Overview and essay prep 2015

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OVERVIEW AND ESSAY PREP

From global events to local essays


Today 

Being a critical scholar

Course overview

The essay questions

Writing ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ essays


Being a critical scholar 

In the 21st century, anyone can access facts and information

The most valuable are those who can think for themselves:  To

be able to critically analyse ideas  To be able to evaluate evidence and excesses of information  To be able to think in different ways


It’s not about me! 

In this module I have attempted to engage with your experiences of globalisation

As a result this has been a Western-centred module: the experiences of those living in London

The key success in the essays is not repeating what you think I think, but demonstrating the strength of your critical understanding

The lectures tend to link to examples of public discussion of issues – you need to go beyond this and use academic evidence


I want you to think.


You need to research


What do you want to find out?


Course Overview


What is globalisation? According to Giddens (1990, p.64), globalisation is: “the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa�

We are being critical of the affect of global structures upon local agencies and vice versa


Intensified connections 

Connections between peoples have intensified across time and space

More communication and influence outside of immediate environment (space) 

Distance becomes less important in social relations

Quicker interactions between people separated by space (time) 

The compression of time means that the time previous taken for social interaction to occur has been reduced


Shifting cultural identities 

Cultural identity comes from our identification with cultural practices, ideas and the symbolic resources of a culture



The advent of global communication and trading systems means that these referents are not necessarily local



On a global scale cultural identities may be shifting from fixed local traditions to fragmented deterritorised identities


Mediating the global village 

The media ‘mediate’ communication between distant peoples

Consequently, how we understand the world around us is largely determined by how it is represented for us

The dynamics of this representation have been largely determined by the construction of a profitdriven global communications system


The global village 

The idea of the global village suggests a more interconnected global society



The question is whether this village is connected but diverse, or connected and increasingly homogenous


The Difficulty 

Cultural imperialism, which includes the spread of Western values and the process of ‘McDonaldisation’ is based upon a mass consumption model of media

Cultures, people and media are highly differentiated and actors are locally situated and are active consumers of information

Moreover, the rise of the internet has allowed much more active participation in media


The importance of the local 

We discussed how nations are ‘imagined’ constructions

For many people nationhood is a defining attachment, particularly when there is a perceived threat

Whilst nationhood has come under threat from a number of sources, the last few years have seen a resurgence of local attachments


Local Diversity vs. sameness attachments


Globalising Socialising 

Family is one of the most enduring aspects of the human condition across time and cultures

Families provide our initial mode of socialisation, turning individual bodies into social beings

But, is the family a ‘natural’ and thus culturally universal element of human nature, or a cultural practice?

Whilst the ‘nuclear’ family with thought to be the ultimate form, globalisation has provoked reinvention rather than homogeneity

It is the role of women that has changed most significantly around the world



The essays 1. Critically evaluate the impact of the expansion of capitalism on the global poor

2. To what extent should developing nations be forced to reduce their carbon emissions? 3. Using examples from contemporary London, discuss the extent to which the ‘world city’ promotes post-national cultural identities 4. What is meant by ‘the end of history?’ Is this term still relevant in the 21st century? 1500 words, worth 70%, due Monday April 20th, 3pm


The basics 

Each of the questions asks you for a specific answer: make an argument and state it clearly in the introduction

Identify, analyse and discuss the main debates

Ensure that you use authoritative supporting evidence to defend your ideas


Critically evaluate the impact of the expansion of capitalism on the global poor


Globalisation as global capitalism 

Capitalism, the political and economic system where profits are privately accumulated is naturally expansive

In order to find places to invest money, the owners of capital are always searching for new markets and new consumers

Going in search of these markets, capitalism has expanded across the world through multi-national companies and global economic reform

This expansion has led to unprecedented wealth and an era of decreased absolute poverty, but increased exploitation(?)


The debate 

Globally, absolute poverty has decreased

The likes of Jeffery Sachs has argued that this is because of the ‘development ladder’ of global capitalism

The expansion of global capitalism brings jobs and investment to poorer areas, which in turn increases local consumption and growth

Marxist scholars have argued that this expansion allows the already wealthy to exploit the vulnerability of the global poor




To what extent should developing nations be forced to reduce their carbon emissions?


Climate change and globalisation 

Climate change IS occurring on a global scale, but is felt locally

Emissions are produced locally, but go into a global ecological system

Action requires local changes to help distant areas for no specific benefit of the polluting locality

This leads to significant debate about who should be sacrificing and how


The end of the world 

The world will not blow up, but it will make it significantly harder for some people to live in some places    

Rising sea-levels will flood some areas More regular natural disasters will make living in some places unviable Rising temperatures will melt mountain snow, drying up rivers and ending vital sources of water Rising temperatures will make growing crops in some areas impossible

The scarcity of resources leads to fears of increased conflict


The Problem 

If ending poverty requires an expansion of global production (capitalism) so that more people have more resources…

… and carbon emissions produced through economic production

Then we have a direct contradiction between economic development and ecological sustainability, one which is played out in climate change negotiations

Developed nations have produced the most carbon emissions, but developing nations will produce the most in the future


Using examples from contemporary London, discuss the extent to which the ‘world city’ promotes post-national cultural identities


People movers 

The 21st century is the first time that the world has been more urban than rural

Urbanisation is most identifiable in the ‘world’ cities of the Western world

These cities has allowed elite portions of humanity to flourish, bringing young and talented people together

Cities tend to have greater opportunities for employment, higher wages and higher productivity

They can also produce anxiety, alienation and isolation


Being post-national 

Post-national identities are cultural identities that do not specifically identify with the nation

The cosmopolitan ‘world city’ like London is very diverse and residents often identify with the city over the nation

But…London is still in the UK (and run under UK law) and UK born residents are still the majority


What is meant by ‘the end of history?’ Is this term still relevant in the st 21 century?


The End of History? 

Political scientists have often argued that human history is the story of continuous struggle

The fall of communism at the end of the 20th Century suggested that the ‘End of History’ had arrived

American conservative political scientist Francis Fukuyama stated: "What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of postwar history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government."


Maybe not… 

The events of 9/11 suggested that clashes of ideology, or between civilisations, may not have ended

Security fears have come to dominate the Western world, perhaps superseding the liberal-democratic model

The notion of ‘with or against us’ has revealed the precariousness of Western led globalisation


WRITING ESSAYS

A user’s guide


Student: 01115673

Grade: C Whilst this essay demonstrates some knowledge, it is largely ‘journalistic’ and only superficially engages with academic research. The essay is reasonably well structured, but it is difficult to identify a main argument. In addition there are numerous errors in expression and referencing


Taking a Stand 

Ultimately, academic writing is about expressing an informed and authoritative opinion objectively and concisely

Academic writing is what you think, but it isn’t just your opinion

Your opinion becomes an academic argument because it is defended with evidence and analysis


KEY TIP

WRITE A THESIS STATEMENT


Thesis Statements 

In research, your argument is previewed at the beginning of your work: the thesis statement



Thesis statements contain your justified response to the assignment question



Thesis statements contain a claim, a justification and are often supplemented by a qualifying statement.


‘Macro’ level structure Context

Introduction

Preview Thesis Statement

Argument Review Consequences

Conclusion


Question: Critically evaluate the impact of fee increases on student satisfaction in higher education Thesis: (this essay argues that‌) as fees rise, students’ satisfaction is likely to decrease as they demand stronger services from universities that have not been provided with extra funding to offer that support. Conversely, there may be other approaches, such as an increased focus on teaching standards, to maintain satisfaction levels without extra funding.


Defending this position 

Your primary argument is the basis of the structure of your writing

What do you need to discuss to convince the reader?  This

will include the integration of counter-arguments


Structuring a Response: The Classical Argument Primary position Alternative Position

Synthesis


Planning your argument What is the issue? 1.

Identify your response

2.

What are the main elements of this position?

3.

What evidence do you have for these claims?


Evidence 

To convince the reader and to move our position from opinion to argument we need to incorporate evidence into our work



Here it is vital to go beyond describing this evidence into critically analysing it, particularly if it contrasts with your main point



The way you discuss this evidence is vital for making your writing more critical


Indirect quotations (Paraphrasing) • Demonstrates your understanding of broad concepts or theories • Distils points and saves word count • Allows synthesis of various sources


“Direct quotations” • “Adds authority by identifying key moments in the debate” (Taylor, 2010, p.12) • Lends energy and ‘punch’ to a claim • Should be integrated with your own sentences and ideas.

Only directly quote when you couldn’t have said it better yourself.


Using evidence: The common errors ‘Working class mothers smoke much more than others.’ ‘Working class mothers smoke much more than others. “Low income people are often stressed, which leads to an increased desire to smoke” (Daily Mail, 2014). As a consequence we can see that poorer mothers take less care of their health.’ ‘According to the NHS (1991), working-class mothers are 25.2% more likely to smoke than other mothers.’


Don’t let the evidence speak for itself

Always ask, so what?


Establishing Connections 

Create links to ‘drive’ your reader around your argument

These links can be developed within paragraphs through signposts

Alternatively, links are established at the beginning and end of paragraphs


Drive your reader around Globalisation‌

Moreover

However


Signposting


Stuck for words?

www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk www.visualthesaurus.com


Develop an academic vocabulary Smith believes

Smith (2014) argues

It is proven that

Evidence suggests that

Smith is wrong

Smith’s (2014) approach is problematic

We might think that students… In my opinion, students

Although students may… Students


The dangerous semi-colon 

Semi-colons are not easy to use. Many people use them incorrectly.

Semi-colons are not easy to use; many people use them incorrectly.

Semi-colons should only be used to separate what could be full sentences that are very closely related

If you are not sure, don’t use them


Basic marking criteria 

Does it provide an answer to the question (is there a relevant argument)?

Does it identify and discuss the relevant debates?

Does it use authoritative supporting evidence?

Is it written with authority? (professional formatting, formally written, very few errors)


Find the ‘A’, the ‘B’ and the ‘C’


Final hints 

Academic writing is always what you think, but is defended with other scholars’ research

State your argument and defend this argument with a logical structure

Ensure that your writing is supported by authoritative and clearly integrated evidence

Go beyond description (So what?) and drive your reader around your essay


Almost final things 

Make sure you read your feedback from the previous assessment (ask if you are not sure)

I am available to meet or over email, although the university is closed over Easter and my regular office hours end this afternoon

Please complete the module evaluation survey


Thanks!


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