Florida International University

Department of Global & Sociocultural Studies

SYG 3002

Basic Ideas of Sociology

Mon./Wed./Fri.

9:00 am – 9:50 am

Room: PC212

Spring 2013

Instructor: David McGuirk

E-mail:

Phone: 305 972-9305 (Cell phone)

Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00 am-11:00 am

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES:

SYG 3002 Basic Ideas of Sociology (3). The course introduces the student to the ideas of community, authority, status, alienation, and the sacred, as used in sociological literature. (F,S,SS)

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

  • To describe and critically assess sociological perspectives.
  • To understand how humans are organized in social structures/institutions and are bound by culture
  • To understand the role of social, economic, and political inequality in society.
  • To learn about the role of social movements in changing social organization.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS & READINGS:

Meaning of Sociology, The, 8th edition, Pearson,

Charon, Joel M. and Vigilant, Lee.ISBN-13: 9780138133283

Meaning of Sociology, The: A Reader, 9th edition, Pearson,

Charon, Joel M. and Vigilant, Lee. ISBN-13: 9780135157862

CLASS DISCUSSIONS:

The nature of this class requires active classroom discussion in both large and small groups. Some topics may be controversial, but we must all respect each other’s opinions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

GRADING SYSTEM: There will be one midterm (30 questions) and one final exam (30 questions). Additionally, there will be one required academic paper (5-7 pages min.) due at the end of the term.

The midterm and final will be given in class on the dates indicated in the course schedule. The final exam will include multiple-choice questions and essay questions. The academic paper, due the week before finals week, must be 5-7 pages,double-spaced and 12-point font.

Attendance(40/42) 5%

Online Discussions (5)25%

Midterm (1)20%

Final (1)20%

Academic Paper (1)30%

GRADING SCALE:

Letter Grades / Range / Letter Grades / Range / Letter Grades / Range
A / 100-94 / B- / 83-80 / D+ / 69-67
A- / 93-90 / C+ / 79-77 / D / 66-64
B+ / 89-87 / C / 76-74 / D- / 63-60

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION (5%):

Attendance and participation in this course are important. You will be given a grade for attendance (for 40 days out of 42). If you will be absent, please inform me in advance. Absences must be documented and excused in order to make-up missed work. Any documentation should be provided within one week of the missed day.

Participation and listening are important in this course. Being able to express yourself with thoughtful interpretations of readings, discussions, films and being able to listen as others express themselves will contribute to the overall effectiveness of the class. Come to class prepared having read the assignments beforehand. Additionally, you will participate in online discussion forums in Blackboard.

ACADEMIC PAPER (30%):

You will be responsible for writing ONE academic paper, five to seven typewritten pages (1” margins/12 font/double spaced). The thesis of your papershould reflect one of the topics from the assigned readings or class discussions. By midterm, you should submit to me your topic and a tentative thesis for approval and feedback.

EXAMS (40%):

The exams will include several multiple choice questions. The midterm will include questions on the weekly readings from weeks 1-7 and the final from weeks 8-14.

ONLINE DISCUSSIONS (25%):

The online discussions (one post and one reply to a classmate) will take place in Blackboard. Each post must be 50 words long (approx. two paragraphs) and each reply must be 25 words long (approx. one short paragraph)—grades will be determined by both quantity of words and quality of discussion and analysis.

COURSE SCHEDULE—Fall 2012

**The syllabus may be revised at any time as the course progresses**

Week 1The Nature of Sociology

1/7MondayCourse Introduction

1/9Wednesday The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills

1/11FridayVideo

Week 2The Discipline of Sociology

1/14MondayTextbook: Chapter One

1/16Wednesday Reader: Sociology as a Passion to Understand, Peter L. Berger

1/18FridayVideo

Week 3How Sociologists Think

1/21MondayMartin Luther King Day: No Class

1/23Wednesday Textbook: Chapter Two

1/25FridayReader: Social Identity, Richard Jenkins

Discussion #1 Due

Week 4 Humans Embedded in Social Organization

1/28MondayTextbook: Chapter Three

1/30Wednesday Reader: Society, Social Control and the Individual, Peter L. Berger

2/1FridayVideo

Week 5Social Structure

2/4MondayTextbook: Chapter Four

2/6Wednesday Reader: Gender as Structure, Barbara J. Risman

2/8FridayVideo

Week 6Inequality in Society

2/11MondayTextbook: Chapter Five

2/13Wednesday Reader: Inequality in Europe and the United States

2/15FridayVideo

Discussion #2 Due

Week 7Culture

2/18MondayTextbook: Chapter Six

2/20Wednesday Reader: American Culture: Individualism and Community, David

A . Karp

2/22FridayVideo

Week 8Social Institutions

2/25MondayTextbook: Chapter Seven

2/27Wednesday Reader: The Meaning and Origin of Social Institutions, Peter L.

Berger and Thomas Luckmann

3/1FridayReview

Week 9Organizations, Societies and Globalization

3/4MondayMidterm Exam

3/6Wednesday Textbook: Chapter Eight

3/8FridayReader: Globalization, Anthony Giddens

Discussion #3 Due

Week 10Spring Break

3/11MondayNo Class

3/13Wednesday No Class

3/15FridayNo Class

Week 11Social Order/Social Power

3/18MondayTextbook: Chapter Nine

Reader: Government Programs and Social Cohesion, Theda

Skocpol

3/20Wednesday Textbook: Chapter Ten

3/22FridayReader: Punishment and Inequality in America, Bruce Western

Week 12Symbols, Self and Mind

3/25MondayTextbook: Chapter Eleven

3/27Wednesday Reader: The Code of the Street

3/29FridayFilm

Discussion #4 Due

Week 13Social Change

4/1MondayFilm (continued from 3/29)

4/3Wednesday Textbook: Chapter Twelve

4/5FridayReader: Social Movements and Social Change, Cyrus Zirakzadeh

Week 14The Family in Society

4/8MondayTextbook: Chapter Thirteen

4/10Wednesday Reader: Family in Transition, 2007, Arlene S. Skolnick and Jerome

H. Skolnick

4/12FridayVideo

Week 15Religion, Society and the Individual

4/15MondayTextbook: Chapter Fourteen

4/17Wednesday Reader: The Meaning of Religion, Emile Durkheim

4/19FridayVideo

Term Paper Due (by 11:55 pm in Blackboard)

Discussion #5 Due

Week 16Final Exams(see final exam schedule)

1