USSO 285Q - Paradigms, Ideologies, and World Views

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

The purpose of this class is to analyze the different ways in which people view the world, and the consequences of adopting any particular perspective. Our first primary area of inquiry will be the degree to which the scientific community meets its ideals. We will explore how dominant paradigms develop and slowly change based on sociological and psychological principles that are far from the idealized notion of scientific process. Then, we will explore modern political ideologies in order to assess how fundamentally different assumptions about how the world works lead to fundamentally different conclusions about ideal policies. We will then discuss the degree to which ordinary citizens follow such ideologies. As an alternative to an ideological world view, we will then examine the concept from psychology known as the, "schema," and we will discuss how schemata affect political perceptions. Finally, we will discuss how even so-called experts are subject to errors in judgment based on their assumptions about the world. This is a University Seminar, so the class will also set aside time to discuss writing. The schedule has several sessions set aside for writing instruction (labeled, writing day or, writing week). On these days, class will be led jointly by the professor and the writing liaison to discuss writing technique. For most of these sessions, you will be asked to participate in a writing exercise, to be discussed immediately afterwards. For some sessions you will be asked to bring in outlines, thesis statements, sample paragraphs, or other preparation work for course assignments. You will be informed the week prior when you will need to bring such a sample to the writing session. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSSO, FSCC, FSNA, FSSY or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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