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Revision: 3 January 2008
Foundations of Sociological Theory
Sociology 310, Section 001
Winter 2009
Tu/Th 12:05-1:20pm
Room 3716 HBLL
Instructor: Dr. Todd L. Goodsell
Office: 2029 JFSB
Office Hours: Tu/Th 1:20pm or by appointment
Office Phone: 422-3336
Email:
Prerequisite: Sociology 111/112
Recommended Concurrent Enrollment: Soc 300 and Stat 221
Required Texts:
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth. 2005. Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings. Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press.
And one of the following monographs:
Anderson, Nels. 1923. The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Cressey, Paul Goalby. 1932. The Taxi-Dance Hall: A Sociological Study in Commercialized Recreation & City Life. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Optional Text:
Adler, Mortimer J. and Charles Van Doren. 1972. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Revised and updated edition. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Catalog Course Description: Basic ideas and arguments forming sociological inquiry, including philosophical foundations, philosophy of social science, and development of classical theory.
Sociology Learning Outcomes
Every program at BYU is required to have a set of learning outcomes. You may find the learning outcomes for sociology – what you should have learned by the time you finish the program – through <learningoutcomes.byu.edu>. Select Family, Home, and Social Science, then select Sociology, then select Sociology BS. This course supports the following learning outcomes for Sociology Undergraduates:
· “Graduates know the basic ideas and arguments forming sociological inquiry, including philosophical foundations, philosophy of social science, and development of classical theory.”
· “Graduates are able to critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical perspective.”
Course Learning Outcomes
· Students will learn a range of concepts related to sociological theory
o See Learning Outcomes & Reading Guide
· Students will develop reading skills
· Students will learn about educational and career options in sociology
Indicators of Successful Accomplishment of Learning Outcomes
· Exams assess how well you explain and interpret course concepts in your own words in writing.
· The Homework Essays will assess your reading skills at a basic level.
· The Book Essay will assess your reading skills at an advanced level.
· Class presentations / guest lectures and one-on-one meetings with the professor and other faculty and staff members will assist students with educational and career decisions.
Schedule
· Please attend all university and college lectures and forums. I may incorporate their content into the class, if it is relevant.
· On Tuesdays, this class is scheduled to begin shortly after the weekly university forum or devotional. The instructor will be attending these at the Marriott Center. If these events run long, class will start a little later to give everyone a chance to get to class.
Date / Activity/Assignment6 January / Sociology 310: Course Overview
8 January / “How to Read”
· Optional: Adler and Van Doren
13 January / Introduction to Classical Theory
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 1-16.
Essay #1 Due
15 January / Introduction to Classical Theory, continued
20 January / Modern Times (VC 1096; on reserve in HBLL LRC)
22 January / Karl Marx
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 17-49
Essay #2 Due
27 January / Karl Marx, continued
29 January / Karl Marx, continued
3 February / Test review
5 February / Exam #1 (comprehensive to this point) @ Testing Center
10 February / Dave Waddell (Career Placement Services)
12 February / Emile Durkheim
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 79-121
Essay #3 Due
19 February / Emile Durkheim, continued
24 February / Max Weber
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 135-191
Essay #4 Due
26 February / Max Weber
3 March / Max Weber
5 March / Max Weber
10 March / Test review
12 March / Exam #2 (comprehensive to this point) @ Testing Center
17 March / Charlotte Perkins Gilman
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 193-206
Essay #5 Due
19 March / Charlotte Perkins Gilman
24 March / Georg Simmel
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 241-251, 267-275, 280-299
Essay #6 Due
26 March / Georg Simmel
31 March / W. E. B. DuBois
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 301-321
Essay #7 Due
2 April / W. E. B DuBois
7 April / George Herbert Mead
· Edles and Appelrouth, pages 353-357, 365-369
Essay #8 Due
9 April / Monograph
Book Essay Due
14 April / Test review
17 April (Fri), 3:00-6:00pm / Exam #3 (comprehensive to this point) @ regular classroom
The bullet points represent required readings to be done before that class period. The bold represent assignments due on that date, at the beginning of class.
Grading Procedures:
Grades in this course will be based on the following elements:
Assignments / Points PossibleHomework Essays and Book Essay / 128*
Exam 1 / 110
Exam 2 / 110
Exam 3 / 110
In-class evaluations / 10
Total / 468
* Twelve points for each essay. More than half of your essays (that is, at least five) must receive the full twelve points for you to receive the final twenty possible points.
Grades
“The grade given in a course is the teacher's evaluation of the student's performance, achievement, and understanding in that subject as covered in the class. The following adjectives indicate the meaning of the letter grades:
A / ExcellentB / Good
C / Satisfactory
D / Minimum Passing
E / Failure
“Hence, the grade A means that the student's performance, achievement, and understanding were excellent in that portion of the subject covered in the class.” (http://saas.byu.edu/registrar/records/grades.php#2; accessed 23 August 2008)
I may apply a curve to the final grade.
According to department policy, you must pass this class with a C- or better in order to receive credit toward a sociology major.
Course Policies
Attendance and Participation
“You are expected to attend classes for which you are registered. Each class instructor may determine the relationship of class attendance to the final grade for the course. Officially excused absences are required only when you are away representing the university on official business. All officially excused absences must be approved through the dean of students.” (http://saas.byu.edu/classSchedule/fall/universityPolicies.aspx?lms=22; accessed 23 August 2008)
Attendance is required. That means being present (physically and mentally) every class period, for the whole class period. Some information that you need to do well in the class is only presented in-class – not in the syllabus, not over email. Even your study buddies may not communicate everything to you when you miss a class (although I recommend that you have study buddies anyway).
When you are present in class, you are required to participate as directed by the instructor. For example, if we are doing an in-class writing exercise, you do it too, or if we are having a discussion, you share your thoughts about the topic.
Please do participate! I only ask that you stay focused and on topic and help move the class forward. I really like it when I see students formulating thoughtful questions, comments, and answers – even if those thoughts aren’t technically “perfect.” In other words, it’s OK to use this class to develop your ideas. That’s really the best way you can use your sociological theory classes.
The instructor may take attendance.
General Comportment
Be ready to learn.
Take responsibility for your own learning
Actively participate in the learning process.
Contribute to the learning environment in and out of the classroom.
Help others learn.
Certain activities are not acceptable. If you engage in these activities, you are preventing others from learning. Please follow these standards.
· Show up on time and do not leave until the class is over.
· Turn off your cell phone or pager before class starts.
· When it is class time and when you are in class, you should be part of the class. Do not study for other classes, read the newspaper, eat lunch, take phone calls, get up to use the restroom, surf the Internet, text message, or chat with your neighbor unless instructed to do so.
These are standards you will be expected to follow in many workplaces. If you arrive at all your work meetings late and then read the newspaper while others are discussing the items on the agenda, you will not keep your job. Responsible employees and students plan ahead and fulfill their obligations.
Flexibility
Changes may be made to the course (including to the syllabus) to account for emergent needs or for clarification. The professor may provide further explanation or adjustment of an assignment or exam. Requirements may change in the event of a policy statement from university administrators.
Citation Style
Use ASA citation style. The following websites give an overview:
http://asanet.org/page.ww?section=Sociology+Depts&name=Quick+Style+Guide
http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html
Turning in Assignments and Other Documents to Dr. Goodsell
I do not accept electronic submissions. Assignments must be done on computer, printed out looking professional, and submitted in hard copy.
Dr. Goodsell’s Box
Assignments are due directly to Dr. Goodsell at the beginning of the class periods in which the assignments are due. Dr. Goodsell’s box, where you may leave hard copies of documents for him, is located in the Sociology Department (2008 JFSB). Hand the documents with the secretaries and they will put them in his box (usually 8-5, M-F). The plastic bin hanging on the wall in the hallway outside Dr. Goodsell’s office (2029 JFSB) is only for nonessential communications. The plastic bin is not secure – being in a publicly accessible hallway – and so you should only put documents in it if you do not care whether or not Dr. Goodsell receives them.
Late Policy
Assignments are due at the beginning of class unless otherwise indicated. Homework assignments turned in after the due date/time will be penalized (three points per late period –three points for late but on the right day, six points for the next day, all credit for the day after that). If you turn something in late for reduced credit, please note on the assignment the day and time when you turned it in so I don’t take off too much credit. Otherwise I just guess. You may turn in assignments early.
Emergency Extensions
Each class member is granted one (1) opportunity during the semester to turn one (1) written assignment in late for full credit. To take advantage of this, the student must send Dr. Goodsell an email before the written assignment is due in which the student indicates that s/he will not be able to turn the written assignment in on time, and stating the day and time the written assignment will be turned in, which cannot be more than forty-eight (48) hours after the assignment is due.
If those forty-eight (48) hours are not enough time because of a medical or other need, the student must present a letter signed by his/her doctor or ecclesiastical leader stating the need and stating the day and time the written assignment will be turned in, which cannot be more than two (2) weeks after the original due date.
Otherwise, the late policy will apply.
Since only one such opportunity will be granted to each student during the semester, students are advised to reserve it for genuine emergencies.
Late assignments must be turned in to Dr. Goodsell’s box, in hard copy, in the Sociology Department Office, 2008 JFSB, which is open 8-5 (excluding forums/devotionals) Monday through Friday. If the extended deadline falls on a weekend, the student should slide the assignment under Dr. Goodsell’s office door (2029 JFSB) by the extended deadline.
Notwithstanding this policy, no assignments will be accepted after the last class period.
Portions of assignments that are only in-class cannot be made up.
Communication to the Students
Students are responsible to attend class, keep their contact information (including email address) up to date with the university, and check their registered email account regularly and frequently. Students who fail to do these things may not receive important class announcements and instructions.
Original Work
All work for this class must be work done by you, for this class. You may not, for example, double-count work you did for another class as also work for this class.
Records
Save your returned work. You may need it to document a need to correct your final grade.
University Policies
All university policies apply to this class.
The Mission of BYU
BYU has a mission statement that I support, and that I have designed this class to support. This class contributes to the mission of BYU by helping individual students “think clearly, communicate effectively, understand important ideas in their own cultural tradition as well as that of others, and establish clear standards of intellectual integrity.” You may find BYU’s complete mission statement at <http://unicomm.byu.edu/about/mission/>
The Aims of a BYU Education
There is another document that details what we hope students gain from BYU. It is called the “Aims of a BYU Education.” This course converges with the aims of a BYU education on several points. It is designed to be “spiritually strengthening” in helping to better prepare students to reason about difficult and important questions so they can better give “a reason for the hope that is in” them and communicate with others about notions of right and wrong. We will discuss the relationship between what we study and religious faith. This class is also meant to be “intellectually enlarging” in the sense of improving their skills in “logical reasoning, critical analysis, moral discrimination, creative imagination, and independent thought” through classroom interaction and other assignments designed to help students “listen, speak, read, and write well.” Through application of course concepts and the practice necessary to do well in the this course, I hope students will better appreciate such virtues as honesty, commitment, compassion, and industry, thus contributing to the vision that BYU education should be “character building.” Finally, though this class is only one semester, it contributes to the aim of “lifelong learning and service” through introducing students to a broad range of thinkers and ideas, which I hope that students will feel able and encouraged to explore further on their own. You may find the complete statement of the aims of a BYU education at <http://unicomm.byu.edu/about/aims/printable.html?lms=8>