This sheet contains a list of questions, most somewhat more specific than an exam question would be. If you can answer all of these questions, you should feel confident in your ability to do well on the exam. If you can't--make sure to ask!!
EXAM FORMAT
The final exam is at 11 AM on Thursday, December 21st in the normal classroom. It will go for two hours. The exam is open-book and open-note, with no electronic devices of any time allowed during the exam (whether you are inside the classroom or outside of it). The exam will consist of four questions, each worth 5 points, and an optional extra-credit question worth 3 points. Two of the questions will be mandatory (though there will be some flexibility in how you answer them); for the other two, you will have a choice of questions. You will not have to answer the questions in any particular order. My suggestion for allocating your time during the exam is as follows:
If you will complete the extra-credit question: 10 minutes to look over the questions and outline your answers; 20 minutes for each exam question; 10-15 minutes for the extra credit question; 10 minutes to read over your answers and make sure you have completed the exam.
If you will not complete the extra-credit question: 10 minutes to look over the questions and outline your answer; 25 minutes for each exam question; 10 minutes to read over your answers and make sure you have completed the exam.
I will keep time for you during the exam.
STRATEGIES FOR DOING WELL ON THE EXAM
Ensure that you have complete notes for all classes during the semester and that you have done all the assigned reading. I would suggest highlighting and using post-its or paperclips so that you can find things quickly during the exam; open-book exams are designed to increase the time pressure as you work to complete the exam so that you will not be able to do well if you have not done the reading and come to class. Do bring a copy of the syllabus to the exam so that you can find the relevant readings you need to answer specific questions. I strongly recommend that you outline your answers to all the questions before choosing which ones to answer.
If you are concerned with your grade or if you have the time, I strongly suggest that you do the extra-credit assignment, reading the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, available used at many bookstores and online stores; at many public libraries; and for free online (any version is acceptable). I know it is long; you should read enough to be able to summarize the majority of chapters in paragraph form.
Remember that this is an open-book essay exam. Memorizing facts, names, and dates will not serve you well. You need to be able to make arguments, explain concepts, and apply theories to real-world examples. The best preparation strategy I can suggest has two parts: first, make sure you are familiar with at least four different social movements, including the one you wrote on, the labor movement and/or the anti-globalization movement, and two or more movements covered in the reading and in your classmates' presentations so that you can draw on them for empirical examples during the exam. Second, work alone or with a group of your classmates to develop an outline of the course that highlights what you see as important theories, concepts, and questions; connects different parts of the semester together; and has a key to help you go quickly to the right place in your notes or in the reading when you need to check on a definition, look up a fact, or quote a reading.
PART I. STUDENT-WRITTEN QUESTIONS (revised slightly)
- Why is strategic flexibility an important characteristic for social movement organizations?
- Describe four ways in which organizations are structured. Present an argument for which one is the most effective, outlining its advantages and disadvantages.
- "Resourcefulness can compensate for lack of resources" (Ganz). Present an argument for why this statement is true, using a specific movement as an example.
- Outline two theoretical frameworks, using a specific movement as an example for each one and explaining why that movement is a good fit for that framework.
- What are the four main areas in which social change can occur? Give an example of a movement that created change in each.
- Explain four reasons why movements end, and explain four types of repression that movements experience.
- Under what circumstances is a movement likely to be successful? Explain the differences between the success framework and the impact framework as a prelude to answering this question.
- How have social movements shaped their strategies and tactics in order to make use of the media? How might this lead to greater public awareness?
PART II: QUIZ QUESTIONS USED IN CLASS
09/07 Outline the effects that efficiency and calculability have had on the higher education system, drawing on both your own experiences as a student at QC and on Ritzer.
09/14 Do you think, on the whole, that globalization has been beneficial or detrimental to the world and its people? Explain why, and in your answer, be sure to mention at least 2 benefits and 2 negative consequences of globalization.
09/21 How do you think Ritzer would connect his thesis of McDonalidization to the processes of urban growth and development?
10/10 Chose a particular social movement and explain what types of social changes lead to its emergence. Be sure to explain these types of social change in terms of the classifications developed by Della Porta/Diani and by Jaswin.
10/31 Imagine you are building a movement organization. Outline how you would develop a movement strategy, what particular tactics you would choose, and why you would make these decisions.
11/9 Compare and contrast Gamson's perspective on movement consequences with Amenta et al.'s perspective. How does each define what a consequence is? Why approach do you find more compelling, and why?
(the 7th quiz was the one in which you made up and answered an exam question)
PART III. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
You should be able to, for a few specific movements (both your own and at least 3 others from among both the labor movement and those which students presented on to the class), apply each of the following theoretical frameworks: classical/Smelser perspective; resource mobilization; new social movements; political opportunities; Gamson; political mediation; and strategic capacity. Be sure you can explain what the theoretical framework is, how it works, how it applies to each movement; and why it might or might not be the best model for understanding that movement.
What sorts of social changes have movements led to? How have they accomplished these changes?
What have the effects of demographic change, urbanization, environmental change, globalization, and McDonaldization been on global society?
In what ways do social movements use identity and emotions as strategy tools? Use protest music as an example in responding to this question.
Outline a variety of reasons for which individuals join movements.
Explain at least three methodological strategies that researchers can use to study social movements.
Why do revolutions occur and what makes them more likely to succeed?
What are the differences between fads, fashions, mobs, manias, and panics?
PART IV. DEFINITIONS
You should be able to define each of the following terms:
- Bureaucracy
- Collective behavior
- Countermovement
- Demographic transition
- Fragmentation
- Framing
- Impacts
- Industrialization
- McDonaldization
- Moral shock
- Protest cycle
- Rationality
- Social movement
- Social movement industry
- Social movement organization
- Strategy
- Target
- Tactics
- Urbanization
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copyright 2006 Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur.
