REBECCA G. ADAMS
Instructor: Dr. Rebecca G. Adams Class Time: T Th 2-3:15
Office: 333 Graham Place: Graham 310
Office Hours: T Th 1:30-2:00 p.m., 3:30-4:00 p.m., and by appointment Web Page: http://www.uncg.edu/~r_adams
E-mail: Rebecca_Adams@UNCG.edu GEC Category: Social & Behavioral Science
Phone: 334-3578
Deadheads are the fans of the former rock band, the Grateful Dead. They comprise a community which is remarkable for its size, longevity, and diversity. In this course, students will learn basic sociological concepts, theoretical perspectives, and methodologies and use them to examine how it was possible for the Deadhead community to form and persist without a permanent shared territory. Readings include publications authored by Deadhead students, the instructor, and others. The course will end with a discussion of the transformation of the Deadhead community since the death of Jerry Garcia. Grades will be based on class participation and use of the Writing Center (5%); Black Board participation (5%); responses to writing prompts (10%); peer reviews of writing prompt responses (10%); records of research activities (20%); outline, bibliography, and webliography for research paper (15%); the first draft of a research paper(10%); and the final draft of a research paper (25%).
Text Book: Adams, R.G., and Sardiello, R. 2000. Deadhead Social Science: You Ain't Gonna Learn What You Don't Want to Know. AltaMira Press (available for purchase in the UNCG Bookstore and through closed reserve in the Music Library)
Reserve: All other readings and "listenings" for the course will be on reserve in the Music Library and many of the readings will be on electronic reserve as well. Electronic reserve items can be accessed by visiting http://library.uncg.edu. They should be read before the day on which they are assigned. Items that are not in the textbook are indicated below with an *. Videos will be on reserve at the Teaching and Learning Center for two weeks after the scheduled show date in case you miss class when they are shown or want to view them again.
Supplies: At least two computer diskettes, formatted for a PC.
Other Costs: You will be required to attend one Dead-related concert designated by the instructor (see September 4). You will be responsible for paying for your own ticket.
Writing
Resources: The following books are also on reserve and will be useful to you as you work to improve your writing: Johnson, W. A., Rettig, R. P., Scott, G. M., & Garrison, S. M., The Sociology Student Writer's Manual; Shertzer, M., The Elements of Grammar; Strunk, W., & White, E. B., The Elements of Style; and Kirszner & Mandell, Brief Holt Handbook. In addition, many books on the Grateful Dead and Deadheads are on reserve in the Music Library.
Learning Goals:
At the end of this course, you will:
- .Be familiar with the many of the theoretical perspectives and methodologies used by sociologists and other social scientists;
- .Have reached a better understanding of how historical, cultural, and social contexts shape our lives;
- .Be able to read and interpret both qualitative and quantitative social science research publications;
- .Have had experience analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information from the viewpoint of the social and behavioral sciences;
- .Be able to use the methods and theoretical perspectives studied in this course to examine Deadheads to understand other social groups;
- .Understand the value of social science research;
- .Know how to write a college-level, social science term paper over the course of an entire semester; and
- .In summary, be able to think like a sociologist.
Schedule:
| Date | Topic | Readings, Listenings, and Browsings | Assignments |
| August 21 | Introduction: What are Deadheads and Why are They Interesting to a Sociologist? | Deadheads: An American Subculture will be shown in class. | |
| August 23 | Black Board Clinic #1: Introduction | Meet in Graham 202 where you will complete a Practice Writing Prompt, participate in an online discussion, and send an email message to Rebecca Adams. | |
| August 28 | Introduction: History of the Grateful Dead and Deadheads | Read both of these: *Adams, A Community of Friends (unpublished); Adams,
What Goes Around Comes Around, in Adams & Sardiello, pp. 15-47; And Read 1 of these: *No author, 1999, Dropouts with a Mission, Pp. 13-19 in Rocco, J. (Ed.), Dead Rekonings. Schirmer (Reprinted from Newsweek, Feb. 6, 1967); *Section by Barnes in Weinstein & Johnson, 1999, Designing and Delivering Superior Customer Value : Concepts, Cases, and Applications, St. Lucie Press. |
|
| August 30 | Introduction: Studying Deadheads | Read 2 of these: *Adams, Wearing Sociological Visors (unpublished); *Adams, 1995, The Sociology of Jerry Garcia, Garcia: Reflections 1(1):16-18.; *Adams, 1998, Inciting Sociological Thought by Studying the Deadhead Community: Engaging Publics in Dialogue, Social Forces 77(1):1-25; *Adams, 1991, On the bus: Teaching about Deadhead Subculture, Vues of Undergradute Education in Sociology, 20(2), 1-5; Sardiello, Studying Deadhead Subculture, pp. 267-280 in Adams & Sardiello. | Writing Prompt #1 Available |
| September 4 | Attend a Concert | Possible Concerts: Dark Star Orchestra, Saturday, September 1, The Ritz, Industrial Drive, Raleigh, NC (919-836-8535; www.darkstarorchestra.net ); Dark Star Orchestra, Sunday, September 2, Asheville Music Zone, 81 Broadway, Asheville, NC (828-255-8811); August 31-Sept. 2, Van Hoy Farm, Union Grove, NC, 20 bands (336-748-1064; www.ziggyrocks.com ); or a similar concert approved by the instructor (see www.lonelygoat.com or www.jambands.com for ideas). | No Class. By this day you should have attended a concert and taken notes for use in answering Writing Prompt #1. Spend time organizing your thoughts. |
| September 6 | Writing Clinic #1: How to Write an Essay | ||
| September 11 | The Music of the Grateful Dead: The Importance of Musical Improvisation for the Development of the Community | Freeman, Other People Play the Music, pp. 75-106 in Adams & Sardiello; *Adams, The Dead's Music and Deadheads: What Kept them Coming Back? (unpublished); Watkins Glen Soundcheck Jam from So Many Roads, often called "The Boxed Set" (listening) | First Draft of Writing Prompt Response #1 Due to be Posted for Peer Review |
| September 13 | Black Board Clinic #2: Peer Reviews | Meet in Graham 202 where George Sanders will discuss the Peer Review Guidelines and how to post your Peer Reviews; Two Peer Reviews for Writing Prompt #1 Due to be Posted | |
| September 18 | The Music of the Grateful Dead: The Musical Structure of Grateful Dead Shows | Shank and Simon, The Grammar of the Grateful Dead, pp. 51-73 in Adams & Sardiello; Dick's Picks #9 (listening) | Revised Writing Prompt #1 Due |
| September 20 | Web-Based Resources Clinic | Meet in Graham 202 where you will use the Deadflames Data Base and surf the Web. Research Log Guidelines discussed. | |
| September 25 | The Music of the Grateful Dead: Influences On It | The Music Never Stopped (listening); http://www.taco.com/roots (browsing); *Carr, 2001, Listen to the River: The Grateful Dead in the Continuum of Folk Music. | |
| September 27 | Deadhead Values & Beliefs | *Trist, 1989, The Water of Life: A Tale of the Grateful Dead, Hulogos'i; *Luesebrink, 1999, The Grateful Dead Legendstock, Pp. 137-147 in Weiner (Ed.), Perspectives on the Grateful Dead, Greenwood; http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/agdl (browsing) | |
| October 2 | Deadhead Norms & Sanctions | *Dollar, 1999, Understanding "Show" as a Deadhead Speech Situation, Pp. 89-100 in Weiner, (Ed.), Perspectives on the Grateful Dead, Greenwood. | |
| October 4 | The Social Organization of the Deadhead Community: Deadhead Diversity | Read 2 of These: Ritzer, Deadheads and Dichotomies, 241-263 in Adams & Sardiello; *Adams, Deadhead Identity and the Social Construction of Diversity (unpublished); *Adams, Terrapin Station (final report to GDP) | Research Log #1 Due; Writing Prompt #2 Available |
| October 11 | Using the Library | Meet in The City in Jackson Library where Mark Schumaker will familiarize you with library resources. First Draft of Writing Prompt Response #2 Posted for Peer Review | |
| October 16 | The Social Organization of the Deadhead Community: Inequality | Two Peer Reviews for Writing Prompt #2 Due to be Posted | |
| October 18 | Writing Clinic #2: How to Write a Research Paper | Meet in Graham 202 where you will learn how to outline a research paper, create a bibliography, and format the final product. | |
| October 23 | The Social Organization of the Deadhead Community: Opportunities for Contact among Deadheads between Shows. | Revised Writing Prompt #2 Due | |
| October 25 | The Social Organization of the Deadhead Community: Role of Symbols in Maintaining the Community between Shows. | Surf the web and browse through the collection of books in the reserve room. List as many symbols that Deadheads use to identify one another as possible and learn about their origins and meanings. | Research Log #2 Due |
| October 30 | Grateful Dead Shows: An Introduction | Plan A: In class we will view as much of
The Grateful Dead Movie as we can. Viewing the rest of it will be homework.
Plan B: It is possible class will be canceled and instead students will be required to attend a showing of this movie at NC School for the Arts. |
|
| November 1 | Grateful Dead Shows: As Spiritual Rituals | Read 1 of These: Sutton, The Deadhead Community: Popular Religion in Contemporary American Culture, pp. 109-127 in Adams & Sardiello; *Sardiello, 1994, Secular Rituals in Popular Culture, Pp. 115-40 in Epstein (Ed.), Adolescents and Their Music, Garland.; Hartley, pp. 129-154 in Adams & Sardiello. | Outline, Bibliography, and Webliography for Research Paper Due |
| November 6 | Grateful Dead Shows: The Spatial Organization | *Adams, A Portable Community: Forces Facilitating Repeated Interactions at Shows (unpublished) | |
| November 8 | Grateful Dead Shows: Social Control | Read 1 of These: Paterline, Community Reaction to Deadhead Subculture, pp. 183-199 in Adams & Sardiello. *Fraser & Black, 1999, Legally Dead, Pp. 19-39 in Weiner (Ed.), Perspectives on the Grateful Dead, Greenwood. | |
| November 13 | Grateful Dead Shows: The Economy | Sheptoski, Vending at Dead Shows, pp. 157-181 in Adams & Sardiello | |
| November 15 | Deadhead Identity: Becoming a Deadhead and the Deadhead Career | Read 2 of These: Jennings, Becoming a Deadhead, pp. 203-213 in Adams & Sardiello; Lehman, Self Concept and Ego Extension among Grateful Dead Fans, pp. 227-239 in Adams & Sardiello; David, An Eriksonian Perspective on the Journey through Deadhead Adulthood, pp. 215-225 in Adams & Sardiello; *Adams & Rosen-Grandon, Mixed Marriages (unpublished) | Research Log #3 Due |
| November 20 | The Legacy of the Grateful Dead: Forces Undermining Community Solidarity, the Death of Jerry Garcia, and the Dissolution of the Band | Read 1 of These: *Adams, 1996,. "We Are On Our Own Together." Dupree's Diamond News, pp. 50-51; Adams, 1995, "We Haven't Left the Planet Yet." Garcia: A Grateful Celebration, pp. 32-37, reprinted in John Rocco (Ed.), 1999, Dead Reckonings: The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead, pp. 141-46, Schirmer Books. | |
| November 27 | The Legacy of the Grateful Dead: The Survival of the Deadhead Community | Kraitch, 1993, [On-line],
ftp://gdead.berkeley.edu/pub/
gdead/miscellaneous/History-of-Deadheads-in-Cyberspace (browsing); Pattacini, 2000, "Deadheads Today and Yesterday: An Audience Study." Popular Music and Society, 24 (1):1-14. |
Complete Draft of Research Paper Due |
| November 29 | The Legacy of the Grateful Dead: Jam Bands and their Fans | *Budnick, 1998, Jam Bands, ECW Press; visit web sites for jam bands (browsing); suggestions from class (listenings) | No face-to-face class meeting. Discussion will take place on Blackboard. |
| December 4 | Topic to be agreed upon by class. | ||
| December 6 | Summary Presentation and Discussion | Research Log #4 Due | |
| December | FINAL | Revised Version of Research Paper Due |
Other Information:
Class Grade: Black Board Participation: 5%
Writing Clinic & Class Attendance and Participation: 5%
Writing Prompt Responses: 10%
Writing Prompt Peer Reviews: 10%
Records of Research Activities: 20%
Outline, Bibliography, and Webliography: 15%
First Draft of Research Paper: 10%
Final Draft of Research Paper: 25%
Total: 100%
Grading Scale: A 94-100% C+ 76-79½% D- 60-63½%
A- 90-93½% C 74-75½% F Below 60%
B+ 86-89½% C- 70-73½%
B 84-85½% D+ 66-69½%
B- 80-83½% D 64-65½%
- Black Board Participation (5%): In addition to meeting synchronously and face-to-face during the scheduled class time, we will also have asynchronous discussions using Black Board (http://bb.uncg.edu). You will use Black Board to post your initial responses to Writing Prompts and to do Peer Reviews of other students' Writing Prompts (see below). At the end of the semester, you will be given an overall grade on Black Board Participation which will be based on the frequency and quality of your additional posts.
- Writing Center & Class Attendance and Participation (5%): You are encouraged to go to the Writing Center for feedback at least once during the semester. Take a first draft of one of your responses to a Writing Prompt or research paper and ask for help with your writing skills. The person who helps you at the Center will send me a note to let me know he or she has met with you. Class attendance is very important. Class discussions will not always cover all of the material that is in the text and readings. If a student wishes to be excused from class, he or she must make this request in writing. You are required to come to class prepared and to participate in discussions and ask questions once you are there.
- Writing Prompt Responses (10%): Two times during the semester, you will be expected to post a response to a Writing Prompt on Black Board. After you do this, two members of the class will post Peer Reviews of your response. You will then revise your response and submit it for a grade. Your submission will be graded on quality of content (4%) and of writing (1%).
- Peer Reviews (10%): Each time the students in the class post their responses to a Writing Prompt, you will be expected to post a Peer Review of two of them. Each pair of Peer Reviews will be graded on quality and tone. See Guidelines on Web.
- Records of Research Activities (20%): Four times during the semester you will be required to submit a list of the research activities in which you have engaged to prepare for class and for your research paper. Your record will be graded on the diversity of your activities and on the amount of time you spend on them. Remember that I will expect you to be able to discuss the material you list. See Guidelines on Web.
- Outline, Bibliography, and Webliography for Research Paper (15%):Before you begin writing your research paper, you will be required to submit an outline, annotated bibliography (in APA style), and annotated webliography. The annotations need not summarize the whole article, book, or web site, but should describe in a sentence or two why the resource will be of use to you while you write your paper. Although I will not require you to resubmit these materials to me after I have commented on them, I am willing to review second drafts.
- Research Paper (35%):The first draft of your research paper will be graded on content (5%) and writing (5%). The second draft will be graded on content (20%) and on improvement in writing (5%). Detailed instructions will be provided later in the semester. The second draft will be in lieu of the final and will be due at 9:30 on the day the final for this class is scheduled.
- Cheating and Plagiarism: All students must abide by the Academic Honor Code. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.