Theory occupies a strange place in the practice of sociology. On the one hand, all empirical work is expected to “make a theoretical contribution.” On the other hand, the specialization of theory itself within the discipline is, for institutional reasons, on the decline. In the past decade, many departments have reduced course requirements for theory. Few faculty, and fewer graduate students, focus on theory alone. There simply aren’t jobs for theorists these days. Theory therefore has the distinction in sociology of being both indispensable and neglected. Nevertheless, because of the expectation that all research make some sort of theoretical contribution, theory continues to be one of the few unifying elements in disciplinary sociology. Ironically, though its unifying function persists, theory’s gradual deinstitutionalization has also precipitated a general fragmentation in theoretical orientations among professional sociologists. It is therefore harder than ever to put together a theory syllabus, especially for so-called “contemporary theory,” which is so broadly defined (basically everything not “classical”) that any number of syllabi could be put together from the countless works of post-classical theory available. Classical theory syllabi, in contrast, invariably include Marx, Weber, and Durkheim (and sometimes Du Bois)—in spite of the many vicissitudes of culture and politics. A syllabus in contemporary theory, however, might view the inclusion of Foucault or Bourdieu as nonnegotiable, but it might just as easily see them as a total waste of time. Thus, I make no pretense of having constructed a true survey of the field, because any survey would necessarily be fragmentary and incomplete. The design of this course, then, will rest in part on an introduction to recent works selected by me for the first half, and a student-led reading list (with my input) for the second half of the course. The main goal of the course is to get you thinking and writing theoretically from the start. This course will primarily give you the opportunity to write the theory sections of your thesis. (If you have other needs, please consult with me in the first two weeks of class.) Students will also share their work with their classmates so as to strengthen and clarify their writing.

By the end of the course, students should be able to: - Understand the arguments of the theorists we have studied - Be able to put various theories in conversation with one another - Apply theory to concrete situations

Grades Some assignments will be handwritten in class. Others will be submitted on NTU COOL. All assignments will be given letter grades (A, B, C, F, +/–). Their official NTU numerical equivalents will be used to calculate your overall grade. Weekly memos 10% Starting week 2, each student will have 20 minutes to write a short memo at the beginning of class. The lowest two (2) grades will be dropped. Discussion leaders need not write these memos during the weeks they are leading discussion. I will give you a simple question about the reading at the beginning of class. You should answer the question succinctly, directly, and clearly, demonstrating that you have at least attempted the reading. Participation 5% Students are expected to attend class and participate in discussions each week. Two absences are allowed, no questions asked. Each subsequent absence results in the reduction in your participation grade by a letter grade (A to B, B to C, etc.) Discussion leading 5% Students will lead discussions at least twice during the course. As discussion leader, you should prepare a list of discussion questions for your assigned reading. You do not need to write a memo for the week you are discussion leader Assignment 1 10% Write a proposal (not exceeding 500 words) that (1) introduces your research topic, (2) explains its theoretical significance, and (3) lists at least two theorists and their works (specifying chapters or page numbers) that you would like members of the class to read with you in one of the weeks of the second half of the semester. Based on (3), I will select readings for Weeks 8 to 12. You will lead the discussion based on the readings you have suggested (with possible modifications from me). If you need help or suggestions, please just ask me. Assignment 2 30% Write a theoretical statement (1500 words maximum) that expands on Assignment 1 by discussing in greater depth the theoretical stakes of your research topic. You can write this as the “theory section” of your MA thesis. Some ways to tackle this assignment: (1) Is your topic the subject of a theoretical debate? How might your research clarify this debate? (2) Does your topic potentially challenge a theoretical consensus? How? (3) Does existing theory overlook your topic? Why might this be, and why is your topic important? These statements will be shared with your classmates during Weeks 13 and 14, when we will workshop each student’s assignment in class to help improve its clarity and coherence. Assignment 3 40% Revise Assignment 2 (2000 words maximum) by incorporating the feedback you receive from the instructor and your classmates.