Updated 10/23/06

PURPOSE

The purpose of the assignment is for you to apply a specific theory to a specific situation. You will apply one and only one theory. You will do your best to find examples from the text - descriptions of characters or their surround, specific acts in which they engage, discussions of relationships between people, impacts of events upon characters -- that exactly fit the theory and you will then explain in your paper exactly how they fit. Each of these exercises seeks to apply a nomothetic theory to an idiographic situation.

PARAMETERS

1. Typed, double spaced, 12 pitch, one inch margins, no more than five pages, including references. Please note: when you refer to a book, please also include page numbers. When you refer to a theory, also include page numbers. Of course, all quotes must have specific page numbers. I will absolutely stop reading at five pages.
2. Use the last FIVE digits of your TUID as the running head. NO NAMES ON THE PAPERS.
3. DUE NO LATER THAN NOON FRIDAY  DECEMBER 15, AS AN EMAIL ATTACHMENT to BOTH tuclasses@rbtaylor.net and tuclasses@fastmail.fm. Papers also can be handed in to my mailbox in the office, but if you do so ALSO SEND a corresponding email letting me know you have done that.
4. There is NO penalty for submitting early papers.
5. LATE PAPERS will lose points and may jeopardize your grade.

At the TOP of your paper say WHICH paper you are writing.

ASSIGNMENT

You will read one of the following four books, and you will apply one of the specified theories to answer the questions posed.

IF YOU READ The Corner:
This book describes what happens to DeAndre McCullough in the course of one year. Write either PAPER A or PAPER B or PAPER C.
PAPER A. Using the specific terms from life course theory of Laub and Sampson, describe (1) in this short span of time covered in the book: what the trajectory is that DeAndre is following; (2) whether there are any turning points, and if so what are they and how did he change direction; (3) whether there were any events that could have been turning points, but were not, and if not, why not; and (4) were there any periods of desistance in the time span covered in the book, and if so, what explains their beginning and ending?  Be sure you use examples from throughout the year covered.
PAPER B. In very specific terms, using concepts from Anderson's COTS, and with specific examples from this period in DeAndre's life, answer the following questions: (1) Does DeAndre get more involved in the street code during this time? What are examples of that?; If you answer yes, (2) What specific factors explain his increasing involvement in the street code? How does this fit with Anderson's ideas? (3) Does DeAndre code switch? If you answer yes, give examples and also answer this questions (4) How does the frequency of code switching vary over the course of the year? and (5) What specific events or circumstances lead him to switch to street or decent? Be sure you use examples from throughout the year covered.
PAPER C. If you want to argue that throughout the course of the year De Andre becomes increasingly involved in delinquent activities, describe the specific changes in his bond structure, using Hirschi's delinquency theory. Be sure you cover all of the bonds in the theory, are specific about which ones change when, and why, and clearly reference the event or relationship shift.

IF YOU READ Zodiac
PAPER D Sangamon Taylor has a special set of tactics for embarrassing major polluters. Describe his tactics. Then analyze BOTH the strengths and weaknesses of his tactics using BOTH Braithwaite and Schlegel. Be specific about points of correspondence you see, and be specific about ways his strategy may not include key points.

IF YOU READ Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War. Write EITHER PAPER E or F
PAPER E Apply Sutherland's multilevel theory of differential association and differential social organization to explain Jesse James' involvement into both guerilla warfare and criminal gang activity. Be clear about addressing the specific points of the theory, and indicating how they cross reference with specific people and events.
PAPER F Apply LaFree's theory to explain the rise of violence in Jesse James' section of Missouri during the period before the Civil War, AND to explain the continuing violence following the war. Note: this is not asking you to explain JJ - it is asking you to explain the violence in that part of the country before and after the war.

IF YOU READ The Prince of Providence: The True Story of Buddy Cianci, America's Most Notorious Mayor, Some Wiseguys, and the Feds.
PAPER G Show how G&H's GTOC applies to Buddy Cianci and (extra credit) at least some of his close associates. With Buddy, be very specific both about LSC and about opportunity and, if you can, about socialization.

IF YOU READ Rule of the Bone (I had NOT intended to include this book this year but at least one person already has read it....)
PAPER H
Focusing on Chappie before his arrival in Jamaica, consider  ALL of Hirschi's bonds, and describe which ones changed when, and how each of those changes led to shifts in his delinquent involvement. Be specific. Be sure you capture all the major changes for each of these bonds. Be sure to refer to specific incidents in Chappie's current or past life, using page numbers. This assignment will require you to be very organized in the structure of your paper.     EXTRA CREDIT - were there delinquency changes that were not linked to previous changes in bonds, and if so, what were they?

GRADING RUBRIC
Papers will be graded on four dimensions, indicated below. Each dimension will be counted equally