White space

For this assignment, first read "The White Space," which can be found in Week 5 Readings. This is a very important essay by a professor of sociology at Yale University. I urge you to read slowly and try to follow all the connections Anderson is making -- his argument becomes more layered as it goes. 

Task:

This assignment is a variation of a Question-Comment-Connect post. Your answers to Part 1-3 should be 300-500 words long. 

Part 1: Question:

Pose one or more questions prompted by the readings which engage you as a writer, but for which you may not have a ready answer. These should be questions that you would like to discuss more together online and in class, including questions about how we might interpret/analyze particular ideas in the readings, how we might apply the readings to particular academic/non-academic contexts, how we might situate or contextualize the readings, or how others might personally respond to/understand the ideas in the readings.

Tip: These should not be comprehension questions, but should be questions that we might choose to discuss in class on Tuesday. You might want to use Part 2 to venture an answer to your question, or you could write Part 2 first, then use Part 1 to consider where the conversation might go next. 

Part 2: Comment:

Comment on the ideas presented in the readings in a way that pushes your understanding of the text (or questions you posed in Part 1) in particular ways, and also speaks to the course material in general. Commenting requires both summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting from the assigned text, and provides an opportunity to consider how the text has shaped your beliefs or understanding about central issues. 

Tip: A comment should not be a summary of the text only. I want you to think about what was interesting to you, how the text changed your understanding of something, how you see at as connected to other course materials, etc. 

Part 3: Connect:

Draw specific connections to something beyond the readings, including particular academic/non-academic experiences, texts, and contexts. You might make connections to another part of your life/experience in or out of the university, a connection to another part of our class, a connection to another class you are taking or have taken, a connection to an issue in the media, etc.

The connection should be meaningful and thoughtful. 

LINK TO READINGS: https://sociology.yale.edu/sites/default/files/pages_from_sre-11_rev5_printer_files.pdf