Introduction to Sociology
Summer II 2006
Class: / Time: / Room:Sociology 1301
/Mon – Fri 9:20-11:30am
/UGLC 128
Professor: / Office: / Phone: / Email: / Office Hours:Dr. Ted Curry
/Old Main 318
/747-6527
/ /Mon & Wed 1:30 –2:30
& by appointment
Class Web Site:
Required READINGS:
McIntyre, Lisa J. (2002) The practical skeptic: Core concepts in sociology (3rded.). Boston: McGraw Hill. [Termed “text” in course schedule.]
McIntyre, Lisa J. (2002) The practical skeptic: Readings in sociology (3rd ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill. [Termed “reader” in course schedule.]
COURSE INFORMATION
Purpose: This goal of this class is to provide students with the experience and intellectual underpinnings to enable them to think more clearly about society and social issues – such as culture, crime, education, the family, and social inequalities (e.g., race/ ethnicity, social class, and gender). To accomplish this, students will be introduced to the scholarly discipline of sociology: “the scientific study of society.” Students will become acquainted with what the discipline of sociology is, how sociology evolved, and what its major perspectives on society are; how to understand and critique social research and “facts;” what observational methods sociologists use and how these methods “flavor” sociological research; and students will also learn about and critique understandings of some of the most profound and important social issues facing the United States. The subject matter of this course is intended to provide essential knowledge for all sociology majors as well as those fulfilling general education requirements.
Format: The course provides three kinds of activities for learning about sociology:
- Reading assignments will be given for nearly all classes. It is imperative that these assignments be completed prior to coming to class. Also, bring your relevant reading material(s) to class each day.
- Lectures and classroom discussions will provide additional and clarifying information to supplement the reading assignments. I expect students to be at the academic level where they can participate in class in a meaningful way. Thus, lectures are intended as dialogues between instructor and students that clarify and enhance understanding of the subject matter. Therefore, rather than showing up blank-faced and unprepared, all students must come to class having a grasp of the day’s readings and be prepared to ask and answer analytical questions about them.
- Group exercises pertaining to the day’s subject matter. These exercises will consist of group discussion of several problems and/or questions presented to the group, followed by a class-wide discussion of these problems. These exercises are not graded in any way.
Requirements:
- Exams: There will be five examinations consisting of multiple choice, short-answer, fill in the blank and essay questions. All material covered in class (films, lectures, discussions, guest speakers, group exercises) and all readings can be the basis of test questions. Each exam (including the final) is worth 100 points for a total of 500 points. A grade of zero (0) will be assigned for all exams not taken.
No extra-credit assignments will be given – please do not ask.
GRADES
Grades are based on the following:
Exams:500 points
Total500 points
Letter grades are assigned according to the following scale:
A=89% and above
B=79% - 88%
C=69% - 78%
D=59% - 68%
F=Below 59%
Notice that my grading scale is “curved” 1% in your favor. For example, in most courses a 79% is a “C” whereas in my class it is a “B.” This is to avoid the situation where someone misses receiving a higher grade by a very small margin – because in my class you miss receiving a higher grade by a full percentage point, plus the “very small margin.” I apply the grading scale uniformly to all students. Remember, your grade is an accomplishment, not a gift.
You can receive your current grade by logging on to UTEP’s WebCT through UTEP’s home page and then clicking onto My UTEP.edu. If you do not already have an account, you need to get one.
CLASS AND UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Attendance: Students are required to attend all classes. Students who miss more than 1/3 of all class meetings will be dropped from the class or receive a grade of “F” for the semester. Students are responsible for all material and other information presented in class. Any student who misses class is encouraged to get the lectures notes from another student, complete the reading assignment, and discuss the day’s material with the professor. Students should also ask the professor about any changes made to the syllabus in their absence. Neither the professor nor TA will provide class notes.
Missed exams: If you know, for whatever reason, that you will be absent when an exam is given, you must inform the professor ahead of time, either talk to the professor directly, leave a message by calling 747-6527, or send an e-mail message to . In case of illness or emergency, inform the professor before the start of class on the day of the exam, or as soon as possible thereafter. Failure to do this will result in a reduction in your exam grade of at least 10%. Failure to discuss missed exams with the professor beyond five (5) working days from the date of the exam may result in a grade of zero (0) for the missed exam. All make-up exams, except those missed for official university business, will be taken during the week before final exams, at a date and time determined by the professor. Make-up exams may differ substantially from the regular class exam.
Academic Dishonesty (e.g., Cheating / Plagiarism): The most serious violation of academic standards, plagiarism refers to, among other things, failing to fairly represent the work of others in your written and oral presentations by giving appropriate credit for the exact words or phrase(s), unique image or idea, and/or individual opinion, copying the sentence patterns and logical development of the written piece of another, substituting your own words as you go while keeping so closely to the original that you have in effect taken it without giving credit, submitting the words or works of another as your own without permission or proper credit. The penalty for plagiarism is failure (a grade of “F”) in the class and a letter reporting your behavior to the appropriate university authorities. If you are at all confused about what constitutes plagiarism, please see your professor. Additionally, all written work will be checked for plagiarism by, among other things, web searches. Further information can be gained from the UTEP Dean of Students’ webpage
Classroom Behavior: Unprofessional behavior (e.g., sleeping, talking, reading material unrelated to class, repeated tardiness) will not be tolerated. It is okay to quietly make brief comments to each other about the day’s material, but anything more than that is distracting to the rest of class and the professor. Students who arrive late or need to leave early should sit in a seat near the door to minimize class disruptions. Students should not leave class once the professor has started the lecture. All cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned OFF. The first time a student’s cell phone, etc. activates they will be required to leave class for that day. If a student’s cell phone, etc. activates a second time during the semester they will be administratively withdrawn from the course. [Exceptions will be made for important matters – please notify the professor if this is the case.] The same policy of being dismissed from class for the day for a first offense and being administratively withdrawn for a second offense applies to other disruptive and unprofessional behavior.
Tardiness: Entering class after lectures have started is disrupting to the class and disrespectful to professors and fellow students. If, for whatever reason, you find yourself unable to be in class before the start of class on a regular basis, you will need to either drop the class or make arrangements to rectify the situation. On any given day, if you are more than 5 minutes late, then DO NOT attend class for that day. Students arriving more than 5 minutes late will be asked to leave class for that day.
Students with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the professor during the first week of class of any accommodations needed for the course. Late notification may cause the requested accommodations to be unavailable.
Tentative Course Schedule
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the course syllabus.
Any changes will be announced ahead of time in class.
DATEREADINGS and ASSIGNMENTS
I. Introducing… Sociology!
June 26 Introductions & course overview.
Movie: “A Day Without Mexicans”
Reading: This syllabus
27What is society? How does modern society operate? Durkheim and social solidarity
Reading: pp. 1-16 (text)
Tonnies, Weber & Marx: more views of modern society
Reading: pp. 16-27 (text)
28Being a skeptic about society and social knowledge
Reading: pp. 28-37 (text),
Applying the “sociological imagination”
Reading: “The promise” (reader) “How history and sociology can help today’s
families” (reader)
29Sociological perspectives on what society “is:” A tale of three paradigms
Reading: pp. 38-46 (text)
EXAM 1
II. Science, Social Science and Sociological Methods
30The “art” of observing society: thinking about biases
Reading: pp. 47-54 (text)
The “science” of observing society: the scientific method
Reading: pp. 55-68 (text)
Group exercise: interpreting tables & figures
Reading: pp. 69-74 (text)
July 3Movie: Suggestions?
4Independence Day – No Classes
5Methods of social science research: Surveys and experiments
Reading: pp. 75-86 (text)
Doing social science research
Reading: “Men as success objects, women as sex objects…” (reader); “If Hitler
asked you to execute a stranger…” (reader)
6Methods of social science research: Field research
Reading: “Hate in the suburbs…” (reader); “Student participation in the college
Classroom” (reader)
Other methods, sampling, and research ethics
Reading: pp. 86-94 (text), “Doing the right thing…” (reader)
III. The Foundations of Society: Culture and Social Structure
7EXAM 2
Culture: What does it “mean?”
Reading: pp. (text) 95-113
10Readings in culture
Reading: “The young, the rich and the famous” (reader), “The code of the streets”
(reader)“Rule enforcement without visible means…” (reader), “Separating the men
from the girls…” (reader)
11Social structure: Where do you fit in?
Reading: pp. 114-128 (text)
Seeing ourselves as others see us
Reading: “The presentation of self in everyday life” (reader) “The pathology of
imprisonment” (reader)
12The influence of gender and occupation on identity
Reading: “Marked: Women in the workplace” (reader), “Handling the stigma…”
(reader)
Society and social institutions
Reading: pp. 129-143 (text)
13Different schools, different outcomes for students
Reading: “Hidden lessons” (reader), “Elite boarding schools…” (reader)
EXAM3
IV. Applying Culture & Structure: Examining Socialization and Deviant Behavior
14Learning to be who we are: Individual experience
Reading: pp.144-160 (text)
Socializing children and young adults
Reading: “The nurture and admonition of the lord…” (reader), “Anybody’s son
will do” (reader)
17Cross-cultural messages of gender and their implications
Film: “Defending Our Daughters”
Ideal families and structural limitations
Reading: “New families…” (reader), “Suspended Identity…” (reader)
18Deviance & social control
Reading: pp. 161-182 (text)
Is deviance “functional”?
Reading: “The normality of crime” (reader), “On being sane in insane places”
(reader)
19Defining deviance
Reading: “The saints and the roughnecks” (reader), “Fraternities and collegiate
rape culture” (reader)
EXAM 4
V. Applying Culture & Structure (redux): Social Inequalities
20Stratifying society: Ways of dividing up status, power, and wealth
Reading: pp. 183-200(text)
Introducing “social inequalities:” socioeconomic status
Reading: pp. 201-221 (text)
Poverty: cultural views and structural implications
Reading: “The land of opportunity” (reader), “Nickel and dimed…” (reader)
21Social inequalities con’t: race/ ethnicity and gender
Reading: pp. 222-244 (text)
The impact of prejudices
Reading: “Racism” (reader), “Confessions of a nice negro…” (reader), “The model
minority myth…” (reader)
24FinalExam: Monday, July 24th, at 9:20am – 10:30am, in our current classroom.
The final exam is NOT comprehensive and, like our other exams, is worth 100 points.
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