durkheim lives!

In an article on why College Republicans support the war but don't go to fight it themselves, this young man's response recalls the great French sociologist:

"The country is like a body," Palmer explained, "and each part of the body has a different function. Certain people do certain things better than others." He said his "function" was planning a "Support Our Troops" day on campus this year in which students honored military recruiters from all four branches of the service.

du bois chapter

Here is "Of Our Spiritual Strivings," a chapter from The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois. Print it out, and read it over the weekend for Tuesday paying particular attention to his use of the plural. No speaking notes required.

durkheim, 'division of labor, part one' questions

1.) How is Durkheim's version of the 'division of labor' different from Marx's?
2.) Why is he hung up on morality? What is he not talking about in relation to morality?
3.) Why does Durkheim write about friendship and marriage?
4.) How would you characterize the individual's place in society via mechanical solidarity? How about organic solidarity?
5.) Why would Durkheim be interested in law? what is the fundamental difference in law when we move from mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity? How about deviance?

what's the relationship between...

Weber's notion of rationality and Jevon's Paradox?

(Also: via Dan Skinner, it turns out that Karl is topping good lists too.)

it's funny because it's true

Click to The Onion only if you don't mind swear words. (You say you're teaching Marx in class, and your friends send you the oddest things.)

weber, 'protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism' question

Here are some questions as you are reading the reading assigned for next week:

1.) One of the central controversies around this text has to do with the way that Weber engages Marx. What aspects of his inquiry are idealist and which are materialist?
2.) Weber notes that capitalism existed in other societies, but that "something was missing." What might that have been?
3.) What's the relationship between capitalism and tradition, labor and 'calling'?
4.) What were Calvin and Luther's contributions to Protestantism and how do they relate to the themes of the book?
5.) How do these spiritual differences lead to "differences in conduct" between Catholicism and Protestantism?
6.) What kind of labor is a part of God's calling, and what of accumulation and possessions? (Chapter Five)
7.) Think about the last metaphor used in the book. How does it related to his version of modern progress?

marx and t-shirts

On the topic of Marx's assumptions about his assumptions of what our 'species-being' is: I was reminded this morning (while doing laundry) that I had worn a t-shirt on the first day and was disappointed that no one asked what it said. Since you all are quite talkative, I'm going to assume first-day jitters and give you another chance at it. Here's what it said:

"Ts'i mahnu uterna ot twan ot geifur hingts uto."

The first one to post the meaning is rewarded with candy.

marx, 'economic and philosophic manuscripts of 1844' questions

In the syllabus, I instruct you to read pages 279 to 309 and 334 to 341. If you get a chance to read pages 322 to 334 and 345 to 358 to really be prepared for discussion this Wednesday (we'll finish up questions on the 'Introduction' and 'The Jewish Question,' and talk about alienation and the evolution of capitalism) and Thursday (we'll talk about 'The Manuscripts').

The following are some questions for you to think about when you are reading (also, here's a definition of 'political economy' for you):

Wages of Labor (pp. 279-95)
1.) What does Marx have to say about the conditions of the worker in times of prosperity? Surely they are better than in a depression, right? (see p.284-6)
2.) What does he say about the question of skilled laborers (a question raised in class last week)? (see p.289).
3.) Take the grocery store example on the bottom of page 299. What happens to competition in the free market? What are the differences between 'big capitalists' and 'small capitalists,' 'circulating' and 'fixed capital?'
4.) Take a look at this visual representation (and corresponding article) on media consolidation and think about how this relates to our discussion last week on ideology.
5.) Why do we spend so much money on Erectile Dysfunction and Weight-loss medication when there's still AIDs?

Estranged Labor (pp. 322-34)
1.) The nature of man vs. beginning with a ‘material fact’?
2.) The relationship between the system of estrangement and the money system?
3.) What are the forms of alienation of capitalism?
4.) What is the “product, result, and necessary consequence” of alienated labor?

Private Property and Communism (pp. 345-58)
1.) What does Marx mean when he says that communism is the “positive supersession” of private property (p.349)?
2.) What does he mean when he says that private property makes people “one-sided”?

2004 US budget chart

Hey, do you want to know where your tax dollars go? Here you have it, via 'Throb.'

odds and ends

Whoa, new format! Hopefully, this one looks better than the last. I think I figured out what was wrong, but decided to change the template anyway. Can someone tell me if this still looks all messed up?

Also, from last night's lecture and for your enjoyment: Mos Def on use value and exchange value, and the New York Times on the dominant class and ideology.

marx, 'on the jewish question' questions

1.) What is the nature of man? What are his or her rights?
2.) What is his or her relationship to the state, for Marx? Or ‘civil society’?
3.) Is there a distinction between ‘freedom from’ and ‘freedom to’?
4.) What is the connection between history, science, and religion?
5.) From where does Marx draw examples, and do you feel that there are connections to be made today?

ten (plus) most dangerous books!

Here they are. Our friend Karl is #1 (and 6)!

how class works?

Over the weekend, try to take a look at this little graphic from the New York Times on class, and put in your information. Peruse the series of articles, if you like; it miht help you prepare for discussion on Wednesday, or write your speaking notes.