SOC 101 (3 CREDITS) Fall, 2003 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY x 465 INTRODUCTION

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1 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY GEORGE SIEFERT, Ph,D. SOC 101 (3 CREDITS) Fall, Norton DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY x 465 SUNY AT BUFFALO Daemen Office gsiefert@daemen.edu INTRODUCTION As the initial introductory level experience, this course is designed for undergraduates with little or no experience with the discipline of Sociology. Thus, it is presumed that the primary audience will be newer students to the institution. Further, there are no prerequisites for the course thus the lectures will endeavor to be both stimulating to those who have had prior exposure to the material to be covered as well as to be sufficiently understandable to the uninitiated. Sociology is a perspective that is, it is a way of thinking, one way of looking at and investigating the universe. It focuses on the human being as a member of society, so its questions should have importance to all of us, sociologist and non-sociologist alike, who seek an understanding of who we are. COURSE DESCRIPTION Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and human groups as well as the processes of social change. It focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships upon people's attitudes and behavior and on how societies are established and change. This course will seek to familiarize students with the discipline of sociology as a social science, which explores the basic structure of human society to identify the main forces that hold groups together or weakens them. Part One will introduce the fundamental theories and research methods used by sociologists and other social scientists to understand social behavior. We begin by defining the sociological imagination; comparing sociology with the other social sciences; discussing the origins and the founders of sociology; and presenting the functionalist, conflict and interactionist approaches that will be utilized throughout the course. Next we outline the basic principles and steps in the scientific method, examine the methods through which sociologists generate data for their research and explore the ethical issues that sociologists face as they study human behavior. These discussions of sociological theory and research serve as the foundation for our study of the organization of social life. In Part One, we will also study of the organization of social life within human groups and societies by examining the basic element of any society: its culture. We will consider the development of culture, the meaning of culture, cultural universals and variations among cultures. Socialization is the next subject to be explored with attention being paid to the lifelong process through which we acquire culture and are introduced to social structure. Part Two begins with an examination of social interaction and social structure's major

2 aspects (status, role, group and institution) followed by an exploration of the impact of groups and institutions on social behavior. It concludes with a discussion of societies' attempts to enforce acceptance of social norms as well as to control behavior that violates these norms. Part Three focuses on the structure and processes of social inequality; the issue which many sociologists believe to be the most important matter that sociology has attempted to shed light upon. We begin our examination of social inequality by looking at the important sociological concepts of stratification and social mobility, as well as inequality based on social class. Both US and global inequality will be examined. Racial and ethnic inequality is the next subject to receive our attention with particular emphasis on prejudice and discrimination of socially defined minority groups. Gender inequality and the position of women as an oppressed minority group is the next subject to be explored and concludes the investigation of social inequality. Part Four will offer a sociological analysis of major societal institutions including the family, religion, government, the economy education and health care. Finally, Part Five will focus more directly on social change as a characteristic aspect of all human societies. To be able to demonstrate knowledge of: COURSE OBJECTIVES 1. the historical sociologists by identifying their contribution to the present day body of sociological theory 2. the prominent schools of sociological thought including functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism and to be able to identify what theoretical framework or paradigm is being used in interpretations of social interaction 3. sociology as scientific inquiry and not just plain "common sense" by using the tools and methods of sociology 4. group behavior patterns in other societies in order to develop an awareness of the variety of human experiences that take place in social interaction without being judgmental 5. one's own behavior and that of others as a means of recognizing that much of behavior exhibited or observed is not instinctual but learned and to be able to identify under what circumstances various forms of social behavior are most likely or unlikely to occur 6. the difficulties inherent in the language of sociology since many of the concepts used are also part of every day language, by being able to make the distinctions when verbalizing or writing 7. the various data collection techniques used by sociologists and be able to critically analyze the appropriateness of the techniques used in differing circumstances 2

3 METHOD OF INSTRUCTION Didactic lectures will be the primary teaching method utilizing visual instructional tools where appropriate. Students will be expected to attend class regularly and to be on time. Students who are habitually absent or tardy may expect to face the consequences of their actions in the form of poorer performances in classroom activities as well as examinations and other evaluation instruments. On selected days, a portion of the classroom work will be devoted to analyzing social science data from a variety of survey data sets. The data will be used to analyze a number of sociologically relevant issues such as suicide rates, cultural differences, international differences regarding what people think children should learn with respect to values, explanations of support for public policy issues such as the death penalty, gun control, public assistance, affirmative action, and other hotly contested political topics, and the relationship between wealth, poverty and life chances. Students will then be expected to work on their own as they answer a series of questions related to these topics by examining other data. Student performance of the data analysis exercises will be included in the evaluation process. The final evaluation will be based on the extent to which the student has accomplished the learning objectives demonstrated by (1) five examinations worth fifty (40) points each, and (2) successful completion of five (5) data analysis exercises worth ten (10) points each. Questions for the exams will be drawn from the Anderson and Taylor text, the Barkan text, and classroom lectures. The exams will be scheduled at three-week intervals throughout the semester but only the four best scores will be counted. In other words, the lowest grade will be dropped. Additionally, only the four best scores of the data analysis exercises will count towards each student s accumulated point total. STUDENTS WHO ARRIVE MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LATE FOR ANY EXAM WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THAT TEST. In addition, five course evaluation instruments will be administered during class at various times throughout the semester. These times will be unannounced but students must be present in order to complete the instrument. The course evaluations MUST be done in class on the selected day. No student will be allowed to complete an evaluation at any other time. I will use these evaluations to grade myself and the success I am achieving in this course as it relates to the student learning objectives. They will have no impact on student point totals but may be used to determine if a special consideration for individual students who seek it is warranted THERE WILL BE NO MAKE UP EXAMS. IF AN EXAM IS MISSED, A ZERO GRADE WILL BE ASSIGNED. REMEMBER THAT THE LOWEST GRADE WILL BE DROPPED. 3

4 The schedule for examinations is as follows: First Exam Friday, September 19 Second Exam Friday, October 10 Third Exam Friday, October 31 Fourth Exam Friday, November 21 Fifth Exam Monday, December 8 The following represents the corresponding letter grade the will be assigned to the earned point totals: A C A C B D B D B- 114 or less F C+ Any student whose total points after taking three exams is either 85 or less will be offered an opportunity to write a library research paper of sufficient length that may be used to take the place of a second low grade. Only students in serious jeopardy of failing the course (as defined above) and who have earned a special consideration (as mentioned earlier in this syllabus) will be afforded this option. Under no circumstances will students who are passing the course be allowed to write a paper to raise an already passing grade. These students should make every effort to improve their performance on the tests given in class. REQUIRED TEXT Anderson, Margaret L. and Howard F. Taylor Sociology: The essentials. 2 nd edition Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Barkan, Steven E Discovering sociology. 2 nd edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth TOPICAL OUTLINE Topic One Introducing the Sociological Imagination Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter One, p Assignment: Suicide, p (done in class) Topic Two Culture Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Two, p Assignment: Culture and Society, p

5 Topic Three Socialization Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Three, p Assignment: Socialization, p Topic Four Society and Social Interaction Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Four, p Topic Five Groups and Organizations Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Five, p Assignment: Groups and Organizations, p Topic Six Deviance and Criminal Justice Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Six, p Assignment: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control, p Topic Seven Social Class and Stratification in the US and Worldwide Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Seven and Eight, p Assignment: Social Stratification, p Topic Eight Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Nine, p , Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Ten, p Assignment: Race and Ethnicity, p Assignment: Sex and Gender, p Topic Nine Families and Religion Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Twelve, p Assignment: The Family, Topic Ten Education and Work Readings Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Thirteen, p Assignment: Education and Religion, p Topic Eleven Government and Health Care Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Fourteen, p Assignment: Politics and Government, p

6 Topic Twelve Population, Urbanism, and Environment Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Fifteen, p Topic Thirteen Social Change and Social Movements Readings: Anderson and Taylor, Chapter Sixteen, p OFFICE HOURS: George Siefert Park Hall 465 By Appointment Only Melissa Knodrak 6

7 AFTER CAREFULLY READING THE SYLLABUS, PLEASE SIGN THIS SHEET AND TURN IT INTO Dr. Siefert BY 9/5/03 I HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE STIPULATIONS AS SET FORTH IN DR. SIEFERT S INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY (SOC 101) SYLLABUS, FALL name student ID # date 7