In this memo, you will provide a sociological analysis of one of three possible topics, applying the ideas of W.E.B. Du Bois and one additional theorist of your choice – Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Max Weber, or Émile Durkheim. The goal of this assignment is to explain how two different theorists would analyze the same social phenomenon, and compare and contrast their different perspectives. The specific concepts that you choose from each theorist are up to you. However, your memo must do the following three things: Define and apply two theoretical concepts from W.E.B. Du Bois; Define and apply two theoretical concepts from your second theorist; Explicitly compare and contrast the perspectives of the two theorists. Three Possible Topics (pick one): The 2016 election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency The following two articles consider multiple explanations for the election result: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/09/coates-trump/541158/ (Links to an external site.) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/explaining-donald-trump-s-shock-election-win/ (Links to an external site.) Colin Kaepernick’s NFL protest in 2016 This article provides a brief explanation of Kaepernick’s protest:
Colin Kaepernick protests anthem over treatment of minorities(Links to an external site.) This article offers more in depth explanation and background: https://www.vox.com/2018/8/15/17619122/kaepernick-trump-nfl-protests-2018 (Links to an external site.) The ongoing gentrification of the Little Haiti neighborhood in Miami This article provides an overview of the process of gentrification: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/real-estate-news/article232134932.html (Links to an external site.) This article includes perspectives from different people in the changing neighborhood: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vbj8wa/gentrification-is-pushing-haitians-out-of-miamis-little-haiti-neighborhood (Links to an external site.) Steps in the Memo-writing Process: Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the topic you have chosen by reading the articles listed above. (Further research is not required, but feel free to read more and draw on additional sources if you’d like.) Step 2: Decide which theorist you will use in addition to W.E.B. Du Bois, and which theoretical concepts you will use from each of the two theorists. Before you begin actually writing the memo, you should write down a clear and concise definition of each concept, and plan out how you intend to apply it. Step 3: Using the articles listed above (and any others you have read), choose key pieces of evidence that show how the sociological concepts you have chosen apply to this case. Step 4: Draft a memo with the following parts: a) An original title that hints at the argument that you will make; b) An introductory paragraph that introduces the topic and the sociological argument you will make (including what concepts you will use and how); c) Two to four body paragraphs in which you clearly define and apply your theoretical concepts to the case. (You may want one longer paragraph per theorist that includes both concepts, or one paragraph for each of the four concepts. d) A paragraph that compares and contrasts how the two different theorists would analyze the topic. Do you think they would agree with one another? Why or why not? Would they focus on different aspects of the topic? Do their theories complement or contradict each other? e) A brief concluding paragraph that concisely recaps your overall argument. You may also make an argument for which theorist you think offers a more compelling explanation. Step 5: If you use direct quotes from news articles and/or course readings, make sure to cite your sources internally. For example, if you use a quote from the Atlantic article by Chloé Valdary, the quote should be followed by: (Valdary 2019). On a separate page at the end of the memo, include a full bibliographic reference for any sources you quote from. (These references will not be included in the total word count). Step 6: Proofread carefully, checking for two things: a) typos, incorrect punctuation, missing words, spelling and grammatical errors; and b) overall coherence of the memo. Do I have a clear argument? Does my writing make sense? Does the body of the memo match what I said I would show in the introduction?
