Writing Flag 

Course Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative.  We consider issues such as state building, nations, civil society, political parties, elites, social movements, protest, and democracy.  We discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to analyze these events.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy: 

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  This is a Writing Flag course that involves writing papers, revising them, and giving comments to your peers on their writing.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Papers (500 words): 15%; Paper no. 1 (750 words):  20%; Paper no. 2 (1200 words):  40%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 5%.  

Papers are evaluated in terms of quality of research, depth of thought, strength of argument, and clarity of expression (i.e., writing style).  Presentations are done in teams.

Text/Readings:

Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, On line at UT Library

Tocqueville, Democracy in America.  On line at UT Library. Author’s Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  One Line at UT library.  Preface, Intro, chs 1, 2, 4 a. 

Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas.  10th ed. Penguin. 2021

1. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Articles, TBA.

Audiovisuals: Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course. They are used to cover current events.

Description

The seminar considers the many faces of power. With an interdisciplinary social science approach, we discuss how power is constructed and exerted in the public and private spheres. We start with politics in the public sphere with classic theories such as those of Karl Marx and Max Weber and continue with more recent formulations such as in anticolonial struggles. We explore forms of domination at the personal level and in social interaction. How the personal is political becomes a focus of the discussion. We use audiovisuals and short stories to illustrate points made in the social science literature.

Course Objectives

By the end of the term, students should have the ability to:

1)         Identify different forms of power.

2)         Outline the major theories of power.

3)         Apply some of the major theories of power to the analysis of current events.

Assignments

Participation/posting questions                                     20%

Class Presentation/Leading discussion                         20%

Papers (4 total)                                                              60%

Required Readings

On Canvas and at the UT Coop.

Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto.

Max Weber, “Forms of Authority.”

Max Weber, “Class, Status and Party.”

1. Machiavelli, The Prince.

Dan Smith, The Penguin State of the Middle East, rev.ed., Random house, 2016

Safwan Masri & Lisa Anderson, Tunisia: An Anomaly, Columbia University Press, 2017

Articles as indicated in weekly schedule.

Audiovisuals:

Film: Frantz Fanon: Black Skin White Masks. Film: The Battle of Algiers

Others TBA

About the Professor

Mounira M. Charrad is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas in Austin.  Her book, States and Women's Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco <http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/5702.html> (University of California Press), won the Distinguished Book Award from the American Sociological Association and the Best Book on Politics and History Greenstone Award from the American Political Science Association, and the Hamilton Award from the University of Texas.  Her articles have centered on state formation, law, citizenship, kinship and gender. Her current research considers conceptions of modernity in legal discourses in the Middle East.  Her edited volumes include Women's Agency: Silences and Voices, Patrimonial Power in the Modern World and Patrimonialism, Global History and Imperial Rule.

The Signature Course (UGS 302 and 303) introduces first-year students to the university’s academic community through the exploration of new interests. The Signature Course is your opportunity to engage in college-level thinking and learning.

Interdisciplinary topics relating to Women's and Gender Studies.  Seats restricted to WGS MA and Portfolio students during early registration.  Check cross-listings for home departments and originating field of study.

The seminar considers the many faces of power. With an interdisciplinary social science approach, we discuss how power is constructed and exerted in the public and private spheres. We start with politics in the public sphere with classic theories such as those of Karl Marx and Max Weber and continue with more recent formulations such as in anticolonial struggles and recent uprisings in different parts of the world. We bring in a global and multicultural dimension. We explore forms of domination at the personal level and in social interaction. How the personal is political becomes a focus of the discussion.

Interdisciplinary topics relating to Women's and Gender Studies.  Seats restricted to WGS MA and Portfolio students during early registration.  Check cross-listings for home departments and originating field of study.

Description:

The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world. It is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic world and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics. It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition.  We then consider how the diversity can be explained. The focus is on women’s rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally. We also discuss current events and the Arab Spring.

Texts:  TBA

Grading and Requirements:

This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present.

This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The course will include a combination of short papers and one research paper on a relevant topic of the student’s choice.

Description:

 The seminar considers the many faces of power. With an interdisciplinary social science approach, we discuss how power is constructed and exerted in the public and private spheres. We start with politics in the public sphere with classic theories such as those of Karl Marx and Max Weber and continue with contemporary formulations. We explore forms of domination at the international, national, institutional, interpersonal and personal levels. How the personal is political becomes a focus of the discussion.  We use audiovisuals and short stories to illustrate points made in the social science literature.  We invite guest lecturers to tell us about their research.

Course Objectives:  By the end of the term, students should have the ability to:

1)    Identify different forms of power.

2)    Outline the major theories of power.

3)    Apply some of the major theories of power to the analysis of current events.

Texts:

Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto.  On Line at UT Library.

Max Weber, “Forms of Authority.” On Canvas.

Max Weber, “Class, Status and Party.”  On Canvas.

Foucault, M. Selections TBA.

N. Machiavelli, The Prince.   ISBN-10: 0486272745

Dan Smith, Penguin State of the World Atlas.  9^th rev. ed., 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1780261218

Asaad Al-Saleh, Voices of the Arab Spring: Personal Stories from the Arab Revolutions. 2015. Columbia Univ. Press, ISBN: 9780231163194

Articles as indicated in weekly schedule.

Audiovisuals:

Film: Frantz Fanon: Black Skin White Masks.

Film:  The Battle of Algiers

Assignments:

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Paper No. 1 (300 words, one page): 5%; Paper no. 2 (1000 words Maximum): 30%; Paper no. 2 (1500 words): 40%; Team presentations: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 5%. 

Paper no. 1 is on your definition of power.  Paper no. 2 is a take home on Marx or Weber.  Paper no. 3 is on a topic to be discussed with the instructor.  In each paper, students will discuss what the author(s) mean(s) by power, who has power, who does not, and how changes may be brought about to the relationship between the powerful and the powerless.

Presentations are done in teams.  Each team selects a week’s reading and develops a presentation by extending the reading, ideally with a discussion relating to current events.

About the Professor:
Mounira (Maya) Charrad is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Texas in Austin and Research Fellow at the Baker Institute, Rice University.  She received her undergraduate degree from the Sorbonne in Paris and her Ph.D. from Harvard University.  She is an award-winning book author and her work has been translated into French, Arabic and Chinese, and featured on websites and in the media.  Her research has centered on state formation, colonialism, law, citizenship, kinship and women’s rights. She currently teaches courses on Comparative/Historical Methods; Political Sociology; Gender Politics in the Islamic World; and The Veil:  History, Culture and Politics.

The Signature Course (UGS 302 and 303) introduces first-year students to the university’s academic community through the exploration of new interests. The Signature Course is your opportunity to engage in college-level thinking and learning.

Course Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative-historical.  We consider issues such as state building, nations, civil society, political parties, elites, social movements, protest, and democracy.  We discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to make analyze these events.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy: 

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  This is a Writing Flag course that involves writing papers, revising them, and giving comments to your peers on their writing.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Paper (500 words): 10%; Paper no. 1 (750 words):  20%; Paper no. 2 (1200 words):  40%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 10%.  

Papers are evaluated in terms of quality of research, depth of thought, strength of argument, and clarity of expression (i.e., writing style).  Presentations are done in teams.

Text/Readings:

Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, On line at UT Library

Tocqueville, Democracy in America.  On line at UT Library. Author’s Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  One Line at UT library.  Preface, Intro, chs 1, 2, 4 a.  TO CHECK AND CONSIDER SHORTENING READING.

Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas.  8th ed. Penguin. 2008 (Atlas).

Daniel Chirot, Contentious Identities:  Ethnic, Religious and Nationalist Conflicts in Today’s World. Routledge. 2011.

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

M. M. Charrad, “Central and Local Patrimonialism:  State-building in Kin-based Societies.” In Patrimonial Power in the Modern World.  Annals, Vol 636, July 2011. On Line at UT Library.

Audiovisuals:

Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course. They are used to cover current events.  

Description:

The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world. It is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic world and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics. It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition.  We then consider how the diversity can be explained and what factors contribute to it.  The focus is on women’s rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally.

Texts:  TBA

Grading and Requirements:

This course carries the Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present.

This course carries the Writing Flag. Writing Flag courses are designed to give students experience with writing in an academic discipline. In this class, you can expect to write regularly during the semester, complete substantial writing projects, and receive feedback from your instructor to help you improve your writing. You will also have the opportunity to revise one or more assignments, and you may be asked to read and discuss your peers’ work. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from your written work. Writing Flag classes meet the Core Communications objectives of Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility, established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Description:   

The course is devoted to the study of comparative and historical methods in sociology (CHS). It is designed to provide graduate students with a general understanding of the theoretical paradigms that scholars have developed in that genre of sociology. We pay particular attention to how evidence is used to construct theory. We will be reading closely books that span five decades of comparative and historical sociology and have received attention in the field. All these books are meant as exemplars that “do” comparative and historical sociology.  Each of them puts the methodology in practice to study a substantive sociological issue. Our purpose is to deconstruct each text in order to understand how the author has used comparisons implicitly or explicitly (in most cases) in order to build a theoretical argument.  It is also to play close attention to the sources and type of data used.  In addition, we will consider articles that comment on comparative and historical methods.  These articles should help you develop an intellectual map of the analytic strategies displayed in the books we are using as exemplars of the methodology. Thematically, the seminar focuses on states, state formation, and politics. We will invite guest speakers who use comparative/historical methods to come and tell us about their work from time to time.  An updated syllabus will be provided as necessary.

Grading Policy:

The course meets one a week and attendance is required. The first requirement is to do the readings and to come to class prepared to discuss them.  Students will also be asked to lead designated class discussions.  The second requirement is in the form of written pieces. The course grade depends upon the following:  A critique of readings with oral presentations 25%, a take home midterm 25 %, a research proposal 40%. Class participation  counts for10%. The proposal must draw closely on the seminar readings and at the same time help you formulate your future plans for research, whatever particular method you choose for it.

Texts Required:

B. Moore Jr, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy                                   

T. Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions                                                     

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights                                                 

Julia Adams, The Familial State

The Signature Course (UGS 302 and 303) introduces first-year students to the university’s academic community through the exploration of new interests. The Signature Course is your opportunity to engage in college-level thinking and learning.

Please check back for updates.

Instructor: Mounira “Maya” Charrad, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology                             

Description:

The course considers the history o the veil, its cultural meanings, and its place in political discourse.  We start by examining the practice of veiling in early Christianity and Islam and the myths that surround its origin.  We then discuss how the veil was intertwined with the "Woman's question" and nationalism in the mid twentieth century in the height of struggles of national liberation in the Middle East.  In the contemporary period, the veil has become an object of fascination in Western societies and a highly charged symbol in the Islamic world.  We explore the multiple meanings of the veil both in political debates and in the individual lives of women. How the veil can range from a form of subordination to a sign of empowerment for women is addressed.

Course Objectives:  By the end of the term, students will have the ability to:

1)    Describe and characterize a broad array of issues concerning the veil and place veiling in broader social, economic and political contexts.

2)    Evaluate the place of broader processes and especially politics in shaping discourses on veiling and gender.

3)    Analyze the debates on gender in the Middle East and in other countries.

Required Readings (will be discussed in class):

        ·        Nikki Keddie, Women in the Middle East:  Past and Present.  Princeton U. Press.

        ·        Malek Alloula, The Colonial Harem, U. of Minnesota Press.

        ·        Jennifer Heath, ed., The Veil:  Women Writers on its History, Lore, and Politics.  U. of Calif.  Press.

• Charrad, “Veils and Laws:  Multiple Meanings of the Veil”
• Charrad, “Women Ally with the Devil”
• Charrad, “Gender in the Middle East: Islam, State, Agency.” Annual Review of Sociology, 2011. 

News Media Articles:  Short articles from the New York Times and the BBC:  The text or link will be posted on Canvas. 

The readings for the seminar are interdisciplinary, drawing on Sociology, Anthropology, and History.  They include three major books.  Placing the lives of women and the veil in historical context, the first book, Women in the Middle East, focuses on the diversity and richness of women’s experiences in the Middle East.  The second book, The Colonial Harem, discusses Orientalism as a perspective on the Middle East and its representation of women’s sexuality.  The third, The Veil: Women Writers on its History, Lore, and Politics addresses current debates surrounding the veil and presents the views of women writers from a range of disciplines.  Selected articles offer a theoretical perspective on gender and veiling.  Others address the place of the veil in today’s ideologies and politics not only in the Islamic world, but also in the United States and Western Europe, where the headscarf has become an object of political confrontation.  From time to time, we use current newspaper articles or media segments in our discussions.

Audiovisuals: Audiovisuals are used frequently during the semester to illustrate variations in the veil from Afghanistan to Morocco and elsewhere.  We see pictures of the veil in different countries, and videos on the hijab and debates on veiling.

Requirements: The requirements for the seminar are a research paper (10-12 pp) and at least two presentations on the readings accompanied with a written summary (2 pp each = 4 pp.).  The research paper is developed in stages during the course of the seminar on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor.  Students are encouraged to do research on a topic of interest. They may conduct the research on their own or in teams.  Examples of topics include veiling practices in a given country, laws on veiling (either forcing women to put on a veil as in Iran or to drop it as in Turkey), and interviews of women who wear a veil.

About the Professor: Mounira M. Charrad is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas in Austin.  Her book, States and Women's Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco (University of California Press), won the Distinguished Book Award from the American Sociological Association and the Best Book on Politics and History Greenstone Award from the American Political Science Association.  Her articles have centered on state formation, law, citizenship, kinship and gender. Her current research considers conceptions of modernity in legal discourses in the Middle East. Her upcoming books include Patrimonial Power in the Modern World and the Politics of Empire (co edited with J. Adams).

Description:   

The course is devoted to the study of comparative and historical methods in sociology (CHS). It is designed to provide graduate students with a general understanding of the theoretical paradigms that scholars have developed in that genre of sociology. We pay particular attention to how evidence is used to construct theory. We will be reading closely books that span five decades of comparative and historical sociology and have received attention in the field. All these books are meant as exemplars that “do” comparative and historical sociology.  Each of them puts the methodology in practice to study a substantive sociological issue. Our purpose is to deconstruct each text in order to understand how the author has used comparisons implicitly or explicitly (in most cases) in order to build a theoretical argument.  It is also to play close attention to the sources and type of data used.  In addition, we will consider articles that comment on comparative and historical methods.  These articles should help you develop an intellectual map of the analytic strategies displayed in the books we are using as exemplars of the methodology. Thematically, the seminar focuses on states, state formation, and politics. We will invite guest speakers who use comparative/historical methods to come and tell us about their work from time to time.  An updated syllabus will be provided as necessary.

Grading Policy:

The course meets one a week and attendance is required. The first requirement is to do the readings and to come to class prepared to discuss them.  Students will also be asked to lead designated class discussions.  The second requirement is in the form of written pieces. The course grade depends upon the following:  A critique of readings with oral presentations 25%, a take home midterm 25 %, a research proposal 40%. Class participation  counts for10%. The proposal must draw closely on the seminar readings and at the same time help you formulate your future plans for research, whatever particular method you choose for it.

Texts Required:

B. Moore Jr, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy                                   

T. Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions                                                     

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights                                                 

Julia Adams, The Familial State

Description:

The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world. It is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic world and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics. It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition. We then consider how the diversity can be explained and what factors contribute to it. The focus is on women’s rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally.

Texts:

E.W. Fernea, Guests of The Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village. Anchor, (GS) 1965.

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and

Morocco. Berkeley: Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Fadela Amara, Breaking the Silence: French Voices from the Ghetto. Berkeley: UC Press 2006 (BTS).

Joni Seager, The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. 4th ed. Penguin. 2009. (Atlas).

Articles will be placed on Blackboard.

Grading and Requirements:

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions. I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.

Exam 1 25%

Exam  2 40%

Exam 3 20%

Team presentation 10%

Class participation 5%

Description:

The seminar considers the many faces of power. With an interdisciplinary social science approach, we discuss how power is constructed and exerted in the public and private spheres. We start with politics in the public sphere with classic theories such as those of Karl Marx and Max Weber and continue with more recent formulations such as in anticolonial struggles. We explore forms of domination at the personal level and in social interaction. How the personal is political becomes a focus of the discussion.   We use audiovisuals and short stories to illustrate points made in the social science literature.

Texts/Readings/Films:

·       Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto.

·       Max Weber, “Class, Status and Party” (Abbreviated, on Blackboard).

·       Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (Selections).

·       P. Berger and R. Neuhaus, To Empower People: The Role of Mediating Structures in Public Policy (45pp.)

·       Film: Frantz Fanon: Black Skin White Masks.

·       Film:  The Battle of Algiers

Assignments:

Participation/posting questions                20%

Class Presentation/Leading discussion      20%

Papers (4 total)                                      60%

About the Professor:

Mounira M. Charrad is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas in Austin.  Her book, States and Women's Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco <http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/5702.html> (University of California Press), won the Distinguished Book Award from the American Sociological Association and the Best Book on Politics and History Greenstone Award from the American Political Science Association, and the Hamilton Award from the University of Texas.  Her articles have centered on state formation, law, citizenship, kinship and gender. Her current research considers conceptions of modernity in legal discourses in the Middle East.  Her edited volumes include Women's Agency: Silences and Voices, Patrimonial Power in the Modern World and Patrimonialism, Global History and Imperial Rule.

The course considers the history o the veil, its cultural meanings, and its place in political discourse.  We start by examining the practice of veiling in early Christianity and Islam and the myths that surround its origin.  We then discuss how the veil was intertwined with the "Woman's question" and nationalism in the mid twentieth century in the height of struggles of national liberation in the Middle East.  In the contemporary period, the veil has become an object of fascination in Western societies and a highly charged symbol in the Islamic world.  We explore the multiple meanings of the veil both in political debates and in the individual lives of women. How the veil can range from a form of subordination to a sign of empowerment for women is addressed. Course Objectives:  By the end of the term, students will have the ability to:1)    Describe and characterize a broad array of issues concerning the veil and place veiling in broader social, economic and political contexts.2)    Evaluate the place of broader processes and especially politics in shaping discourses on veiling and gender.3)    Analyze the debates on gender in the Middle East and in other countries. Required Readings (will be discussed in class):        ·        Nikki Keddie, Women in the Middle East:  Past and Present.  Princeton U. Press.        ·        Malek Alloula, The Colonial Harem, U. of Minnesota Press.        ·        Jennifer Heath, ed., The Veil:  Women Writers on its History, Lore, and Politics.  U. of Calif.  Press.Charrad, “Veils and Laws:  Multiple Meanings of the Veil.” On BlackboardCharrad, “Women Ally with the Devil.”  On Blackboard.Charrad, “Gender in the Middle East: Islam, State, Agency.” Annual Review of Sociology, 2011.  Available on line through the UT Library System. News Media Articles:  Short articles from the New York Times and the BBC:  The text or link will be posted on Blackboard.

Requirements: The requirements for the seminar are a research paper and presentations on the readings.  The research paper is developed in stages during the course of the seminar on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students are encouraged to do research on a topic of interest. They may conduct the research on their own or in teams.  Examples of topics include veiling practices in a given country, laws on veiling (either forcing women to put on a veil as in Iran or to drop it as in Turkey), and interviews of women who wear a veil. 

Mounira (Maya) Charrad received her Ph.D. from Harvard University and her undergraduate degree from the Sorbonne in Paris. Her research has centered on state formation, colonialism, law, citizenship, kinship and women’s rights. More specifically, she has considered strategies of state building in kin-based societies and how struggles over state power shaped the expansion or curtailment of women's rights. She is currently studying conceptions of modernity in legal discourses in the Middle East. Challenging explanations of politics based on a textual approach to religion, she offers instead a focus on social solidarities and where they are grounded (kinship, ethnicity, or other).  Her work has been translated into French and Arabic, and featured on websites and in the media. Her research has been funded by several grants including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the American Association of University Women, and the American Institute of Maghribi Studies

Contains a Writing Flag

Course Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative-historical.  We consider issues such as state building, nations, civil society, political parties, elites, social movements, protest, and democracy.  We discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to make analyze these events.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy: 

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  This is a Writing Flag course that involves writing papers, revising them, and giving comments to your peers on their writing.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Paper (500 words): 10%; Paper no. 1 (750 words):  20%; Paper no. 2 (1200 words):  40%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 10%.  

Papers are evaluated in terms of quality of research, depth of thought, strength of argument, and clarity of expression (i.e., writing style).  Presentations are done in teams.

Text/Readings:

Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, On line at UT Library

Tocqueville, Democracy in America.  On line at UT Library. Author’s Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  One Line at UT library.  Preface, Intro, chs 1, 2, 4 a.  TO CHECK AND CONSIDER SHORTENING READING.

Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas.  8th ed. Penguin. 2008 (Atlas).

Daniel Chirot, Contentious Identities:  Ethnic, Religious and Nationalist Conflicts in Today’s World. Routledge. 2011.

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

M. M. Charrad, “Central and Local Patrimonialism:  State-building in Kin-based Societies.” In Patrimonial Power in the Modern World.  Annals, Vol 636, July 2011. On Line at UT Library.

Audiovisuals:

Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course. They are used to cover current events.  

Description:   

The course is devoted to the study of comparative and historical methods in sociology (CHS). It is designed to provide graduate students with a general understanding of the theoretical paradigms that scholars have developed in that genre of sociology. We pay particular attention to how evidence is used to construct theory. We will be reading closely books that span five decades of comparative and historical sociology and have received attention in the field. All these books are meant as exemplars that “do” comparative and historical sociology.  Each of them puts the methodology in practice to study a substantive sociological issue. Our purpose is to deconstruct each text in order to understand how the author has used comparisons implicitly or explicitly (in most cases) in order to build a theoretical argument.  It is also to play close attention to the sources and type of data used.  In addition, we will consider articles that comment on comparative and historical methods.  These articles should help you develop an intellectual map of the analytic strategies displayed in the books we are using as exemplars of the methodology. Thematically, the seminar focuses on states, state formation, and politics. We will invite guest speakers who use comparative/historical methods to come and tell us about their work from time to time.  An updated syllabus will be provided as necessary.

Grading Policy:

The course meets one a week and attendance is required. The first requirement is to do the readings and to come to class prepared to discuss them.  Students will also be asked to lead designated class discussions.  The second requirement is in the form of written pieces. The course grade depends upon the following:  A critique of readings with oral presentations 25%, a take home midterm 25 %, a research proposal 40%. Class participation  counts for10%. The proposal must draw closely on the seminar readings and at the same time help you formulate your future plans for research, whatever particular method you choose for it.

Texts Required:

B. Moore Jr, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy                                   

T. Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions                                                     

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights                                                 

Julia Adams, The Familial State        

Description:

The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world. It is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic world and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics. It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition. We then consider how the diversity can be explained and what factors contribute to it. The focus is on women’s rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally.

Texts:

E.W. Fernea, Guests of The Sheik: An Ethnography of an Iraqi Village. Anchor, (GS) 1965.

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights: The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and

Morocco. Berkeley: Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Fadela Amara, Breaking the Silence: French Voices from the Ghetto. Berkeley: UC Press 2006 (BTS).

Joni Seager, The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. 4th ed. Penguin. 2009. (Atlas).

Articles will be placed on Blackboard.

Grading and Requirements:

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions. I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.

Exam 1 25%

Exam  2 40%

Exam 3 20%

Team presentation 10%

Class participation 5%

THE VEIL: HISTORY, CULTURE AND POLITICS
Plan 2 -- TC 357
 
Professor Mounira Maya Charrad
Plan 2 Junior Seminar
Office:  Burdine 504
Tel. 232 6311; Email: charrad@austin.utexas.edu
Mailbox: Sociology Department Office, BUR 552
 
Description:              The course considers the history o the veil, its cultural meanings, and its place in political discourse.  We start by examining the practice of veiling in early Christianity and Islam and the myths that surround its origin.  We then discuss how the veil was intertwined with the "Woman's question" and nationalism in the mid twentieth century in the height of struggles of national liberation in the Middle East.  In the contemporary period, the veil has become an object of fascination in Western societies and a highly charged symbol in the Islamic world.  We explore the multiple meanings of the veil both in political debates and in the individual lives of women. How the veil can range from a form of subordination to a sign of empowerment for women is addressed.
 
Course Objectives:  By the end of the term, students will have the ability to:
1)    Describe and characterize a broad array of issues concerning the veil and place veiling in broader social, economic and political contexts.
2)    Evaluate the place of broader processes and especially politics in shaping discourses on veiling and gender.
3)    Analyze the debates on gender in the Middle East and in other countries.
 
Required Readings (will be discussed in class):
        ·        Nikki Keddie, Women in the Middle East:  Past and Present.  Princeton U. Press.
        ·        Malek Alloula, The Colonial Harem, U. of Minnesota Press.
        ·        Jennifer Heath, ed., The Veil:  Women Writers on its History, Lore, and Politics.  U. of Calif.  Press.
Charrad, “Veils and Laws:  Multiple Meanings of the Veil.” On Blackboard
Charrad, “Women Ally with the Devil.”  On Blackboard.
Charrad, “Gender in the Middle East: Islam, State, Agency.” Annual Review of Sociology, 2011.  Available on line through the UT Library System.
 
News Media Articles:  Short articles from the New York Times and the BBC:  The text or link will be posted on Blackboard.

Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative- historical.  We will discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students are encouraged to use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to make sense of these events.

Grading and requirement:

Midterm take home 40%

Research paper 40%

Two position papers discussing the readings 20% for both papers

Class participation is expected. The research paper is developed in stages during the course of the seminar on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor.

Course Description:

The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world.  It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition.  We then consider how the diversity can be explained and what factors contribute to it.  The focus is on women's rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally. The course is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic tradition and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy:  

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  

Exam 1 30%

Exam 2 30%

Country Report 20%

Team presentation 10%

Class participation 10%  

Text/Readings

M. M. Charrad, States and Women's Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001.

Mernissi, Fatema. Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems. New York: Washington Square Press, 2001.

Fadela Amara, Breaking the Silence:  French Voices from the Ghetto. Berkeley:  UC Press 2006

Articles are listed on relevant weeks on the syllabus.  They will be placed on Blackboard.

Audiovisuals:

Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course and will be covered in the exams.  

Description:   The course is devoted to the study of comparative and historical methods in sociology (CHS). It is designed to provide graduate students with a general understanding of the theoretical paradigms that scholars have developed in that genre of sociology. We pay particular attention to how evidence is used to construct theory. We will be reading closely books that span five decades of comparative and historical sociology and have received attention in the field. All these books are meant as exemplars that “do” comparative and historical sociology.  Each of them puts the methodology in practice to study a substantive sociological issue. Our purpose is to deconstruct each text in order to understand how the author has used comparisons implicitly or explicitly (in most cases) in order to build a theoretical argument.  It is also to play close attention to the sources and type of data used.  In addition, we will consider articles that comment on comparative and historical methods.  These articles should help you develop an intellectual map of the analytic strategies displayed in the books we are using as exemplars of the methodology.  Thematically, the seminar focuses on states, state formation, and politics. We will invite guest speakers who use comparative/historical methods to come and tell us about their work from time to time.  An updated syllabus will be provided as necessary.

 Grading Policy:

The course meets one a week and attendance is required. The first requirement is to do the readings and to come to class prepared to discuss them.  Students will also be asked to lead designated class discussions.  The second requirement is in the form of written pieces. The course grade depends upon the following:  A critique of readings with oral presentations 25%, a take home midterm 25 %, a research proposal 40%. Class participation  counts for10%. The proposal must draw closely on the seminar readings at the same time as it help you formulate your future plans for research, whatever particular method you choose.

 Texts Required:

B. Moore Jr, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy                                   

T. Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions                                                            

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights                                                            

Julia Adams, The Familial State                                                                       

Rogers Brubaker, Citizenship and Nationhood in France and Germany

Three highly recommended edited collections: 

There are three edited collections which I see as key in the field.  They offer a combination of pieces practicing CHS and other than comment on various dimensions of the method.  Please consult them in the course of the semester. These edited collections are on reserve at PCL for our course.  They are:

 Skocpol,  Theda, ed.  1984.  Vision and Method in Historical Sociology.  New York: Cambridge University Press.

Mahoney, James, and Dietrich Rueschemeyer. Editors, 2003. Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Adams,Julia, Elizabeth Clemens and Ann Orloff. Eds. 2005. Remaking Modernity: Politics, History, and Sociology.  Durham, NC. : Duke University Press.

Books for reference:

Brubaker, Rogers. Nationalism Reframed: Nationhood and the National Question in the New Europe.

Wallerstein, Immanuel.  The Modern World System                                                             

Tilly, Charles, Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons

Mahoney, James. The Legacies of Liberalism: Path Dependence and Political Regimes in Central America.

Orfoff, Ann.  The Politics of Pensions

Skocpol, Theda.  Protecting Soldiers and Mothers

Hall, John R. with Philip D. Schuyler and Sylvaine Trinh. 2000. Apocalypse Observed: Religious Movements and Violence in North America, Europe, and Japan. London: Routledge.

Lachmann, Richard. 2000. Capitalists in Spite of Themselves: Elite Conflict and European Transitions in Early Modern Europe. New York: Oxford University Press.

websites:

A useful resource is the website of the Comparative and Historical Sociology of ASA. <http://www2.asanet.org/sectionchs/>.   It includes in particular a list of journals that you should find useful for this seminar and for possible places to publish your comparative historical research in the future. 

Description:The course considers the history of the veil, its cultural meanings, and its place in political discourse.  We start by examining the practice of veiling in early Christianity and Islam and the myths that surround its origin.  We then discuss how the veil was intertwined with the "woman's question" and nationalism in the mid twentieth century in the height of struggles of national liberation in the Middle East.  In the contemporary period, The veil has become an object of fascination in Western societies and a highly charged symbol in the Islamic world. We explore the multiple meanings of the veil both in political debates and in the individual lives of women. How the veil can range from a form of subordination to a sign of empowerment for women is a question we address.

Readings:The readings for the seminar are interdisciplinary, drawing on Sociology, Anthropology, and History.  They include two major books and a packet of recent articles.  The books are Women in the Middle East by renowned historian Nikki Keddie and Veiled Sentiments by Lila Abu Lughod, a leading anthropologist of gender.  Placing the lives of women and the veil in historical context, the first book focuses on the diversity and richness of women’s experiences in the Middle East.  The second highlights how gender roles relate to the twin codes of honor and modesty as codes of behavior pervading the Middle East.  It also shows how these codes translate into veiling. Articles in the packet address the place of the veil in today’s ideologies and politics not only in the Islamic world, but also in the United States and Western Europe, where the headscarf has become an object of political confrontation.  From time to time, we use current newspaper articles or media segments in our discussions.Note: Audiovisuals are used frequently during the semester to illustrate variations in the veil from Afghanistan to Morocco and elsewhere.  We see pictures of the veil in different countries and documentaries on debates on veiling.

Requirements:The requirements for the seminar are a research paper and presentations on the readings.  The research paper is developed in stages during the course of the seminar on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students are encouraged to do research on a topic of interest. They may conduct the research on their own or in teams.  Examples of topics include veiling practices in a given country, laws on veiling (either forcing women to put on a veil as in Iran or to drop it as in Turkey), and interviews of women who wear a veil.   

About the Professor:Dr. Charrad received her PhD from Harvard University and her undergraduate degree from the Sorbonne in Paris, France. She joined UT in 2000-01. Her interests include gender and women's rights, political sociology, development, comparative historical methodology, and the Middle East and North Africa.

COMPARATIVE AND HISTORICAL METHODS

January 2010

Professor Mounira Maya Charrad                                               

Spring 2010, Tu 6-9, Bur 480

SOC 388L.  Unique Number 46535.

Office: Burdine 552, Office Hours: Tues 4.00 -5.30 and by appointment.

Tel. 232 6311, email: charrad@austin.utexas.edu

Mailbox:  Sociology Department Office, Burdine 5^th floor.

The University of Texas at Austin will provide upon request academic accommodations to qualified students with disabilities.  For more information, call the office of the Dean of students at 471 6259.

Course Description:  The course is devoted to the study of comparative and historical methods in sociology (CHS). It is designed to provide graduate students with a general understanding of the theoretical paradigms that scholars have developed in that genre of sociology. We will be reading closely books that span five decades of comparative and historical sociology and have received attention in the field. All these books are meant as exemplars that “do” comparative and historical sociology. Each of them puts the methodology in practice to study a substantive sociological issue. Our purpose is to deconstruct each text in order to understand how the author has used comparisons implicitly or explicitly (in most cases) in order to build a theoretical argument.  It is also to play close attention to the sources and type of data used.  In addition, we will consider articles that comment on comparative and historical methods.  These articles should help you develop an intellectual map of the analytic strategies displayed in the books we are using as exemplars of the methodology.  We will also invite guest speakers who use comparative/historical methods to come and tell us about their work from time to time.  An updated syllabus will be provided as necessary.

Course Requirements:  The course meets one a week and attendance is required. The first requirement is to do the readings and to come to class prepared to discuss them.  Students will also be asked to lead designated class discussions.  The second requirement is in the form of two written pieces. The course grade depends upon the following:  Critiques of readings with oral presentations 25%, a take home midterm 25 %, a final paper 40%, and class participation 10%. With instructor’s approval, you may substitute a research proposal for the final paper as long as the proposal draws closely on the seminar readings.

Texts Required:

B. Moore Jr, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.  1966.  Beacon Press.

T. Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions. 1979. Cambridge Univ Press              

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights. 2001. California Univ Press            

J. Adams, The Familial State.  2005. Cornell Univ Press.              

R. Brubaker. Citizenship and Nationhood in France and Germany.1998. Harvard U Pr.

Recommended: 

There are three edited collections which I see as key in the field.  They offer a combination of pieces practicing CHS and other than comment on various dimensions of the method.  Please consult them in the course of the semester. These edited collections are on reserve at PCL for our course.  The book by Tilly offers methodological suggestions.

Skocpol,  Theda, ed.  1984.  Vision and Method in Historical Sociology.  New York:              Cambridge University Press.

Mahoney, James, and Dietrich Rueschemeyer. Editors, 2003. Comparative Historical             Analysis in the Social Sciences. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Adams,Julia, Elizabeth Clemens and Ann Orloff. Eds. 2005. Remaking Modernity:              Politics, History, and Sociology.  Durham, NC. : Duke University Press.

Charles Tilly, Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons. 1989.  New York:  Russell Sage.

Journals and websites:

Specific journals you may wish to consult are AJS, ASR, Comparative Studies in History and Society, Theory and Society, Sociological Theory.  You may only find a few relevant articles in ASR especially and in AJS, but those that appear there are important for you to read.  The other journals are likely to publish more in CHS.

A very useful resource is the website of the Comparative and Historical Sociology of ASA. <http://www2.asanet.org/sectionchs/>.   It includes in particular a list of journals that you should find useful for this seminar and for possible places to publish your comparative historical research in the future.

You may also want to look at Trajectories, the ASA CHS Section Newsletter with publishes brief articles on the state of the art and topics of the day.

Additional Information:

• You are encouraged to study together and do collaborative projects, but anything you write can only be your own.
• There will be no incomplete.
• Assignments are expected by the due date at the beginning of class, and points will be taken out for lateness.
• Guest lectures are an integral part of the course to be included in your discussions of relevant topics and in exams.
• More than one unexcused absence will result in a lower grade.

Jan  19:  Introduction

Jan 26:  OVERVIEW OF CHS.

J. Mahoney and G. Goertz, “A Tale of Two Cultures: Contrasting Quantitative and Qualitative Research” in Political Analysis (2006) 14:227–249. (on Blackboard).

J. Mahoney and D. Rueschemeyer, “Comparative Historical Analysis:  Achievements and Agendas.” In Mahoney and Rueschemeyer, eds., Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences, Cambridge University Press. (book is on line, Goggle Scholar).

Mounira M. Charrad, “Teaching Comparative and Historical Sociology:  Challenges and new Directions.” Trajectories, Fall 2007. (on line).

Mounira M. Charrad, “Waves of Comparative and Historical Sociology.”  Essay on Remaking Modernity by J. Adams, E. Clemens and A. Orloff.  International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 2006, Vol 47 (5):  351-358.  (On line UT Library Website).

Feb  2 -16:  CLASSIC FOUNDATION: BASES OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP

Moore, Social Origins

Skocpol, Theda, “A Critical Review of Barrington Moore’s Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.”  Politics and Society 4 (Fall 1973):  1-34.

Cedric de Leon’s "'No Bourgeois Mass Party, No Democracy': The Missing Link in Barrington Moore's American Civil War." Political Power and Social Theory Volume 19, 2008 (received the Barrington Moore Jr. Prize for best article from the CHS Section of ASA).

Feb 16:  Your preliminary outline on ideas for your research proposal is due.

Feb 23 –March 2:   METHOD OF AGREEMENT.  REVOLUTIONS:  WHAT DID CHINA, FRANCE AND RUSSIA HAVE IN COMMON.

Skocpol, States and Social Revolutions 

March 9:  Guest Lecture:  TBA

March 16:  Spring Break

March 23:   METHOD OF DIFFERENCE.   STATES AND PATHS TO GENDER POLICY:  HOW DID TUNISIA, ALGERIA AND MOROCCO DIFFER?

Charrad, States and Women’s Rights

March 30:  METHOD OF DIFFERENCE (CONTINUED).

Charrad, States and Women’s Rights

Dan Slater, “Critical Antecedents and Informative Regress” (with Erica Simmons). Qualitative Methods 6:1 (Spring 2008), pp. 6-13.  (Photocopied).

March 30: Take Home Exam Due in Class.

April 6-13:  HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF A KEY CASE:  HOW DID THE FIRST EUROPEAN STATE DEVELOP?

Adams, Familial State

April 13: Two page (double space) Proposal Outline Due in Class

April 20:  STATES, CULTURE AND PATHS TO CITIZENSHIP:  DIFFERENT STORIES IN FRANCE AND GERMANY

Brubaker, Citizenship and Nationhood.

Brubaker, William Rogers, 1990, Immigration, Citizenship, and the Nation-State in France and Germany: A comparative historical analysis.”  International Sociology, 5(4):379-407.

April 27:  HOW TO DO ARTICLES WITH CHS

Prasad, Monica, “Why Is France So French? Culture, Institutions, and Neoliberalism, 1974– 1981.” AJS Volume 111 Number 2 (September 2005): 357–407 (Winner of a CHS Award).

Adams, Julia. 1996. Principals and Agents, Colonialists and Company

Men: The Decay of Colonial Control in the Dutch East Indies. American Sociological Review. 61 (1): 12-28.

May 4:  PRESENTATION OF PROPOSALS.

May 7:  PROPOSALS DUE

Books for reference:

Brubaker, Rogers. Nationalism Reframed: Nationhood and the National Question         in the New Europe.

Wallerstein, Immanuel.  The Modern World System                                                          

Mahoney, James. The Legacies of Liberalism: Path Dependence and Political Regimes in Central America.

Orfoff, Ann.  The Politics of Pensions

Skocpol, Theda.  Protecting Soldiers and Mothers

Hall, John R. with Philip D. Schuyler and Sylvaine Trinh. 2000. Apocalypse Observed: Religious Movements and Violence in North America, Europe, and Japan. London: Routledge.

Lachmann, Richard. 2000. Capitalists in Spite of Themselves: Elite Conflict and European Transitions in Early Modern Europe. New York: Oxford University Press.

     THE VEIL: HISTORY, CULTURE AND POLITICS

Professor Mounira Maya Charrad

Spring 2010, Monday 4 to 6.45 PM in WEL 3.260.  Moved to BUR 480.

Plan 2 Junior Seminar.  Unique Number:  43620.

Office: BUR 552. Office hours:  W. 6.45 – 7.30 PM and Tu 4 – 5 PM.

Tel. 232 6311; Email: charrad@austin.utexas.edu

Mailbox: Sociology Department Office, BUR 552.

The University of Texas at Austin will provide upon request academic accommodations to qualified students with disabilities.  For more information, call the office of the Dean of students at 471 6259.

The course considers the history of the veil, its cultural meanings, and its place in political discourse.  We start by examining the practice of veiling in early Christianity and Islam and the myths that surround its origin.  We then discuss how the veil was intertwined with the "Woman's question" and nationalism in the mid twentieth century in the height of struggles of national liberation in the Middle East.  In the contemporary period, the veil has become an object of fascination in Western societies and a highly charged symbol in the Islamic world.  We explore the multiple meanings of the veil both in political debates and in the individual lives of women. How the veil can range from a form of subordination to a sign of empowerment for women is addressed.

Books:

         ·         Nikki Keddie, Women in the Middle East:  Past and Present.  Princeton U. Press. 

         ·         Lila Abu Lughod, Veiled Sentiment:  Honor and Poetry in a Bedouin Society.  UC Press.

         ·         Marnia Lazreg Questioning the Veil: Open Letters to Muslim Women, Princeton U. Press.

Scholarly Articles:  

• Shavarini, Mitra K  “Wearing the Veil to College: The Paradox of Higher Education in the Lives of Iranian Women.”   International Journal of Middle East Studies, vol. 38, no. 2, pp.189-211, May 2006.
• Secor, Anna J. “The Veil and Urban Space in Istanbul: Women's Dress, Mobility and Islamic Knowledge.”  Gender, Place and Culture, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 5-22, Mar 2002.

• Atasoy, Yildiz.  “Governing Women's Morality: A Study of Islamic Veiling in Canada.” in  European Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 203-221, May 2006
• Carle, Robert.  “Hijab and the Limits of French Secular Republicanism.” Society, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 63-68, Sept-Oct 2004
• Killian, Caitlin.  “The Other Side of the Veil: North African Women in France Respond to the Headscarf Affair.”  Gender & Society, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 567-590, Aug 2003.
• Charrad, “Veils and Laws:  Multiple Meanings of the Veil” (photocopied)
• Charrad, “Women Ally with the Devil” (photocopied)

 News Media Articles:

• Short articles from the New York Times and the BBC:  The text or link will be posted on Blackboard. 

• The readings for the seminar are interdisciplinary, drawing on Sociology, Anthropology, and History.  They include two major books and a packet of recent articles.  The books are Women in the Middle East by renowned historian Nikki Keddie; Veiled Sentiments by Lila Abu Lughod, a leading anthropologist of gender; and Questioning the Veil by Marnia Lazreg, a prominent sociologist.  Placing the lives of women and the veil in historical context, the first book focuses on the diversity and richness of women’s experiences in the Middle East.  The second highlights how gender roles relate to the twin codes of honor and modesty as codes of behavior pervading the Middle East. It also shows how these codes translate into veiling The third addresses current debates surrounding the veil. Articles in the packet address the place of the veil in today’s ideologies and politics not only in the Islamic world, but also in the United States and Western Europe, where the headscarf has become an object of political confrontation.  From time to time, we use current newspaper articles or media segments in our discussions.

Audiovisuals:

Audiovisuals are used frequently during the semester to illustrate variations in the veil from Afghanistan to Morocco and elsewhere.  We see pictures of the veil in different countries, and videos on the hijab and debates on veiling.

Requirements:

The requirements for the seminar are a research paper and presentations on the readings.  The research paper is developed in stages during the course of the seminar on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor.  Students are encouraged to do research on a topic of interest. They may conduct the research on their own or in teams.  Examples of topics include veiling practices in a given country, laws on veiling (either forcing women to put on a veil as in Iran or to drop it as in Turkey), and interviews of women who wear a veil.

Framework for Research Papers:

There are three major forms of discourse for you to consider when you think about your research paper:  The discourse of individual women and men; the discourse of policy, law makers and other political groups; and the discourse of social scientists on the functions and meanings of the veil such as that of anthropologists, sociologists, historians, or political scientists.  In designing your research project, start by identifying the actors whose discourse you will study.  You may choose one or several sets of actors.

Note: 

Prominent scholars in the field and members of the Austin community engaged in relevant work will be invited as our guest lecturers.  The dates for their visit to the seminar will be announced in the course of the semester depending on their availability.  Updated versions of the syllabus will be provided on Blackboard in the course of the semester as needed.  Make sure to check.

Additional Information:

You are encouraged to study together and do collaborative projects, but anything you write can only be your own.

There will be no incomplete.

Keep on your computer and a back up device until the end of the semester a file of every piece of writing you hand in.

Excuses for absences will be considered only in rare, genuine circumstances and with proper medical documentation.

Attendance is mandatory; more than two unexcused absences will be reflected in the final grade.

There are no extra credit provisions for this course.

Wk 1 (Jan 25)

Class Discussion:

Images of Women in the Islamic World.  Why the fascination and the debates about the veil.

Wk 2 (Feb 1).  Women’s Dress and Morality

            Secor, Anna J. “The Veil and Urban Space in Istanbul: Women's Dress, Mobility and

Islamic Knowledge.”  Gender, Place and Culture, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 5-22, Mar 2002.

Atasoy, Yildiz.  “Governing Women's Morality: A Study of Islamic Veiling in Canada.” in  European Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 203-221, May 2006

Wk 3 (Feb 8).  The Headscarf Controversy

Carle, Robert.  “Hijab and the Limits of French Secular Republicanism.” Society, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 63-68, Sept-Oct 2004

Killian, Caitlin.  “The Other Side of the Veil: North African Women in France Respond to the Headscarf Affair.”  Gender & Society, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 567-590, Aug 2003.

Wk 4 (Feb 15). Historical Overview from the Beginning of Islam to End of 18^th Century

Keddie, Preface, Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3.

Wk 5 (Feb 22).  The Veil in Nationalism, Women’s Movements and Islamism:  19^th and 20^th centuries.

            Keddie, Chs. 4,5,6, Conclusion.

Wk 6 (March 1).  ). Boundaries and Gender and Discussion of Sources on the Veil.

Shavarini, Mitra K  “Wearing the Veil to College: The Paradox of Higher Education in the Lives of Iranian Women.”   International Journal of Middle East Studies, vol. 38, no. 2, pp.189-211, May 2006.

Charrad, “Veils and Laws:  Multiple Meanings of the Veil” (photocopied)

Charrad, “Women Ally with the Devil” (photocopied)

Keddie, Book 2, Part I.

Locate at least 5 sources in print (books or articles in scholarly journals) and 5 on the web or in popular literature. 

Wk 7. March 8:  Guest lecture.  TBA.

March 15:  Spring break.

Wk 8 (March 22).  Identity in a Changing World

            Abu Lughod, Preface, Chs 1 and 2.

Outline of research project due (3 pages).  Indicate the topic, the main point you think you want to argue, the sections of your paper, the content of each section, your methodology, and at least 5 sources.

Wk 9 (March 29).  Honor and Sexuality

            Abu-Lughd, chs. 3 and 4

Guest lecture on sources and data bases by the PCL Middle East Research Librarian.  Bring your questions about your topic.

Wk 10 (April 5). Modesty and Marriage

Abu Lughod, chs 7, 8 and Appendix

First draft of paper due.  Discussion of research projects in class on March 25^th.

Wk 11 (April 12). ): Cultural Identity

Lazreg, Introduction, Letters 1, 2, 3.

Wk 12 (Apr 19).  Current Debates and SimulationGame on Genderstan.

Articles on laws on veiling in countries of Europe and the Middle East from the New York Times and the BBC (posted on Blackboard).

Newly created nation-state of Genderstan is designing its policy on veils and women’s rights.  Debate on laws on veiling and women’s rights.

Prepare your arguments.  Anchor your position in the literature.  Select at least 2 of the sources we have read to support your position.

Lazreg, Letters 4, 5.

Wk 13 (April 26):  Presentations on Research Projects

Wk 14 (May 3).  Presentations on Research Projects

May 3:  Research Paper due.

                       GENDER POLITICS IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD

SPRING 2009

Course Description:   The course is designed to help students gain a better knowledge of the Islamic world and, at the same time, increase their understanding of major sociological concepts such as gender, social organization, culture, and politics.  The course is devoted to the study of gender politics in the Islamic world.  It shows how culture is mediated by politics, resulting in diverse interpretations of the cultural tradition and in different policies with respect to gender. We start by examining the themes and issues that are part of the common denominator of the Islamic tradition.  We then consider how the diversity can be explained and what factors contribute to it.  The focus is on women’s rights, which have been a key political issue in several countries and internationally.

 Course Requirements and Grading Policy:  Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  Course Requirements include 2 exams, a country report, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Exam no.1:  40%; Exam no.2: 25%; Country Report 15%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10%. 

Text/Readings:

M. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Mernissi, Fatema. Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems. New York: Washington Square Press, 2001.

Fadela Amara, Breaking the Silence:  French Voices from the Ghetto. Berkeley:  UC Press 2006

Articles will be placed on Blackboard.

Audiovisuals:

Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course and will be covered in the exams. 

C

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Please check back for updates.

Please check back for updates.

C

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Please check back for updates.

Writing Flag 

Course Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative.  We consider issues such as state building, nations, civil society, political parties, elites, social movements, protest, and democracy.  We discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to analyze these events.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy: 

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  This is a Writing Flag course that involves writing papers, revising them, and giving comments to your peers on their writing.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Papers (500 words): 15%; Paper no. 1 (750 words):  20%; Paper no. 2 (1200 words):  40%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 5%.  

Papers are evaluated in terms of quality of research, depth of thought, strength of argument, and clarity of expression (i.e., writing style).  Presentations are done in teams.

Text/Readings:

Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, On line at UT Library

Tocqueville, Democracy in America.  On line at UT Library. Author’s Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  One Line at UT library.  Preface, Intro, chs 1, 2, 4 a. 

Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas.  10th ed. Penguin. 2021

1. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Articles, TBA.

Audiovisuals: Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course. They are used to cover current events.

Please check back for updates.

C

Writing Flag 

Course Description:

This course surveys classical theories and major contemporary debates in political sociology.  It is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the different theoretical perspectives on the study of power and politics. The empirical focus of the course includes the US and other countries and the approach is comparative.  We consider issues such as state building, nations, civil society, political parties, elites, social movements, protest, and democracy.  We discuss recent developments both in the US and internationally. Students use major theories and concepts in Political Sociology to analyze these events.

Course Requirements and Grading Policy: 

Students are encouraged to take an active role in discussing readings and raising questions.  I expect students to attend class and to complete the assigned readings prior to coming to class.  This is a Writing Flag course that involves writing papers, revising them, and giving comments to your peers on their writing.  Course requirements include one position paper and 2 papers, a team presentation and participation in class discussions. Grading is as follows: Position Papers (500 words): 15%; Paper no. 1 (750 words):  20%; Paper no. 2 (1200 words):  40%; Team presentation: 10%; Class participation: 10 %; Peer review of papers: 5%.  

Papers are evaluated in terms of quality of research, depth of thought, strength of argument, and clarity of expression (i.e., writing style).  Presentations are done in teams.

Text/Readings:

Karl Marx, Communist Manifesto, On line at UT Library

Tocqueville, Democracy in America.  On line at UT Library. Author’s Introduction, chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8. 

Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.  One Line at UT library.  Preface, Intro, chs 1, 2, 4 a. 

Dan Smith, The State of the World Atlas.  10th ed. Penguin. 2021

1. M. Charrad, States and Women’s Rights:  The Making of Postcolonial Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Berkeley:  Univ of California Press, 2001 (SWR)

Articles, TBA.

Audiovisuals: Audiovisuals are an integral part of the course. They are used to cover current events.

C

C

Please check back for updates.

Please contact the graduate coordinator for more information.