THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY 2240E 650 COURSE OUTLINE Fall/Winter 2013/2014

Transcription

1 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY 2240E 650 COURSE OUTLINE Fall/Winter 2013/2014 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Amanda Zavitz OFFICE: N/A PHONE: COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course examines a wide-range of classical sociological theorists. The main task will be to make sociological theory relevant to an understanding and appreciation of human society. More specifically, the primary goal is to help students to develop a way of looking at past and contemporary issues sociologically, and from a structural rather than individual standpoint. In doing so, we will discuss theory as a tool for organizing existing knowledge and as a means of generating new knowledge. We will attempt to understand each theorist within their own time so that we can appreciate the specific social and historical contexts, which gave rise to their particular forms of theorizing. A constant theme that will be developed in the course is that of the complex relationships among ideology, social order, and social change. How are these themes reflected in various schools of thought? What are the origin of theories and ideas as they relate to the changing conditions of humanity? PREREQUISITE(S): At least a 60% in Sociology 020 or Sociology 021E ANTIREQUISITE(S): Sociology 2270 A/B and 2271 A/B or the former Sociology 230 (Note: you can access current calendar description, prerequisites and antirequisites to paste here from: ) Note about Prerequisites and Antirequisites Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you will be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. REQUIRED TEXT AND READING ASSIGNMENTS: You must purchase the following text: Ritzer, George Sociological Theory, 9th edition. NY: McGraw Hill. 1

2 Evaluation: Online discussions/participation: 20% Essay: 20% Midterm Exam: 30% Final Exam: 30% NB: All make-up tests are essay format and are considerably more demanding than the regularly scheduled tests, which will comprise a combination of multiple choice, short answers, and essays. In the later two I insist on crisp arguments. While descriptions are fine, they are not enough. I expect you to analyze and explain. Assignment(s) Online Discussion/Participation: You need to follow your course outline and the course calendar to make sure you don t miss a graded discussion. Students will be asked to answer an online discussion question. A total of fifteen online discussion questions will be given throughout the term. Students will be given a grade out of 5 for each of the discussion questions. Students can choose to skip two discussion questions or choose to complete all of the discussion questions and drop their two lowest grades. Since the discussion questions help to ensure that students understand the material presented, I encourage students to complete all of the questions and drop their two lowest grades. Midterm Exam: Midterm exam period (December 2013-specific date/time and location to be announced). Students must write their midterm examination on campus (UWO) or at a remote scheduled location (if you live too far away from campus). The midterm exam will consist of multiple choice questions, definitions, fill in the blanks, short answer/essay questions. Final Exam: Final exam period (April Specific date/time and location to be announced). Students must write their final examination on campus (UWO) or at a remote scheduled location (if you live too far away from campus). The final exam in not cumulative and will consist of multiple choice, definitions, fill in the blanks, short answer/essay questions. Essay: This is an essay course. Thus, you are required to write a formal academic essay in this course. Your essay is DUE Wednesday February 12, You MUST submit a copy of your essay to the drop box by midnight on this date. All late papers will be penalized 10 percent per day. Essay topics will be posted. Plagiarism Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major academic offence (see Scholastic Offence Policy in the Western Academic Calendar). 2

3 Plagiarism Checking All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University. All papers submitted will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com ( Scantron Exams Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. Missed Exams and Late Assignments You should understand that academic accommodation will not be granted automatically on request. If, due to medical illness, you cannot write a test or exam, or submit an assignment by the due date, it is your responsibility to follow the University s new Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness. This policy can be accessed at: Compassionate Grounds Serious Illness of a Family Member: Inform your instructor as soon as possible and submit a medical certificate from the family member's physician to your home faculty s Academic Counseling office. In Case of a Death: Inform your instructor as soon as possible and submit a copy of the newspaper notice, death certificate or documentation provided by the funeral director to your home faculty s Academic Counseling office. Class Schedule: Fall 2012 Term- Classical Sociological Theory Week 1 (September 9-15) INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY What is Social Theory? How and where do we begin to study social theory? Assignment- Online discussion question- introduce yourself (not graded) Week 2 (September 16-22) THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY Readings: Mills, The Sociological Imagination Chp 1 (online) Week 3 (September 23-29) AGENCY VERSUS STRUCTURE Readings: Steven Rose, It s only human nature (online reading). Assignment- Online discussion question #1 Week 4 (September 30 -October 6) ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHY Montesquieu and Rousseau; What is the Enlightenment? Readings: Ritzer, Chp 1 3

4 Week 5 (October 7-13) ROMANTIC CONSERVATISM - A REACTION TO THE ENLIGHTENMENT Kant, Hagel, Loius de Bonald and Joseph De Maistre Readings: Ritzer, Chp 1 Assignment- Online discussion question #2 Week 6 (October 14-20) THE BIRTH OF SOCIOLOGY: Positivism, Evolutionary Theory Comte, St Simon, Spencer, and Social Darwinism Readings: Ritzer, Chp 1 Assignment- Online discussion question #3 Week 7 (October 21-27) DURKHEIM Social facts, religion, and suicide Division of Labour and Social Solidarity Readings: Ritzer, Chp 3 Week 8 (October 28- November 3) DURKHEIM Social facts, religion, and suicide Division of Labor and Social Solidarity Readings: Ritzer, Chp 3 Assignment: Online discussion question #4 Week 9 (November 4-10) MARX: Class and Exploitation Readings: Ritzer, Chp 2 Week 10 (November 11-17) Marx: Theory of History Readings: Ritzer, Chp 2 Assignment: Online discussion question #5 Week 11 (November 18-24) WEBER: Power, Authority, and Leadership Readings: Ritzer, Chp 4 Assignment: Online discussion question #6 Week 12 (November 25-December 1) EARLY WOMEN SOCIOLOGISTS Charlotte Perkins Gilman Readings: TBA Assignment: Online discussion question #7; study for midterm exam Week 13 (December 2-6) Study for Midterm Exam- Date and Location of the midterm exam to be announced (December 8-19, 2012 is the midterm exam period) Winter 2011 Term- Contemporary Sociological Theory Week 1 (January 6-12) STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM Readings: Ritzer, Chps 6-7 Assignment: Online discussion question #8 Week 2 (January 13-19) CRITICAL THEORY: What is Critical Theory? Readings: Ritzer, Chp 8 4

5 Week 3 (January 20-26) EXCHANGE, NETWORK AND RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 12 Assignments: Online discussion question #9 Week 4 (January 27- February 2) SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM; Mead, Goffman, Hochschild Readings: Ritzer, Chp 10 Week 5 (February 3-9) ETHNOMETHODOLOGY AND PHENOMENOLOGY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 11 Week 6 (February 10-16) ETHNOMETHODOLOGY AND PHENOMENOLOGY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 11 Assignment: Online discussion question #10 Essay DUE: Wednesday, February 12, Week 7 (February 17-23) Inter-term break Week 8 (February 24-March 2) FEMINIST THEORY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 13 Week 9 (March 3-9) FEMINIST THEORY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 13, Online readings Assignment: Online discussion question #11 Week 10 (March 10-16) INTEGRATIVE SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 14 Week 11 (March 17-23) GLOBAL SOCIETY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 15 Week 12 (March 24-30) APPLIED CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Why Isn t the Whole World Developed? Readings: Ritzer, Chp 16 Assignment: Online discussion question #12 Week 13 (March 31-April 6) POSTSTRUCTURAL and POSTMODERN THEORY Readings: Ritzer, Chp 17& 18 Assignment- Online discussion question #13 Week 14 (April 7-8) Review and study for final exam (April 9-30) Final Examination Period Assignment: Online discussion question #14, study for FINAL EXAM 5

6 Final Examination- Date, time and location to be announced Online discussion question #15 to be answered after the exam 6

7 Social Science Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at x for any specific question regarding an accommodation.