itself; (6) the sorts of data that would be needed to use the theory productively; (7) what explanations the theory screens out; and (8) alternatives to the theory. Students will complete three papers. The first (20% of grade) uses the 8 preceding points to analyze a theory. The second (30%) does the same, using another theory. The third uses a theory to frame a problem of interest to the student (40%). The remaining 10% of the grade is based on contributions in class discussion.
Required texts. There are no required texts. The readings are on reserve in hard copy and electronically.
I. THE RELATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO SOCIETY
Week. 1. Marx and the Marxian tradition
McLellan, David. 2000. Karl Marx. Selected writings. 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Chapter 13. The German Ideology; Chapter 19. Wage labour and capital; Chapter 31. Theories of surplus value; Chapter 32. Capital.
Seidman, Steven. 1994.”Chapter 1: Grand visions: Auguste Comte and Karl Marx; Contested knowledge: Social theory in the postmodern era. London, Blackwell, 19-54.
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