Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Feminist Social Research: Epistemological And Methodological Implications, Molly Moloney

Honors Papers

In this paper I examine some of the primary debates in feminist epistemology, with a particular emphasis on postmodern epistemological positions, asking what these mean for doing research. One central question I ask is 'what role should the concept of objectivity have in feminist sociological research?' I argue for a reformulation of the concept of objectivity that, sympathetic with feminist postmodernism, rejects the ideal of value-neutrality in research, but that also rejects relativism and subjectivism. Keeping these debates in mind, I will examine debates regarding feminist methodology and the question of whether or not there is a specific feminist method …

A Cross-Cultural Comparative Analysis Of Levels Of Social Development And Gender Stratification, Helen Elisabeth Wells

Honors Papers

There is a current debate in social science literature, in Marxist theory, and in Feminist theory on the role of gender in affecting the form of inequality. Particular emphasis is placed on the controversy over whether or not women suffer universal exploitation and oppression. The debate over the role of gender in the stratification process is further complicated by a division in orientation: some consider gender inequality to be conditioned by relations of production or distribution that arise historically, and therefore are not universal (Engles 1968; Friedl 1978; Sacks 1974; Sanday 1974); while others trace it ultimately to fundamental biological …

Mortuary Metaphor: Location Of The Remains Of The Deceased As A Symbol Of Group Membership, Barbara Allen Fuchsman

Honors Papers

The question of where to place the dead is a universal problem for mankind. The body of the deceased is not regarded as ordinary carrion. It must be cared for in a correct manner and disposed of in an appropriate place, not simply for hygienic reasons, "but out of moral obligation" (Hertz 1960:27). Death creates similar psychological and social problems in all human societies. Consequently similar kinds of rites, such as rites of separation, of protection, of reaggregation within a new order, and of commemoration, are very widespread, as is the ritual sequence in which they are found (Hertz 1960; …

Harbor Light: Organization On Skid Row Today, Alison Evelyn Woodward

Honors Papers

The homeless man has always been a visible portion of America's urban life, and a most intriguing portion. My own interest in the homeless began through historical research done on the rise of the American city and the place of the hobo in American life. Through urban sociology I developed additional concerns about the place of the skid row community in the life of the central business districts of cities.

The place of the homeless man raises questions of both deviancy and social control. The attempts of society to rehabilitate the homeless and the special interaction of society at large …