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Economics/Peace Studies 2004W: Socioeconomic Perspectives on Science & Technology

Story of Stuff Assignment Description

Story of Your Stuff Assignment Overview
Please refer to detailed assignment description posted on the Story of Stuff Resource Page on Canvas.
FOCUS - Pick an item that is important to you and focus on a component of it
WRITTEN – Word document 8 pages per student for WI credit
ORAL – PowerPoint 5-7 minutes for individual presentations; 9-13 minutes for two or three students (concise is a good thing)
LOGISTICS: Three versions. See online schedule for due dates

Summary:

  1. Connect to class concepts and themes (3 economic and 2 science/technology concepts)
  2. Personal and/or societal historical significance- Why this item? Why is it important?
  3. Process- i.e., extraction/cultivation, production, distribution, consumption, disposal
  4. Marketing/consumption dimensions- e.g., emotional marketing
  5. Human dignity/community dimensions-e.g., labor, access, human communities
  6. Environmental issues – both local and global
  7. Context –How does the product compare with substitutes in the above content areas?
  8. Make it interactive- 3 questions for the audience that connects to class content
  9. Reflection on process-successes and struggles with research, reflection on improvement.
  10. Bibliography –3 peer-reviewed articles required. In-text citations required