Download Course Syllabus - UNI Continuing Education

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Sociology of Families
SOC 2030 (980:105g)
Syllabus
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Karen E. Cunningham, Ed.D.
Karen Cunningham was born in Hartford, Connecticut and moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa,
with her family, in 1981. She received her B.A. in Individual Studies in 1994, an M.A.
in Women’s Studies in 1998, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership in 2009 from the
University of Northern Iowa (UNI).
Karen is the Individual Studies (I.S.) Program Coordinator at UNI and has served in
this capacity since 2003. Prior to this position, Karen worked as the Individual Studies
Program Advisor at UNI. She began her career as an academic advisor in October
1999. One of Karen’s responsibilities as the I.S. Coordinator, is to advise and provide
academic support and guidance to General Studies majors concerning UNI’s
institutional policies, procedures, resources, and programs. Additionally, she assists
students in developing realistic and meaningful educational goals. Karen also advises
for the Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree and is the National Student Exchange
Coordinator.
The Cunningham family consists of Karen, her husband Chad, son Alex, and daughter
Katelyn.
Contacting Me:
Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns about the course. I
can be reached at: 319-273-2504 or [email protected]
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course examines families from a sociological perspective – one that draws heavily
on the interrelationship between the everyday experiences of individuals and the
society in which they live (Newman, 2008). Most of us are members of a family unit
and, as such, have lived in families, observed family dynamics, and compared our own
family experiences with those of others. Families are at the core of our personal and
emotional lives. This course will focus on the family as a social institution – a set of
structured social arrangements for meeting the needs of a particular society – and will
examine the larger social forces that shape those structures.
The Family, most arguably, is one of society’s most important and revered social
institutions as it serves to socialize individuals to be responsible, productive members
of society. Most of us look to our family for guidance, support, and a sense of
belonging. From a sociological perspective, the Family is not only viewed as a social
institution, but also as a social system or social group (Newman, 2008). As with all
institutions, the family has within its boundaries a set of norms, values, traditions,
hierarchies and roles which are all organized to meet specific goals for the overall
society.
In this course, you will critically explore families from what sociologists refer to as a
“constructionist” approach. This approach asserts that how we feel about families and
what we expect from it are socially constructed. For example, who we include as
members of our “family,” what it means to be a parent, a child, or an adolescent, how
we form intimate relationships and how we balance work and family are largely
shaped by our personal experiences. The textbook for this course will demonstrate
how we actively give meaning to “family” in our everyday lives. It will help you
explore theoretical concepts to better understand your own family lives as well as
those of others.
During this course, you will examine major themes studied by sociologists of close
relationships and kinship. This course begins with a discussion of how “family” is
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defined in Western society and the various ways it is defined in other societal groups
throughout the world. One of the biggest challenges within the field of family studies
is its definition. As the world keeps evolving so to does the definition of family. The
ideal image of two biological parents and children living in harmony no longer presents
a realistic framework for contemporary society. There is a growing number of
so-called “alternative family forms” in American society and throughout the world. If
we are to arrive at a more accurate depiction of the family, from a sociological
standpoint, then we must be willing to accept that the family has many forms, ranging
from the two-parent family, single-parents, blended families, same-sex families,
adoptive families and the list continues.
You will examine specific forms of close relationships like parent-child relationships,
marriage, cohabitation, same-sex relationships, friendships and the internal dynamics
of relationships like dating, attraction, love, divorce and domestic abuse. Throughout
this course you will review the key issues related to the family and examine the broad
theories and trends within the family from both a sociological, historical and cultural
perspective. By studying family structures and behaviors within our own society and
throughout the world, you will become better acquainted with how family norms and
expectations are constructed.
I encourage you to use your personal experience to illuminate your understanding of
the textbook and assignments, whenever possible. Sociology of families is an area of
study that covers a wide range of sociological perspectives and materials. Because
this course cannot possibly cover all areas of family studies, my goal is to introduce
you to the central elements of how family is defined, shaped, and sustained through
cultural and societal influences.
Learning Outcomes:
To understand and apply the major theoretical understandings of the family as
a social institution.
To explore families from what sociologists refer to as a “constructionist”
approach.
To understand the complexity of the family by recognizing various forms and
definitions.
Understand why social norms and laws concerning families exist, and how they
evolve.
Understand how other social institutions (e.g., government, economy, religion,
etc.) influence individuals and families.
Required Text:
Newman, D. (2008). Families: A Sociological Perspective, 1st edition.
McGraw-Hill Publishers. (ISBN-13:978-0-07-340416-5)
COURSE ORGANIZATION
This course will be delivered over the World Wide Web, utilizing web pages, and a
learning management system (eLearning). The course consists of 8 written
assignments for undergraduate students and 9 written assignments for graduate
students on family related issues covered in the textbook and 2 exams. All written
assignments will be submitted via eLearning. The exams will be taken as proctored
exams.
Assignment Sumbmissions:
For each chapter, you will be asked to answer a series of short-answer essay
questions that relate to the chapters. Your answers will vary in length. Your
responses should be typed, double-spaced with at least one-inch margins on each
side. Each written assignment should include well developed paragraphs that support
the central, controlling idea. Every paragraph should be:
Unified - the sentences should all refer to the main idea, or thesis, of the
paper.
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Coherent - the sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should
follow a definite plan for development.
Well-developed - every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately
explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to
explain the paper's controlling idea.
Note: Mistakes in grammar hinder communication; therefore, I expect that written
assignments be proofed for accuracy before being submitted.
Each written assignment is worth 15 points. The number of short-answer essay
questions for each assignment varies. Some questions are broad and require you to
draw information from the entire chapter. These questions are often written with the
intention for you to go beyond memory to a more insightful assessment of an issue.
Type your responses to the essay questions for this assignment using a word
processing program and save as a file. If you are using a word processing program
other than Microsoft Word, then please save the file as Rich Text Format. Submit your
assignments to the appropriate Assignment Submission link on the Course
Content page. Need help? See the eLearning Tutorials for instructions on how to
submit an assignment.
Exams:
There are two proctored exams in this course (a midterm and a final). An exam
follows each set of assignments. Neither of the exams is comprehensive, but instead
tests you on material included in the lessons prior to each exam. Each exam is worth
75 points and consists of three parts: (1) the first part is multiple choice and
true/false questions, and is worth 50 points; (2) the second part is short-answer
essay. Each essay is worth 5 points, for a total of 15 points; (3) the third part of the
exam will be one essay question that relates to one of the central themes of the
course. The essay question is worth 10 points.
GRADING
Your final grade will be based on the written assignments for each of the 8
assignments (9 assignments for graduate students) and the 2 examinations. You
must submit all assignments and complete both exams in order to earn a grade in this
course. Your grade will be based upon a standard scale. Grades will be assigned
according to:
100-90% = A
89-80% = B
79-70% = C
69-60% = D
Below 60% = F