Sociology 352
1
Sociology 352
Soc 352: Sociology of the Family
Winter 2014
Syllabus
Website
Time & Location
http://faculty.washington.edu/dechter/classes/Soc352/indexsoc352.html
11:30 AM-1:20 PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays in 260 Savery Hall
Instructor
Office Hours:
Aimée Dechter, dechter@uw.edu
Thurs. 1:20-3:20 or by appointment, 271 Savery
Teaching Assistants
Office Hours:
Brad Foster, tbfoster@uw.edu
Tues. 1:30-2:30, 250 Savery
Fri. 12:30-1:30, 251 Savery
Ayşe Toksöz, toksoza@uw.edu
Wed. 12-2, Women’s Library, Cunningham
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This class explores substantive issues that are central to contemporary debates about the family, several of
which are at the intersection of family, inequality and gender. The primary focus is on aggregate patterns,
historical trends, and how social class and gender inequalities are intertwined with family patterns and change.
We examine the family as an institution, which is a social unit of importance to society that defines a set of roles
and rules, rather than as a set of interpersonal relationships or dynamics within families. Emphasis is on the US,
with some attention to cross-national comparisons. We engage contemporary debates over the family in the
US, taking into account recent research findings and public policy implications.
OVERVIEW OF MATERIAL COVERED






The social demography of families and households
Trends in the family and the associated explanations offered for these trends.
Socioeconomic variation in family behaviors (e.g., non marital childbearing, timing of marriage, child-rearing
practices, etc.) that have policy or theoretical relevance and debates over the causes of the variation.
Low income families
The gender based division of labor within families.
Policy
OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of the class is to gain a coherent understanding of the social science perspective on the family,
with emphasis on social demography. Another goal is to learn to think critically, and evaluate sociological
arguments and empirical evidence. As a member of a privileged academic community in a democratic society,
you have the responsibility of struggling to understand the world, thinking critically about the rhetoric out there,
and making informed, reasoned decisions. This course will help you move further along in this process. Toward
Sociology 352
2
this goal, this course is rigorous and requires significant intellectual effort. It focuses on concepts, and research,
and requires critical and complex thinking.
In pursuit of these goals, you are required to not only evaluate critically your assumptions about family
structures and processes, but also the implicit assumptions and evidence presented in scholarly writings,
newspapers and other media and political and policy-making arenas. Therefore, a large portion of the class
is devoted to the research methods used by family sociologists and other social scientists, and the
interpretation of demographic statistics. Students are introduced to the major data used, and shown the
derivation and composition of some key demographic measures.
FORMAT
Lectures: Lectures and section draw attention to select issues from the required readings, and also present new
material. You are responsible for all material covered in lecture in addition to everything covered in the required
readings and section. To facilitate note taking during lecture, lecture outlines are usually posted on the course
website by the night before or morning of the lecture. Print them out and bring them to class.
Sections: Sections discussions are an integral part of this course and give you the opportunity to engage with
the material on a deeper or broader level. Participation in discussions is mandatory. Bring questions you may
have about the readings and lectures, or questions you would like to raise for discussion. Be prepared to engage
verbally.
DISTRIBUTION OF GRADES
Participation in Class and Section (10%) Participation will include regular informed contributions to discussion
class and section and any exercises assigned in section. Come to class and section prepared with comments and
questions, either for discussion or points of clarification. Read and think critically. In section try to articulate
ideas coherently, listen attentively and respect the diversity of experiences and perspectives of your classmates,
while at the same time challenge each other in intellectually rigorous discussions. If your ability to speak publicly
in the section or lecture is constrained, contact the instructor or TA as soon as possible. You may request from
us an informal accommodation so that we may eliminate this component of participation from your grade
distribution and you will not be penalized.
Three Exams (25% each) The exams will cover material from the readings, lectures, sections and documentaries.
The midterms will not be cumulative and the Final exam will be cumulative, with a strong emphasis on the
material presented since the previous midterm. The final will be held Wednesday, March 19th, 430-620 pm,
Savery 260. The midterms will be held during class. Their dates will be announced the first week of classes and
will be posted on the course website. The exams will contain only multiple-choice questions but they will test
your critical thinking, complex reasoning, understanding of concepts and other higher order skills. Therefore,
they may be longer and more multifaceted than multiple-choice questions you have seen in other classes.
Brief Written Assignments (15% total) Three assignments will be due in section. They will be based on the
assigned readings and will require no more than two double spaced pages. More detail will be provided in class
and the course website.
Sociology 352
3
ACCOMODATIONS
Accommodations for Disability: Students with disabilities should inform the professor of any special needs at
the beginning of the quarter. The University is legally obligated to provide appropriate accommodations for
students with disabilities. The Disability Resources for Students Office (DRS) coordinates academic
accommodations for enrolled students with documented disabilities. The DRS website
http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/ provides information about accommodation procedures and other
services for students with disabilities. To request an accommodation, immediately contact Disabled Student
Services, 448 Schmitz, Box 355839, (206) 543-8924, (TTY) 543-8925, uwdss@u.washington.edu. To request or
discuss academic accommodations, please contact me as soon as possible, within the first two weeks of class,
regardless of whether you have documented the disabilities with DRS.
Athletes: Please contact your TA’s and complete the required forms indicating future absences due to your
athletic schedule, within the first two weeks of the quarter. Please also indicate potential absences that may
occur outside the regular schedule because without advance warning about the potential absence, it may not be
possible to accommodate you last minute. With this information, your TA’s and I will not penalize you for failing
to participate in class and section on the days you are required to be away. However, you are still responsible
for the material covered. Lectures and sections provide a wealth of information not covered in readings or
lecture outlines. The exams will cover this material so you will need comprehensive notes for the classes and
sections you miss. I advise you to request note takers from the Athletic Department.
Religious Observance: If you anticipate missing classes or section meetings because of a religious observance,
inform your TA or me of the date, within the first two weeks of class so that we may accommodate you if
needed.
REQUIRED READINGS
All readings should be completed before lecture. There are two sets of readings:
1. Public and Private Families: An Introduction, (2013), 7th Edition, by Andrew Cherlin (McGraw Hill Publishing,
ISBN 0077649591).
 The loose-leaf version is available for purchase at the University of Washington Bookstore in looseleaf form. The price is $148, with $14 rebate. Selected chapters will be assigned.
 You may also rent online access to the book for $ $71.28 for 90 days at the following address:
http://www.coursesmart.com/public-and-private-families-an-introduction/cherlinandrew/dp/0077426479
 I understand the hardcover version of the book can be rented for about $40 for the length of the
quarter. The link is http://www.amazon.com/Public-Private-Families-AndrewCherlin/dp/0078026679/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388966184&sr=11&keywords=public+and+private+families+introduction#selectedObb=rbb_rbb_trigger
 Please keep in mind that you will not be able to keep the rental hardcopy or Coursesmart E book or
resell it or write it in it.
 The book is also on reserve at Odegaard Library
Sociology 352
4
2. Other required readings are posted on the course website
MORE DETAIL ON REQUIREMENTS
1. Read the syllabus, reading schedule and handouts thoroughly, and review the website. They explain most
everything about the course. With large classes, your TA’s and instructor are unable to respond to requests
for information that we have already provided to you.
2. Keep yourself informed of any changes announced in class or in section or on the course website.
3. Master content of lectures and readings
4. Demonstrate active knowledgeable participation in discussion during lecture and section. This may include
exercises completed before or during section
5. Three noncumulative exams
6. Three brief written assignments
Note: Preparedness and discussion indirectly affect grades by increasing what you learn from lectures, section
meetings and readings and by improving your performance on your exams. Moreover, your participation in class
and section affects the level of discourse and enjoyment of discussion for you and your peers. It is your
responsibility to come to each class and section prepared, and to participate in discussion in an informed and
constructive way. We need your commitment to contribute ideas, to listen to others, and to be a constructive
force in the learning process.
CLASS RESOURCES
On the course website, you will find a link to study tools. This link contains materials that will help you process
and engage the readings. The “Worksheet for Readings” will be optional (when not specifically assigned). You
may complete this document for each reading to help you understand the readings and retain what you have
learned. The document is in Microsoft Word so you may save the file to your own disk and type in the
information about the reading or print out the form and fill it in by hand. The study tools section also contains a
link to discussion questions for a documentary watched in class, and a handout to help understand important
methodological issues covered in class and the readings.
For the written assignments, appropriately cite or paraphrase sources to avoid plagiarism, which includes, but is
not limited to, copying of phrases, sentences, or paragraphs without proper citation, paraphrasing another
person’s ideas or words without proper attribution, replicating the overall presentation structure from another
source. Sources include textbooks, journal articles, newspaper articles, published or unpublished text, the World
Wide Web, verbal communication.
OTHER RESOURCES FOR THIS AND OTHER COURSES
The UW Department of Sociology Writing Center can help sociology majors and students enrolled in sociology
classes in numerous ways. Its website provides important information on writing papers in sociology. Guidelines
for citations and paraphrasing, and additional support for writing, are provided on the Sociology Department’s
Writing Center website (http://www.soc.washington.edu/undergraduate/soc-writing-center ) The website
includes tips for writing analytical papers, and links to other writing resources available on the web.
Sociology 352
5
The Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment (CLUE) provides support to all UW students in the
evenings. This includes tutoring (http://depts.washington.edu/clue/index.php) and the opportunity to meet
one-on-one with writing professionals at CLUE’s writing center,
http://depts.washington.edu/clue/writingcenter/.
The Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMAD) hosts several programs to assist UW students in numerous
ways, particularly students from low-income families, students who will be the first in their family to graduate
from a four-year college, under-represented minority students and students with disabilities. Their Academic
Counseling Services (OMAD ACS), http://depts.washington.edu/omadcs/, offers one-on-one advising and The
OMAD’s Instructional Center, http://depts.washington.edu/ic/, provides instructors and tutors. Writing
Instructors and tutors in OMADS Writing Center are available to help you with ANY type of writing project
http://depts.washington.edu/ic/graphics/writing.php?style=graphics. The McNair Graduate Advisors in Mary
Gates Hall are highly qualified graduate students who can provide a broad range of assistance. The McNair
program recommends that you email an advisor to set up an appointment.
http://depts.washington.edu/eip/schedules.htm
The Odegaard Writing Center has peer tutors and links to helpful resources on writing,
http://depts.washington.edu/owrc/.
For more information on resources available on campus that can help with organization, thesis statements,
grammar, sentence structure, and appropriate citations see
http://guides.lib.washington.edu/content.php?pid=69943&sid=518797.
The UW writing centers will help you with a wide range of assignments, including papers, reports, essays,
resumes and personal statements for applications, and the tutors and instructors can help you with exams and
study techniques.
COURSE POLICIES
Absences: Establish two or more note partners in your section. Exchange email addresses so you may contact
them for notes and other information in the event of an absence due to emergency or illnesses. These notes are
necessary. Lectures are much more in depth than the outlines posted on the web. You are welcome to attend
office hours for one-on-help in learning the material in your partner’s notes.
Laptop Use: Laptops may be used for course related activities only, in designated sections of the lecture hall and
the quiz section. This policy is more lenient than the policy of the Department of Sociology, which forbids the
use of laptops in class because they can be distracting to other students, especially when used for activities
unrelated to course content. The designated section is the first three seats in each row on the side of the room
opposite to the computer console.
Email: Email is a professional communication tool, and proper form matters. With a large class, it can easily
become unmanageable if some simple email etiquette is not followed. For this reason, please do the following:
 Before emailing a question, carefully check that the answer to your question is not already answered in
Sociology 352



6
the syllabus, the website or the relevant documents. Questions that are answered on the syllabus will
NOT receive a response.
Do not email questions that can wait to be asked during the many regularly scheduled meeting times.
You can see your TA and/or instructor two days a week in lecture, one day a week in section, and at
least two days a week during office hours, or by appointment.
Appropriate questions that cannot wait until meeting times should be sent to your TA.
o If your TA can’t help you, he/she will contact the instructor on your behalf or you may contact
her directly at that point only.
o Your TA’s and the instructor will try to reply to all appropriate emails within two business days.
The answers to email questions that address course material and may be helpful to other students will
be sent to the entire class, with identifying information stripped off.
Classroom Etiquette: Students have the right to expect that the classroom and quiz section will be free of
disruption and conducive to learning the course material. The following disruptions betray a lack of respect for
this right, and any student responsible for these or other disturbances will be reprimanded.
 Cell phones that have not been turned off before class and section begin.
 Entering class/section late or leaving the room before class/section ends
 Private chats in class or section
 Laptop use in an unauthorized section of class, or for activities unrelated to course material.
Difficulties with Course Material: If you are having problems with the course material or performing poorly on
assignments or the exam, meet with the instructor or TA’s as soon as possible. There will be no opportunities to
compensate for low grades. The only way to address a low grade is to do better on the remaining assignments
and exam. Seek help early so there is time to improve your performance.
COURSE FEEDBACK
The Department of Sociology conducts student evaluations of most courses near the end of the quarter. These
evaluations include questions about the instructor and the teaching assistant(s) of the course. However, we
would appreciate feedback sooner so we can make changes before it is too late. Please be honest (and polite) in
your reactions to lecture and section to help us know whether there are issues that can be addressed. Any
suggestions you provide may help this class and future classes, and will be gratefully received. An anonymous
email link is on the class website so you may provide your feedback confidentially, if you prefer.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Assignments and tests are to be original work, unless otherwise indicated. It is a breach of academic honesty to
hand in work that is not your own or to use parts of someone else’s work. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited
to: copying of phrases, sentences, or paragraphs without proper citation, paraphrasing another person’s ideas
or words without proper attribution, replicating the overall presentation structure from another source. Sources
include textbooks, journal articles, newspaper articles, published or unpublished text, the World Wide Web,
verbal communication, paper writing “services” or any other source or person, regardless of whether you know
him/her. Any form of plagiarism is grounds for failure in the class and removal from the University. A lack of
Sociology 352
7
familiarity with the rules of plagiarism or the student conduct code in no way constitutes an excuse for acts of
misconduct. Knowledge of these rules is your responsibility. A clear definition of plagiarism and other types of
academic misconduct, advice on how to stay clear of misconduct, and an explanation of disciplinary sanctions
and procedures can be found at http://depts.washington.edu/grading/pdf/AcademicResponsibility.pdf. For
more detailed information, see the University’s Student Conduct Code
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=478-120 .
To help students who may be tempted to cheat on exams, all students will be required to store coats,
backpacks, phones and anything other than pencils, a scantron sheet and medication on the side of the room
during exams.