Joseph Klett, University of California, Santa Cruz

Is Beyoncé a feminist? And why is this a good question to pose in an undergraduate social theory course?

The answer to the second question is revealed in how students answer the first: of course Beyoncé is a feminist! Students implore: did you not see last year's MTV Video Music Awards? Beyoncé performed on stage in front of lights that spelled out the word “FEMINIST” in huge letters. Why question this self-identification by one of the most powerful and well-recognized women in popular music?
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“Well,” other students might say - perhaps with some prodding by the instructor – “let’s think about this.” Beyoncé put “FEMINIST” in bright lights, but does “Queen Bey” fit the definition of feminism as presented by theorists like Dorothy Smith? 

​Siri J. Colom, Connecticut College

What is theory for? There are nearly as many answers to this question as there are sociologists. Stinchcombe (1982) says one goal of teaching is to demonstrate models of great sociological research. Even if the classics are not perfect models of great research, they still offer students a sense of what sociology can be. By contrast, Michael Burawoy (2013) uses the metaphor of theory as maps—some better than others—for looking at particular areas of social life. He suggests that teaching theory is as much about teaching a way of thinking and looking at the world, as it is a series of ideas. Using the metaphor of a mountain range, he critiques survey courses where "students are taught to survey the mountain range from below, rather than attempting to climb one or more mountains and see things from their summits." From still another perspective, R.W. Connell (1997), in a classic critical look at social theory, notes that our celebration of "founding fathers," particularly in our courses and textbooks, is more a reflection of the preexisting institutions (of domination) that exist in the social world.

​Erin Metz McDonnell
University of Notre Dame

As researchers, we often speak of a “puzzle” in the symbolic sense of a theoretical puzzle – something as-yet unexplained by existing theories. By contrast, I will argue that, as teachers, employing the metaphor and material form of a jigsaw puzzle can be an effective teaching tool, enabling students to engage in visual and experiential learning to master theoretical arguments. The form of this pedagogical tool is easily transposable to a wide variety of different theoretical content. I will describe how I run the exercise, discuss pedagogical virtues of this approach, and conclude with specific tips to keep in mind if you decide to run a similar exercise in your courses.