SOCIOLOGY OF AGING (Sociology 404/504) Dr. Leah Rogne
Minnesota State University-Mankato 113 Armstrong Hall
Fall Semester 2005 Ph: 389-5610 (w) 625-5546 (h)
OFFICE HOURS:
M, W, F 9-11 a.m.; M 1-3 p.m. and by appointment; call me at home if you need to—I don’t mind!
COURSE:
Social and social-psychological focus in later life. Problems and prospects of growing old in the United States.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Intersections of Aging: Readings in Social Gerontology, Elizabeth Markson and Lisa Ann Hollis-Sawyer (Eds.), 2000. Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company
Annual Editions: Aging 05/06, Harold Cox (Ed.). 2005. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin
Graduate Students only: Social Theory, Social Policy, and Ageing: A Critical Introduction, Carroll Estes, Simon Biggs and Chris Phillipson. 2003. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press (McGraw Hill Education)
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course explores the field of social gerontology, including theories of aging, aging and the life course, demographics, psychosocial aspects, mental health, health care, and social inequality in aging. After completing the course, students will be able to:
Discuss the history of aging in America and changing attitudes toward elders
Describe key social, social-psychological, and structural aspects of the aging experience
Describe important theories of aging and the consequences of varying perspectives
on attitudes and service delivery for the aged
Explain the dynamics of the life course and the variety of ways people adapt to aging
Describe the intersections of age, class, gender, race and other inequalities
Describe the ways government agencies, healthcare institutions, and community
organizations serve elders
COURSE RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Readings: Readings from the text and other readings as assigned. Readings should be completed on the day assigned in the schedule, and students should be alert for handouts or additional readings assigned in class. If you miss a class, you are responsible for any handouts or announcements made in your absence.
2. Attendance & Participation: If you must miss a class, please arrange to get notes, handouts, and any announcements/changes in schedule from another student. Students are expected to participate in the life of the class. The class will be highly interactive, and your preparation and participation are essential. I do keep track of attendance and excessive absences may result in a lower grade. For an evening class, missing more than two classes without a documentable emergency is considered excessive. Please let me know in advance if at all possible if you will not be in class.
3. Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected. Cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers, or falsifying information will be addressed according to University policy.
Before you submit any assignments, please review the policy at:
http://www.mnsu.edu/supersite/administration/basic-stuff/policies.html.
4. Communication: I am very committed to your success in and enjoyment of this class! Feel to ask questions at any time during class. Please keep in close touch with me about any concerns you have about how you are doing in the class, any questions about the content or requirements, or anything that may be interfering with your best performance. Please see me after class, during my office hours, or call me to make an appointment to meet at a time that works for you.
5. Personal Concerns: If there are any personal concerns that might get in the way of your doing the best you can, there is help available. Contact the Personal Counselors’ office: located in Student Union 245, phone number 389-1455.
6. Accommodation: Every attempt will be made to accommodate qualified students with disabilities. If you are a student with a documented disability, please see me as early in the semester as possible to discuss the necessary accommodations, and/or contact the Disability Services Office at (507) 389-2825 (V) or 1-800-627-3529 (MRS/TTY).
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Exams: Two exams which cover material from the text, handouts, other assigned readings, and any classroom discussions and activities. Exams cannot be made up except in the case of a documentable emergency. Please contact me as soon as you can (in advance if possible) if there is an emergency.
2. Insight Paper: Each student will complete one Insight Paper on one of the assigned readings and serve as a discussion leader the night the reading is due. Students will be graded for the written paper and for their participation as discussion leader. A sign-up sheet will be distributed for an article. Late papers will be discounted one letter grade per day. No points will be given for the discussion leader part of this assignment if you are not in class the night the paper is due.
3. Social Security Game: Each student will complete an assignment to examine the effects of various proposals to reform Social Security. Late papers will be discounted one letter grade per day.
2. Life Course Interviews: Each student will write an 8-10 page paper based on interviews with an older adult. This interview will provide an opportunity to explore some of the ideas and concepts discussed in class and to obtain more insight about the aging experience. Guidelines and grading criteria will be distributed separately.
Please note: If you have done an interview with an elder for another course, you may choose to do another assignment. Please contact me to arrange an appropriate substitute.
Your alternate assignment must be approved in advance. Late papers will be discounted one letter grade per day.
4. Research paper-Graduate Students: Graduate students will read an additional book (see above under “Required Texts”) and complete an Insight Paper on each chapter. These papers will be posted on Desire2Learn, and graduates will engage in online discussions about the readings. Guidelines and due dates for this will be distributed separately. Late postings will be discounted one letter grade per day.
GRADING:
Assignments are weighted as follows:
Exams 2 @ 50 points each = 100
Insight Paper 1 @ 30 points = 30
Discussion Leader 1 @ 20 points = 20
Social Security Game 1 @ 15 = 15
Life Course Interview 1 @ 50 = 50
Total: 215
Graduate Students: Above plus:
Insight Papers (Graduate) 8 @ 20 points each = 160
Total: 375
Assignment of Letter Grades:
Letter grades are assigned based on the percentage of total points earned from all course components. A is 90%; B is 80%; C is 70%; D is 60% and F is below 60%. Note: Any changes in course requirements will be announced in class. Late papers will discounted one letter grade per day. In case of an emergency, such as illness or family responsibilities, a late assignment may be accepted without penalty, but you must contact me as soon as possible.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
This schedule is subject to change. Be alert for handouts and make sure you have a way to find out about any announcements if you miss a class.
Intersections of Aging is listed as “Reader” & Annual Editions as “AE.”
Week 1
September 1 Introduction
Aging IQ Quiz
Longevity Quiz
Video: 100-Something
Week 2
September 8 Demographics and Aging
Reader, Ch. 6: Rosenthal, The Age Boom
AE, Art. 1: Himes, Elderly Americans
AE, Art. 2: Seabrook, A World Grown Old
Handout: Fry, Globalization and the Experiences of Aging
Week 3
September 15 Ageism
Reader, Introduction: Perspectives on the Diversity of the Life Course
Reader, Intro. to Section I: Cultural Constructions of Later Life
Reader, Ch. 1, Sokolovsky, Images of Aging
Reader, Ch. 35, Grant, Ageism and Its Impact on Healthy Aging
Week 4
September 22 Ageism
AE, Art. 13: Dittman, Fighting Ageism
AE, Art. 14: Chasteen et al., The Activation of Aging Stereotypes in Younger
and Older Adults
Reader, Ch. 5: Schlesinger, The Sexless Years or Sex Rediscovered
Historical Perspectives on Aging
Handout: Quadagno, Historical Perspectives on Aging
Week 5
September 29 Gerontological Theory
Reader, Ch. 47: Minkler, New Challenges for Gerontology
E-Reserve: Estes, et al., Social Theory and Aging
Week 6
October 6 Aging & Identity:
Handout: Cruikshank, Cultural Myths and Aging
E-Reserve: Karp, A Decade of Reminders: Changing Age
Consciousness between Fifty and Sixty Years Old
Week 7
October 13 Life Review
Reader, Ch. 10: Nouri & Helterline, Narrative Accrual & the Life Course
Reader, Ch. 23: Allen & Chin-Sang, A Lifetime of Work
Reader, Ch. 16: Delaney & Delaney, with Hearth, Having Our Say
Week 8
October 20 Exam I
Aging & the Family
Handout: Fischer, Rogne, and Eustis, Support Systems for the Familyless Elderly:
Care without Commitment
Reader, Ch. 28: Sherman, Intergenerational Reciprocity
Week 9
October 27 Aging & Race, Class, & Gender
Reader, Ch. 17: Calasanti, Incorporating Diversity
Reader, Ch. 12: Johnson, Adaptation of Oldest Old Black Americans
Reader, Ch. 13: McAuley, History, Race, & Attachment to Place
Week 10
November 3 Aging & Race, Class, & Gender
Reader, Ch. 8: Huyck et al., Gender Across Generations
Reader, Ch. 9: Turner & Silva, Definitions of Femininity: Youth to Old Age
Week 11
November 10 Aging & Income Security
Reader, Ch. 45: Kingson, Social Security & Aging Baby Boomers
AE, Art. 37: Hindon: Raw Deal for Women?
Reader, Ch. 24: McInnis-Dittrich, Too Little, Too Late
Assignment Due: The Social Security Game
Social Security Game
Go to: http://www.actuary.org/socialsecurity/
Read the directions and play the game. Read the pros and cons of each option for Social Security reform. If you didn't completely take care of any future shortfalls in Social Security the first time you played the game, play it again until you've made the kinds of changes you think are appropriate and have addressed 100% of the projected shortfall.
Write a 2-3 page paper describing what you learned, including:
1) What changes you first recommended and the effects of those changes;
2) What you finally recommended after you’d received feedback about the consequences of your choices;
3) Connection with information from Cruikshank and/or from class discussion; and
4) What you learned from the exercise.
Week 12
November 17 Aging & Health/Successful Aging
Reader, Ch. 44: Binstock, Healthcare Costs Around the World
AE, Art. 10: Brink, The Do or Die Decade
AE, Art. 17: Adams et al., Primary Care for Elderly People: Why Do Doctors
Find It So Hard?
Reader, Ch. 7: Baltes & Carstensen, The Process of Successful Aging
AE, Art. 8: Kolata, Is Frailty Inevitable? Some Experts Say No
Week 13 No Class-Thanksgiving Vacation
Week 14
December 1 Aging & Dementia
Handout: Rogne, Cognitive Decline and the Construction of Self: A Dialogue with
Dementia
AE, Art. 20: Cowley, The Disappearing Mind
Reader, Ch. 38: Friedell, Incipient Dementia: A Victim’s Perspective
Reader, Ch. 39: Hodgson & Cutler, Anticipatory Dementia & Well-Being
Life Course Interviews Due
Week 15
December 8 Social Policy – The Aging Network
Reader, Ch. 18: Crown & Longino, Labor Force Trends & Aging Policy
Reader. Ch. 46: Longino, Aging Population Will Broaden our Understanding
of Medicine
AE, Art. 26: Cox et al., Work/Retirement Choices & Lifestyle Patterns of Older
Americans
Finals Week -- Final Exam
1