BEXP 12A04 - Transdisciplinary approaches to inequality

The purpose of this seminar-based course is to examine the multiple faces of inequality. This course outlines a transdisciplinary research agenda to review the insights of political theory, economics, sociology, anthropology, political science and digital studies. The course is organized in 12 two-hours-long seminars, with 2 topics in each (24 topics in total). By drawing on these very different approaches, students will be able to look both at the multifarious forms that inequality can take —from income inequality to the disproportionate ways in which some groups are targeted by security actors— and to rethink the blind spots of their own disciplines by confronting it with cognate ones (i.e., what does economics miss when studying inequality? What does philosophy overlook?). To that end, this course will provide students with cutting-edge literature in these fields, as well as an array of methodological tools ranging from quantitative methods to ethnography, to delve into this pressing matter. In addition, this transdisciplinary approach proposes to study inequality beyond artificial macro/micro and quantitative/qualitative divides predominant in the social sciences, in order to examine the origins, reproduction and consequences of inequalities to respond to a pressing question: what can we do to tackle inequality?

Pedro Javier SORIA ESPIN,Bernardino LEON REYES,Unai OYON LERGA,Javier CARBONELL

Séminaire

English

Spring 2024-2025

To validate the course, the student is expected to pass the following assignments: 1°) Weekly summaries (25%): Each week you will have to write a 500-word-long summary that must critically engage with the TWO core readings for that week, analysing and comparing both of them. Students should try to go beyond a summary of the content and reflect on topics and questions raised by the readings, linking it to other week's material or even to relevant material from outside this course. Due date: every week, the day before the session. Mark : they will not have a numerical mark, only a PASS or FAIL. Only those that show an evident lack of effort in putting together an argument will fail. Submitting all of them in time with a pass will qualify automatically as a perfect mark in participation (i.e., 20/20). Failing to submit one of them in time without justification will count as a 0 for that week. If at the end of the year, all weekly seminar notes are submitted in time with a PASS, you will obtain a 20/20 for this assignment. Not submitting it on time is an automatic FAIL. Not submitting or failing more than three weekly debate notes at the end of the year will mean failing with a 0 this assignment. The final marks will be based on this : 12/12 = 20/20 11/12 = 16/20 10/12 = 12/20 9 (or less)/12 = 0/20 2°) Research proposal (10%): You will be assigned a final paper advisor. With his help, you will write a one-page long research proposal outlining the topic, relevance and methods of your final paper. This proposal will be done under the guidance of a supervisor, which will be assigned to you depending on your topic and approach. You will be able to, either choose to answer one of the research questions we put forward or to CHOOSE YOUR OWN RESEARCH QUESTION, after checking with us. Deadline: Session 8 3°) Final paper : « special issue » (50%): The final assignment will be a final research paper on a topic discussed during the course. This paper will be between 3,000 and 3,500 words. This paper will be part of a « special issue » , together with other 3-5 papers, which will have a common introduction and a common conclusion. This will be explained in detail later on. Deadline: TBD 4o) Participation (15%): If you participate fairly regularly in class you will be able to obtain a perfect mark in this section 20/20.

At the end of the course, the student is expected to : 1°) Have a profound grasp of the different ways of analysing inequalities, understanding the strengths and weakness of the different methodological approaches to inequality: econometric, ethnographic, philosophical, inter alia. 2°) Be able to write a research paper drawing on more than one discipline. To that end, students will enhance their writing skills and they will learn how to write a paper proposal. 3°) Apply a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods from different social sciences (which will be taught in four optional methods workshops throughout the semester)