Please note that this syllabus should be regarded as only a general guide to the course. The instructor may have changed
specific course content and requirements subsequent to posting this syllabus. Last Modified: 16:40:07 01/15/2013
Social Problem (SC049)
Spring 2013
Kim Bachechi
McGuinn 410C
Office Hours: T/Th 11:00-12:00 or by apt.
bachechk@bc.edu
Sociology can be defined as the scientific study of human society, ranging from investigations of
the smallest of social interactions, to explorations of our global society. It examines the linkages
between social structures/institutions, culture and human experience. The discipline of sociology
can be used to understand how societies have been structured historically and how the process of
history has brought us into our current patterns of relations. This course will focus specifically on
an exploration of different sociological approaches to the study of social problems and social
trends in contemporary society. The course emphasizes theoretical research issues, especially
how, and to what degree, the understanding of social problems are a direct result of the processes
used to define social problems as well as the research methods and procedures used to
investigate them.
While many “social problems” courses focus attention on that which is deemed “deviant,” this
course will instead challenge you to determine that which is problematic about the “normal,” the
“everyday,” the taken-for-granted about our current social structures. This means that while we
will indeed look at mental illness, crime, and poverty, we will not have any weeks devoted to
“nuts,” “criminals,” or “homeless,” instead exploring how these aspects of society connect to,
and intersect with, the everyday lives of Boston College students. Additionally, this means that
most of the course will be spent exploring specifically American social structures and institutions.
As there are only 16 weeks in any semester there is only so much material that can be covered
and, as this may be the only sociology course some of you may take (though I certainly hope it is
not), it is most important to me that students leave with the ability to think critically about their
own positions/placements in the world.
As this is a core course, and not all students enrolled are majors (though hopefully some of you
will be soon!), the beginning of the course is structured to introduce both what sociology is, and
what sociology is not. In this part of the course we will also cover public numeracy, and the way
sociology is both used and abused in popular culture. With this groundwork in place the second
part of the course will be an exploration of who we are in the big picture. This segment of the
course will explore America’s effect on in the global economy, and the global economy’s effect
on us. Then after spring break we will explore who we are in the smaller picture, looking at the
traditional sociological identity arenas of race, class and gender, and then looking at what it all
looks like when we “bring it home.” Thus we will end the course considering how these
structures affect our most intimate relations in our “private” lives.
Core Elements
As one of the university’s core course requirements in the social science, this course necessarily
contains elements common to all core courses. These elements include:
1. A concern with the perennial questions of human existence. Many of the fundamental
questions of sociology address these questions of human existence: What is society and what
is the individual’s place within it? How do social hierarchies and institutions develop, and
how do they influence the way we see and treat ourselves and others? In exploring social
“problems” we will explicitly look at: how hierarchies of normalcy become constructed, how
current inequalities came to be, and how power is distributed. We will consider our own
individual places within this hierarchy and our responsibility for addressing aspects of it we
wish changed.
2. A consideration of the role of history in human affairs. Only by incorporating a historical
context can we gain awareness of how our current social institutions and modes of knowledge
are themselves cumulative products of socio-historical processes. All aspects of society that
are considered “problems” exist as such because someone deemed them to be such. We will
explore where these determinations came from and investigate the costs and benefits of the
current construction of social institutions and interactions.
3. An attention to cultural diversity. One of the primary purposes of this course is to bring
attention to the many sources of diversity in the human experience. Identifying sources of
difference and their intersections, deconstructing hierarchies, and recognizing both the
potential and the challenges inherent in organizing a diverse society will be among the
primary goals of the course.
4. An introduction to the methodology of the field. Consistently throughout the course when
identifying aspects of society that are deemed “problems,” as well as those considered
“normal,” we will be asking: Who decides? Based on what factors and assumptions? In
exploring what claims people make, and how they make them we will look at a number of
different sociological methods and investigate both their strengths and their weaknesses.
5. A strong writing component. Writing will be an essential component of this course, as the
ability to develop analysis, criticism, and debate is vital to academic development. The
fundamental goals of good writing will be to achieve brevity, clarity, and relevance in all
arguments, and to never confuse complexity of thought with complicated writing. Students
will be required to write two response papers that creatively engage the course readings, and
one final term paper that is built on synthesizing the ideas of the semester.
6. A contribution to the development of a personal philosophy of life. This course is
designed specifically to challenge you to take a critical eye to the structures that surround you
everyday. It asks that you interrogate that which you consider “normal.” The course
culminates in a final paper in which you are to describe what structures (including moral,
institutional, monetary) you would want to see in place if you were allowed to create your
own perfect society.
Grading
Your grade in the course will be broken down as follows:
Class Participation & Attendance
20%
Bad Statistics Example
15%
Response Paper (1)
20%
Response Paper (2)
20%
Final Project
25%
Final grades will be determined as follows: 100-97=A+, 96-93=A, 92-90=A-, 89-87=B+, 8683=B, 82-80=B-, 79-77=C+, 76-73=C, 72-70=C, 69-67=D+, 66-63=D, 62-60=D-, 59 and less =F
Class Participation: Class participation includes coming prepared to class, actively sharing
your insights into the readings, and contributing knowledge you may have from other courses,
current events, or relevant personal experience to the discussion. Additionally, you are required
to bring 3 questions relevant to each week’s readings into class. If you miss a class, you must email these questions to me before the class session. The purpose of the questions is to make sure
everyone comes to class having thought about discussions they are interested in having that are
relevant to the week’s topic and readings. Boring discussions are boring for me too. Speak up!
You’re also encouraged to bring news stories/editorials/blog posts to class that you think are
relevant to the day’s discussion.
Late Policy: No late work will be accepted unless you have received approval from me PRIOR
to the assignment’s due date.
Bad Statistic Example: After we read Best’s book More Damned Lies and Statistics, you are
required to find an example of poor statistical usage in a popular magazine or newspaper. Along
with submitting the example you are required to write an explanation of why/how your example
reflects Best’s critique. Your write-up is expected to be from 1 to 3 pages in length and make use
of Best’s ideas. This assignment can be handed in anytime after we have finished our class
discussion on his work but must be handed in no later than February 28.
Response Papers: You will be responsible for two response papers throughout the; each
response will be 5-7 pages in length. For these response papers you can chose any topic that we
cover that resonates with you to write about. Each response paper is required to include
references to at least 3 readings from the class, although you are also welcome to use
additional and/or outside material. These response papers are not to be summaries of the
readings, but your own analysis, critique, and reaction to them. As you are welcome to pick any
topic that we cover to write about, you are also welcome to turn the papers in at anytime during
the semester. However, the first paper can be turned in no later than March 19, and the second
no later than April 30.
Final Project: In lieu of a final examination, you will be responsible for writing a term paper
(10-15 pages) that synthesizes your thoughts on a variety of topics we have covered throughout
the semester. Using Marge Piercy’s Woman on the Edge of Time as a springboard, you are
expected to outline how our society would be structured in your own utopia. Additional
information regarding this assignment and its requirements will be handed out after the Easter
break.
Readings
For this course, you will need to purchase 4 books:
• More Damned Lies and Statistics, Joel Best
• The Wal-Mart Effect, Charles Fishman
• The Second Shift, Arlie Hochschild and Anne Machung
• Woman on the Edge of Time, Marge Piercy
Copies will be available at the BC Bookstore, or used copies are available online. The remainder
of the readings will be available in a coursepack from the bookstore, except for readings marked
with an ** which are available on course reserves.
You are responsible for completing all of the readings by the day to which they are assigned.
Welcome!
January 15
No Readings
Why Social
Theory?
January 17
• “The Promise” Chapter 1 (3-25) C. Wright Mills, The
Sociological Imagination
January 22
• “Defining Hysteria” and “The History of Hysteria: The Great
Doctors” Chapters 2 and 3 (14-48) Elaine Showalter, Hystories
• “The Americanization of Mental Illness” (40-xx?) Ethan
Watters New York Times Magazine **
January 24
• “Molecular Anthropology” and “Behavioral Genetics” Chapters
1 and 5 (7-31, 100-127) Jonathan Marks, What it Means to be
98% Chimpanzee
• “Is Algebra Necessary?” (1-xx?) Andrew Hacker New York
Times **
January 29
• “People Count,” “Missing Numbers” and “Confusing Numbers”
Preface, chapters 1 and 2 (xi-xvii, 1-25, 26-62) Joel Best, More
Damned Lies and Statistics”
January 31
• “Scary Numbers,” Contentious Numbers” and “Towards a
Statistical Literacy?” Chapters 3, 6 and 7 (63-90, 144-169, 170182) Joel Best, More Damned Lies and Statistics
February 5
• “The Capitalist Market: How it’s supposed to work,” and “The
Capitalist Market: How it really works” Chapters 3 and 4 (3546, 47-68) Erik Olin Wright and Joel Rogers, American Society:
How it Really Works
February 7
• “The Overworked American” Chapters 1 (1-16) Juliet B. Schor
The Overworked American
The Social and the
Biological
The Trouble with
Statistics and
Claims makers
Who We Are
(The Big Picture)
The Economy
February 12
• “Overview” Chapter 1 (5– 52) Economic Policy Institute State
of Working America
February 14
• “Jobs” Chapter 5 (321-374) Economic Policy Institute State of
Working America
February 19
• Chapters 1, 2 and 3 (1-78) in Charles Fishman The Wal-Mart
Effect
February 21
• Chapters 4, 5 and 6 (79-166) in Charles Fishman The Wal-Mart
Effect
February 26
• “Introduction” and “Communicating with Commodities”
Chapters 1 (1-24) Juliet B. Schor, The Overspent American
Work
Global
Corporation
Class
• Begin Film: Age of Stupid (watch in class)
Spring Break!
Who We Are
(The Smaller
Picture)
Class
(Reproduction)
February 28
• Finish Film: Age of Stupid (watch in class)
March 5
March 7
• No Class
March 12
March 14
• “Introduction” and “What Americans Want from Public
Schools” Chapters Intro and 1 (1-27) Jennifer Hochschild and
Nathan Scovronick, The American Dream and the Public
Schools
March 19
• “Causation and Race” Chapter 5 (93-109) Paul W. Holland,
from Tukufu Zuberi and Eduado Bonilla-Silva White Logic,
White Methods
• “Eminem: The New White Negro” Chapter 1 (15-38) Carl
Hancock Rux, from Greg Tate Everything But the Burden: What
White People are Taking from Black Culture
• Film: Race The Power of an Illusion, Part 1 (watch in class)
March 21
• “White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack” (31-xx?)
Peggy McIntosh, Independent School (49)2 **
• Film: Race The Power of an Illusion, Part 3 (watch in class)
March 26
• “Booty Call: Sex, Violence, and Images of Black Masculinity”
Chapters 4 and 5 (149-180) Patricia Hill Collins, Black Sexual
Politics
March 28
No Class
Race
Easter
• “The Forms of Capital” Chapter 4 (96-111) Pierre Bourdieu,
from Mark Granovetter and Richard Swedberg The Sociology of
Economic Life
• Film People Like Us, parts 1 and 2 (watch in class)
April 2
• “The Son, the Moon, and the Stars” Chapters 1 (3-47) Susan
Faludi, Stiffed
• “Compulsive Heterosexuality: Masculinity and Dominance”
Chapter 4 (84-114) C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You’re a Fag
April 4
• “Introduction’ and “Raunch Culture” Intro and portion of
Chapter 1 (1-5, 25-45) Ariel Levy Female Chauvinist Pigs
• “Introduction” and “The Cult of Virginity” Intro and Chapter 1
(9-40) Jessica Valenti, The Purity Myth
April 9
• “Assortative Mating in Marriage Markets” Chapter 4 (108-134)
Gary S. Becker, A Treatise on the Family
• “You Have Three Seconds” and “The Legend of the Lemon
Tree” Chapters 1 and 2 (19- 56) Arlie Hochschild, The
Outsourced Self
April 11
• “The Way We Wish we Were” Chapter 1 (8-23) Stephanie
Coontz, The Way We Never Were
April 16
• Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 (1-78, 116-134) in Arlie
Hochschild’s The Second Shift
April 18
• Chapters 10, 12,13,and 15 (149-166, 181-212, 226-249) in Arlie
Hochschild’s The Second Shift
April 23
• “The ‘Discovery’ of Child Abuse” (310-323) Stephen Pfohl in
Social Problems (24)3.**
• “The Perverse Law od Child Pornography” (209-273) Amy
Adler in Columbia Law Review (101)2 **
April 25
• “Concerted Cultivation and the Accomplishment of Natural
Growth” and “Social Structure and Daily Life” Chapters 1 and 2
(1-32) Annette Laureau, Unequal Childhoods
April 30
• Woman on the Edge of Time - All
Gender/Sexuality
Love
Family
Childhood
Utopias
May 2