Sociology 121 A: Introduction to Human Society Fall, 2009 Sunday 1:15PM 4:45PM. Drew Fish Home Phone: Cell Phone:

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1 Drew Fish Home Phone: Cell Phone: A: Introduction to Human Society Fall, 2009 Sunday 1:15PM 4:45PM I) Purpose of the course: The United States has been described as a mosaic because of it's tradition of great diversity. American diversity is not based simply on ethnic and racial heritage, although these are important components, but also by gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and place within the economic system (just to name a few areas of difference). This diversity among the inhabitants of the United States has produced a multitude of perceptions of and interactions with "American Society". The purpose of this course is to a solid foundation in the discipline of sociology while exploring the central components of "American Society" in light of this diversity. II) Expectations: The student is expected to attend class regularly and be prepared to discuss the material for that day. In addition, the student is expected to apply the concepts discussed in this class to his/her own experiences and to use their own experiences to evaluate the concepts presented in class. Ideally this class should develop into a reciprocal relationship between the concepts of sociology (as presented in the readings and lecture) and the student. III) Requirements: Examinations: The student will be asked to complete three examinations comprised of short answer and short essay questions. The examinations will take place in class on October 8, November 5 and December 10. Reaction Papers: In call one film will be presented. After the film each student will be asked to write a short (2-3 page) reaction paper integrating the experience to class discussion and readings. Optional Take Home Essay: Students will be given the option to complete an optional take home essay exploring one of the major issues discussed in class using the major sociological perspectives we will discuss. The essay it will count as an additional exam grade. As a result the relative weight of each individual exam will be less. The essay question will be handed out November 19 and will be due December 10. Journal Assignments: Each student is required to keep a journal of her/his reactions to the material covered in each class. The propose of the journal is to give the student the opportunity to relate the class material to their own experiences. Journal / Discussion questions are provided to stimulate the students thinking but the student need not limit her/himself to these questions. Students may also refer to the discussion questions at the end of each reading. Journal entries should range in length form 1/2 page to 1 page each. Completed journals are due December 10. All unexcused late assignments will be docked 1/2 a letter grade for each class period late.

2 IV) Evaluation: Examination One points Examination Two points Examination Three points Optional Take Home Essay points Film Reaction Paper points Attendance/Participation points Journal points Total without Essay points Total with Essay points 95%-100% = 4.0 = A 90%-94% = 3.5 = A- 85%-89% = 3.0 = B 80%-84% = 2.5 = B- 75%-79% = 2.0 = C 70%-74% = 1.5 = C- 65%-69% = 1.0 = D 60%-64% = 0.5 = D 59% & below = 0.0 = F Students taking the course pass/no pass (P/N) must complete and turn in all course assignments and receive a final grade of at least 70% V) Required Texts: Babbie, E. (1994). The Sociological Spirit (2nd Edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. Fish, Andrew. (2006) Intersections: Readings in. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing

3 Course Schedule This schedule is subject to revision. Saturday September 13: Section 1: The Discipline of. Babbie: Chapter One "Sociological Perspectives" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in Invitation to by Peter L. Berger, from Intersections: Readings in The Promise by C. Wright Mills, from Intersections: Readings in "Whose Side Are We On" by Howard S. Becker, from Intersections: Readings in What is a Social Fact by Emile Durkheim, from Intersections: Readings in In-Class Assignment: Sociological Imagination: The Interplay of Biography and History Lecture: Paradigms, Theories and Research Discuss the special problems confronted by the sociologist because she/he studies human behavior. How can the background of the sociologist bias his/her research? Section 2: Culture and Social Structure. Babbie: Chapters Five and Six "Culture" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in Culture: A Sociological View by Howard S. Becker, from Intersections: Readings in Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner, from Intersections: Readings in "Social Structure and Social Interaction" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in The Nature of Symbolic Interactionism by Herbert Blumer, from Intersections: Readings in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman, from Intersections: Readings in

4 In-Class Assignment: The Nacirema in 2006 Their presentation of self in everyday life. Identify one way in which your life has been influenced by "American Culture". Saturday September 27: Section 3: Stratification and Social Inequality. Babbie: Chapter Seven Stratification by Ralph B. McNeal, Jr., from Intersections: Readings in Some Principles of Stratification by Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore, from Intersections: Readings in The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills, from Intersections: Readings in Why the Rich are Getting Richer and the Poor Poorer by Robert Reich, from Intersections: Readings in The Uses of Global Poverty: How Economic Inequality Benefits the West by Diane Stukulis Eglitis, from Intersections: Readings in Toward a Theory of Race, Crime, and Urban Inequality by Robert J. Sampson and William Julius Wilson, from Intersections: Readings in Lecture: Testing Theories Do you believe that there is elite in America? In your own community? What factors support the contention that there is elite in America? What factors refute this claim?

5 Saturday October 11: EXAM #1 Section 4: Groups and Organizations. Babbie: Chapters Three and Four Dyads, Triads, and Larger Groups by Georg Simmel, from Intersections: Readings in Characteristics of Bureaucracy by Max Weber, from Intersections: Readings in Why Bureaucracy? by Charles Perrow, from Intersections: Readings in Groupthink by Irving L. Janis, from Intersections: Readings in Lecture: Modes of Observation Think about two groups in which you are currently a member. Compare and contrast these two groups in terms of the characteristics and dynamics discussed in lecture (try to pick two dissimilar groups). Saturday October 25: Section 5: Socialization. Babbie: Chapter Two Socialization: The Internalization of Reality by Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckman, from Intersections: Readings in Classrooms as Socialization Agents: The Three Rs and Beyond by Eva Weisz and Barry Kanpol, from Intersections: Readings in Suspended Identity: Identity Transformation in a Maximum Security Prison by Thomas J. Schmid and Richard S. Jones, from Intersections: Readings in Compare your own socialization process with that of someone you know who is of a different social class, race or gender. How do you think you were socialized differently because of your social class, race or gender? What aspects to you think may not be influenced by this factor? Use the one theory discussed in lecture which you find most helpful in understanding differences in socialization. Section 6: Intimate Relations & The Family. "Intimate Relations & The Family" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in

6 Mate Selection and Marriage Around the World by Bron B. Ingoldsby, from Intersections: Readings in How do man and women experiences of courtship, marriage, and divorce differently? What factors underlie these differences? Saturday November 8: EXAM #2 Section 7: Work & Economy. Work &The Economy by David A. Merrill, from Intersections: Readings in Positive Functions of Undeserving Poor: Uses of the Underclass in America by Herbert J. Gans, from Intersections: Readings in Downsizing the American Dream: Corporate Restructuring, Work and Family at the Century s End by Michael Wallace, from Intersections: Readings in How does an individual s position within the economic system effect his/her perceptions of that system? How has the shift from an industrial economy to a postindustrial economy effected the composition of the American workforce? Lecture: Analysis of quantitative data In-Class Group Assignment: A preliminary analysis of employment statistics Saturday November 22: Section 8: Race & Ethnicity. Race & Ethnicity by Ralph B. McNeal, Jr., from Intersections: Readings in Race, Class, and Income Inequality by Erik Olin Wright, from Intersections: Readings in Talking Past Each Other: Black and White Languages of Race by Bob Blauner, from Intersections: Readings in Should Immigrants Assimilate? by Alejandro Portes and Min Zhou, from Intersections: Readings in Discuss the relationship between prejudice and discrimination define each concept. Can there be prejudice without discrimination or discrimination without prejudice (explain your answer)?

7 Section 9: Gender & Sexualities. "Gender & Sexualities" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender by Judith Lorber, from Intersections: Readings in The Language of Sexism by Haig Bosmajian, from Intersections: Readings in Exclusion from Management by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, from Intersections: Readings in Discuss the process of differential socialization based on gender. Identify two agents of socialization. For each, give an example of differential gender socialization. What role does differential gender socialization play in gender inequality? FILM/REACTION PAPER: Deborah Tannen He Said, She Said: Gender, Language & Communication Saturday December 6: Section 10: Deviance, Conformity & Social Control. Babbie: Chapter Eight Deviance, Conformity & Social Control by Ralph B. McNeal, Jr., from Intersections: Readings in The Meaning of Social Control by Peter L.Berger, from Intersections: Readings in On Being Sane in Insane Places by D. L. Rosenhan, from Intersections: Readings in Thoughts on Class, Race, and Prison by Alan Berkman and Tim Bunk, from Intersections: Readings in The Saints and The Roughnecks by William J. Chambliss, from Intersections: Readings in In the United States what factors determine which behaviors are seen as deviant and which behaviors are not? Section 11: Aging & The Life Course. Aging & The Life Course by Andrew Scott Ziner, from Intersections: Readings in Perceptions of Aging in America by W. Andrew Achenbaum, from Intersections: Readings in

8 The Process of Aging: Growing Up and Growing Old by James E. Birren, from Intersections: Readings in Lecture: Analysis of qualitative data In-Class Group Assignment: An analysis of representation of age catigories in popular culture Compare aging as a biological process with aging as a social process. How do the two processes interact and reinforce each other? Compare the American view of the aging process with that of other cultures (or sub-cultures in the U.S.). REACTION PAPER DUE Saturday December 13: EXAM #3 Section 12: Social Change, Collective Behavior & Social Movements. Babbie: Chapters Nine and Ten "Social Change, Collective Behavior & Social Movements" by Kathleen A. Tiemann, from Intersections: Readings in "Social Problems as Collective Behavior by Herbert Blumer, from Intersections: Readings in "On The Origin Of Social Movements" by Jo Freeman, from Intersections: Readings in Pick three groups of various types. Identify the types of collective behavior engaged in by each group. How does each group influence the behavior of its members? OPTIONAL ESSAY DUE