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Sociology 101, Section 1
Introduction to Sociology
Fall 2005
9-9:50am MWF
405 CHVEZ
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Phone:
Monika Ulrich
Social Sciences 416
MW 10-11:30am or by appointment
[email protected]
(520) 621-5765
Course Objectives and Goals
Welcome to Introduction to Sociology! This class is designed to explore what sociology
is, what sociologists do, and how sociology impacts your life. Specifically, we will
examine five major questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is Sociology?
*
How does it differ from psychology, journalism, social work, social
studies, and other social sciences?
*
What are the major variations within sociology?
What are sociologists’ goals?
*
How can I use sociology to understand and create change in my social
world?
What is a social theory?
*
How can social theories be useful to me?
How do sociologists do research?
*
How can I evaluate research done by sociologists and determine if it’s
worthwhile? How can I use research done by sociologists?
What do sociologists study?
*
What does sociology have to say about Culture, Groups, Crime and
Deviance, Social Class, Race, Gender, Religion, Medicine, Education, and
Social Movements?
We will begin the course by looking at answers to the first four questions in the above
list. The remainder of the class will look at several social institutions. At the end of the
course we will briefly look at what is required for a major or career in sociology. Along
the way, we will also work on developing critical thinking, writing, group cooperation,
and public speaking skills.
By the end of this course, it is my hope that you will:
1.
See how sociology applies to your life right now in important ways
2.
See how sociology can apply to your future career, relationships, and civic duties
3.
Know if you want to take more classes and/or major in sociology
Instructor
Your instructor is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology department. You can refer to me as
“Monika,” “Ms. Ulrich” or “Master Ulrich” (since I hold a Master’s degree).  I
encourage students to come and speak with me if they have concerns about the course,
want advice on studying, need a letter of recommendation, are seeking advice about a
career in Sociology, or just want to chat about Sociology in general. The best way to
contact me for an appointment is by email.
Course Materials
Reading materials from this course will come from three sources. All readings are
required:
1.
Schaefer, Richard T. 2006. Sociology Matters 2nd Edition. McGraw Hill: New
York. (www.mhhe.com/schaefersm2) The website supplements the textbook, but does
not substitute for it.
2.
Ferguson, Susan J. 2005. Mapping the Social Landscape 4th Edition. McGraw
Hill: New York. (www.mhhe.com/ferguson4)
3.
Materials will be found on the Electronic Reserves System at
http://eres.library.arizona.edu The password for the electronic reserves reading is: Weber
Course Grades
A
B
C
D
E
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
<59%
To be fair to all students, I will not consider personal illness, hardship, financial interests
(yours or mine ), or personal emergency in the grading process, although these
situations may justify extra time for an assignment. Except in cases of serious illness or
emergencies, students must take the tests and submit assignments on the scheduled dates.
Documentation (a Doctor’s note, an obituary notice) will be required for any exceptions.
Early assignments are gladly accepted. In case of an emergency, tests can also be given
early by arrangement.
Course Requirements
Exams
Examinations will count for 60% of your course grade. Examinations will cover material
from the reading and from the lectures. Exams will be a combination of multiple choice,
short-answer, and essay. Review guides for the exams will be available on the course
website throughout the semester. I strongly encourage you to use the websites sponsored
by the texts to assist you in exam preparation. Several test questions will come from the
sample test questions that are accessed using these websites.
20%
20%
20%
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final (not cumulative)
Additional Work
24% 3 Short (2-3 page) Papers (3 papers at 8% each)
8%
Online discussions (8 comments at 1% each)
8%
In-Class Attendance
The participation grade will be based on regular class attendance. I will take attendance
on nine random days during the semester. Each of those nine days that you are present
you will receive 1%. Therefore, you can miss one of the random attendance days and
still receive all of the attendance points. If you are present all nine days that attendance is
taken, you will receive 1% extra credit.
Papers
This course requires 3 short (2-3 page) papers. All papers in this course must be typed in
10 or 12 point font and double-spaced. You must include your full name on all papers.
Papers should include page-numbers. Please observe the minimum and maximum
number of pages. Paper requirements will be distributed approximately two weeks
before each paper is due.
Online Discussions
This course uses an online course management system called “Polis.” Polis enables us to
have some of our course discussion electronically. Each week, the instructor will post
questions for discussion on the course website. Students are expected to respond to these
questions throughout the term. This is done by posting a response on the course website.
Whenever students post a comment, they should also bring their comment to class and be
prepared to repeat it and discuss it.
Each student must post a minimum of 8 comments throughout the course in response to
the discussion questions. You may comment on the discussion question or on other
students’ comments. Discussions will “close” at the end of the week and further
comments after that time will not count toward course requirements. Students cannot
make more than 2 comments per week that count toward course requirements. In other
words, start early!
Each comment should be at least 1 paragraph (3 or 4 sentences) long. Students must
include their full name to receive credit for the comments. If a student would like to
make an anonymous (ie. the class won’t see your name, but the instructor will) comment
because the material they are discussing is unusually sensitive, email me first. Comments
can be informal, controversial, anecdotal, thoughtful, concerned, critical, funny, or
academic. However, all comments should be respectful, tolerant, and somehow useful to
the discussion. Bigoted, offensive, or graphic comments are never acceptable. All
comments should be the original work of the author. I have attached an “example”
discussion question and several “example” (ie. made up) answers.
Academic Integrity
Integrity is expected of every student in all academic work. Prohibited conduct includes
cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism. For details and
sanctions, please refer to the University of Arizona’s Code of Academic Integrity
(http://web.arizona.edu/~studpubs/policies/cacaint.htm).
Disabilities
Students registered with the Strategic Alternatives Learning Techniques (SALT) Center,
Disability Resource Center (DRC), or the Center for Disability Related Resources
(CeDRR) should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. Requisite
documentation must be presented and the necessary accommodations following
university policy will then be arranged.
Tolerance
Class discussion and reading materials will sometimes include explicit language, images,
or discussion including discussion of sexuality, race and religion, gender, and politics. It
is expected that all students will read required materials and discuss them in a respectful
and tolerant manner.
Assignments
Complete required reading in advance of the day it is listed.
Introduction to Sociology
Mon
Wed
Aug 22
Aug 24
Fri
Mon
Wed
Aug 26
Aug 29
Aug 31
Ferguson Ch. 26: “Nickel-and-Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in
America”
Schaefer Ch. 1: “The Sociological View”
Ferguson Ch. 1: “The Promise”
Ferguson Ch. 5: “Interpersonal Dynamics in a Simulated Prison”
Culture and Socialization
Fri
Mon
Wed
Sept 2
Sept 5
Sept 7
Schaefer Ch. 2: “Culture and Socialization”
NO CLASS: LABOR DAY
Paper #1 due
Social Structure, Groups, and Organizations
Fri
Mon
Wed
Fri
Sept 9
Sept 12
Sept 14
Sept 16
Schaefer Ch. 3: “Social Structure, Groups, and Organizations”
Ferguson Ch. 14: “Anybody’s Son Will Do”
Ferguson Ch. 17: “Becoming a Racist”
Review
Mon
Sept 19
Exam #1
Deviance and Social Control
Wed
Fri
Mon
Sept 21
Sept 23
Sept 26
Schaefer Ch. 4: “Deviance and Social Control”
Ferguson Ch. 22: “Fraternities and Collegiate Rape Culture”
Ferguson Ch. 19: “On Being Sane in Insane Places”
Social Class
Wed
Sept 28
Fri
Mon
Sept 30
Oct 3
Schaefer Ch. 5: “Stratification in the United States and Global
Inequality”
Ferguson Ch. 23: “Some Principles of Stratification”
Ferguson Ch. 24: “Who Rules America?”
Race
Wed
Fri
Mon
Wed
Oct 5
Oct 7
Oct 10
Oct 12
Schaefer Ch. 6: “Inequality by Race and Ethnicity”
Ferguson Ch. 31: “Racial Formations in the United States”
Paper #2 due
Ferguson Ch. 32: “Beyond Black and White”
Gender, Sexuality, and the Family
Fri
Mon
Wed
Fri
Mon
Oct 14
Oct 17
Oct 19
Oct 21
Oct 24
Schaefer Ch. 7: “Inequality by Gender”
Ferguson Ch. 27: “Gender as Structure”
Ferguson Ch. 28: “The Glass Escalator”
Ferguson Ch. 55: “The Time Bind”
Review
Wed
Oct 26
Exam #2
Religion
Fri
Mon
Wed
Oct 28
Oct 31
Nov 2
Schaefer Ch. 8: “Social Institutions, Family and Religion”
Ferguson Ch. 45: “Abiding Faith”
Ferguson Ch. 46: “Baring Our Souls”
Medicine
Fri
Nov 4
Mon
Wed
Fri
Nov 7
Nov 9
Nov 11
Schaefer Ch. 10: “Population, Community, Health, and the
Environment”
Ferguson Ch. 49: “Illness and Identity”
Ferguson Ch. 47: “The Social Structure of Medicine”
Paper #3 due
NO CLASS (Veteran’s Day)
Education
Mon
Nov 14
Wed
Fri
Nov 16
Nov 18
Schaefer Ch. 9: “Social Institutions: Education, Government, and
the Economy”
Ferguson Ch. 51: “Preparing for Power”
Ferguson Ch. 52: “Bad Boys”
Social Change
Mon
Nov 21
Wed
Fri
Mon
Nov 23
Nov 25
Nov 28
Schaefer Ch. 11: “Social Movements, Social Change, and
Technology”
Ferguson Ch. 56: “The McDonaldization of Society”
NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
Ferguson Ch. 58: “The Wilding of America”
Future of and in Sociology
Wed
Fri
Mon
Wed
Nov 30
Dec 2
Dec 5
Dec 7
Ferguson Ch. 60: “What Can We Do?”
Ferguson Ch. 59: “Community Building”
Catch up
Review
Final Exam: December 16, 8-10am
On-Line Discussion
Example
This week we read about subcultures, including rodeo cowboys and hippies (p. 69-71).
Think about some subcultures in contemporary society or to which you belong. What are
they key values or behaviors in those subcultures? Can you think of any values or
behaviors among subcultures that have eventually been adopted by mainstream
Americans? What do you think leads to subcultures being adopted, or not being adopted,
by mainstream Americans?
COMMENT 1:
I belong to a “subculture” of a sorority. A sorority definitely has “a distinctive pattern of
mores, folkways, and values that differs from the pattern of the larger society” (Schaefer
p. 68). Some of the values in my sorority include athleticism, beauty, and good grades.
We also have an argot, or specialized language. For example, we talk about “Rush,”
which has a specific meaning to those in Greek life.
--Martha A. Smith
COMMENT 2:
I think that subcultures are more likely to be adopted by mainstream Americans if three
conditions exist:
1.
The subculture is not “too” different from mainstream society. For example,
homosexuality is more accepted in modern society, because of the women’s movement,
than it would have been 100 years ago. Thus, it is more likely that homosexuality would
be accepted now than 100 years ago.
2.
The subculture has power of some sort. For example, if a subculture consists of
people with a lot of money, they’re going to be more liked. Professional sports teams are
sort of their own “subculture,” but because they have a lot of power (ie. money), they will
probably be incorporated.
3.
The mainstream is going through dramatic changes that make it more open to
incorporating ideas from a subculture. For example, in the 1970s there were a lot of
social changes happening that made it likely for environmental ideas to be incorporated.
--Daniel G. Jones
COMMENT 3:
Like Martha Smith, I also belong to a sorority. But I don’t think that a sorority qualifies
as a subculture. In fact, I think that a sorority is actually part of the “mainstream.” For
example, at the University of Arizona, 15% of the Undergraduate students are part of
Greek Life in some way. This doesn’t indicate a subculture. I think it indicates that it’s
mainstream!
--Patty C. Duke
COMMENT 4:
I belong to a subculture of homosexual men. I believe that being gay is a subculture,
because it has different social norms (ie. wearing more feminine clothes). Also, I think
that the safe sex movement started with homosexual men and then spread to the rest of
society. I think that it’s good that the same sex movement eventually spread to society.
But that wasn’t a peaceful transition! Mainstream society only started paying attention to
safe sex because people were getting diseases. Sometimes the transmission of a value
from a subculture to the mainstream culture is not a smooth road.
--Anonymous (This individual contacted the instructor for permission to post)