This course has three primary objectives:

Content objective:

We begin with the proposition that 'crisis' is a useful theme for thinking about and analyzing contemporary forms of social change, struggle and conflict. We attempt to develop an understanding of crisis as both a social and symbolic ('cultural') phenomenon. Further, we will explore three related questions or problems:

Crisis is a social and cultural phenomenon; the meaning of a given crisis is always culturally constructed; the experience of crisis in the modern world is commonly mediated by its representation.

Social science objective:

We attempt to develop a 'cultural anthropological' perspective on the above problems. We conceptualize cultural anthropology as a historically or culturally situated form of knowledge production. As such, the field is not simply a reservoir of 'correct' information, but a way of knowing and perceiving the world.

Objective:

Using qualitative research methods and interpretive analysis our objective is to explore and further develop the broad theoretical premise that there is a dialectical interplay between 'real' and 'imagined' crisis.

The problem:

The central theme of this course is the relationship between culture and crisis, and we are looking broadly at forms of social crisis, conflict, struggle, and change. Rather than having you choose 'topics' to research and write on, I would like you to explore a question, case study, or problem related to a specific theme we are developing in this course: You are to explore the interplay between 'real' and 'imagined' crisis. This can mean crisis as it is 'experienced' and 'represented', or 'crisis' and its 'representation,' or the 'perception' of crisis. In some cases the crisis may only exist at the level of representations, such as an imagined crisis, which is manifested as fear or anxiety. The focus here is on the social event and its meanings.

An important idea is that the experience of crisis is always shaped by 'culture'. How is crisis rendered culturally and symbolically meaningful? How is it represented in a particular manner? What do these representations suggest about the threat of disorder and conceptions of social order? How do representations shape the experience of crisis?

A wide range of topics may be pursued as you explore this broad research problem. You have a great deal of flexibility in locating an example to observe and then formulating a research question to gather 'data' on.

Research and writing as interrelated process:
You are to pursue 'qualitative' social science research methods and analysis in writing this paper. Broadly speaking, qualitative analysis refers to the non-numerical examination and interpretation of observations, for the purpose of drawing out underlying meanings and patterns of analysis. Qualitative research can include such methods as open-ended interviews, narrative analysis, participant observation, or a review of existing literature on a subject. We are gathering 'data' in order to develop an interpretive analysis. We will discuss this more in class.

We are pursuing research and writing as an interrelated process. This process is 'question-' or 'thesis-driven'. This means you must begin by thinking of an interesting example of the interplay between real and imagined crisis, and then formulate a question to guide your research. We will then develop our research through a series of stages.

Stages of qualitative research we will pursue:
1. Finding a problem or series of questions that interests you. Start thinking about this immediately.

2. Formulating a research problem, question, or thesis to explore and govern your project.

3. Designing a method of data collection.

4. Undertaking research. This should be done relatively soon, between June 2 and June 13.

5. Reviewing data for patterns or regularities. What emerges from your observations? How do your 'observations' or data articulate with the initial research problem?

6. Interpreting 'data' or findings

7. Developing an answer or response to the initial research problem, question, or thesis. (Note: A rough draft of your paper is expected by June 16.)

8. Rethinking and reworking your analysis through writing a series of drafts.

Stages of writing (each will be talked about in more detail in class):

1. Begin thinking about a potential set of problems or questions, cases, examples, and so on. Write some notes to yourself. Think about things that you are familiar with and that are interesting to you.

2. Talk to each other about what you're thinking. Each student is required to meet with me individually the week of June 2 to June 6 to talk about your project.

3. An outline of the question/problem that is driving your research and how you expect to develop the ideas behind the problem is expected by June 9.

4. A rough draft is expected by June 16. Focus on getting the ideas down on paper in preliminary form. Peer review workshop.

5. A second draft is due by June 20. Focus on reformulating your ideas and revising your text into a more readable form. I will read and comment on this draft.

6. Final draft is due by June 27. It should include all previous drafts and outlines and a record of your research.