Download Required Course Text / Readings:

York University
Department of Sociology
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
AP/SOCI 1010 6.0G: Introduction to Sociology
Fall/Winter 2014-2015
Course Description
Course Instructor/Contact:
Heather L. Garrett
Office:
Office Phone:
N141 Ross
(416) 736-5014
Expanded Course Description:
This introduction course focuses on sociological perspectives and research on the
relationships between people in Canadian society. Throughout the course students will
learn about different analytic and methodological issues and the skills needed to critically
analyze and produce research within the discipline of sociology. Students will develop
an understanding of the relations between individuals in society by critically evaluating
how different relationships are a) constrained by key variables and b) socially constructed
and structured by individuals through social institutions, social policies and popular
culture. These relationships will also be examined to explore how they have changed over
time in terms of their relationship to various aspects of social, economic and cultural
change. This critical approach draws attention to how social inequalities interact with
notions of power.
Organization of the Course:
Each class will be three hours long. The first hour and a half or so will generally be a
lecture. There will be one short break. The remaining time will generally be a mix of inclass discussions, presentations, activities, films, face-to-face interaction in discussion
groups and research project workshops. Specific activities will vary. Students are
expected to participate by entering into discussions about course materials. Students are
strongly urged to share their thoughts and opinions in this class. The course is
challenging and requires a high level of student commitment and participation.
Attendance matters to the conduct of the course. If you will not be able to attend lectures,
participate and keep up with readings and course work on a weekly basis, you are
probably better off not taking this course.
At the beginning of the class the course goals and concepts, analytic tools and
perspectives will be introduced. The sociological perspective and sociological approaches
for studying relationships between people will be explored. In the second part, the main
focus will be on the research process and how sociologists do sociological research.
Work will begin on a team research project due towards the end of the course. In the
third section of the course, the analytic skills that have been developed will be applied by
shifting the focus to the critical analysis of social inequities and relations of power in
both public and private domains. Throughout this part of the course we will specifically
look at how the relationships between individuals in society are socially constructed and
structured.
Course Learning Objectives:
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Increased knowledge of relationships between individuals in society
The development of analytic skills and a sociological imagination to better
understand the social relationships between individuals and society
Improved theoretical understanding and critical perspective for the analysis of the
role of power and ideology in social relationships
Research skills, particularly with respect to finding and interpreting empirical
studies and other course-relevant information
Improved communication and writing skills
Required Course Text / Readings:
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Text1: Murray, Jane Lothian, Rick Linden, and Diana Kendall. 2014. Sociology in
Our Times. 6th Canadian ed. Toronto: Nelson Education Limited.
Text2: American Sociological Association. 2010. American Sociological
Association Style Guide. 4th ed. Washington DC: American Sociological
Association.
Current News Media: Newspaper and Magazine Articles
Academic Journals: Empirical Research Articles
Online Materials: Links to online materials and eResources provided in Moodle
(available to registered students in Moodle).
Reserve Materials: Selections from 2 texts
Weighting of Course:
Course Component
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
In-class test 1
Group Presentation
Team Research Project
In-class test 2
Attendance/Participation in class
Total
Weight
10%
10%
20%
10%
20%
20%
10%
100%