TOPIC: Policing and/or Black Lives Matter movement. Possible theories: Durkheim, Weber, Du Bois, Collins, Crenshaw, Foucault, Mbembe.
You must describe what this phenomenon/issue/social fact is, how prevalent or relevant this is to our society, what the data are, and/or what policies are out there in relation to this topic. To provide accurate descriptions of the facts, you will need to read, incorporate, and cite these sources in your paper. After describing the empirical case, choose a theory/theorist from this course and discuss how the theory/concepts may explain the patterns, causes, and effects of this phenomenon. The paper should have the following sections:
Title: Write a catchy/interesting title that captures the topic. “Paper Assignment 1” is not an acceptable title.
Introduction: Write an introduction in which you state the topic of the paper, theory/theorst you will discuss, and the objectives of your paper. (0.5 page)
The Empirical Case/Topic: Write a section in which first you describe the contemporary topic you chose to focus. This is where you will incorporate the scholarly sources* you reviewed. Present some facts about this phenomenon and justify why we should pay attention to this social fact. Parenthetical citation in APA or ASA style must be used whenever you borrowed ideas and quotes from sources. (2-3 page)
Application of Theory: State which theory/theorist you are using and describe the concepts. Give definition and summarize the main idea/argument/proposition of this theory/theorist. Next, discuss in what ways this concept/theory captures the main issue with this empirical topic. How does this theory explain or illustrate the patterns, causes, and/or effects. How may it guide your thinking of solutions to this issue? Is this theory supported by the data you summarized in the previous section? Does this theory has limitations to fully explain this topic (Offer a critique of your own)? (1-2 pages)
Conclusions: Briefly summarize the key points of your paper and draw a conclusion. You may add suggestions for policy solutions or future directions for research. (0.5 page)