Office Hours: Stone 307 MW 1:30-3:00 P.M. (Or by Appointment)

Sociology 312: American Society

Spring 2016, Hogan,

Office Hours: Stone 307 MW 1:30-3:00 p.m. (or by appointment)

website: http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~hoganr (select teaching, then Soc 312)

AMERICAN SOCIETY

This is an advanced introduction to sociology—SOC 100 without the textbook. Attendance at lectures is required if you hope to learn what sociology is and hope to earn a passing grade in this class. The required readings are simply examples (albeit outstanding examples) of what sociologists do. The lectures and the readings should combine to provide an adequate foundation for further sociological study or a good general education (or liberal arts breadth requirement). There will be exams (objective). Each exam will be worth about the same (roughly 20% of your grade), although there will be some consideration (a fudge factor) for evidence of effort and improvement in the course of the semester.

Section 1: Introduction and Overview—C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination

-  What is sociology?

-  What is American society? (What are American Studies?)

-  What is American sociology

- historically

- here at Purdue University

- the American Sociological Association

- historical and comparative perspectives

first exam*

Section 2: Doing Sociology

A. Political Sociology: F.F. Piven and R.A. Cloward, Poor People’s Movements

- pluralism and functionalism

- mass society

- conflict theory

- resource mobilization

- state centered and world system

- political process

- Marxists, neos and posties

second exam*

B. Community Studies: A.D. Morris, The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement

- Middletown et. al.

- Community power studies

- pluralists

- power elite and conflict theories

- Comparative and historical studies

third exam*

C. Stratification: M.L. Oliver and T.M. Shapiro, Black Wealth/White Wealth

- Blau & Duncan, functional and status attainment models

- occupational and industrial segmentation

- class, race, and gender

fourth exam*

D. Social Psychology: E.Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life

- experimental and behavioral

- interactional

- phenomenological

fifth exam*

* dates for exams or papers are to be arranged and will be announced in class.

All five required books are available at Von's bookstore, and should be available everywhere people buy scholarly books (Von's is the only such place in West Lafayette). If you have any problems let me know. This is only the sixth time that I’ve taught this course, so we have a fair amount of flexibility in how we might proceed, and student input on these administrative issues would be welcome. If you come to class, ask questions when you are confused or curious, and do the readings you should do fine—even if you are not terribly interested in social science or particular gifted in verbal or analytical skills.

Cheating on exams is grounds for failure in the course. There are no excused absences, but you can offer explanations in writing. There are no make-ups on exams except by prior arrangement under extenuating circumstance. The university has a variety of options for students unable to satisfactorily complete their work in the course of the semester, but you need to contact your instructor as well as your counselor/DOS counselor ASAP. Don’t try to fix your problems during dead week or finals week.

In keeping with Purdue policy, every effort will be made to accommodate the differently abled. Please make arrangements if I can help in any way. Feel free to audio tape lectures if that helps. Please discuss more elaborate alternative to discrete note-taking or audio tapes.