SOC 108: Intro. to Sociology

Learning Objectives:

Students enrolled in this course will be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological concepts.

2. Apply these concepts to events today and to everyday life.

3. Summarize sociological theories and explanations.

4. Display knowledge of race, class, and religious diversity within the USA, and between different societies.

Readings:

All readings come from the required paper back textbook:

James M. Henslin, Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 4^th edition. Allyn and Bacon Publishers, 2001. It is available at the Student Center Bookstore and at other bookstores around town.


Attendance:

General policy: You are expected to attend every class meeting from start to finish, but you will not be graded directly on attendance. You need to be present for most all classes to earn a good grade in this course, for several reasons. Lectures will regularly emphasize key points for learning and for tests. There will be guest lectures that you can experience only by being present.

Written exercises: There will be brief written exercises about two-thirds of the weeks of the semester that may be either in-class or take-home. These will be announced in class on an ad hoc basis. You must be present in class to earn the credit for these exercises. No make-up work will be granted for absent students. These make it doubly important for you to attend regularly.

Attendance on scheduled test days: If you miss a scheduled test (see weekly schedule below for dates), you can make it up, only if it is impossible for you to attend that day because of medical emergency, official SIU University activity (such as varsity sports, debate team, etc.), a death in the immediate family) or extreme unexpected crisis. You must provide written documentation within one week of the traumatic event to take a make-up exam.


Classroom courtesy and rudeness:

Several kinds of behavior are impolite or rude in the classroom that might be appropriate in other situations. You should be courteous to your fellow students and teacher at all times. Some rude behaviors include:

Arriving late for class and leaving early. These are extremely rude behaviors for they disrupt the disturb the concentration of fellow students. Avoid them at all costs. If you are late or must leave early, sit near the entrance, and be quiet as you enter or leave. This can minimize disruption. Apologies are expected.

Private conversations during class. Public talk is appropriate in class and private talk is not. While we all may want to talk to friends about personal matters, shared interests, and the like, these conversations need to take place outside of class. All classroom discussion, comments, and questions should be addressed toward the entire class or toward the teacher. When we break into buzz groups for discussion, your talk should similarly be addressed to all those in your group and deal with the topic of discussion.

Other ways of being discourteous. It is rude to leave class to use the restroom, get a drink, or deal with other bodily functions or problems, so try to take care of these before arriving! It is rude to change seats or walk about during class. It is rude to use a cell phone or a walkman. It is more than rude to cheat on tests and written exercises (copying from others or helping others copy from you)for these disadvantage other students. They also constitute academic dishonesty, which is a violation of the SIUC Student Conduct Code.


Grades and grading:

Basis for Grading: Grades will be assigned on the basis of points earned from tests and exercises and will be curved. Points come from these sources:

Five 25 point tests (one about every third week). 125 points.

Comprehensive 75 point final exam. 75 points.

These tests and the final will be made up primarily of multiple-choice and short answer questions.

Top ten of twelve 10 point exercises. 100 points.

These exercises are brief (i.e., a page or less) written homework and in-class assignments counting 10 points each. These will emphasize applications of concepts and theories to your own personal life. Your two top 10 scores will count toward your grade. If you are not present for a class and therefore unable to complete an exercise, you will receive a score of 0 on it, which will be one of your two lowest grades.

Total points available in SOC 108 300 points.

Weekly schedule for readings and exams:

The questions for each topic will be the focus of lectures. Tests will reflect these as well as chapter content. If you find difficulty in picking out the important parts of each chapter, read the summary and vocabulary concepts at the end of the chapter before you start reading it. You should read each chapter (excepting the first) by Monday of the week it is assigned.

1. Aug 20-24. What is sociology? What are its theories and the strengths of each?. What is research about?

Ch. 1. The sociological perspective, pp. 2-33.

2. Aug 27-31. What is culture, and how does it affect us? What are social norms, values, roles, and sanctions? How does a society select particular culture traits?

Ch 2. Culture, pp. 34-55.

Monday, Sept 3. Labor Day.

3. Sept 5-7. What is socialization? When, where, and how does it take place? What would people be like without it?

Ch. 3. Socialization, pp. 56-77.

Monday, Sept 10. Test 1.

4. Sept 10-14. What are social structure and social interaction? What are the micro-level and macro-level viewpoints? Why are both needed to fully understand our lives?

Ch. 4. Social structure and social interaction, pp. 78-103.

5. Sept 17-21. What kinds of social groups are there? What difference does group size make?

Ch 5. Social groups and formal organizations. pp. 104-127.

6. Sept 24- 28. What is deviant behavior, and how do theories try to explain it? How does deviance reinforce the social order, in addition to its negative impact?

Ch. 6. Deviance and social control, pp. 128-151.

Friday, Sept 28. Test 2.

7. Oct 1-5. What are the strata, or "worlds" in the global stratification system? How did the world become stratified, and how is this inequality of nations maintained?

Ch. 7. Social stratification in global perspective, pp.152-175.

8. Oct 8-12. What is social stratification, and how do theories and models try to explain it? What consequences does it have for one's life style, attitudes and values, and life chances?

Ch. 8. Social class in the United States, pp. 176-203.

9. Oct 15-19. How are racial and ethnic groups stratified in the U.S. and around the world? What are some mechanisms, in addition to over prejudice and discrimination, that help maintain this stratification in the U.S.?

Ch. 9, Inequalities of race and ethnicity.

Friday Oct 19. Test 3.

10. Oct 22-26. What gender and age stratification exists in various institutions in the U.S.? How are these maintained, and are they inevitable?

Ch. 10. Inequalities of age and gender, pp238-268.

Oct 29-Nov 2. Halloween Break.

11. Nov 5-9. How are social power, authority, and violence conceptually related? What types of authority are there? How do the theories view power in the U.S.? What global economic changes are occurring now, and how do they affect our lives?

Ch. 11, Politics and the economy, pp 272-299.

12. Nov 12-16. What rules do different cultures around the world have for the form of marriage, the form of family, and for getting married? What diversity exists in U.S. families today, and why? What does the divorce and abuse in today's families today indicate about the family institution?

Ch. 12, Marriage and family, pp300-327.

Friday Nov 16. Test 4.

13. Nov 19- 21. In what ways do both education and religion help preserve the existing social structure, according to the theories? In what ways can they foster change?

Ch. 13. Education and religion, pp 238-257.

Nov 22-23. Thanksgiving Break.

14. Nov 26-30. What are some positive and negative consequences of population growth and urbanization around the world and in the U.S.?

Ch. 14, Population and urbanization, pp. 358-387.

15. Dec 3-7. How has social structure been transformed over the past few centuries? What are some examples of the influence of technology? What are some social movements in the U.S. today, and what are their goals and claims?

Ch. 15. Social change. Technology, social movements and the environment, pp. 388-412.

Dec 10-14. Fall semester final exam week.

Friday, Dec 14 at 7:50 AM is the time SIU has scheduled for our final. Plan to be here at that time for two exams:

Test 5 (covers material since test 4) and 75 point comprehensive final.