Microsoft Word version of final paper [here]

As a precursor to viewing this study history, please read my Philosophy of the Syllabus Post [here]

  • CLASS: SOC 931
  • SEMESTER: Fall 2010
  • CLASS TITLE: Topics in Structural Inequality; Cities, State, and Globalization
  • TIME & LOCATION: Tuesdays 10:20am -1:10pm, Berkey 218A
  • INSTRUCTOR: Xuefei Ren; Global Urban Studies Program

Assignments

  • Presentations
    • WEEK 1 (remix version here)
      • briefly summarize the readings of the week,
      • analyze & comment on the readings, identifying 2-3 questions for class discussion,
      • write a 3-page, double-spaced memo. I should post my memo on Angel by 5:00pm Sundays.
    • WEEK (remix version here)
      • briefly summarize the readings of the week,
      • analyze & comment on the readings, identifying 2-3 questions for class discussion,
      • write a 3-page, double-spaced memo. I should post my memo on Angel by 5:00pm Sundays.
    • The last presentation is a report of my final research paper. It’s scheduled in the last week, with 15-min allocated for each
  • Final research paper (Due 12/14/10)
    • SUBJECT _______________________
    • Full-length research or review article (5000-6000 words)
      • Based on a critical review of the literature on one of the topics we cover, OR
      • Based on original research on a topic of my choice.
        • Must incorporate class readings in my paper.
    • DUE 10/5/10 Proposal: 2-page single-spaced proposal, outlining my topic and approach for the final paper
    • DUE 11/9/10 First Draft: as complete as possible
    • DUE 11/30/10 Second Draft: the basis of my end-of-the-semester presentation

Required books:

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  • Development and Social Change, by Philip McMichael, 2008, Pine Forge Press.
  • A Sociology of Globalization, by Saskia Sassen, 2007, Norton.
  • A Brief History of Neoliberalism, by David Harvey, 2005, Oxford University Press.
  • Multitude, by Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, 2004, Penguin Books.
  • Spaces of Neoliberalism, edited by Neil Brenner and Nik Theodore, 2002, Blackwell.
  • Globalization and its Discontents, by Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2002, Norton.

ALL CREDIT OF THIS LIST TO DR. XUEFEI REN, MSU

Course Schedule

  • Sep 7 What we talk about when we talk about globalization?
    • Sassen, S. 2008. Ch1. Introduction, Ch2. Elements of a sociology of globalization
  • Sep 14 From National Development to Globalization
    • McMichael, P. 2008, Intro (p.1-20), Part I. The development project (1940-70s), Part II. From National Development to Globalization, Ch9. Development for what?
    • Pieterse, J. N. 1996. “The development of development theory: Towards critical globalism,” Review of International Political Economy (RIPE) 3(4), p.541-564.
  • Sep 21 Institutions: WTO, IMF, the World Bank etc.
  • Sep 28 [NOTES HERE] World-System, Hegemonic Transitions, Territory
    • Agnew, 1994. “The territorial trap: The geographical assumptions of international relations theory,” in RIPE, 1(1), p.53-80.
  • Oct 5 State Transformations
    • Mann, M. 1997. “Has globalization ended the rise and rise of the nation-state?” RIPE, 4(3), p.472-296.
    • Sassen, S. Ch3. The state confronts the global economy and digital networks.
    • Shaw, M. 1997. “The state of globalization: Toward a theory of state transformation,” RIPE, 4(3), p.497-513.
    • Weiss, L. 2005. “Global governance, national strategies: How industrialized states make room to move under the WTO,” RIPE, 12(5), p.723-749.
  • Oct 12 Rescaling the State
  • Oct 15 Lecture by Prof. James Holston (UC-Berkeley) on citizenship, Conference on
    • Housing and infrastructure, sponsored by Global Urban Studies Program at MSU.
  • Oct 19 Neoliberalism
    • Harvey, D. 2005, Ch1. Freedom’s Just another World, Ch2. The Construction of Consent, Ch3. The Neoliberal State, Ch4. Uneven Geographical Developments.
    • Ong, A. 2006. “Neoliberalism as exception, exception to neoliberalism,” p.1-27 in Neoliberalism as Exception, Duke University Press.
  • Oct 26 Actually existing Neoliberalism
    • Brenner, N. and Theodore, N. 2002. Ch1. “Cities and geographies of actually existing neoliberalism,” in Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Peck, J. and Tickell, A. Ch2. “Neoliberalizing Space,” in Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Smith, N. Ch4. “New globalism, new urbanism: Gentrification as global urban strategy,” in Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Swyngedouw, E. et. al. Ch9. “Neoliberal urbanization in Europe: Large-scale urban development projects and the new urban policy,” in Spaces of Neoliberalism.
  • Nov 2 Global Cities: Networks and Hierarchies
    • Friedmann, J and Goetz Wolff. 1982. “World City Formation”, Friedmann, J. 1986. “The World City Hypothesis,” in Global Cities Reader, edited by Brenner, N. and R. Keil.
    • Sassen, S. 2008. Ch4. The global city: Recovering place and social practices.
    • Robinson, J. 2002. “Global and World Cities: A View from off the Map,” in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 26(3), p.531-554.
    • Robinson, J. 2005. “Urban Geography: World Cities, or A World of Cities,” Progress in Human Geography, 29(6), pp.757-765.
  • Nov 9 Global Cities: Pathways and Contradictions
    • Leitner, H. and Sheppard, E. 2002. Ch7. “The city is dead, long live the net: Harnessing European interurban networks for a neoliberal agenda.” In Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Weber, R. 2002. Ch8. “Extracting value from the city: Neoliberalism and urban redevelopment,” In Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Keil, R. 2002. Ch10. “Commonsense neoliberalism: Progressive conservative urbanism in Toronto, Canada,” In Spaces of Neoliberalism.
    • Macleod, G. 2002. Ch11. “From urban entrepreneurialism to a revanchist city? On the spatial injustices of Glasgow’s renaissance, In Spaces of Neoliberalism.
  • Nov 16 Citizenship
    • Holston, J. 2008. Ch1. “Citizenship made strange,” in Insurgent Citizenship, Princeton University Press.
    • Turner, B. 2000. Ch7. “Cosmopolitan Virtue: Loyalty and the city,” p.129-147. in Democracy, Citizenship, and the Global City, edited by E. Isin, Routledge.
    • Urry, J. 2000. “Global flows and global citizenship,” p.62-78, in Democracy, Citizenship, and the Global City, edited by E. Isin, Routledge.
    • Ong, A. 2006. “Flexible citizenship: The cultural logics of transnationality,” p.1-25, in Flexible Citizenship, Duke University Press.
  • Nov 23 Conflicts and Counter-movements
    • Hardt, M. and Negri, A. 2004. Section 1. War, in Multitude.
    • Pieterse, J. N. 2002. “Globalization, kitsch, and conflict: Technologies of work, war and politics,” RIPE 9(1), p.1-36.
    • McMichael, Ch8. Global development and its counter-movements
    • Sassen, Ch7. Local actors in global politics
    • Evans, P. 2005. “Counter-hegemonic globalization: Transnational social movements in the contemporary global political economy,” in Handbook of Political Sociology, Cambridge University Press.
  • Nov 30 Multitude
    • Hardt, M. and Negri, A. 2004. Section 2. Multitude and Section 3. Democracy, in Multitude.
  • Dec 7 Students presentation

PLEASE NOTE that the syllabus structure and content is property of and created by the instructor. I am NOT posting as if this were my own material. I am simply posting what I studied, when, and where. Please read my Philosophy of the Syllabus Post [here]

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The Course:

“Economic, political, and cultural globalizations have posed both theoretical and methodological challenges for social sciences. The nation-state is no longer a container for transnational socioeconomic processes. Other sub-national and supra-national scales have become meaningful sites for agenda-making. This advanced graduate seminar examines the processes of variegated globalization(s), the main agents and institutions, and the impact of these processes on the state, cities, and citizenship practices. The main topics to be examined include neoliberalism, state transformations, the world system perspective, global cities, rights and citizenship, conflicts, and transnational social movements. By the end of the semester, students are expected to (1) develop a critical understanding of economic, political, and cultural globalizations, their origins, problems, and prospects, and (2) complete a full-length research or review article (5000-6000 words) addressing one of the weekly topics covered during the semester” (Ren, 2010)

Requirements:

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(Ren, 2010) *Note that I use the first person because this is what “I am doing” as a student*

  • 20% Attendance and Participation: This is a 15-person seminar, so my presence and active participation are essential for the learning experience of my classmates. Everyone is expected to be in attendance for each class and participate actively in discussions. In the case of illness and other special circumstances, notification should be given to the professor in advance. The attendance will constitute 10% of my total grade. Active participation in discussions will constitute another 10%. The classroom is a place where we can debate and exchange ideas. Instructor will work to make the classroom as comfortable as possible, so that I will feel free to ask questions and engage in discussions.
  • 30% Three presentations: I am expected to do three presentations. The first two presentations are based on readings and they should meet the following requirements:
    1. briefly summarize the readings of the week,
    2. analyze & comment on the readings, identifying 2-3 questions for class discussion,
    3. write a 3-page, double-spaced memo. I should post my memo on Angel by 5:00pm Sundays. The last presentation is a report of my final research paper. It’s scheduled in the last week, with 15-min allocated for each. The three presentations constitute 30% of my total grade.
  • 30% Final research paper: The most important assignment for this class is to write a full-length research or review article (5000-6000 words). Depending on the stage of my graduate work, the final paper can be either based on a critical review of the literature on one of the topics we cover, OR on original research on a topic of my choice. For both cases, I need to incorporate class readings in my paper. I am HIGHLY encouraged to discuss with the instructor early in the semester for choosing a paper topic.

Deadlines:

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10/5 Submit a 2-page single-spaced proposal, outlining my topic and approach for the final paper
11/9 Submit a first draft, as complete as possible
11/30 Submit a second draft and this will be the basis of my end-of-the-semester presentation
12/4 I will review two other papers and provide feedback, by emails, cc to the instructor.
12/7 In-class presentations
12/14 Submit a hard copy of my final article to Berkey 317/instructor mailbox under REN

Grading:

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  • 20% Attendance & Participation
  • 30% Presentations
  • 50% Final research paper
  • Grading Scale: 4.0= 100-90%, 3.5= 89.9-80%, 3.0= 79.9-70%, 2.5=69.9-65%, 2.0=64.9-60%, 1.5= 59.9-55%, 1.0= 54.9-50%

Academic Integrity Policy (AIP)

ALL CREDIT OF THIS LIST TO DR. XUEFEI REN, MSU

MSU expects all students, as a condition of enrollment, to understand and abide by the AIP. Be aware, specifically, that actions such as cheating on exams and plagiarism constitute serious violations of the AIP and can result in failure of the course and dismissal from the University.