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SOCL 1101: Introduction to Sociology Fall 2010 Mon. & Wed. 2:50 – 4:30 pm Location: Snell Engineering 168 Pr. Shelley McDonough Kimelberg Office: Holmes 535 Office hours: Wed. 9:30-11:30, or by appt. Email: [email protected] Course Description Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social life. It analyzes how human beings influence – and are influenced by – other people. In particular, sociology focuses on how our membership in different groups, and our interactions with social structures and institutions, affect our daily lives. So what does that mean? Here’s a sampling of the kinds of questions sociologists study: How does a prison record affect a person’s chances of getting a job? Why do women earn less than men? Are high school athletes more prone to violence than their peers? Do abstinence-only sex ed programs delay the initiation of sex? What effect does poverty have on health? Why does the U.S. have a historically low voter turnout rate? Does money really buy happiness? How do couples decide who is responsible for household chores? Are cities more dangerous than suburbs? What effect does immigration have on labor markets in the U.S. and abroad? Course Objectives To (hopefully!) get you excited about the field of sociology To develop your “sociological imagination” – i.e., to encourage you to look at the world around you in a new way To introduce key concepts, theories, and ideas that comprise the study of sociology To teach you what sociologists do: the questions they ask, the research methods they use, and what their findings mean for all of us To encourage you to read and think critically, and to develop clear analytical writing skills To help you explore the study of sociology here at Northeastern, and see the kinds of things you might learn with a major/minor in the field Course Requirements Exams (3 @ 25% each = 75% total): There will be three exams based on the readings, lectures, and classroom discussions. I will hold a review session prior to each of the exams. Please note that make-up exams will only be given in the case of an emergency (e.g., death in the family, serious illness) or an excused absence. Proper documentation (e.g., note from a health care professional, coach, etc.) will be required before any make-up exam will be granted – no exceptions. 1 Essay (25%): You will select a topic portrayed in popular culture (e.g., music, TV show, movie, magazine, blog, etc.), and write a 6- to 8- page essay analyzing the way in which a sociological perspective can help us understand or explain the issue or phenomenon in question. You will be expected to incorporate and reference material from the course readings and lectures in your essay, but you are welcome to draw on outside readings as well if you wish. Proper citation of all references will be required. I will provide additional details on this assignment in class. A brief description of your paper topic (worth 5%) will be due on 11/17, and the final essay (worth 20%) will be due in class on 12/6. Hard copies only, please! Extra credit: You will have an opportunity to submit one optional extra credit assignment during the semester. If you choose to complete an extra credit, you will select from two different assignment options (to be distributed at the beginning of the semester). The assignment may be submitted at any time during the semester, but must be received no later than the last day of class (12/8). No extra credit assignments will be accepted after that date! Additional information about the extra credit option will be provided in class. Grading Scale The following scale will be used to calculate your final grade: 94-100 = A 80-83 = B90-93 = A77-79 = C+ 87-89 = B+ 74-76 = C 84-86 = B 70-73 = C- 67-69 = D+ 64-66 = D 60-63 = D0-59 = F Incompletes In order to be eligible to receive an incomplete in the course, students must have completed at least 2/3 of the class requirements and maintained a minimum of a C- average overall. Pass/Fail If you would like to take this class Pass/Fail, you must notify me on or before 11/17. Late / Missed Work Grades will be reduced for any work that is turned in late, except in case of a documented emergency. The essay will be reduced by one half of a letter grade (e.g., from A to A-) for each day that the assignment is late. If you will not be able to make an exam due to an illness or other emergency, you must notify me prior to class and provide proper documentation (see above). The make-up exam must be taken within one week. Policies & Procedures 2 Attendance & Participation: Attendance and participation are important components of this course. Missed lectures are the responsibility of the student. I will post all lecture slides on Blackboard, but these are intended only as a reference; they are not a substitute for good lecture notes. If you need to miss a class, please be sure to obtain notes from a classmate. During lectures, you should not engage in any behavior that will distract you or others from the discussion. This includes the use of laptop computers, cell phones, or any other technological devices. Blackboard: Students are expected to consult Blackboard regularly for all relevant course material and announcements, including: Lecture material: All presentations used during class. Reading material: Links to required articles (not books). Assignments: Homework assignments, instructions for essays, and exam study tips. Grades: Grades for all exams and other assignments. Announcements: Important announcements (e.g., office hour cancellations, special instructions, helpful hints, etc.). Discussions: Student questions, conversations about the course content & related material, etc. Other stuff: Anything else that I – or any of you – come across that might be of interest to the class. If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, and/or have difficulty accessing it, please contact Information Services, or visit http://infoservices.neu.edu. Student Services & Special Needs: Northeastern provides a number of academic resources to support students. These include the Writing Center, the Disability Resource Center, and the College of Arts and Sciences Tutoring Program. For more information on any of these resources, visit the MyNEU Academic Guide at http://www.advising.neu.edu/. This course will make every reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Please register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC, 20 Dodge Hall, 617-373-2675), which will inform me of any particular needs that you may have. Please understand that to receive such accommodations, you must be registered with the DRC. Academic Honesty & Integrity Policy: All students should familiarize themselves with Northeastern’s policies concerning cheating, plagiarism, and other academically dishonest practices. (See http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academichonesty.html.) Any work that is taken from another student, or copied from printed material or the internet without proper citation is expressly prohibited. Any student who is found to have been academically dishonest in his or her work risks failing this course. We will discuss the accepted guidelines for citing references in sociological work in class. For additional information, see either of the following sites: http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html http://www.asanet.org/page.ww?section=Sociology+Depts&name=Quick+Style+Guide Ground Rules: To ensure a productive learning environment for all students, please adhere to the following ground rules. Repeated disruptions of any kind will be duly noted and will be reflected in your final grade: 3 Arrive to class on time and stay for the entire class period. Turn off all electronic devices (cell phone, Blackberry, laptop, etc.) before entering the classroom. Do not engage in side conversations. This is disrespectful to the speaker (whether me or a classmate), and can affect the ability of others in the class to learn. Be respectful of your fellow classmates. Do not interrupt when someone is speaking, monopolize the conversation, or belittle the ideas or opinions of others. Complete the assigned reading for each class in advance, and come prepared to discuss. Required Reading Materials Book: There is one required book for this course. It is available at the Northeastern University bookstore: Conley, Dalton. (2008). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a Sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. Articles: In order to minimize the cost to students, any other readings will be posted on Blackboard. For information on printing in the Northeastern computer labs, adding money to your printing budget, and tips on how to conserve paper, please visit the Information Services website: http://infoservices.neu.edu Schedule of Readings & Assignments Please note that all readings are due on the date for which they are assigned. BB = Material can be found on Blackboard Date Topic Reading Due 9/8 Lecture 1: Course introduction None 9/13 Lecture 2: What is sociology? Conley, Chapter 1 9/15 Lecture 3: Methods Conley, Chapter 2 Venkatesh (2008): “How Does It Feel to Be Black and Poor?” (BB) Best (2001): “Telling the Truth About Damned Lies and Statistics” (BB) 9/20 Lecture 4: Methods 9/22 Lecture 5: Culture & media 9/27 Lecture 6: Socialization Conley, Chapter 3 Conley, Chapter 4 Other 4 9/29 Lecture 7: Networks & organizations 10/4 Lecture 8: Exam review None 10/6 Exam #1 None 10/11 NO CLASS None 10/13 Lecture 9: Social control & deviance Conley, Chapter 6 10/18 Lecture 10: Education Conley, Chapter 8 10/20 Lecture 11: Capitalism and the economy Conley, Chapter 10 10/25 Lecture 12: Religion Conley, Chapter 9 10/27 Lecture 13: Family Conley, Chapter 7 11/1 Lecture 14: Gender Conley, Chapter 12 11/3 Lecture 15: Exam review None 11/8 Exam #2 None 11/10 Lecture 16: Race Conley, Chapter 13 11/15 Lecture 17: Health Conley, Chapter 16 11/17 Lecture 18: Stratification Conley, Chapter 14 11/22 Lecture 19: Poverty Conley, Chapter 15 11/24 NO CLASS Conley, Chapter 5 Exam #1 Exam #2 Paper topic due 5 None 11/29 Lecture 20: Globalization TBD 12/1 Lecture 21: Social Movements 12/6 Lecture 22: TBD TBD 12/8 Lecture 23: Exam review None Conley, Chapter 18 Paper due 6