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GE-024-023, SOC 301, Social Problems – General Education Synthesis Course –

Area D4

CALIFORNIASTATEPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITY, POMONA

ACADEMIC SENATE

GENERAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE

REPORT TO

THE ACADEMIC SENATE

GE-024-023

SOC 301, Social Problems

General Education Synthesis Course – Area D4

General Education CommitteeDate:

Steering Committee

Received and ForwardedDate: 4/23/03

Academic SenateDate: 7/23/03

First Reading

9/24/03

Second Reading

Background

The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is proposing SOC 301 Social Problems as a General Education Synthesis course for Area D4.

Discussion

SOC 301, Social Problems explores the interdisciplinary field of social problems. The course draws from social science literature in the areas of social inequality, urbanization, deviancy, violence, and health and illness. Social problems are examined by utilizing social, political, economic and cultural perspectives, theories and analyses. U.S. and international comparisons and contrasts are made. This course synthesizes material from a variety of disciplines that include:

  • Political science, with a focus on understanding on how political institutions create, transform and respond to social problems.
  • Economics, with a focus on understanding the economic implications of social problems.
  • Ethnic and women’s studies, with a focus on understanding culture, ethnicity, gender and sexuality in terms of social problems.

Recommendation

The GE committee reviewed this course and found it to be in compliance with the sub area D4 (Social Sciences) GE synthesis course guidelines. There were no consultation comments on the Academic Programs’ Web site about this course. The GE committee on April 02, 2003 voted that the course should be reported to the academic senate for consideration.

CALIFORNIASTATEPOLYTECHNICUNIVERSITY, POMONA

Course Title: Social Problems

Course Number: SOC 301

Date of Preparation: June 2002

Prepared by: Mary Y. Danico, Gary Cretser,Fernando Parra, Brett Stockdill

Proposal for GE Area D Social Science Synthesis Course

COURSE OUTLINE
  1. Catalog Description

SOC 301 Social Problems (4)

Survey of contemporary U.S. and international social problems including those related to, environment, social institutions, crime, and health. Sociological analysis of the political, economic and cultural impact of social problems. Fulfills Area D Social Sciences synthesis requirement. 4 lecture-discussions. Prerequisites: Completion of GE Areas A and D (sub-areas 1, 2, &3).

  1. Required Background or Experience

Completion of GE Areas A and D (sub-areas 1, 2, &3)

III.Expected Outcomes

Students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to understand the interconnection of society, the global economy, politics, and culture to social problems.
  2. Describe major social problems (e.g. racism, terrorism, corporate crime, homelessness, domestic violence) in the U.S. and be able to make general comparisons to other nations.
  3. Demonstrate an awareness of the major sociological, political, economic, and cultural literatures related to various social problems.
  4. Develop research projects, which address social, political, cultural, and economic factors and their relation to social problems.

IV.Texts and References

Texts

A.Adler, Patricia and Adler, Peter. (2003). Construction of Deviance Social Power, Context, and Interaction (4th Edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

B.Brownstein, Henry H. (2003). The Problems of Living in Society. Boston: Allyn Bacon.

C.Curry, David. G., and Decker, Scott H. (1998). Confronting Gangs: Crime and Community. Los Angeles: Roxbury.

D.Eitzen, D. Stanley, and Leedham, Craig S. (2000). Solutions to Social Problems: Lessons from Other Societies (2nd Edition). Boston: Allyn Bacon.

E.Eizen, D. Stanley and Smith, Kelly E. (2003). Experiencing Poverty: Voices from the Bottom. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

F.Hohm, Charles F. (1997). California’s Social Problems. New York: Longman.

G.Judd, Dennis R. and Kantor, Paul P. (2002). The Politics of Urban America: A Reader. New York: Longman Press.

H.Kendall, Diane. (2000). Social Problems in a Diverse Society. Boston: Allyn & Bacon

I.Kornblum, W. & Julian, J. (2001). Social Problems. New York: Prentice Hall.

J.McKee, J.O. (2000). Ethnicity in Contemporary America: A Geographic Appraisal. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

K.Waldinger, Roger and Bozorgmehr, Mehdi (Ed.) (1996) Ethnic Los Angeles. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

References Relevant to the Political Economy and Social Problems

  1. Anton, Thomas. (1998). American Federalism and Public Policy: How the System Works. Philadelphia: TempleUniversity Press.
  2. Domhoff, William G. (1998). Who Rules America? Power and Politics in the Year 2000 (3rd Edition). Mountain View: Mayfield.
  3. DuPuis, E. Melanie, and Peter Vandergeest. (1995). Creating the Countryside: The Politics of Rural and Environmental Discourse. Philadelphia: TempleUniversity Press.

D.Glickman, Lawrence B. (1997). A Living Wage: American Workers and the Making of Consumer Society. Ithaca, NY: CornellUniversity Press.

E.Horton, John. (1995). The Politics of Diversity: Immigration, Resistance, and Change in Monterey Park, California. Philadelphia: TempleUniversity Press.

F.Judd, Dennis R. and Swanstrom, Todd. (2002). City Politics: Private Power Public Policy. New York: Longman Press.

G.López-Garza, Marta and Diaz David R. (2001). Asian and Latino Immigrants in a Restructuring Economy:The Metamorphosis of Southern California. Stanford California:StandfordUniversity Press.

H.McWilliams, Carey. (2000). Factories in the Field The Story of Migratory Farm Labor in California. UC Press.

I.Prados, John. (2002). America Confronts Terrorism: Understanding the Danger and How to Think About it: A Documentary Record. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee. Thatcher/Putnam.

J.Rifkin, Jeremy. (1995). The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era. New York: Penguin Putnam.

K.Ritzer, George. (2000). The McDonaldization of Society (2nd Edition). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge.

L.Satloff, Robert B. (2002). War on Terror: the Middle East Dimension. WashingtonD.C.: Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

M.Vogel, David. (1996). Fluctuating Fortunes: The Political Power of Business in America. Princeton: PrincetonUniversity Press.

N.Willett, Thomas D. (1988). Political Business Cycles: The Political Economy of Money, Inflation, and Unemployment. Durham: DukeUniversity.

References Relevant to Gender, Ethnicity, Sexuality and Social Problems

A.Couto, Richard A. (1991). Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round: The Pursuit of Racial Justice in the Rural South. TempleUniversity Press.

B.Duberman, Martin. (1997). Queer Representations: Reading Lives, Reading Cultures. A Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies. New York: New YorkUniversity Press.

C.Hertz, Rosanna and Nancy L. Marshall. (2001). The Transformation of the American Home. UC Press.

D.Võ, Linda Trinh, and Rick Bonus. (2002). Contemporary Asian American Communities: Intersections and Divergences. TempleUniversity Press

References Relevant to Social Problems and the Environment

A.D’Antonio, Michael. (1993). Atomic Harvest: Hanford and the Lethal Toll of America’s Nuclear Arsenal. New York: Crown.

B.Fesbach, Murray and Alfred Friendly. (1992). Ecoside in the USSR: Health and Nature Under Siege. New York: Basic Books.

C.Helvarg, David. (1994). The War Against the Greens. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

D.Karliner, Joshua. (1997). The Corporate Planet: Ecology and Politics in the Age of Globalization. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

E.Shulman, Seth. (1992). The Threat at Home: Confronting the Toxic Legacy of the U.S. Military. Boston: Beacon Press.

V.Minimum Student Materials

Text, paper, and writing instruments

VI.MinimumCollege Facilities

Classroom with adequate seating space, chalkboard, multimedia presentation equipment

VII.Course Outline

  1. Defining social problems
  2. Theories and concepts related to the study of social problems
  3. Urbanization and social problems

D.The causes and consequences of social inequalities (racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty)

E.Violent and non-violent crimes

F.Social problems related to mental and physical health

G.The impact of society on the environment

H.Political economy and social problems

I.Political responses to social problems

  1. The global nature of social problems
VIII.Instructional Methods
  1. Lecture and discussion
  2. Small group exercises
  3. Student research paper presentations
  4. Films, slides, PowerPoint presentations
  5. Guest Lectures and Field site visits
IX.Evaluation of Outcomes
  1. Essay examinations—to access students’ ability to understand the interconnection of society, the global economy, politics, and culture to social problems. Also, examinations will be used to evaluate the students’ ability to describe major social problems (e.g. racism, terrorism, corporate crime, homelessness, domestic violence) in the U.S. and their ability to make general comparisons to other nations.
  2. Quizzes and reaction papers—to measure students’ awareness of the major sociological, political, economic, and cultural literatures related to various social problems.
  3. Research term paper—to access students’ ability to address social, political, cultural, and economic factors and their relation to social problems and their ability to describe major social problems (e.g. racism, terrorism, corporate crime, homelessness, domestic violence) in the U.S. and make general comparisons to other nations.
  4. Class participation and attendance—to access students’ ability to articulate the interconnection of society, the global economy, politics, and culture to social problems.

X.Assessment of Course

A content analysis of written assignments will be completed at the end of the course to determine if educational objectives have been met. Specifically, term papers and essay examinations will be sampled to access the degree to which a majority of students were able to address the relation of social, political, cultural, and economic factors to social problems and to demonstrate an understanding of the interconnection of society, the global economy, politics, and culture to social problems.

A focus group will be conducted at the end of the quarter in which students will be asked the extent to which this course contributed to their awareness of the major sociological, political, economic, and cultural literatures related to various social problems and whether their understanding of social problems from an interdisciplinary perspective was enhanced.

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