Sociological Writing What this handout is about This handout introduces you to the wonderful world of writing sociology. Before you can write a clear and coherent sociology paper, you need a firm understanding of the assumptions and expectations of the discipline. What is sociology, and what do sociologists write about? Unlike many of the other subjects here at UNC, such as history or English, sociology is a new subject for many students. So, just what is a sociological perspective? Key assumptions and characteristics of sociological writing What are the most important things to keep in mind as you write in sociology? Argument The first thing to remember in writing a sociological argument is to be as clear as possible in stating your thesis. The “individual argument” generally takes this form: “The individual is free to make choices, and any outcomes can be explained exclusively through the study of his or her ideas and decisions.” Evidence Quantitative data are based on surveys, censuses, and statistics.
WEO 2012 Lately, the near-term outlook has noticeably deteriorated, as evidenced by worsening high-frequency indicators in the last quarter of 2011 (Figure 2: CSV|PDF). The main reason is the escalating euro area crisis, which is interacting with financial fragilities elsewhere (Figure 3: CSV|PDF). Specifically, concerns about banking sector losses and fiscal sustainability widened sovereign spreads for many euro area countries, which reached highs not seen since the launch of the Economic and Monetary Union. The updated WEO projections see global activity decelerating but not collapsing. Overall, activity in the advanced economies is now projected to expand by 1½ percent on average during 2012–13. • The euro area economy is now expected to go into a mild recession in 2012—consistent with what was presented as a downside scenario in the January 2011 WEO Update. Commodity prices generally declined in 2011, in response to weaker global demand. Downside risks stem from several sources.
ALEC Exposed Progressive Policies Win at the Ballot Box Ballot measures across the country passed on November 8th highlighting the fact that progressive values still resonate with the U.S. electorate. Gains were made even in the face of industry deception and big dollar ad campaigns. In a victory for climate activists and solar energy, Floridians voted down Amendment 1, a constitutional amendment which would have made it hard for people with solar panels to sell energy back to the grid. Kochs Battle Dark Money Disclosure in South Dakota The Koch network mobilized in South Dakota to defeat the "South Dakota Accountability and Anti-Corruption Act," a state-wide initiative on the ballot November 8. The anti-corruption measure, Initiated Measure 22 or IM-22, was launched by a bipartisan group called the South Dakotans for Integrity and put on the ballot with signatures from over 20,000 state residents. Exxon and ALEC Running Illegal Lobbying Scheme, Watchdog Groups Charge in IRS Complaint
Welcome to The Hampton Institute: A Working-Class Think Tank WEO 2013 Global growth is projected to remain subdued at slightly above 3 percent in 2013, the same as in 2012. This is less than forecast in the April 2013 World Economic Outlook (WEO), driven to a large extent by appreciably weaker domestic demand and slower growth in several key emerging market economies, as well as a more protracted recession in the euro area. Downside risks to global growth prospects still dominate: while old risks remain, new risks have emerged, including the possibility of a longer growth slowdown in emerging market economies, especially given risks of lower potential growth, slowing credit, and possibly tighter financial conditions if the anticipated unwinding of monetary policy stimulus in the United States leads to sustained capital flow reversals. Stronger global growth will require additional policy action. Financial market volatility increased globally in May and June after a period of calm since last summer.
IMF ISSC Transnational Institute Who Rules America? Power, Politics, & Social Change by G. William Domhoff Welcome to WhoRulesAmerica.net, a site about how power is distributed and wielded in the United States. It both builds upon and greatly supplements the book Who Rules America? Among the many things you'll find here: supplementary information and updates for readers of WRA; an overview of the American power structure at the national level and an in-depth look at power at the local level; a look at the wealth and income distribution in the U.S.; and an overview of the Four Networks theory of power, which provides the best general theory of power and social change within which to situate the class-domination theory we've developed specifically for the United States. There's a special section (including photos and first-hand accounts) about a unique elite social club that's been holding its annual California summer retreat for well over a century: The Bohemian Club & The Bohemian Grove. Questions and Answers Q: So, who does rule America? A: No, not quite.
The Public Intellectual Within the last few decades, the emergence of public intellectuals as important cultural and social critics has raised fundamental questions not only about the social function of academics, but also about the connection between higher education and public life, between academic work and the major issues shaping the broader society. Truthout's Public Intellectual Project will provide progressive academics with an opportunity to address a number of important social issues in a language that is both rigorous and accessible. All too often, academics produce work that is either too abstract for a generally informed public, or they separate their scholarship from the myriad of issues and contemporary problems that shape everyday life in the United States and abroad. Articles by Henry A. Articles by (or About) Other Authors in the Public Intellectual Project Seth Adler Ian Angus Stanley Aronowitz Salvatore Babones Zygmunt Bauman Carol Becker Dr. Megan Boler Noam Chomsky David L. Simon Dawes Cary Fraser
The Trend Toward Part-Time Employment Let's take a close look at Friday's employment report numbers on Full and Part-Time Employment. Buried near the bottom of Table A-9 of the government's Employment Situation Summary are the numbers for Full- and Part-Time Workers, with 35-or-more hours as the arbitrary divide between the two categories. The Labor Department has been collecting this since 1968, a time when only 13.5% of US employees were part-timers. That number peaked at 20.1% in January 2010. The latest data point, over four years later, is only modestly lower at 18.9%, up from 18.8% last month, which was the interim low. Here is a visualization of the trend in the 21st century, with the percentage of full-time employed on the left axis and the part-time employed on the right. The Impact of the Great Recession Here is a closer look since 2007. The two charts above are seasonally adjusted and include the entire workforce, which the CPS defines as age 16 and over. The Core Workforce: Ages 25-54
How the CIA made Google In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, western governments are moving fast to legitimize expanded powers of mass surveillance and controls on the internet, all in the name of fighting terrorism. US and European politicians have called to protect NSA-style snooping, and to advance the capacity to intrude on internet privacy by outlawing encryption. One idea is to establish a telecoms partnership that would unilaterally delete content deemed to “fuel hatred and violence” in situations considered “appropriate.” What any of this would have done to prevent the Charlie Hebdo attacks remains a mystery, especially given that we already know the terrorists were on the radar of French intelligence for up to a decade. There is little new in this story. Google styles itself as a friendly, funky, user-friendly tech firm that rose to prominence through a combination of skill, luck, and genuine innovation. The shadow network The Highlands Forum The Pentagon’s intellectual capital venture firm