Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 1 SOCI 421 A Class, Status, and Power Late Fall Session (Term 15/52) October 26 December 19, 2015 Course Description Emphasis on social stratification systems and social inequalities, including the areas of economic class, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. Analysis of theories of power in constructing and maintaining systems of social inequality; the creation of wealth and poverty in the United States and globally; sources and consequences of ethnic and gender inequalities; and the stratification system surrounding sexualities. Prerequisite: Junior standing Proctored Exams: Midterm Textbooks Kerbo, Harold R. Social Stratification and Inequality: Class Conflict in Historical, Comparative, and Global Perspectives, Eighth edition, McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-811165-5 Lukes, Stephen. Power: A Radical View, Second edition, Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN: 978-0-333-42092- 8 Textbook for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order online at http://direct.mbsbooks.com/columbia.htm (be sure to select Online Education rather than your home campus before selecting your class) by phone at 800-325-3252 For additional information about the bookstore, visit http://www.mbsbooks.com. Course Overview This course is an exploration of social stratification and the manifestations of social inequalities in the United States. We will read and discuss major theories of stratification along the primary axes of inequality: class, race, gender and environmental justice. The examination of power is a central focus, and how power relation s work to create and actively maintain status inequities. Additional themes of this course include the force of corporate power in US culture, effects of global capitalism, the economic struggles of women on welfare, the new middle class squeeze, and the effects of deindustrialization on the continuing plight of the poor. Students will attain a broad scope and understanding of cutting-edge sociological research and new concepts and theories that inspire thought-provoking class discussion. The development of critical thinking skills is a primary objective in this course.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 2 Technology Requirements Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia College: A computer with reliable Internet access, a web browser, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office. You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site. Course Objectives Understand what sociologists mean by social stratification and the multiple arenas in which this occurs (race, class, gender, and sexuality). Understand the role of power in constructing and maintaining inequality, as well as the effects of systematic inequality. Evaluate theoretical perspectives on stratification. Understand the differences between wealth and income. Develop critical thinking skills. Understand the intersection of race, class, gender and sexuality. Measurable Learning Outcomes Explain the various theories of stratification and inequality. Describe the various arenas of stratification and the significant sociological perspectives on each. Explain intersectionality and systematic inequality. Differentiate between wealth and income. Critically analyze and interrogate the role of power in creating and maintain inequality. Evaluate stratification in multiple arenas: race, class, gender, and sexuality. Grading Grading Scale GRADE POINTS PERCENT A 900-1000 90-100 B 800-899 80-89 C 700-799 70-79 D 600-699 60-69 F 0-599 0-59 Grade Weights ASSIGNMENT POINTS PERCENT Discussions 150 15% Quizzes 100 10% Papers 300 30% Midterm Exam 250 25% Final Exam 200 20% Total 1000 100%
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 3 Schedule of Due Dates WEEK ASSIGNMENT POINTS DUE DATE 1 Discussion 1 0 Wednesday Assignment Overview Discussion 2 10 Sunday 2 Discussion 3 10 Wednesday Quiz 1 25 Friday Discussion 4 10 Sunday Paper 1 75 Sunday 3 Discussion 5 10 Wednesday Quiz 2 25 Friday Discussion 6 10 Sunday 4 Discussion 7 10 Wednesday Discussion 8 10 Sunday Midterm Exam (proctored) 250 Sunday 5 Discussion 9 10 Wednesday Discussion 10 10 Sunday Paper 2 75 Sunday 6 Discussion 11 10 Wednesday Quiz 3 25 Friday Discussion 12 10 Sunday 7 Discussion 13 10 Wednesday Quiz 4 25 Friday Discussion 14 10 Sunday 8 Discussion 15 10 Monday Discussion 16 10 Wednesday Paper 3 150 Saturday Final Exam 200 Saturday Total 1000 Discussion postings should be completed by their respective deadlines. All posts are due on Wednesday and Sunday at midnight of each assigned week (except for the final week of the class, when they are due on Monday and Wednesday). In order to get full credit for your discussion posts, you must answer the discussion question(s) thoroughly and your answers must demonstrate your understanding of the assigned readings. In addition, you are expected to respond to at least 2 of your classmates in each discussion. Discussion postings will be graded according to the rubric found in the course. Quizzes will consist of short answer and multiple-choice questions. Questions on the quizzes will be based on your required readings. Papers: Students are required to write three papers in this class, two worth 75 points, and one
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 4 (research paper), worth 150 points. They will be graded on the basis of analytical and critical thinking skills, completeness, correct spelling, correct formatting and citations, and neatness according to the rubrics found in the course. Exams: There will be a midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams will ask 4 essay questions, which must be answered in 4-6 well developed paragraphs. Each exam will also ask for 10 short answer definitions of key terms in the course. Your midterm exam is proctored. Course Schedule Week 1 Understanding Social Stratification Readings: Kerbo, Chapters 1-3 Week 2 Power Discussion 1: Introduce yourself in the first discussion posting. Please describe your profession, hobbies, interests, and any other information that can help us get to know you. Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 2: Based on the readings, describe in detail where you fit into the current system of social stratification? What social privileges and/or inequalities have you experience in the past or experience currently? How has the history of inequality shaped your current circumstances? Post by midnight on Sunday. Readings: Luke, Chapters 1 and 3 Discussion 3: Before reading this book, how did you define power, in your life and in society? Where do these views of power come from? Describe a social institution that has power in your life. How does this institution maintain its interests? Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 4: After reading Luke, describe at least two ways it is difficult to empirically study the concept of power. What forms of hegemonic power are at play in your life that are difficult to observe at first glance, or in other words, require critical thinking to even become aware of? Be creative here. Post by midnight on Sunday. Quiz 1: Covers material in the readings from Weeks 1 and 2 (Kerbo and Luke readings). Quiz due by midnight on Friday. Proctor Information Paper 1 Provide your proctor information for your midterm exam in the Week 2 discussion posting titled, Proctor Info. Required information includes: Campus site, OR proctor name, email address and phone number. Proctor information due by midnight on Sunday. In this paper, summarize chapter 1 of Stephen Luke s Power A Radical View. Your summary should demonstrate a complete understanding of the one dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional views of power, as well as his underlying concept of power. Provide an example of a powerful institution that fits into Luke s third dimension of power. How does this institution maintain its power? This paper is to be 3 pages in length (double-spaced). Paper 1 is due by midnight on Sunday.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 5 Week 3 Theories on Stratification Readings: Kerbo, Chapters 4-5 Discussion 5: If suddenly you were a sociologist and you had to describe yourself as a functional theorist or a conflict theorist, which one would you choose? Why? After choosing the theory you most identify with, make an argument using one of the leading theorists from your chosen field to explain the reasons for or against social stratification. Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 6: Do you think that people would be motivated to succeed and pursue talents without social inequality? Are people naturally driven to work hard or are we inherently lazy? Provide societal examples for your answers. Post by midnight on Sunday. Quiz 2: Covers material from the Week 3 readings (Kerbo, Chapters 4-5). Quiz due by midnight on Friday. Week 4 Class Readings: Kerbo, Chapters 6-7 Watch the first chapter of the film: The Corporation. The video can be found in the Content section of the class. Midterm Exam Week 5 Class Discussion 7: Create a fictional biography of an upper class individual. Provide details on race, class, gender as well as where he/she was born, lived, and worked. Provide indicators of upper class membership, upper class economic power, and upper class political participation. I want to see evidence of your readings in your creative writing. Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 8: After watching chapter 1 of the film: The Corporation, discuss the role of this dominant institution of our time. What roles does it play in your life? Begin at the beginning of your day and take notes to the end of your day. Describe both positive and negative ways corporations have influence and power in your life. Post by midnight on Sunday. You must take the midterm exam with an approved proctor between Tuesday and Sunday of this week. This exam will ask 10 short answer definitions of key terms and 4 essay questions. Your essay answers must be answered in 4-6 well developed paragraphs. You will have two hours to complete it. The midterm exam will cover topics from weeks 1-4. I will post a midterm review sheet in the course and will send it by email on Monday of Week 3. Please use this review, as it is the best preparation for the exam. Readings: Kerbo, Chapters 8-9 Bullard, R. D. (2007). Dismantling Toxic Racism. Special Environmental Justice Issues of the NAACP s The Crisis Magazine (114). This article can be found in the Content section of the class. Watch the first episode of the 5-part PBS series, The Poverty Tour: A Call to Conscience with Tavis Smiley. You can find this video embedded in the Content section of the class.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 6 Paper 2 Discussion 9: In detail, compare the differences between the middle class and the working class. Give examples of differences in occupations, income, lifestyle, childhood socialization, and political views. Based on evidence from your readings, why is the middle class shrinking? Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 10: After reading about and listening to the issues of poverty in America this week, ask yourself where are our social priorities? List the first three that come to mind. How do these priorities affect poverty either negatively or positively? How does the philosophy of individualism blame the poor? Do you believe that we, as a society, have an ethical obligation to be empathetic toward poor people? If not, why? If so, why and how? Post by midnight on Sunday. Paper 2 is a 2-3-page discussion on the concept of toxic racism. After reading Bullard s essay on dismantling toxic racism, provide an example from the essay on environmental discrimination. Then provide a current example (within the last 15 years) of the intersection of environmental and racial discrimination. Please provide research to support your claims. What is your personal response to such injustice? Provide a bibliography of your research findings in APA format. Paper 2 is due by midnight on Sunday. Paper 3: Begin Research Paper Week 6 Gender You should begin work on your research paper, due in Week 8. In a 6-8-page research paper, identify, explain and analyze a specific social issue concerning power, status or class in American society today. Please see the suggested research topics in the course content. These are merely suggestions. You must cite at least 6 sources. These sources can include reputable online sources but the paper should NOT be entirely from online sources. I expect you to site at least four books, newspapers, journals etc. Please use your required texts as references, but a research paper means students are expected to do library research, which must go beyond the texts used for this class. Readings: Kerbo, Chapter 10 Discussion 11: Give three examples of gender inequality in the US. How does class inequality intersect with gender inequality? Post by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 12: Pulling from your readings on welfare in chapter 9 and gender inequality in chapter 10, how have the economic struggles for female headed households become worse in the last decade and why? Give examples. Post by midnight on Sunday. Quiz 3: Covers material from Weeks 5-6. Quiz due by midnight on Friday. Course Evaluations Please evaluate the course. You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. A link sent to your CougarMail will allow you to access the evaluation. Please note that these evaluations are provided so that I can improve the course, find out what students perceive to be its strengths and weaknesses, and in general assess the success of the course. Please do take the time to fill this out.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 7 Week 7 Race and Ethnicity Readings: Kerbo, Chapter 11 Watch the TED talk: Bryan Stevenson: We need to talk about an injustice. You can find this video in the content section of the class. Discussion 13: Give three examples of race inequality in the US. How does income and education inequality intersect with race inequality? Post is due by midnight on Wednesday. Discussion 14: What does Stevenson mean when he says, The opposite of poverty is not wealth In too many places; the opposite of poverty is justice. How do experiences of poverty, racial inequality and the criminal justice system intersect to create and maintain inequalities? What is the American identity? Who are we as a culture? What are our defining characteristics? Are we living up to our identity? Post is due by midnight on Sunday. Quiz 4: Covers material from Week 7. Quiz due by midnight on Friday. Week 8 Environmental Justice Reading: Hinkley, R. (2002). 28 Words to Redefine Corporate Duties: The Proposal for a Code for Corporate Citizenship. The Multinational Monitor, 23 (7-8). Web. This essay can be found in the Content section of course. Discussion 15: What is the responsibility of the American corporation to the environment? Hinkley proposes 28 words that could change the world; The duty of directors henceforth shall be to make money for shareholders but not at the expense of the environment, human rights, public health and safety, dignity of employees, and the welfare of the communities in which the company operates. What is your response to this? Do you think this is possible? Can a shift in policy change the way corporations operate and thereby change the world? Post by midnight on Monday. Discussion 16: What is your personal American dream? Do you think your dream is attainable and realistic? What social privileges and/or social barriers are part of your American dream? Do you hope to attain social mobility? Is your education part of this attainment? Post by midnight on Wednesday. Paper 3: Research Paper Final Exam In a 6-8-page research paper, identify, explain and analyze a specific social issue concerning power, status or class in American society today. Please see the suggested research topics in the course content. These are merely suggestions. You must cite at least 6 sources. These sources can include reputable Internet sources but the paper should NOT be entirely from online sources. I expect you to site at least four books, newspapers, journals etc. Please use your required texts as references, but a research paper means students are expected to do library research, which must go beyond the texts used for this class. Paper 3 is due by midnight on Saturday. Your final exam is NOT proctored. You can take the final exam from your home or office anytime between Tuesday and Saturday of this week. This exam will ask 10 short answer definitions of key terms and 4 essay questions. Your essay answers must be answered in 4-6 well-developed paragraphs. You will have two hours to complete it. The final exam will
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 8 cover topics from weeks 5-8. I will post a final review sheet in the course announcements and will send it by email on Monday of Week 6. Please use this review, as it is the best preparation for your final exam. Because this exam is NOT proctored so you can use your books and notes; however, my expectations of your essays are much higher than with the midterm exam. I strongly urge you to prepare well-written essays ahead of time and copy them into your exam. Course Policies Student Conduct All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus Life) at 573-875-7400. The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment, and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette. Plagiarism Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work (papers, journals, exams, etc.) are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from the College. Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course should be particularly careful. All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site. A full plagiarism tutorial can be found in the content section of the classroom. Non-Discrimination There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status. Disability Services Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) 875-7626. Until the student has been cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not feasible.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 9 Online Participation You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your instructor know as soon as possible. Attendance Policy Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment for which points have been earned during that week of the session or if the proctoring information has been submitted or the plagiarism quiz taken if there is no other assignment due that week. A class week is defined as the period of time between Monday and Sunday (except for Week 8, when the week and the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system deadlines are all based on the Central Time Zone. Cougar E-mail All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You are responsible for monitoring e-mail from that account for important messages from the College and from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar e-mail account to another account; however, the College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other e-mail providers. Students should use e-mail for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about any given topic and respond. Late Assignment Policy An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your classmates to regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of the online communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the schedule of work for the class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of reading and writing to successfully complete the class. No late assignments accepted in this class. Course Evaluation You will have an opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Be assured that the evaluations are anonymous and that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are submitted. Proctoring Policy Students taking courses that require proctored exams must submit their completed proctor request forms to their instructors by the end of the second week of the session. Proctors located at Columbia College campuses are automatically approved. The use of Proctor U services is also automatically approved. The instructor of each course will consider any other choice of proctor for approval or denial. Additional proctor choices the instructor will consider include: public librarians, high school or college instructors, high school or college counseling services, commanding officers, education service officers, and other proctoring services. Personal friends, family members, athletic coaches and direct supervisors are not acceptable.
Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 10 Additional Resources Orientation for New Students This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one opens. Technical Support If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available within the online course environment. CCHelpDesk@ccis.edu 800-231-2391 ex. 4357 helpdesk@desire2learn.com 877-325-7778 Online Tutoring Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to all Columbia College students. Smarthinking provides real-time online tutoring and homework help for Math, English, and Writing. Smarthinking also provides access to live tutorials in writing and math, as well as a full range of study resources, including writing manuals, sample problems, and study skills manuals. You can access the service from wherever you have a connection to the Internet. I encourage you to take advantage of this free service provided by the college. Access Smarthinking through CougarTrack under Students->Academics->Academic Resources.