2S06E Introduction to Sociological Theory McMaster University

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1 Course Description 2S06E Introduction to Sociological Theory McMaster University Instructor: Tonya Davidson Contact: Office Hours: Tuesdays 5:30-6:30, KTH-643 Location: MDCL-1016 Time: Tuesdays/ Thursdays 7-10pm While many students (and scholars) are intimidated by social theory, in reality, people develop theories everyday to understand common and exceptional phenomenon they witness or experience. The authors of The Rules or He s Just Not That Into You could be understood as relationship theorists. Political commentators, music aficionados and book club members also likely engage in theory construction or test theories to explain their subjects of interest. An everyday understanding of theory is that it is a scientific model or construction. In sociology, we understand social theory as deriving from the Greek word theoria meaning contemplation. To theorize is to contemplate how and the why we engage in all sciences including the social sciences like sociology. Theory exists in contrast and in complement to the Greek term praxis from which our understanding of practice derives. Most human action or praxis building things, governing ourselves, how we play and work, has been influenced by a history of contemplation on these very actions. This course will introduce students to a broad history of sociological thought. We will begin by readings from the classical theorists of Marx, Durkheim, Weber and Simmel. The second section of this course includes readings from the Frankfurt School, symbolic interactionists and functionalists. In the third section, we explore readings in poststructuralism, postmodernity and critical race theory (among others). During the weekly tutorials, students will be encouraged to think about social theory in relation to contemporary social issues, news events, and trends. Students will be encouraged to practice their new sociological vocabularies orally and in writing during the tutorials. The key objective of this course is to allow students to develop the ability to look at current social moments through various theoretical lenses. Required Texts For sale at Titles: Kivisto, Peter (2011). Social Theory: Roots and Branches. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Abrahamson, Mark (2010). Classical Theory and Modern Studies. Saddle River NJ: Pearson. On reserve at the library:

2 Harrington, Austin (2005). Modern Social Theory: an introduction. Toronto: Oxford Univresity Press. (Chapters 7, 8, 9 are required reading). Allan, Kenneth (2011) Defining the Possible and Impossible: Michel Foucault In Contemporary Social and Sociological Theory: Visualizing Social Worlds. Thousand Oaks CA: Pine Forge Press, pp Evaluations Test 1 June 2 nd, in class 13% Short Essay June 9 th, % Test 2 June 28 th, in class 13% Long Essay Thesis statement & bibliography Final paper July 14 th, 2011 July 26 th, % 20% Final Exam August 4 th, in class 25% Attendance, Participation, & Throughout the term 15% In-class writing Test 1: This test will be comprised of both short answer and essay questions. This test is worth 13%. Short Essay: This paper is worth 10% and is due on the final class of the first term. For this first short essay (5-6 pages) students are required to do a close reading of a short passage of text (around 10 pages) from one of the theorists studied in the first term (Durkheim, Marx, Weber, etc). Students are encouraged to read beyond the course material. Students are required to attach a photocopy of the text being analyzed with their essay. Further details will be handed out in class. Test 2: This essay will also be a combination of short answer and essay questions. This test is worth 13%. Long Essay: For this longer essay (10-15 pages), there are two options: 1) Application: choose a current and specific social problem. Write an essay explaining or analyzing that social problem from the perspective of one or two of the theories studied in class. 2) Comparison: write an essay comparing two theorists and their perspectives towards: modernity, religion, crime, gender or any other specific topic.

3 Thesis statement and proposed bibliography are due on July 14 th and are worth 4%. Be sure to follow a citation style guide. The final essay is due on July 26 th and is worth 20%. Final Exam: The exam will consist of short answer and essay questions. It is worth 25%. It will be inclass on Thursday, August 4 th. Tutorial Participation: Students are expected to attend and actively participate in tutorial discussions. Each student will be required to present thoughtful discussion questions on assigned weeks. Participation is worth 15%. Tutorial will also include in-class short writing and presentation assignments. Reading Schedule May 3/ Class 1: Introduction no readings SECTION I: Classical Social Theory May 5/ Class 2: Marx Kivisto: Introduction: What is Social Theory? Pp. xix-xxvviii Abrahamson, Mark. Pp May 10/ Class 3: Marx Marx, Karl: pp , pp Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 12/ Class 4: Durkheim Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 17/ Class 5: Durkheim Durkheim, Emile: pp Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 19/ Class 6: Weber Weber, Max: pp ,

4 Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 24/ Class 7: Simmel Simmel, Georg: pp , Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 26/ Class 8: Early Feminist Thought & Critical Race Theory Martineau, Harriet: pp Gilman, Charlotte Perkins: pp Addams, Jane: pp Du Bois, W.E.B: pp Abrahamson, Mark: pp May 31/ Class 9: Psychoanalytic Theory Freud, Sigmund: pp Elliot, Anthony (2005) Psychoanalytic Social Theory In Harrington, Austin (ed.), Modern Social Theory. Toronto: Oxford University Press, pp June 2/ Class 10: Review & Test 1 No readings Test SECTION II: Frankfurt School/ Conflict Theory/ Functionalism June 7/ Class 11: Frankfurt School Benjamin, Walter: pp Kellner, Douglas. (2005). Western Marxism In Austin Harrington (ed.), Modern Social Theory: an introduction. Toronto: Oxford University Press, pp June 9/ Class 12: Frankfurt School Marcuse, Herbert: pp Horkheimer, Max: pp June 14/ Class 13: Conflict Theory

5 Mills, C. Wright: pp Dahrendorf, Ralf: pp Collins, Randall: pp June 16/ Class 14: Functionalism/ Neofunctionalism Merton, Robert: pp Parsons, Talcott: pp Luhmann, Niklas: pp Alexander, Jeffrey: pp June 21/ Class 15: Symbolic Interactionism Blumer, Herbert: pp Goffman, Erving: pp June 23/ Class 16: Symbolic Interactionism 2 Sacks, Harvey: pp Garfinkel, Harold: pp West, Candace & Don Zimmerman: pp June 28/ Class 17: Review & Test 2 Test No readings SECTION III Stucturalism/ Poststructuralism, Modernity/ Postmodernity, Critical Race Theory and Globalization June 30/ Class 18: Structuralism Ashenden, Samantha. (2005) Structuralism and Post-structuralism In Austin Harrington (ed.), Modern Social Theory: an Introduction. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Pp July 5/ Class 19: Post-structuralism Foucault, Michel: pp.,

6 Allan, Kenneth (2011) Defining the Possible and Impossible: Michel Foucault In Contemporary Social and Sociological Theory: Visualizing Social Worlds. Thousand Oaks CA: Pine Forge Press, pp July 7/ Class 20: Post-structuralism 2 July 12/ Class 21: Modernity/ Postmodernity 1 Giddens, Anthony: pp Debord, Guy: July 14/ Class 22: Modernity/ Postmodernity 2 Baudrilliard, Jean: pp Bauman, Zygmunt: pp Featherstone, Mike: pp July 19/ Class 23: Critical Race Theory Omi, Michael and Howard Winant: pp Gilroy, Paul: pp July 21/ Class 24: Critical Race Theory 2 Alexander, Jeffrey: pp Brubaker, Rogers: pp Calhoun, Craig: pp July 26/ Class 25: Post-structural & Postmodern Feminist Thought Collins, Patricia Hill: pp Smith, Dorothy: pp Connell, Raewyn: pp Butler, Judith: pp July 28/ Class 26: Globalization Theories Wallerstein, Immanueal: pp Robertson, Roland: pp

7 Appadurai, Arjun: pp Kellner, Douglas: pp August 2/ Class 27: Conclusion & Review No readings August 4/ Class 28: FINAL EXAM PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Academic dishonesty consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means and can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript (notation reads: "Grade of F assigned for academic dishonesty"), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the various kinds of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, specifically Appendix 3, located at The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty: 1. Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one's own or for which other credit has been obtained. 2. Improper collaboration in group work. 3. Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations. DEPARTMENTAL/UNIVERSITY POLICIES: Do NOT fax assignments. Please see your instructor for the most appropriate way to submit assignments. The Sociology staff do NOT date-stamp assignments, nor do they monitor the submission or return of papers. The McMaster Student Absence Form ( is a self reporting tool for Undergraduate Students to report absences that last up to 5 lectures and provides the ability to request accommodation for any missed academic work. Please note, this tool cannot be used during any final examination period.

8 You may submit a maximum of 2 Academic Work Missed requests per term. It is YOUR responsibility to follow up with your instructor immediately regarding the nature of the accommodation. If you are absent more than 5 lectures or exceed 2 requests per term you MUST visit your Associate Dean s Office (Faculty Office). You may be required to provide supporting documentation. This form should be filled out immediately when you are about to return to class after your absence Students should check the web, the white board and the Undergraduate Bulletin board outside the Sociology office (KTH-627) for notices pertaining to Sociology classes or departmental business (eg. class scheduling information, location of mailboxes and offices, tutorial information, class cancellations, TA job postings, etc.). Computer use in the classroom is intended to facilitate learning in that particular lecture or tutorial. At the discretion of the instructor, students using a computer for any other purpose may be required to turn the computer off for the remainder of the lecture or tutorial. The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course during the term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to check his/her McMaster and course websites weekly during the term and to note any changes. Effective September 1, 2010, it is the policy of the Faculty of Social Sciences that all communication sent from students to instructors (including TAs), and from students to staff, must originate from the student s own McMaster University account. This policy protects confidentiality and confirms the identity of the student. It is the student s responsibility to ensure that communication is sent to the university from a McMaster account. If an instructor becomes aware that a communication has come from an alternate address, the instructor may not reply at his or her discretion. You can forward your account to MUGSI by following the instructions contained in the following link: Forwarding will take effect 24 hours after you complete the process.