What to Expect and How to Respond by Wright Earl II;Calhoun Thomas C.;

Author:Wright, Earl, II;Calhoun, Thomas C.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: undefined
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated
Published: 2012-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

A Cultural Alternative

The restructuring of the program at another Canadian institution involved more modest changes that included core requirements of basic and advanced statistics (for honors students), courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods, and both classical and contemporary theory courses where professors incorporate a diverse range of theoretical perspectives. Rather than dictate that particular schools of thought or approaches must be included, each faculty member defines his or her pedagogical agendas to suit their own expertise and preferences.

Since full-time faculty members predominantly operate within critical, feminist, cultural studies and post-modernist frameworks (8 of 11 members), theory courses tend to be slanted more in those particular directions. One member combines both positivistic and interpretive frames of reference, while the other two members operate within the positivist paradigm. The natural inclination would be to continue to hire future colleagues who share the majority’s perspective(s). What would prevent the department from devolving into the similarly narrow-minded critical orientation that characterizes the University of Canada’s department?

Perhaps most important, the culture of the department allows for a greater appreciation of diverse approaches. The faculty members who work within the various critical, cultural studies and post-modernist frameworks share a more open-minded perspective and have an appreciation for the inherent diversity and pluralism within sociology. That means that in departmental and hiring committee meetings, the faculty members display a somewhat more flexible and, to a certain extent, pragmatic approach.

The focus shifts to the nature of program needs, especially in regard to the courses offered and the type of sociologist who would best serve those needs. As the largest program at the university, their department offers degrees in both sociology and criminology. With a staff of scarcely a dozen members (and nearly 30 part-time teachers), the program offers an impressively diverse array of mandatory and elective courses. Faculty members recognize that the success has been built precisely on the diversity of their faculty, and, indeed, the complementary nature of various approaches to sociology and in the courses offered.

The chair attempted to lead by example by stressing complementarity, sharing with his colleagues on more than one occasion the view of sociology as analogous to music, wherein there are many different genres reflecting the variegated tastes of those involved in the endeavor. While the chair practiced and created within one particular style of sociological music, he nevertheless listened to and appreciated the many different forms that exist.

Rather than denigrate colleagues or criticize their musical tastes, the chair lauded the diversity and shared with his students the idea that each perspective possessed different nuances and interesting questions that could best be addressed using various styles of scholarship. In contrast to the University of Canada, this particular sociology department has nurtured a safe environment where departmental members and students alike can express themselves within whatever sociological traditions that they prefer. That type of supportive culture clearly requires the conscious effort and commitment of everyone involved.

For example, the chair organized a departmental retreat with a facilitator that allowed everyone to engage in discussions and program-planning meetings in a more informal, collegial setting.

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