Fall 2012
Introductory Sociology
East Tennessee State University
SOC 1020-009
TR 2:15-3:35, Rogers-Stout 428
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Baker
Office: Rogers-Stout 223F
Office hours: Tuesday 10-11; Wednesday 1-3:30; otherwise by appointment
E-mail:
Web: https://faculty.etsu.edu/bakerjo
Phone: 439-6648
Overview
Objectives:
Provide an introduction to classical and contemporary work in the field of sociology
Explain and foster a sociological perspective of human behavior, institutions, and social systems
Provide an overview of sociological research methods, analysis, and theory
Foster a better understanding of social processes and the roles of individuals within them
Facilitate the discovery and application of the “sociological imagination” to human behavior; in other words, to improve critical thinking skills regarding sociality rather than simply transmitting a pre-existing body of knowledge
Expectations:
Be engaged in the material – read and take notes.
Maintain mutual respect for all involved in the class – learning is collaborative.
Be willing to listen.
This is a small intro class (for ETSU), so ask questions! It is an opportunity for more in-depth learning and dialogue than would be available in a larger class.
Do assignments on time.
Text: Introduction to Sociology, 8th edition by Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard Appelbaum, and Deborah Carr
Readings: Supplemental readings will be provided on D2L
Electronic devices—including but not limited to cell phones, laptops, PDAs, spectrometers, small hadron colliders, etc.—are not permitted in class. Use of phones during assignments or tests is considered cheating. Seriously, don’t talk, text, type, tweet or anything else these newfangled phones can do during class. It turns me into The Hulk.
Grading
A = 920-1000, A- = 900-919, B+ = 880-899, B = 820-879, B- = 800-819, C+ = 780-799, C = 720-779, C- = 700-719, D = 600-699 F = 599 and under
Exams: 30%
Quizzes: 20%
Essays: 15%
Observation Project: 15%
Final: 20%
Exams: These will be a combination of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay. Exams must be taken with a No. 2 pencil. The first two exams will each be worth 150 points. The final exam is worth 200 points and is cumulative. Make-up exams are ALL ESSAY. Believe me, you would rather take it on time. If you have extenuating circumstances regarding a test then you need to contact me before the exam is given.
Quizzes: There will be short quizzes given at the beginning of class periods, typically over the reading, but may also cover other assignments. Each quiz will be short answer or multiple choice and worth a max of 20 points. Only the highest ten quiz grades will count (the remaining lowest scores will be dropped), so there will be no make-up opportunities for missed quizzes.
Essays: Three times during the semester a 1-2 page essay is due. The first essay will be the application of sociological concepts to your life. The second essay is a “content analysis” examining of gender roles in advertising. In the final essay, you will keep a log of all media you consume during a 48-hour period, then turn in the log along with an essay about media consumption and identity. Each essay should demonstrate thorough comprehension and understanding of the concept applied. The specific types of applications will be discussed in-depth before the papers are due. Each essay is worth a maximum of 50 points.
Observation Project: (4-5 pages) You will observe and analyze a focused social interaction and setting (e.g. church, court, graduation, a party, sporting event, etc.) using concepts covered in class. Be sure to analyze from a sociological rather than “personal” perspective. In other words, the work needs to focus on analysis and not opinions or editorials. Multiple concepts should be applied to a given setting or interaction. If you have any questions about your topic or the concepts applied, talk to me before doing the project. Sample questions to answer include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Who, if anyone, is “in charge” of the interaction(s)?
- How are people dressed and presenting themselves? Does this reflect a status or role in the interaction(s) in question?
- What rituals are occurring? What is their function and message? Are they formal or informal?
- What are the turn-taking patterns in the interaction? Is there a mutual focus between all involved? Are people sub-grouping?
- What is the material culture of the setting?
- What are the norms governing the situation? Are they implicit or explicit?
- How is the interaction structured by race, ethnicity, age, class, and/or gender (or other relevant statuses)?
-
Extra Credit: There will be NO extra credit available in this class.
Late Work Policy: Work turned in past the due date will be penalized 10% off the overall points available for the assignment per each day it is late.
Disabilities: If you have any disabilities or other special circumstances, you should contact the disabilities services office first (326 in the D.P. Culp student center; 423-439-8346), then speak with me to make accommodations.
Academic Integrity
Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, using notes during exams or quizzes, copying off other students during exams or quizzes, and plagiarizing essay material. Cheating in any form will result in failure for the course and the reporting of the offense to student affairs.
I want to know what YOU know. The point of this class is to learn about human sociality—to do so you must decide to engage the material to the best of your abilities. Your output and knowledge from the class will be directly related to the amount of effort you put in.
Attendance
Missing more than 25% of the classes (7 days) will result in automatic failure for the course. Beyond the official policy, frequent attendance is necessary to make a good grade, as test material comes largely from notes given in class and quizzes account for 20% of the final grade.
Schedule
The schedule given is tentative and can be altered at any point. You will be informed in class and online when changes to the schedule need to be made. If you miss a class then it is your responsibility to check D2L or ask classmates for updates.
You are expected to have read the relevant material by the date listed (i.e. “Sociological Imagination” must be read by the time we meet for the second class).
Week 1
Date: August 28th
Topic: Syllabus and course outline, introductions
Reading: None
August 30th
Topic: Theory and research
Readings: Chapter 1 of the textbook
“Sociological Imagination” by C. Wright Mills (D2L)
Week 2
September 4th
Topic: Research methods
Reading: Chapter 2
September 6th
Topic: Ethnography
Reading: “On the Run” by Alice Goffman (D2L)
Week 3
September 11th
Topic: Culture
Readings: Chapter 3
“The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” by Erving Goffman (D2L)
September 13th
Topic: Micro sociology, identity, symbolic interaction
Readings: Chapters 4 and 5
Week 4
September 18th
Topic: Social structure
Reading: Chapter 6
Assignment: Essay 1 due – applying sociological concepts
September 20th
Topic: Crime and deviance
Reading: Chapter 7
Week 5
September 25th
Topic: Crime and deviance
Reading: “Code of the Street” by Elijah Anderson (D2L)
September 27th
Topic: Crime and deviance
Reading: “Beyond Crime and Punishment: Prisons and Inequality” by Bruce Western and Becky
Pettit (D2L)
Week 6
October 2nd
Topic: Test Review
Reading: Go over notes and come up with questions
October 4th
Topic: Test 1
Reading: Study!
Week 7
October 9th
Topic: Stratification
Readings: Chapter 8, “Nickeled and Dimed” (D2L)
October 11th
Topic: Global stratification
Reading: Chapter 9
Week 8
October 16th
No class – fall break
October 18th
Topic: Gender
Readings: Chapter 10
“The Sanctity of Sunday Football: Why Men Love Sports” by Douglas Hartmann
(D2L)
Week 9
October 23rd
Topic: Gender and family
Readings: Chapter 15
“Why Women Still Can’t Have it All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter (D2L)
October 25th
Topic: Sexuality
Reading: Excerpt from Tearoom Trade (D2L)
Assignment: Essay 2 due – gender messages in advertising
Week 10
October 30th
Topic: Race and ethnicity
Reading: Chapter 11
November 1st
Topic: Race and ethnicity
Reading: “The Linguistics of Color Blind Racism” by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva (D2L)
Week 11
November 6th
Topic: Politics
Reading: Excerpt from Winner-Take-All Politics by Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson (D2L)
November 8th
Topic: Political change and social movements
Readings: Chapter 13; “Why Occupy Wall Street is not the Tea Party of the Left” and “The Fight for ‘Real Democracy’” (D2L)
Week 12
November 13th
Topic: Test 2 review
Reading: None
Assignment: Observation Project Due
November 15th
Topic: Test 2
Reading: Study!
Week 13
November 20th
Topic: Health and health care
Reading: Chapter 18
“The Health Divide” by Lisa Berkman
“The Prescription of a New Generation” by Meika Loe (D2L)
November 22nd
No Class - Thanksgiving
Week 14
November 27th
Topic: Religion
Reading: Chapter 17
“Religion and Spirituality Among Scientists” by Elaine Ecklund (D2L)
November 29th
Topic: Religion
Reading: Excerpt from American Grace by Robert Putnam and David Campbell (D2L)
Week 15
December 4th
Topic: Education and media
Reading: Chapter 16
Assignment: Essay 3 due – media consumption log and essay due
December 6th
Topic: Review for final
Reading: Go over notes and come up with questions
Final Exam: Tuesday December 11th, 10:30 AM.