Perhaps “Summarizer” is a misnomer. Maybe “Highlighter” is better–not that you should think of yourself as a neon marker, but as a colleague who helps to identify some insights from the readings that, in your view, have broader significance. For example, in Ch. 2 of Nobody, no need to recount dozens of Helmreich’s anecdotes that he gathered while strolling the streets of New York. Instead, you might discuss some of the broader issues that his anecdotes and discussions bring up. For instance, who benefits from New York’s high rate of immigration and domestic migration? Who loses? Why and how do some groups establish and maintain economic niches? That kind of thing….
Shoot for 4-5 minutes of commentary that will provoke class discussion. I hope this helps.
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