Sociology 2070 6.0 Sec. A12014-2015
York University, Department of Sociology
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Social Order and Social Organization
Sociology 2070 6.0 Section A Fall/Winter 2014-2015
This course focuses on the processes by which social life becomes ordered and organized. We explore sociologists’ assumptions about the social actor, the relation between the social actor and the collective, the role of social interaction in creating, maintaining, and changing social order and social organization, and the role of context in shaping social interaction. We examine the concepts, methodologies, analytic devices, and theories that sociologists use to develop accounts of specific forms of social order and social organization. We will especially focus on the interpretive grounding of social action and the negotiated character of social order and social organization in everyday life. Throughout the course, we will consider how sociology offers an intellectual foundation for understanding the social processes through which social order and social organization come into being and persist over time, as well as for critiquing and changing them.
TO CONTACT ME, PROFESSOR NEWSON, for any reason, including informing me that you have missed a test or require information about deadlines and make-up assignments, DO NOT use my yorku.ca e-mail address. Instead, e-mail me at AND PHONE me at my home office (1-905-349-3232). On Wednesdays only, you can reach me up until a half hour before lecture time at my campus office (416-736-2100 Ext 22291).
LECTURE/TUTORIAL TIMES AND LOCATIONS
LECTURES: Wednesdays, 2:30-4:20 in SLH A
TUTORIALS: Tut 1 Wed. 4:30 in TEL 1016; Tut 2 Wed. 5:30 in TEL 0013.
Tut 3Wednesday 4:30 in SLH B; Tut 4Wednesday 5:30 in VC 114.
Tut 5Wednesday 4:30 in RS 127; Tut 6Wednesday 5:30 in VH 2005.
COURSE OUTLINE
Sept. 8-12(a) Orientation to the course
(b) Sociology as an intellectual project
Required Reading:The course outline. (An electronic copy is posted on the 2070 course page at
Sept 10th lecture notes, "Sociology as an Intellectual Project"posted on the 2070 course page at
"Quotes From Classical Theorists," in the Reading Kit.
SECTION ONE: Groundwork
Sept. 15-19Living Between Constraint and Freedom.
Required Reading:Bauman, Z. (1990). “Freedom and Dependence,” in Thinking Sociologically (chapter 1). (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers), pp. 20-36.
Rios Victor M. (2012). Stealing a Bag of Potato Chips and Other Crimes of Resistance.Contexts, Vol. 11: pp. 48-53.
VIDEO:TBA
September 22nd is the last day to enroll without the permission of the course director.
Sept 22-26The Rewards and Risks of A Critical/Sociological Consciousness
Required Reading:Berger, Peter. (1977). “Sociology and Freedom” from Facing Up To Modernity. Reprinted in Charon, J. (ed).(1987, Sec. Ed). The Meaning of Sociology. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall), pp. 355-357.
Berger, Peter. (1963). Sociology as a Humanistic Discipline. Excerpted from Invitation to Sociology : A Humanistic Perspective. Garden City: Doubleday and Co. Reprinted in Charon, J. (ed) The Meaning of Sociology. (Sec. Ed) (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall), pp. 353-355
Berger, Peter (1963). “Sociology as a Form of Consciousness,” in Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective. (Garden City: Doubleday and Co.), pp.25-38).
Sept. 29-Oct 3Bringing a Critical/Sociological Consciousness to the University
Required Reading: Ois, Shelagh (2007) “I know, I think, I do.
Gadamer, Hans-George (1992). “The Idea of the University — Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” in Misgeld, D. and Nicholson, G. (eds.) Hans-George Gadamer on Education, Poetry and History. (New York: SUNY Press), pp. 47-59.
(2005) "Vari Hall Politics."
Schmidt, Sarah (2005, Feb 10). "Fights Over Protest Rights Grip Schools." National Post, A7.
University of Toronto General Assembly (April, 2011). “The Third General Assembly.” Downloaded from Accessed July 9, 2011.
Oct 6-10The Natural Attitude, Stock of Knowledge, and The Member vs The Stranger
Required Reading: Schutz, Alfred. (1977). “The Stranger” (originally from Collected Papers) in Sennett, R. (ed.) (1977). The Psychology of Society. (New York: Vintage Books), pp. 141-149.
Goffman, Alice. (2014) "The Art of Running," in On The Run: Fugitive Life in an American City (Chapter 2). (Chicago: University of Chicago Press), pp. 23-53.
Oct. 13-17 IN-CLASS TEST DURING LECTURE TIME
October 14 is the last date to enroll in this course. To enroll, you must have the written permission of the course instructor and of the T.A. of the tutorial into which you are enrolling.
SECTION TWO: The Language & Grammar of Social Order/Organization.
Oct 20-24Order/orders, Order/ordering: Gender Order(s)/Orderingas an Example
Required Reading:Connell, R. W (2005).“Growing Up Masculine.”Irish Journal of Sociology Vol. 14 (2), pp. 11-28.
Poisson, Jayme (May 21, 2011).“Footloose and gender-free; Toronto couple believe children should make their own decisions, including whether to tell people if they are a boy or a girl.” The Toronto Star, SECTION A. 26
Poisson, Jayme (May 24, 2011). “Readers rage about 'genderless' infant; Story on pair who keep baby's sex secret, elicits anger and, yes, support.” The Toronto Star, Toronto, Ont., SECTION E.1.
Oct. 27-31Co-Curricular Days - NO LECTURE OR TUTORIAL
Nov. 3-7Context
Required Reading:Mills C. Wright (1959). “The Promise.” Reprinted from The Sociological Imagination in Feigelman, Wm. (ed). (1989). Sociology Full Circle (Fifth ed.). (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.), pp. 4-9.
Ehrenfeld, David (2002, October). The Cow Tipping Point. Harper’s Magazine, pp. 13-20.
Pieters, Gary (2007, June 14) "If Youth Learn Violence, They Will Live Violently." The Star.Com. Copied from
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. (May 1, 2013). "The Ghetto Is Public Policy." The Atlantic. Downloaded from
Nov. 10-14Context continued
Required Reading:Dandaneau, S. (2001). “Toward a Postmodern Sociological Imagination and a Sociological Imagination For Postmodern Times,” in Taking it Big: Developing Sociological Consciousness in Postmodern Times. (Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press.), pp. 69-85
Daskalos Christopher T. (Mar 2007). “Locals Only! The Impact of Modernity on a Local Surfing Context.” Sociological Perspectives, Vol. 50, (1): pp. 155-173.
Nov. 17-21Social Action and The Social Actor.
Required Reading: Weber, Max. (1947) “Sociology and Science. Selections from The Theory of Social and Economic Organisation," in Weber, Max (1994) Sociological Writings. Edited by Heydebrand, Wolfgang. (New York, Continuum Publications), pp. 228-239. (Focus on pp. 229-231, to the end of item 3.)
Wolfe, Alan. (1993). “Philosophical Anthropology Re-visited,” in The Human Difference: Animals, Computers and the Necessity of Social Science. (Berkeley and Los Angeles), chapter 7, pp. 176-82.
Stephen Katz. (2007). “Is the Self Social?” in Pavlich, George and Hird, Myra Questioning Sociology: Canadian Perspectives. (Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2007), pp. 80-86.
Information about the end of term test will be given out at this week's lecture session.
Nov. 24-28Social Interaction and Social Institutions.
Required Reading:Berger, P. and Luckman T. (1966). “The Origin of Institutions” from The Social Construction of Reality. Reprinted in Charon, J. (ed.) The Meaning of Sociology. (Sec. Ed.) (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall), pp. 231-234.
Dec 1-5In Class Test
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
SECTION THREE: Negotiating Order/organisation In Everyday Life
Jan. 5-9Everyday Life in Sociological Inquiry.
Required Reading: Elliott, Anthony (2014, 3rd edition). "Self, Society, and Everyday Life," in Concepts of the Self. (Cambridge, UK: Polity Press), pp. 28-44.
Scott, Susie. (2009). Making Sense of Everyday Life. (Cambridge UK: Polity Press), pp. 16-28.
Giddens, A. (1991) “Social Interaction and Everyday Life,” in Introduction to Sociology. New York: W. W. Norton, pp. 109-130.
THE RESEARCH REPORT ASSIGNMENT WILL BE HANDED OUT IN THE LECTURE SESSION
Jan. 12-16Negotiating Order in Public Spaces.
Required Reading: Cahill, Spencer with William Distler, Cynthia Lachowetz, Andrea Meaney, Robyn Tarallo and Teena Willard. (1985, April). “Meanwhile Backstage: Public Bathroom and the Interaction Order.” Urban Life,Vol.14, pp. 33-58.
Jan. 19-23Negotiating Order in the Family
Required Reading: Best Amy L. (2006 January) “Freedom, Constraint, and Family Responsibility: Teens and Parents Collaboratively Negotiate Around the Car, Class, Gender, and Culture.” Journal of Family Issues, Vol.27, (1), pp. 55-84.
Jan. 26-30Negotiating Order in City Streets.
Required Reading: Gardner, Carole Brooks. (1980). “Passing by: Street Remarks, Address Rights and the Urban Female.” Sociological Inquiry, Vol. 50, pp. 328-356.
Nessen, Stephen (2013). "Fighting Unwanted Cat Calls, One Poster At A Time." All Things Considered. National Public Radio (NPR).
Feb. 2-6Negotiating Order inVarious Contexts.
Required Reading:“The Story of Emmett Till.” Version 1. Downloaded from on January 27, 2010.
"The Story of Emmett Till." Version 2. Downloaded from January 27, 2010
(Readings continued on the next page)
Rao, Kavitha (2006, December 11) “’Eve-Teasing’ Makes India's Streets Mean for Women.” Posted on course page for Soci 2070. Originally downloaded from
Mia, Salim (2010, June 13) “Bangladesh ‘Eve teasing’ Craze Takes a Terrible Toll.” Posted on course page for Soci 2070. Originally downloaded from
Feb. 6this the last day to withdraw from a course without receiving a grade.
Feb. 9-13Catch Up and Transition to Section Four
Required Reading: Knuttila, Murray Science, Theory, and the Origins of Sociology. In Introducing Sociology: A Critical Approach 3rd ed.(Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 2005), chapter 6.
Madoo Lengermann , Patricia and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley. (2001). "Classical Feminist Social Theory," in Ritzer, George and Barry Smart. Handbook of Social Theory, Chapter 11. (Thousand Oaks: Sage Pub.), pp. 125-137.
THE RESEARCH REPORT IS DUE THIS WEEK ON WEDNESDAY
Feb. 16-20READING WEEK
SECTION FOUR: Theoretical Perspectives on Social Order/organization
Feb 23-27 Foundational Theories of Social Order/Organization 1
Required Reading: Marx, Karl. (1844-1867). “Selected Readings on Historical Materialism, Existence and Consciousness, and Human Alienation.” In Bottomore, Tom (ed). (1963, 2nd edition). Karl Marx: Selected writings in Sociology and Social Philosophy. (Harmondsworth, England: Pelican Books), pp. 67-81; 89-98; 177-185.
Mar. 2-6Foundational Theories of Social Order/Organisation 2.
Required Reading:Durkheim, Emile. (1893/1933). The Division of Labour. Translated by George Simpson. (New York: The Free Press), pp. 396-409.
Simpson, George (1951). “The Aetiology of Suicide,” (Editor’s Introduction) in Suicide: A Study in Sociology.Edited by George Simpson.(New York: The Free Press), pp. 13-17
Mar. 9-13Foundational Theories of Social Order/Organisation 3
Required Reading:Weber, Max. (1947). “Sociology and Science. Selections from The Theory of Social and Economic Organisation”. In Weber, Max (1994) Sociological Writings. Edited by Heydebrand, Wolfgang. New York, Continuum Publications, pp. 228-239. (NOTE: part of this reading was on the list for Nov. 18-22. This time, read all of it.)
Mar. 16-20Foundational Theories of Social Order/Organisation 4
Simmel, George. (1908). How is Society Possible? Translated by Kurt H. Wolff (1959) in George Simmel, 1858-1918. (Ohio State Press). Re-printed in Levine, Donald (1971). George Simmel: On Individuality and Social Forms. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press), pp. 6-22.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. (1898). From chapter I-VI of Gilman, Charlotte Perkins (1898). Women and Economics.(New York: Small and Maynard). Excerpted in Lengermann, Patricia Madoo and Gillian Niebrugg. (1998). The Women Founders: Sociology and Social Theory, 1830-1930. (Lone Grove, Ill.: Waveland Press), pp. 131-139.
Mar 24-28Linking Classical Theories to Negotiated Orders.
Required Reading: Smith, George W. (1998, Spring). “The Ideology of ‘Fag’: The School Experience of Gay Students.” The Sociological Quarterly, Vol. 39, (2), pp. 309-335.
Diamond, Timothy (1986) "Social Policy and Everyday Life in Nursing Homes: A Critical Ethnography." Social Science and Medicine. Vol. 23, (12), pp. 1287-1295.
Required Re-reading: Ehrenfeld, David (2002, October). "The Cow Tipping Point." Harper’s Magazine, pp. 13-20.
FINAL TEST REVIEW QUESTIONS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED
IN CLASS THIS WEEK
Mar 31-April 4Linking Classical Theories to Negotiated Orders, continued.
April 2nd is the last day for you to submit course work and receive credit for it. Note that grade penalties will be applied for work that you turn in later than the assignment's deadline (see below) unless you have made analternative arrangement with your tutorial instructor.
FINAL TEST DURING THE OFFICIAL EXAM PERIOD, TBA
READING MATERIALS
(a) A xeroxed reading kit can be purchased at The York Bookstore. BE SURE YOU GET THE KIT FOR SECTION A OF SOCI 2070.
(b)Some required readings listed on the course outline are not in the reading kit. In some cases, information is available in the course outline about how to access these readings. In other cases, information about the reading will be given in class and posted on the course page at
(c) Readings may be assigned from time to time that are not listed on the course outline. You will be advised of such readings and where to find them in lecture or tutorial sessions, and on the course page at .
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADES
October 15thIn-class test 15%
Dec 3rdEnd of first term in-class test 20%
Feb 11thResearch report due25%
Final Test During the Exam period20%
WeeklyTutorial work & participation 20% (criteria etc. set by your tutorial instructor.)
COURSE POLICIES AND WHAT TO DO WHEN (IF)
THINGS GO OFF THE RAILS!
PLEASE READ THE NEXT PAGES CAREFULLY. THEY SPELL OUT POLICIES THAT APPLY TO THIS COURSE ABOUT …
MISSED ASSIGNMENTS LATENESS PROLONGED ILLNESSES
SCHEDULE CHANGES GETTING HELP MAKING APPOINTMENTS
GETTING YOUR CONCERNS ADDRESSED ACADEMIC HONESTY
You are expected to know about these policies.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU MISS AN ASSIGNMENT
Don’t panic! But don’t wait for us to contact you – you contact us! If you do not make arrangements with us for completing a missed course assignments, you will receive a zero for that part of your final grade. Because of the large size of the class, we cannot contact you to find out why you have not written a test.
Make-up tests:I schedule a make-up test after each in-class test to accommodate students who have a confirmed health-related or personal emergency reason formissing the test as scheduled. You will need to provide a written confirmation of your circumstances from a health practitioner. If you do not have a health or personal emergency reason, you can write the make-up test if given permission but you may receive lateness deductions. For each test, ONLY ONE make-up test will be scheduled. We will post the date and time via email and in the Sociology Departmental Office (2060 Vari Hall) as soon as the regularly scheduled test has been written. We do NOT provide special sittings to accommodate individual schedules.
A personal emergency includes such things as family illness and other types of unforeseen and unavoidable events that prevent you from doing an assignment. It does NOT include conflicting academic, employment, or travel schedules. You are expected to arrange your employment and academic obligations and your leisure activities to not conflict with your obligations to this course.
All other assignments: You are responsible for informing me and/or your Teaching Assistant about why you have missed an assignment deadline and for confirming the arrangements for submitting it late. ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LATE SUBMISSIONS MUST BE CONFIRMED by the T.A. who grades your work, even if you have discussed your situation with me or another T.A. If you turn in an assignment after the original due date without consulting your T.A. about a later due date, your T.A. will apply lateness deductions or assign a zero grade for the assignment.
Number of Extensions: You may ONCE do a make-up test or submit an essay after the scheduled deadline without penalty, provided you submit a signed medical script or note from a personal advisor. I may contact your health practitioner/advisor to confirm your medical or personal reason. If you request an extension more than ONCE, you must submit the attending physician's statement available at You may not complete more than 2 assignments without penalty after the scheduled deadline unless you discuss your situation with me and provide evidence of special circumstances.
IF YOU HAVE A PROLONGED ILLNESS or PERSONAL CRISIS
If you develop health problems or encounter a personal crisis that is going to restrict your participation in the course for longer than a three week period, or that will impede your ability to complete TWO or more course assignments (including regular tutorial attendance and assignments), you or someone on your behalf must discuss your situation with your T.A. and the course director as soon as you become aware that this may happen.
Please note that a student who does notcomplete at least 80% of the course requirements will not receive a passing grade. If, as the course progresses, you become unable to complete course requirements, we strongly advise you to discuss your situation with your T.A. and the course director. We will try to make it possible for you to complete the course BUT if you require an extended period of absence, it may be necessary for you to withdraw from the course in order to avoid receiving a grade that is not satisfactory to you.
WHOM TO SEE ABOUT WHAT
As course director, I am available to meet with you individually to discuss your interests in the course material, or difficulties you may be encountering with it, or problems that you are having with any matters related to the course. I will announce in class a regular time that I will be available in my office. In addition to this pre-announced time, you can make an appointment that is convenient to both of us. You must arrange appointments with me directly rather than with the Sociology Office Staff. Please talk to me during lecture time to arrange an appointment OR phone me at ext. 22291 and if I don’t answer, listen to the message on my phone mail which will tell you how to reach me quickly.
Since your work is graded by your own tutorial leader, you need to get information about expectations for specific assignments from him/her, since each tutorial leader may emphasize some aspects of the material over others and each will have their own standards regarding presentation etc.
IF you have concerns about your grades or any other matter to do with your participation and progress in the course, you may discuss your concerns with me. My approach is to treat your concerns with discretion and, when necessary, to assist you and your T.A. to come up with acceptable solutions. (See also "Notes On Grading" below)If you are unable to get your issues satisfactorily addressed by those of us who teach this course, you may submit your concerns to the Sociology Department’s Undergraduate Director and pursue the various appeal routes that are available to you.
NOTES ON GRADING
We make every effort to maintain common grading standards across tutorials. Professor Newson sets all of the assignment questions with advice and suggestions from the Teaching Assistants. As well, the T.A.s and Professor Newson hold regular discussions about grading.For each T.A.’s develop common guidelines about what to look for and how to assign credit for each question. Normally, Professor Newson will intervene into the grading of individual students only if your Teaching Assistant as well as you request me to do so, or if you have attempted to reconcile differences over your grade with your T.A. and have failed. However, Teaching Assistants expect and encourage you to discuss grading concerns with them first. They are willing to reconsider your grade if you provide them with reasons to support your concerns. In some cases, they will ask one of the other T.A.s or Professor Newson to read your assignment to offer views on an appropriate grade. As noted above, if you are unable to get your issues satisfactorily addressed by those of us who teach this course, you may submit your concerns to the Sociology Department’s Undergraduate Director and pursue the various appeal routes that are available to you.