Sociology of Aging
GERO 22000/SOC 22000
Fall 2012
Course:
Professor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:50 am – 12:05 pm
Elizabeth J. Bergman, Ph.D.
CHS 420
274-3859
ebergman@ithaca.edu
Wednesdays 9:00am-noon & by appointment
Friends 203
Required Texts:
1. Morgan, L. A. & Kunkel, S. R. (2011). Aging, Society, & the Life Course (4th Edition). New
York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
2. Stoller, E. P. & Gibson, R. C. (2000). Worlds of Difference: Inequality in the Aging
Experience (3rd Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
3. Additional readings will be assigned and posted on the course Sakai site.
Course Description:
This course will provide an overview of the major issues of aging in society. The main goal of this
class is to understand human aging in a broad context including the intersections of race,
ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, culture, and other factors as they impact the life course
and the aging experience. We will rely heavily on the life course perspective in our examinations.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Describe the condition of the elderly in contemporary American society, noting both
attitudes toward the elderly and the objective status of the elderly, and assess the
manner in which these conditions are affected by variables such as race, ethnicity,
gender, socioeconomic status, and culture.
 Discuss the social implications of population aging for American society.
 Identify the roles and importance of the elderly within the basic social institutions
of the family, the economy, and the political system, and discuss the ways in which
these institutions have adapted to the elderly and population aging.
 Explain how social factors that affect successful aging are modified by such
variables as social class and health status.
 Describe the ways in which American society organizes behavior around caregiving
and chronic illness, and discuss the implications for the elderly and their families.
 Understand the historical development and status of programs and services for the
elderly in the American society.
 Apply in-class knowledge to case studies and other “real life” situations.
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Online Syllabus and Notes:
The syllabus and other course materials will be posted online on the course Sakai page.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodation will be provided to students with documented
disabilities on a case by case basis. Students must register with the Office of Academic Support
Services and provide appropriate documentation to the college before any academic adjustment
will be provided.
Academic Integrity:
Appendix II of the Ithaca College Student Handbook outlines the College policies regarding
standards of academic conduct. Academic dishonesty is very serious and any evidence of
academic misconduct will result in a significant grade penalty and may be referred to the
College judicial system. This includes any form of cheating or plagiarism.
Religious Observance:
See the Ithaca College Student Handbook which outlines the College policies regarding religious
observances.
Late Work Policy:
If a writing assignment is turned in late it will be accepted but will be marked down 10% per day
(week day, not class day).
Grading:
Your grade will be based on the following:
Participation/Attendance
Assignments (3@6% each)
Longview Group Presentation
Final Papers
Life History Paper 7%
Longview Paper
14%
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
10%
18%
7%
21%
22%
22%
100%
This scale will be used for midterm and final course grades:
93+ A
73
C
90
A70
C87
B+
67
D+
83
B
63
D
80
B60
D77
C+
<60 F
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Course Requirements:
Participation/Attendance (10%)
This portion of your grade will take into account your attendance and participation in class. See
the Participation/Attendance Grading Scale document distributed in class for further
explanation of grading criteria. Attendance is not required. However, attendance will be taken
on a regular basis and will be reflected in your final course grade. Valid excuses include prior
notification and/or written confirmations of athletic conflicts, illness, and religious conflicts. If
absences do occur it is the student’s responsibility to make up missed work and to be aware of
any schedule changes or assignments that were made in the class(es) missed. Participation
includes asking questions, contributing to class discussions, and successful completion of
individual and group assignments made inside of class and assigned as homework.
Assignments (3 @ 6% each)
There will be 3 short assignments during the semester. Specific information about these
assignments will be discussed in detail in class and posted to the course Sakai site.
Longview Course Component
On five occasions during the semester, the class will meet at Longview where students will
engage in small group discussions and activities with older adults which correspond with the
material we have been discussing in class.
Longview Group Presentation (7%)
Prior to our first visit, the class will be divided into groups. Each group will be assigned a
topic and will be responsible for making a short presentation (7 minutes MAX!) on their
topic during one of the visits to Longview. The purpose of these presentations is to share
course material with Longview participants and to give them some context for the small
group discussions to follow.
Life History Paper (7%)
You will write a Life History Paper about the older adult with whom you have been
talking in which you trace the major life events experienced by this person.
Longview Paper (14%)
The Longview Paper will expand upon the Life History Paper and requires that you
discuss your Longview residents’ life in the context of the material we have been learning
in the classroom. Specific information about these papers will be discussed in detail in
class and will be posted to the course Sakai site.
Midterm Exam (22%) and Final Exam (22%)
Both exams will cover material from the texts, additional readings, lectures and discussions,
guest lectures, and films. In addition to questions assessing factual knowledge of the topics
discussed, test items will also ask you to apply the knowledge to real-world situations. Not all
assigned material in the texts will be covered in class. However, unless otherwise indicated,
everything is fair test material. Each exam will cover material from lectures that is not in the
readings and vice versa. In order to do well in this class, you must read and understand the texts
and attend and understand the lectures.
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Course Outline:
READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS
DATE
Week 1
8/30
(Readings listed for a certain date are
to be read BEFORE class that day)
TOPIC
Course Overview/Introduction
Review Syllabus
Aging & Society
Readings for Today :
M&K Ch. 1
Diversity & Cultural Images of Old
Age
Readings for Today:
WOD Introduction (p. 1-15)
WOD Part II Intro (p. 75-88)
WOD Ch. 8, 9, 10, 13
The Life Course Perspective
Readings for Today:
WOD Part I Intro (p. 19-32)
WOD Ch. 4, 18, 36
9/4
Week 2
9/6
9/11
Week 3
9/13
Extra Credit opportunity discussed
in class
Studying Aging: Analytical Frames
of Reference
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 2 (p. 21-32)
Longview Visit #1
Assignment for Today:
Be present, participate! You will
be writing your final papers based
on this discussion!
9/18
Assignment #1 Due
Week 4
Studying Aging: Analytical Frames
of Reference, cont.
Readings/Assignments for Today:
M&K Ch. 2 (p. 32-49)
WOD 15
An Aging World: Demographic
Perspectives
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 3
Web Post: Invisible Immigrants
Longview Visit #2
Assignment for Today:
Be present, participate! You will
be writing your final papers based
on this discussion!
9/20
9/25
Week 5
9/27
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10/2
Week 6
10/4
The Aging Individual in Social
Context
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 4
Aging & the Family
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 5
Web Post: The Accordion Family
Extra Credit Opportunity discussed
in class
Aging & the Family
Readings for Today:
WOD Part IV Intro (p. 203-217)
WOD Ch. 28, 32 & 33
Longview Visit #3
Assignment for Today:
Be present, participate! You will
be writing your final papers based
on this discussion!
10/9
Week 7
10/11
10/16
Work & Retirement in the Life
Course
Week 8
NO CLASS – FALL BREAK
10/18
Work, Productivity, & Diversity
Readings for Today:
WOD p. 123-141
WOD Ch. 17, 19
Work & Retirement in the Life
Course
Readings for Today:
Web Post: Mixing Generations in the
Workplace Can Be a Challenge
WOD Ch. 16
10/23
Week 9
10/25
10/30
Week
10
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 6
Midterm Exam
Economics & the Aging of Society
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 7
Economics & the Aging of Society,
continued
Readings/Assignments for Today:
Web Post: Dignified Retirement:
Lessons from Abroad
Web Post: Riding Into the Sunset: The
Geezer Threat
Assignment # 2 Due
Longview Visit #4
Assignment for Today:
Be present, participate! You will
be writing your final papers based
on this discussion!
11/1
11/6
Week
11
11/8
5
Aging & Health
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 8
Dr. B is out of town at a conference
Politics, Government, & Aging in
America (Run, Granny, Run)
Assignment for Today:
Life History Paper is due to
Longview residents for review &
editing
11/13
Week
12
11/15
11/20
No class – Happy Thanksgiving!!!
11/22
Aging & Health
11/27
Week
13
11/29
12/4
Week
14
Diversity in Health Status and
Health Care
Politics, Government, and Aging in
America
Longview Visit #5
Assignment for Today:
Be present, participate! You will
be writing your final papers based
on this discussion!
Baby Boomers & the Changing
Landscape of Aging
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 11
Life History Paper Due
Course wrap-up
Exam Review
Course Evaluations
Assignment for Today:
Longview Paper Due
12/6
12/11
Week
15
12/13
12/1712/21
Readings for Today:
WOD Part V Intro (p. 269-286)
WOD 39, 40
Web Post: Declaration of Independents
Readings for Today:
M&K Ch. 9
Assignment #3 Due
Final Exam Week
We meet Thursday, 12/20 from 4:30-7:00pm
***Please Note: This schedule is just a guide and is subject to change. Be prepared to get
ahead or behind schedule. All information presented by guest speakers is considered lecture
material and will be included on exams. Read the text and any other assigned readings by the
date assigned. It will make the lectures easier to understand, will improve class discussion, and
will allow you to ask questions if something is unclear.
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