Directions: Students will write 10-15 page papers on some topic related to political sociology. A list of topics are provided below; students may select from these, or they may choose one of their own with my permission. Students are required to inform me of the topic they will be using by April 20 (at the very latest). Topics are available on a first come, first serve basis. No two students may do the same topic. If a student changes his or her topic, he or she must have my permission. Your paper must by typed and double-spaced. Grades will be determined according to the following criteria (in order of most basic to most sophisticated):
1. Basic grammar (spelling, punctuation, phrasing)
2. Format (correct use of citations, bibliography, quoting, paragraphs)
3. Presentation (organization of the report, clarity, sufficient detail)
4. Understanding of the pertinent information related to your topic.
5. Ability to critically evaluate the major issues pertaining to your topic.
This assignment is due no later than 5:00 pm on May 7, 2000.

Topics:
The Role of Predominantly Black Churches in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's
The Legal Activism of the NAACP
Religion and the Schools: the School Prayer and Home Schooling Movements
The Corporate Political Awakening of the 1970's
The International Workers of the World
Cesar Chavez and the California Farm Workers Movement
Labor Activism During the Great Depression
The Congress of Industrial Organizations
Unions and Corruption
The American Indian Movement
The Animal Rights Movement
The Battle Over Affirmative Action Since the Election of Reagan
The Political Meaning of the Rediscovery of Africa
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee
Black Anti-Slavery Activism
The Black Panther Party
The Nation of Islam
NARAL
Radical Feminism
Campus Feminist Activism in the 1960's and 1970's
Black Feminist Activism
The Temperance/Prohibition Movement
Pornography As a Feminist Issue
The Men's Movement
Ecofeminist Activism
Structural Adjustment Programs in Developing Countries
Globalization and the Environmental Movement
The World Trade Organization
The Zapatista Movement in Chiapas, Mexico
African Development Since the Year of Africa
Islam and European Cultural Hegemony
Puerto Rican Independence
The Rise and Fall of Salvador Allende
The Christian Coalition
The Militia Movement
The Defeat of the ERA
The National Rifle Association
The Political Awakening of the Religious Right (1960's and 1970's)
Operation Rescue
Students for a Democratic Society
Student Activism Since the 1960's
The Anti-Nuclear Movement
The Homophile Movement
Lesbians and Gender Bias in the Gay Rights Movement
ACT-UP
The Battle Over Hate Crimes Legislation
The Stonewall Riot: Causes and Consequences
The Death Penalty
Black Profiling
Campaign Finance Reform
Immigration Law
The Impeachment of Bill Clinton
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

Writing a Political Sociology Paper
In any historical paper regarding these topics, you most likely would make reference to a large number of names of people and key events. In a political sociology paper, you can and should include key people and key events; but it is of paramount importance that you discuss resources, organizations, and access to government. These are the issues that a political sociology paper should always discuss.

Your paper should answer the following questions: What are the key organizations and leaders involved? What are the main issues that the organization(s) is/are concerned with? What kinds of changes does the organization(s) desire to accomplish? Review the history of the organization, its tactics, its support base, and its accomplishments. What social forces have influenced its success or failure?

Remember that this paper is to be a Political Sociology paper; in other words, I do not just want you to document a series of events, but an interpretation of how these events reflect underlying differences in political power and influence. Your goal is to make an argument about how inequities of political power have influenced the course of events, the strategies chosen, alliances, who wins, who benefits, etc., it is not to argue in favor or against a particular policy.

One strategy would be to introduce the topic, present a general history of the issue or organization, and then apply theoretical concepts from the course to explain how different interests have contended for, and/or continue to contend for, an advantageous position in the political process.

References and Citations
Any extremely important, but strangely sometimes overlooked, aspect of writing a term paper is citations and references. Any fact, quotation, or paraphrase from another source must receive a brief citation in the text, as well as a full reference in your bibliography. Everyone must include a bibliography.

The minimum number of prior sources allowable for this paper is 10. Internet sources will be considered ½ the value of other sources. You may use the required text, but all of your required text combined will count as only 1 toward your total, even if you use multiple sources of required text. Encyclopedia entries are obviously unacceptable, although almanacs may be used if they are being used to provide statistical data; in which case, they count as ½ a source.

If you are familiar with APA or ASA style, this is acceptable. Citations can be in-text, footnotes, or endnotes, but most always contain three things:
1-the author's name
2-the year of publication
3-the page number-unless it is a paraphrase of something the author said

Bibliography references (listed in alphabetical order) must contain:
1-the author's name, always first
2-the year of publication
3-the title
4-the journal, or editor and title of the book if it's an edited compilation
5-publisher and city where published (for a book only)
6-volume and page numbers (for a journal only)

The library publishes a pamphlet on citation and references that you can pick up for free. You can also contact me, preferably via e-mail, if you have a question about references. Remember that plagiarism, whether involving other students, or pre-existing text, is grounds for an immediate failing grade and possible action with judicial review.

One final point: A frequent mistake people make when quoting from prior sources is excessive quoting. Quoted statements are only supposed to augment your discussion; they are not supposed to be part of the core of your discussion. Quoting entire paragraphs from a prior source is a bad idea. Excessive quoting, even if you cite the source, is bad writing and is indicative of insufficient effort, and will not help your grade.