Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 6 of 6
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Living, Dying, After Death: Achieving A "Good" Death In The Time Of Aids Orphan Care, Ellen Block
Living, Dying, After Death: Achieving A "Good" Death In The Time Of Aids Orphan Care, Ellen Block
Sociology Faculty Publications
AIDS has devastated communities across southern Africa, leaving many children orphaned. Grandmothers are considered ideal caregivers because of cultural expectations of intergenerational care, and because they have not been decimated by AIDS to the same extent as younger adults. However, these grandmothers, who currently carry the majority of the burden of care for AIDS orphans, are themselves aging and dying. I argue here that in Lesotho, the caregiving demanded of grandmothers late into their lives not only alters kin relations for the living, but has increasingly made a “good death” unachievable for elderly caregivers.
Marginalized Populations And Climate Change, Olayemi Fadahunsi
Marginalized Populations And Climate Change, Olayemi Fadahunsi
Sociology Student Work
This study investigates the impact of climate change on marginalized populations , and seeks to understand the strategies of climate activists from so-called Least Developed Countries, particularly small island nations, for influencing climate policy on the global stage. I conducted participant observation and interviews at the UNFCCC’s COP 21 in Paris, in order to understand how marginalized populations anticipate the future, solutions they have to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change, and how they saw themselves being represented at the conference.
Observing, Recording, Analyzing, Megan Sheehan, Alexandra Castellanos
Observing, Recording, Analyzing, Megan Sheehan, Alexandra Castellanos
Sociology Lectures
Participant observation is a foundational method in anthropology, and observational assignments appear frequently on syllabi. This presentation explores observation assignments as approaches that concurrently develop understandings of course content and ethnographic skills. This paper surveys strategies for incorporating observation assignments into the classroom, interrogating the ways in which these assignments are made most relevant to student learning. Additionally, students reflect upon their experiences, offering their thoughts on the durability of learning outcomes. This presentation reflects on diverse variations of observation-based assignments and offers suggestions for faculty seeking to adjust the ways in which they incorporate observation into the classroom.
Three, Two, One, Action: Incorporating Video Projects In Class Pedagogy, Ellen Block, Arantxa Hernandez-Chaire, Madelyn Konsor, Julia Petron
Three, Two, One, Action: Incorporating Video Projects In Class Pedagogy, Ellen Block, Arantxa Hernandez-Chaire, Madelyn Konsor, Julia Petron
Sociology Lectures
Ethnography is useful as a pedagogical tool because it uncovers layers of meaning, relies on inductive reasoning, and allows students to generate theory grounded in the empirical world. Likewise, using video project assignments encourages deep engagement, increases student recall of new knowledge, and links visual clues to memory. Video projects also encourage creativity and teach transferable technological skills. In this panel, I explore the pedagogical praxis of combining ethnographic methods, such as participant observation and interviewing, with video-making projects to encourage durable learning. Student co-presenters will show clips from their video projects and reflect on the impact of the assignment.
Kinship, Ellen Block
Kinship, Ellen Block
Sociology Faculty Publications
Kinship is a term used broadly in the social sciences, particularly in anthropology, to mean the web of social relationships that make up families. It is a useful framework for thinking about changes over the life span because people’s roles within their families and social networks change as they age and as the social, political, and economic contexts in which they live shift. There are three main concepts that help to explain the importance of kinship across the life span: Kinship is created through practice, kinship is processual, and kinship is inherently flexible. This entry provides a brief history of …
The Path Toward Religious And Cultural Inclusivity: The Need For Critical Inquiry, Nina Marie Ricci
The Path Toward Religious And Cultural Inclusivity: The Need For Critical Inquiry, Nina Marie Ricci
All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019
The following thesis seeks to explain the essential practice of critical inquiry in the religious sphere. It explores Christian, Buddhist, and Muslim attitudes on the subject of critical inquiry and assesses how these varying stances affect engagement in interreligious dialogue. The thesis presents the impact a religion has on a society’s perception of other religious and cultural practices. Overall the thesis argues for more open-minded attitudes and the need for religious and cultural inclusivity by promoting the proposition that practicing critical inquiry is a necessity to moving forward.