IAI Code: S7 900

Springfield College in Illinois

Spring Semester, 2003: Sociology 210-01

Introductory Sociology[*] (3 Cr.)

Rev: 01/03

http://www.sci.edu/classes/phillips/phillips.html

Section 210-01 Instructor: Phillips

Tu/Th: 1:00 p.m. Office: L-106

103 Dawson Hall Becker Library

E-mail: phillips@sci.edu Phone: 525-1420, Ext. 214

OFFICE HOURS: I am usually available, whenever I am not in class. Talks under the Gingko tree or in the Quiet Lounge are often better than the formality of an appointment. If you see me on campus, I will usually have the time to talk with you right then. Class and office hours are posted on my office door.

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the basic concepts and principles of sociology. This course is designed to expose the student to sociological theory and methods, to introduce students to leading thinkers in the field, and to give students an understanding of the relevance of sociology to contemporary social issues and problems.

II. REQUIRED TEXT: Sociology for the Twenty-First Century by Curry, Jiobu, and Schwirian; 3rd ed.; Prentice-Hall, 2002.

‚ SYLLABUS: Your syllabus is in two forms, a paper copy and a diskette copy. The diskette copy makes it possible for you to load the syllabus on your own computer, to access the study materials directly from the syllabus, and to use the various linked websites that are embedded within the syllabus. The syllabus is also available on-line. Use the URL at the top of this page if you want to use the on-line version.

‚ CURRENT EVENTS: The New York Times on the Web and The Times of London are available, free, on the World Wide Web. You should make it a regular practice to read one of these newspapers to keep current with national and international events.

III. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (See also Part VII of this Syllabus):

1. A broad understanding of the discipline of sociology and its relevance to contemporary social

issues and problems;

2. A working knowledge of the origin and evolution of the discipline of sociology, including familiarity with the work of such European founders as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Spencer as well as the American tradition, beginning with the Chicago School; of sociological theories such as functionalism, conflict theory, modernization theory, symbolic interaction theory, and world systems theory; and of qualitative and quantitative methods of sociological research.

3. The ability to apply sociological theory and research findings to an understanding of:

a. The role of individuals and groups in society; processes of socialization, deviance and conflict; and changes in population, ecology, and urbanization;

b. The nature of social stratification and issues of social inequality in class, race, ethnicity, and gender;

c. The functions of social institutions such as marriage and the family, education, religion, politics and economics, and medicine and health care;

d. The sources of similarities and differences in the human experience from a cross-cultural and global perspective.

CRITICAL THINKING: Critical thinking, as defined in your text, is “reflective skepticism about a given subject matter--in this case, sociology and society. . . . [which] simply means that you ask some important questions before you accept a statement as true.” (page 7) For example: What are the facts upon which a statement is based? How are the facts used in the argument? How are the facts (mis)interpreted? How did one reach a particular conclusion? What biases or prejudices are hidden in the statement or the argument?

Throughout the text, you will find many Critical Questions for you to consider. These are marked by the letters CQ inside an oval symbol. The questions follow material that you have read and are designed to get you to “reflect” on that material. Often the questions require you to compare and contrast theories or approaches or they require you to apply what you have learned to a social problem. Often there is no clear answer; you may end up puzzling over the issue. When that happens, you should consider it a point that you might want to raise for class discussion.

Critical thinking is important, not just for this course, but for the whole of your educational experience. Teachers, courses, disciplines, and majors all provide material to strengthen your ability to think carefully and critically. A novel such as Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons provides insight into family structures, the generation gap, politics, and religion; statistics gives you the knowledge needed to understand quantitative sociological research (as well as the ability to catch those who “lie with statistics,”); biology, psychology, and genetics arm you against foolish theories of ability and intelligence that once were used to defend racism; philosophy, religion, art, and music are essential to understand other societies and cultures (as well as our own) in a cross cultural and global perspective.

Your entire educational experience at Springfield College is built on our desire to ensure that these traditional liberal arts perspectives will provide you with the tools needed to think carefully and critically throughout your lives. With these goals in mind, the sociology text and the teaching approach used in the course give you continuing practice in the art of critical thinking.

IV. TEACHING METHODS: The course is largely conducted as a series of lectures that supplement (but do not repeat) the material in the text. Consequently, students must complete the reading assignments BEFORE the lecture in order to get the most out of the course. The text provides background material that is essential to understanding the lectures.

V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDANCE POLICY: The college attendance policy, is stated on page 26 of the 1999-2001 catalog: Attendance at all classes and laboratory sessions is required at SCI. . . . In all cases of absence from class, the students have the responsibility for timely completion of all course requirements.

STUDY SUGGESTIONS: A one-page article by Kate Kinsella, entitled “Prereading a Textbook Chapter” is included with this syllabus. Her study suggestions are very helpful. You should also take careful notes on the daily lectures. Lecture outlines are often written on the chalkboard. When copying the outlines into your notebook, be sure to leave space to fill in supplemental information provided during the course of the lecture.

ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS (Optional): Four ONLINE assignments may be substituted for the lowest score on the three unit exams. If you choose this option, you must write a paper on a topic from each of these four major areas:

GROUP I. Chapters 1, 2, 3, or 4.

GROUP II. Chapters 5, 6, or 7.

GROUP III. Chapters 8, 9, or 15.

GROUP IV. Chapters 11, 12, 13, or 14.

¨ For each of the four assignments you must submit a typed summary , not less than one page in length (double spaced), of what you found on the Website. Font size must be at least 10 and no larger than 12. Use one-inch margins. Be sure that you have run “Spell-Check” on your papers before submitting them. Papers with misspelled words are unacceptable.

¨ In order to receive full credit (25 points per paper; 100 points, total)), you must submit them on (or in advance of) the date assigned.

¨ Due date: Tuesday, April 15, 2003. LATE PAPERS: No more than 20 points (80 points, total) will be allowed for papers that are submitted after the due date. Papers will NOT be accepted after May 6, 2003.

VI. MEANS OF EVALUATION: EXAMINATIONS: Learning Objectives for each Chapter are listed on the Reading Assignments section of the syllabus. As the examinations are made up of essay topics and terms, you should prepare for exams by drafting outlines (or even writing complete draft essays) for all of the Learning Objectives listed for the Chapters included on a specific exam.

¨ Unit Examinations: Exams cover the material from both the text and the lectures. There are three unit exams (100 points each exam) and a final exam (150 points).

¨ Final Examination: The date, day, and time of the final examination will be published, later in the semester, in the official Final Examination Schedule.

¨ Unexcused absence from the Final Examination will result in a failing grade for the course.

GRADING SYSTEM: FINAL GRADE:

Three Unit Exams 300 points A = 450 points

Class Participation/Attendance 50 points B = 400 points

Final Examination 150 points C = 350 points

TOTAL 500 points D = 300 points E < 300 points

STUDENT PRIVACY: Your work in this course is a private matter between you and me and that privacy is protected by Federal Law (PL 93-380). Anything relating to this course must be discussed

with me, in person. You may see me before or after class or you may make an appointment to see me in

my office. I do NOT discuss academic work over the telephone. Consistent with PL 93-380, I also do NOT discuss your academic work with anyone else.

VII. TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE, ASSIGNMENTS, AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Introduction to the Course; Syllabus Review.

Chapter 1. What is Sociology?

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter1/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Dead Sociologists’ Index http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/DSS/INDEX.HTML

Garfield http://www.garfield.com/

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to explain the sociological viewpoint, and answer the question, “what is sociology?”

2. Know the arguments made by Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber; and be

capable of showing how their arguments apply to contemporary society.

3. Be able to distinguish between the functional perspective and the conflict perspective, and

be capable of applying each perspective to current social issues.

4. Know the difference between quantitative and qualitative methods, and able to discuss the

strengths and weaknesses of each method.

5. Be able to discuss the ethical issues surrounding scientific research.

Chapter 2. Culture, Society, and Social Change

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter2/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

The India Home Page http://www.indiainfo.com/

Mozambique: http://www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us/Classes/Social_Science/Mozambique/Mozambique_Overview.html

Learning Objectives:

1. Know the various components of culture and have an appreciation for cross-cultural view points.

2. Be able to outline the important features of the various types of societies.

3. Know the difference between communal and associational relationships and how they fit into

the Great Social Transformation.

4. Be able to describe the salient features of the various theories of change and development.

5. Know the catalysts for change, and be able to give an example of each catalyst.

Chapter 3. Socialization and Deviance

deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Drug Enforcement Administration http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/

U.S. Department of Justice http://www.usdoj.gov/

Federal Bureau of Investigation http://www.fbi.gov/homepage.htm

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation affects socialization and deviance.

2. Know the stages in the life course and the socialization that takes place within each stage.

3. Be able to explain the theories of Cooley, Mead, and Blumer.

4. Be able to explain the theories of Piaget-Kohlberg, and the contribution of Gilligan.

5. Know the factors that affect the crime rate and understand the sociological explanations for

crime and deviance.

Chapter 4. Interaction, Groups, and Organizations

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter4/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Dilbert http://www.dilbert.com/

CNN Interactive http://www.cnn.com/

LSU Libraries http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation affects interaction, groups and

organizations.

2. Know the types and components of interaction and be able to explain the various sociological

theories of interaction.

3. Know the various types of groups and selected aspects of group behavior.

4. Know the types of organizations and be able to describe and explain a bureaucracy.

5. Understand the future role of interaction, groups, and organizations.

Chapter 14. Population, Ecology, and Urbanization

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter14/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/

Population Council http://www.popcouncil.org/

US Bureau of the Census Home Page http://www.census.gov/

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation affects population, ecology, and urbanization.

2. Know the three key concepts of demographic analysis and how to measure them.

3. Be able to describe the demographic transition.

4. Be able to outline the issues involved with population growth and the environment.

5. Be able to describe the historical city and the urban way of life.

6. Be able to explain what might happen in the future with regard to population growth and

environment.

Chapter 5. Inequalities of Social Class

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter5/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Forbes Top 400 Rich List http://www.forbes.com/2001/09/27/400.html

US Bureau of the Census Poverty Data http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty.html

Caste System in India http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Bridge/1771/Desh/cst.html

Child Welfare’s Child Poverty and Inequality Page

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation affected the nature of social class and socio-

economic stratification.

2. Be able to distinguish between caste and class, and to describe society in India and Great

Britain as examples of caste and class.

3. Know the determinants of social class in the United States, and be able to describe the

American class system.

4. Understand the nature of mobility and poverty in the United States.

5. Be able to outline and explain the sociological explanations of stratification and class.

6. Have an understanding of how the shrinking middle class may affect American society in the

future.

Chapter 6. Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter6/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

The Virtual Anne Frank House http://www.annefrank.com/site/af_life/1_life.htm

Japanese American Internment Camps http://www.oz.net/~cyu/internment/main.html

US Title 25 Indian Legislation http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/25/

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation changed the nature of racial and ethnic

relations.

2. Know and be able to discuss the concepts of race and ethnicity.

3. Know and be able to discuss stereotypes, and the nature of racism.

4. Understand the modes of possible interaction between racial-ethnic groups.

5. Be able to describe the salient features of the major racial-ethnic groups in the United States.

6. Be able to compare and contrast the sociological explanations for racial inequality.

Chapter 7. Inequalities of Gender

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter7/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Feminist Research Center http://www.feminist.org/research/1_public.html

American Men’s Studies Association http://www.vix.com/men/orgs/writeups/amsa.html

Gender Issues in Africa http://www.newafrica.com/gender/

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand how the Great Social Transformation affected gender relations.

2. Be able to explain and give examples of gender role socialization.

3. Recognize how patriarchy affects everyday life, and give examples thereof.

4. Describe and understand how gender affects work relations.

5. Know the various issues affected by feminism.

6. Be able to compare and contrast the sociological explanations for gender inequality.

Chapter 8. The Economy

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter8/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

The Economist http://www.economist.com/

White House Economic Statistics Briefing Room http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/esbr.html

The Wall Street Journal http://public.wsj.com/home.html

The World Fact Book 2000 http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to compare and contrast the economy of a communal society with the economy of a

predominately associational society.

2. Be able to compare and contrast capitalism with socialism.

3. Know the factors that might explain why economies worldwide seem to be converging to some

mixed form.

4. Be able to explain the characteristics of a corporation and why some commentators see the

corporation as “a problem”.

5. Explain how unemployment is both an individual and societal problem.

6. Be able to explain how functionalists, conflict theorists, and symbolic interactions view the

economy.

7. Explain deindustrialization and what implications it has for the United States.

Chapter 9. The Political Order

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter9/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Doonesbury http://www.doonesbury.com/

Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/

The Irish Times http://www.ireland.com/

The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/

The Senate http://www.senate.gov/

House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/

The National Archives http://www.nara.gov/

Thomas (Library of Congress) http://thomas.loc.gov/

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain how the political order of a communal society differs from the political order of a

predominantly associational society.

2. Explain the distinctions Max Weber drew among power, authority, and coercion.

3. Know the essential characteristics of the different types of states mentioned in the Chapter.

4. Know the ways a state differs from a nation and explain the consequences of imposing

states on nations.

5. Be able to compare and contrast the power elite model with the pluralist model and explain

how the contrast might be resolved.

6. Have an understanding of the functionalist theorists, conflict theorists, and symbolic

interactionist theorists and their view of the state.

7. Be able to explain what insights into the political order are provided by each of these

perspectives.

Chapter 12. Religion

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter12/deluxe.html

CHAPTER LINKS:

Buddhist World

Islam http://www.submission.org/quran3.htm

Maven Home Page (Judaism) http://www.maven.co.il/PhaseII/subjects/idx111.htm

Metropolitan Community Churches (Religion and Homosexuality) http://www.ufmcc.com/

The Order of Saint Ursula http://www.paolaursuline.org/

Orthodox Christianity http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to compare and contrast the role that religion plays in a communal and associational society.

2. Be able to list, define, and discuss the essential characteristics of religion as a social institution.

3. Know how the various “people of the book” differ and how they are alike.

4. Be able to outline and discuss the major characteristics of Eastern religions.

5. Be able to compare the functionalist theorists’ and the conflict theorists’ philosophy regarding

religion.

Chapter 15. Collective Social Action

STUDY GUIDE http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/curry3/chapter15/deluxe.html

Learning Objectives: Be able to:

understand the Great Social Transformation's effect on changes in collective social action.
define crowd, riot, panic, and rumor.
explain sociological theories of crowd behavior.
recognize the different types of social movements.
identify sociological theories of social movements.
discuss the characteristics and history of major American social movements.
understand the process of social change including individual, organizational, and institutional change.

VIII. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA): Springfield College in Illinois provides individuals with documented disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with documented disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should make appropriate arrangements with the Dean of Student Affairs as early as possible. Failure to request accommodations promptly (that is, within the first week of class) may result in denial of the request.

COURSE CALENDAR

ASSIGNMENTS AND DATES

Last Day to Drop a Course: April 4, 2003

1/21/03 Introduction to the Course; Syllabus Review

Chapter 1. What is Sociology?

1/28/03 Chapter 2. Culture, Society, and Social Change.

2/04/03 Chapter 3. Socialization and Deviance

2/11/03 Exam Nr. 1: Chapters 1, 2, and 3.

2/13/03 Chapter 4. Interaction, Groups, and Organizations

2/20/03 Chapter 14. Population, Ecology, and Urbanization.

2/25/03 NCA Accreditation Visit—NO CLASS

2/27/03 Chapter 5. Inequalities of Social Class

3/06/03 Exam Nr. 2: Chapters 4, 14, and 5

3/11/03 Chapter 6. Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity.

3/17 – 3/23 SPRING BREAK—NO CLASSES

3/25/03 Chapter 7. Inequalities of Gender

4/01/03 Chapter 8. The Economy

4/08/03 Exam Nr. 3: Chapters 6,7, and 8

4/10/03 Chapter 9. The Political Order

4/17/03 MAUNDY THURSDAY—NO CLASS

4/22/03 Chapter 12. Religion

4/29/03 Chapter 15. Collective Social Action

5/6/03 Review Session

5/07 – 5/13 FINAL EXAMINATION WEEK

See the Final Examination Schedule, published later in

the term, for the day, date, and time of the Final Exam.