Sociological Essay

Each essay will be 6-8 pages in length approximate. You will draw from course material and outside academic sources (minimal sources of both outside/course readings 4-5).

• Sociology of law has its origins in the early scholarship of Marx, Durkheim, Weber and their theoretical perspectives. Discuss, analyze, critique and give examples how functionalism, conflict and interpretive perspectives understand law as part of social/legal institutions and critically analyze how law and society relations interact between law, social control and social change.

• Foucault’s theory offers a method to understand the context of present-day interactions and practices in everyday life and institutions. These conditions are often based on surveillance and the extension of this idea to models of self-regulation. Does surveillance in the everyday, school, work, etc. lead to a reduction in resistance/authenticity? Does surveillance create a new type of subject and spaces? Are the “powers of control/regulation” producing “knowledge” that enhances control and the exercise of power?

• Using Razack’s reading Gendered Racial Violence and spatialized Justice: The Murder of Pamela George and outside sources discuss, explore and analyze how not only individuals but places and spaces are racialized, gendered and criminalized.

• Should Judges rather than politicians be responsible for policy decisions and the protection of Canadian civil rights? Using Foster’s review on Mandel and Roache’s readings and 2-4 scholarly outside sources, please discuss, analyze and support your answers.

• Using course material and outside sources discuss to what extent do legal institutions help or hinder a well-functioning economy. For this question, use Authors and Deflem’s readings and include a discussion of ‘juridification’ to your answer.

• Using the case of Khadr v. Canada (2010) discuss why the SCC ruled that the detainment of the minor not only violated the Principles of Fundamental Justice but the basic Canadian standards of treatment of young people entangled in the justice system.

• Using Mawawi’s reading In Between and Out of Place:Mixed-Race Identity, and course material discuss, analyze/critique “the emergence of the ‘half-breed’ as a new racial category and juridical taxonomy that unsettled racial hierarchies and spatial distinctions between aboriginal and white settler populations”.

• Your invited to explore a topic or issue in which you are interested from the course and using course material and outside sources present, discuss and analyze your chosen topic using one or more of the sociological perspectives. Please come and talk to me before you begin working on this question.

Essay (30%)

Length: It should be 6-8 pages double spaced shall indicate the title of the paper, your name                                    and student number, course code, instructor’s name, and date submitted.

The paper shall consist as follows:

1. Begin with a clearly written introductory section that explains the title of your paper and gives the reader a general idea of the topic you are examining and the problem you are addressing.

1. Provide a theoretical background explanation/analysis of your topic by drawing on ideas and concepts from our course. In this section you will rely only on course materials, readings, lecture ideas, concepts, theories, that pertain to your topic. Which course concepts/readings and theories best relate to (or are relevant to) your topic and why? Be sure to define each concept you use and be specific about how it relates to/lends insight to your topic.

• In subsequent sections you are asked to go beyond the course readings on your topic and conduct library research and summarize the ideas of academic ‘social science’ authors who have written on your topic. Your sources must be from scholars in the social sciences (internet sources are not valid scholarly sources unless it is the web version of an academic journal article). You shall rely on at least 2-3 source materials beyond our course sources or more if you feel it is necessary.

Your essay assignment should use a proper social science referencing style such as the ‘Chicago Style’, or ‘American Psychological Association. Be consistent with your referencing style and use only one and not both in your work. Include a bibliography at the end of the report that lists all your sources.

Make sure you carefully proofread your essay for organization, grammar, flow and coherence of ideas before handing it in. You will submit your paper on moodle by the end of July 7^th, 2020.

Researching and Structuring Essay

Students should consult the below for assistance http://researchguides.library.yorku.ca/content.php?pid=240146&sid=1981857

Your essay will be graded on the basis of the following criteria:

-how well is your thesis formulated (in comprehensive, persuasive concise, clear and strong       way outlining the discussion/analysis that would follow).

-how well does content support the thesis statement.

-how well the report is written in terms of clarity, organization and flow of ideas- strong        paragraph organization and development, punctuation, correct citation, grammar and                 editing.

-how well you select, present, define and apply course concepts/ideas that are of             significance to your topic.

-how well you research, represent/summarize your source authors, and on how well you             select your choices for sources.

*DO NOT PLAGIARIZE, COPY OR SUBMIT SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK AS YOUR OWN!! THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR PLAGIARISM & ACADEMIC DISHONESTY.

York students are required to maintain high standards of academic integrity and are subject to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty (http://www.yorku.ca/academicintegrity/students/index.htm)

There is also an academic integrity website with complete information about academic honesty. Students are expected to review the materials on the Academic Integrity website (http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/polpoints.html).