<p>Bascially Mind is fundamentally different from all of the other SOSC sequences. All of the rest are discussion based classes revolving around key texts. There is some variation across the sequences, but the two largest sequences (Self, Culture and Society and Power, Identity and Resistance) have a lot of overlap in texts, or at least authors. Basically in the non-Mind SOSCs, you read the foundational texts for a particular angle of social science, discuss them, and write papers. In Mind, well, I'm not sure what you do, but it's different and I've never heard anyone particularly satisfied with it (and a lot of complaints that it's really incoherent -- which is not a problem with the other courses [at least Self], which are very well-designed and each reading is carefully orchestrated to fit into the bigger picture of the class)</p>
<p>You love it or you hate it, but the weight seems to be tilting to the latter. I went for the first day and switched into Self a couple hours later. I advise students to take a normal sosc.</p>
<p>Can anyone do further into detail of what the other SOSC classes entail...as in more information from a personal perspective that the course descriptions and evaluations do not have</p>
<p>Self, Culture and Society (which is fairly standard across all sections) runs as follows:
Fall Quarter (roughly "Society") -- You will read Smith's Wealth of Nations, a bunch of Marx, and some Weber. Plus assorted readings from more recent authors that deal with theories put forth by the above (mostly Marx). Lots of talk about alienated labor and exchange value and exploitation.
Winter Quarter (roughly "Self") -- You will spend January reading Durkheim's "Elementary Forms of Religious Life" -- and learn about totems and collective effervescence, etc. The quarter finishes with Foucault (Discipline and Punish, usually). In between you'll get L</p>
<p>Im writing my essay on Sosc core Power Identity Resistance and although it is a lot of information, Sosc core is considered to be one of the most difficult core courses. if you'r ready to read 400+ pages every week - go for it</p>
<p>SOSC is kind of awesome. Like, you may not like the class or the readings, but what you learn is really good. I feel smarter and more educated having taken sosc. You really learn a lot. </p>
<p>And my class doesn't read 400+ pages a week. Or even close. The reading length depends completely on the author. Shorter readings tend to be for more difficult texts, and long readings are probably Freud or someone else who's pretty easy to read.</p>
<p>No one has taking classics of soc/pol thought? The popular courses seem 2 be self, cul, and soc n power identity resis....</p>
<p>Well, for my Hayack and Polanyi readings we had to kill the books cover to cover in two weeks...I guess its only around 650 pages, but still</p>
<p>Classics is probably the third most popular. I know people who really love it. If you're attracted to the subject matter and the reading list, definitely consider it. Democracy isn't as popular, and I can't remember meeting anyone who really liked it. </p>
<p>My readings never go over 100 pages for sosc. Anything above 70 in an assignment is seen as heavy reading for most authors in most sosc classes, it seems. Some readings are only 20-30 pages, many are 40-60. Obviously, there's a range.</p>
<p>and there's a difference in challenge, too. Some of the texts in Self go over pretty easily. 70 pages of Durkheim might be easier than 20 pages of Marx.</p>
<p>And 70 pages of Marx really, really makes you hate life--and your prof.</p>
<p>Not really, I would rather take the 70 pages of Marx than even 20 of Durkheim. But hey, I have been called a "weirdo" before!</p>