Comments for BackStage http://mybackstage.wordpress.com Sociological Social Psychology Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:37:02 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Designing Courses by pitse1eh http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-734 pitse1eh Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:37:02 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-734 I'm trying to stay away from r/c/g texts, since I'll be teaching r/c/g probably to the same students that I teach strat too. Though, along those lines, I'm currently reading <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Toyland-Working-Shopping-Inequality/dp/0520247175" rel="nofollow">Inside Toyland</a> which is wonderful. I may assign the article from this for strat. To update, I am using: <a href="http://www.naomiklein.org/no-logo" rel="nofollow">No Logo</a> <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10779.php" rel="nofollow">Falling Behind</a> and the new edition of Ain't No Making It. I used to teach Nickle and Dimed years ago for social problems and students love it. But a good proportion of my students are reading that book for another course (probably about 50% of both my Intro classes) and they universally hate it. I have no idea why! They do have to read a short part of it for intro, so I'm going to ask them more about it when that section comes up. Thanks for all the suggestions! I’m trying to stay away from r/c/g texts, since I’ll be teaching r/c/g probably to the same students that I teach strat too. Though, along those lines, I’m currently reading Inside Toyland which is wonderful. I may assign the article from this for strat.

To update, I am using:
No Logo
Falling Behind
and the new edition of Ain’t No Making It.

I used to teach Nickle and Dimed years ago for social problems and students love it. But a good proportion of my students are reading that book for another course (probably about 50% of both my Intro classes) and they universally hate it. I have no idea why! They do have to read a short part of it for intro, so I’m going to ask them more about it when that section comes up.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

]]> Comment on Designing Courses by Jannette http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-733 Jannette Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:10:20 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-733 You could also look into Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed book -- not quite an authentic experience, but she certainly highlights the difficulties of working-class, minimum wage workers and I think by seeing her stepping out of that role at times (and acknowledging her privilege), it is one students also enjoy that can be tied into a bigger picture. You could also look into Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed book — not quite an authentic experience, but she certainly highlights the difficulties of working-class, minimum wage workers and I think by seeing her stepping out of that role at times (and acknowledging her privilege), it is one students also enjoy that can be tied into a bigger picture.

]]> Comment on Designing Courses by Jannette http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-732 Jannette Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:07:51 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-732 I recommend: Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams by Alfred Lubrano (http://www.amazon.com/Limbo-Blue-Collar-Roots-White-Collar-Dreams/dp/0471714399). It's a great read and chronicles people who grew up in working-class/poor environments and now find themselves in another class and how difficult that transition is in their lives. It's an interesting discussion for students because it does suggest that indeed some (though statistically few) are able to improve upon the conditions they are born into, but it is at some cost and it is often tenuous/fragile. I loved the book and many of my students (who I've encouraged to read it outside of class/over summers) could relate as several are the first in their family to go to college and thus are often on a very different path than their parents/grandparents. I haven't used it in any of my classes yet, but I may pull it into my Race, Class, and Gender course this upcoming semester as it's a new prep. I recommend: Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams by Alfred Lubrano (http://www.amazon.com/Limbo-Blue-Collar-Roots-White-Collar-Dreams/dp/0471714399). It’s a great read and chronicles people who grew up in working-class/poor environments and now find themselves in another class and how difficult that transition is in their lives. It’s an interesting discussion for students because it does suggest that indeed some (though statistically few) are able to improve upon the conditions they are born into, but it is at some cost and it is often tenuous/fragile. I loved the book and many of my students (who I’ve encouraged to read it outside of class/over summers) could relate as several are the first in their family to go to college and thus are often on a very different path than their parents/grandparents.

I haven’t used it in any of my classes yet, but I may pull it into my Race, Class, and Gender course this upcoming semester as it’s a new prep.

]]> Comment on Designing Courses by Practicing Idealist http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-728 Practicing Idealist Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:06:37 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-728 I second the 3rd edition of "Ain't No Makin' It." I used it in the spring for my education course, and it is wonderful. You might also consider "Black Wealth/White Wealth" by Oliver and Shapiro, but that may focus too much on race for what you're looking for. In my experience, wealth inequality is not given as much emphasis in courses on strat. and class than it should be, especially regarding black/white disparities in the U.S. I second the 3rd edition of “Ain’t No Makin’ It.” I used it in the spring for my education course, and it is wonderful. You might also consider “Black Wealth/White Wealth” by Oliver and Shapiro, but that may focus too much on race for what you’re looking for. In my experience, wealth inequality is not given as much emphasis in courses on strat. and class than it should be, especially regarding black/white disparities in the U.S.

]]> Comment on Designing Courses by pitse1eh http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-726 pitse1eh Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:43:39 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-726 Oh, I didn't know that there was a new edition! Wonderful. Thank you. Oh, I didn’t know that there was a new edition! Wonderful. Thank you.

]]> Comment on Designing Courses by jamy http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/18/designing-courses/#comment-725 jamy Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:18:14 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=576#comment-725 What about "Ain't No Makin' It"? I think there's an updated 3rd edition and the intro does an excellent job explaining social capital. Plus, it's very readable. What about “Ain’t No Makin’ It”? I think there’s an updated 3rd edition and the intro does an excellent job explaining social capital. Plus, it’s very readable.

]]> Comment on Professors are going to hell by pitse1eh http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/professors-are-going-to-hell/#comment-723 pitse1eh Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:01:55 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=570#comment-723 It says "Opps, where'd you get that link?" It says “Opps, where’d you get that link?”

]]> Comment on Professors are going to hell by John http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/professors-are-going-to-hell/#comment-722 John Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:45:32 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=570#comment-722 Clearly, it isn't professors that we should be worried about, it's the kids! That "Rising Generation" kid has the guts to STAND on the top step and walk right up to Jesus like he's an equal when he is nothing next to the intelligence of the creator. The funny thing is that I don't remember any part of the bible where Jesus said "Stay away from me because I am better than all of you," unless that is what he meant to imply by the sermon on the mount. This also reminds me of all of the academics that Rand kills off in Atlas Shrugged (http://slac.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/i-am-not-john-galt/). Clearly, it isn’t professors that we should be worried about, it’s the kids! That “Rising Generation” kid has the guts to STAND on the top step and walk right up to Jesus like he’s an equal when he is nothing next to the intelligence of the creator. The funny thing is that I don’t remember any part of the bible where Jesus said “Stay away from me because I am better than all of you,” unless that is what he meant to imply by the sermon on the mount.

This also reminds me of all of the academics that Rand kills off in Atlas Shrugged (http://slac.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/i-am-not-john-galt/).

]]> Comment on More Advice by pitse1eh http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/more-advice/#comment-721 pitse1eh Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:17:05 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=555#comment-721 Olderwoman, you make me feel so much better. Truly. Thank you. Olderwoman, you make me feel so much better. Truly. Thank you.

]]> Comment on More Advice by The First Semester: Division of Labor « Memoirs of a SLACer http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/more-advice/#comment-720 The First Semester: Division of Labor « Memoirs of a SLACer Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:41:50 +0000 http://mybackstage.wordpress.com/?p=555#comment-720 [...] 6, 2009 by John Pitse1eh’s post the other day about drowning in teaching as a first-semester assistant professor got me thinking [...] [...] 6, 2009 by John Pitse1eh’s post the other day about drowning in teaching as a first-semester assistant professor got me thinking [...]

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