Syllabus

Course Meeting Times

Lectures: 1 session / week, 3 hours / session

Course Description

This course offers an advanced survey of current debates about the ontology, methodology, and aims of the social sciences. Core readings will address questions such as:

• rowShould explanation in the social sciences follow the model of explanation in the natural sciences, or are there peculiarities about human beings and social phenomena that demand a different approach?
• rowIs there a difference between explaining and understanding human behavior? Which should be the goal of the social sciences?
• rowWhat are social structures, practices, norms, institutions, etc.? What is the relationship between individuals and larger social structures? Do social structures exist over and above individuals?
• rowShould explanation in the social sciences rely only on facts about individuals and their mental states? Or are there some cases in which social phenomena cannot be explained in terms of individual behavior?
• rowIs social science value-laden in a different way or to a different degree than natural science? Is it possible or desirable to have a value-free social science? Is objectivity in social science possible?

We will consider specific topics for discussion and additional readings depending on the interests of the seminar participants. Additional case studies will also be provided.

Requirements and Assessment

A set of questions will be assigned for each week based on the readings. Participants are expected to come to class having prepared short answers to the questions.

Students should plan to read at least one case study of an explanation of a social phenomenon, and be prepared to provide a brief (10 min.) summary of the study to the class sometime during the term. Some case studies are listed on the reading schedule. Contact the instructor for assistance finding one of interest.

Students taking the course for credit must do a presentation of material related to the assigned readings once during the term. Ideally, the presentation will be on the topic of the student's term paper.

A 20-25 page term paper must be submitted for the course, a full draft of which should be submitted by the "end of term meeting" in December.

Grading

The final grade will be determined using the following weights:

Calendar