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[Meta] Bad social science and undergrads (self.BadSocialScience)

SnugglerificThe archaeology of ignorance が 投稿

So I might have to teach undergradlings next year (anthropology). What are the most common misconceptions/bad social science that students bring into the intro courses? I'm really afraid of the unit on race.

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[–]annoyingbeggar 5ポイント6ポイント  (0子コメント)

The biological basis of race and sex are big ones. Bootstrap mentalities about minorities are also big (they just don't try as hard as everyone else, my parents/grandparents, etc). They also fetishize indigenous people.

[–]TheMartianJim 3ポイント4ポイント  (0子コメント)

In my experience (Sociology), assumptions. And it seems that, unlike many subjects, the students will hold hard and fast to "common sense" ideas. Racialism and Sexism are always the ones where I get the most push-back from students who have believe in things like HBD and the like. I wonder if these students argue with their other teachers on pretty basic concepts as well.

[–]Tuipie 2ポイント3ポイント  (0子コメント)

Hmm one I come across time and time again is not grasping power differences, so they really want to hold on to the idea that racism against white people should be taken as seriously as racism against minorities (watch out for a What About White People discussion). The institutional/power side of racism seems to be one of the biggest hurdles.

(recent sociology grad dealing with psych postgrads who still don't get this)

[–]LukaCola 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

The entire concept of social constructs and how they affect disparaged groups disproprortionately.

Basically, consider a lot of the general population of reddit and its misconceptions and you'll find quite a few students have them as well.

[–]Etular 0ポイント1ポイント  (0子コメント)

In complete contrast to the other comments, I would say that (with the prevalence of websites like Tumblr, where social justice rhetoric is more commonplace) a stubbornly naïve and simplistic understanding of some sociological concepts, merged with other kinds of online jargon that is thin in definition or meaning.

I've personally found there to be less problems around racialism etc., and more so around overly-simplistic beliefs around binaries, or otherwise a propensity to statically stick to a rigid and underdeveloped notion of the standpoint, without exploring other areas.

I would say the need to emphasise the plurality of multiple, equally legitimate, theoretical perspectives is a requirement, to stop students from adopting a very narrow field of vision based on their ideological backgrounds and experiences.