If any student is unable to obtain the readings from this text via the three methods listed above, they should see the Instructor for special arrangements to acquire the readings. Course Objectives: To give students a comprehensive overview of the sociological study of race and ethnicity across research in aging and the life course by providing: 1) a foundation for understanding the formation and measurement of the concepts of race and ethnicity 2) an overview of major research foci and significant theoretical orientations within the study of race, ethnicity, and aging 3) an understanding of race, ethnicity,
These objectives will be fulfilled in the following manner. First, concepts that will be used in our study of aging and the life course will be briefly defined. This will be followed by a more extended discussion of issues in the definition and measurement of race and ethnicity. The seminar will then examine major theories and other significant research foci in current aging research that emphasize issues of race and ethnicity. This literature will be examined with regard to how hypotheses are framed to generate research questions and how particular methods are utilized in answering hose questions.
This course is cross-listed as an undergraduate (of the highest level) and graduate course, and therefore, will be conducted as an advanced seminar. As a seminar, students will be expected to lead discussions on each topic with occasional interruptions from the instructor to lecture on a particularly difficult- to-understand topic or (more typically) to assist in focusing and providing background to discussion of particular readings. To facilitate this process, students completing summaries of readings on a given day (see below for details) will also be armorial charged with leading discussion on that reading.
Role of Course in the Miami Plan: This course is one of three tier three course options in gerontology thematic sequence GET 2 (Aging in Diverse Contexts). Students who enroll in GET 2 begin with an overview of the social, cultural, and personal experiences of aging. The second course provides the students with grounding in socio-cultural analyses of the contexts of aging, and the third course is an in-depth exploration of the sources of variation in the aging experience.
Students completing this sequence will understand he ways in which the meanings and experiences of aging are shaped by social and physical location, and the ways in which diversity among the older population is produced. Miami Plan Principles: 1 . Critical thinking, which includes integrating and analyzing information from many different disciplines and sources to formulate ideas, and clear oral and written expression of these ideas. The critical article summaries and term paper described below are designed to help you practice your critical thinking skills. 2.
Understanding contexts, or the ways in which political, cultural, economic, and demographic factors effect our thinking about aging. The term paper, summaries, and in-class discussion will give you an opportunity to pay attention to the different contexts in which aging unfolds. 3. Engaging with other learners through active listening and sharing ideas with classmates; As a seminar, interaction with the group in our class sessions over the semester is expected for all class periods and required for those sessions in which you are assigned to lead discussion and share your written critical summaries with your classmates. . Reflecting and acting?drawing on the knowledge and skills scribed above, students who complete this course should be better prepared for active and responsible involvement in meeting the needs of our aging population. The paper and class discussion in particular will give you an opportunity to reflect Paper Assignments: As a cross-listed undergraduate/graduate course, course requirements are divided as follows: Undergraduate Assignments: Most graded work for this seminar will consist of writing assignments of two types. First, all students will each complete critical summaries of 3 different assigned readings.
Students will sign-up for their choices of readings during the first class meeting. Summaries should be about 2 to 3 pages in length. Each student should provide a copy of their summary to all other students as well as the instructor at the beginning of the class period in which the reading will be covered. Students will then lead the discussion on articles which they summarized (Typically, there will be more than one student assigned the same reading and also responsible for discussion). A critical review is a summary and analysis of a particular reading assigned in the course.
Second, students will write a term paper (15-20 pages) based on an in-depth critique of a major area in race-ethnic aging research that includes theoretical and methodological summaries and evaluations of the body of literature examined. The term paper will require extensive and intensive reading of outside literature and a theoretical and methodological analysis of a major hypothesis or conceptual framework. Graduate Assignments: First, all students will each complete critical summaries of 6 different assigned meeting. Summaries should be about 3 pages in length.
Each student should hen lead the discussion on articles which they summarized (Frequently, there will be Second, students will write a term paper (20-25 pages) based on an in-depth critique of a major area in minority aging research that includes theoretical and framework. Graduate work will be evaluated more critically than undergraduate work with an expectation of higher quality. Grades will be determined by the following distribution: Undergraduate Graduate Readings Summaries Final Paper 24% 54% 36% 56% Class Discussion/Leadership Expectations: You are expected to come to class.
