Sociology 321, Section 1
Families and Society
Fall 2008
10:00-10:50pm MWF
413 M LNG
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Email:
Phone:
Monika Ulrich, M.A.
Social Sciences 436B
Wednesday 12:00-2:50pm and by appointment
mjulrich@u.arizona.edu
(520) 621-5765
Course Objectives and Goals
Decisions we make about our family life are some of the most personal decisions we
make. Who we find attractive, who we fall in love with or have sex with, whether and
when to have children, whether to end a relationship—these are all intensely personal
choices that seem to reflect our personality more than they reflect the society we live in.
Yet, our choices are guided, sometimes intentionally, by the social norms and structures
of the society we live in and our place in that society. In this course, we aim to uncover
the ways that society directs our personal choices about our family life and invisibly
shapes our family experiences.
The family is a core institution of all known societies. A clear understanding of the role
of the family in society involves understanding the historical evolution of the family
along with sociological processes. Students are more likely to have misconceptions
about the social reality of the family than almost any other institution. In this course, we
will work to identify and correct those misconceptions to gain an accurate perspective on
the history of the family, diversity in the family, love in the family, challenges in the
family, and changes in the family. This course should challenge you. If it doesn’t
challenge your beliefs, you probably do not understand it well enough.
Course Materials
Scott Coltrane and Randall Collins. 2000. Sociology of Marriage & the Family: Gender,
Love, and Property, 5th Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth Publishers.
All in-class powerpoint presentations will be put on the course website, available through
D2L. The instructor’s lecture notes are not available for student use.
Course Requirements
You will have the very unusual opportunity in this course to design your own course
requirements, allowing you to choose how to best demonstrate to me what you have
learned. Your job is to demonstrate to me that you have learned the material: you have
read it, understand it, remember it, and you are able to apply it to novel situations. You
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may select almost any possible way to do this that you choose: writing, tests, quizzes,
papers, teaching, presenting, research projects, creative projects, etc. You must
demonstrate both breadth and depth of knowledge.
I will give you a week to decide HOW you will demonstrate to me that you have learned
the material. In one week, you will submit to me your “Course Requirements” proposal
for approval. See the document “Course Requirements Proposal” for further information.
Your approved proposal document is binding, and cannot be changed in the middle of the
semester.
Regular attendance is expected in this class. If you miss class, please speak with a
classmate to get caught up on what you missed. I do not offer personal review sessions
during office hours to cover material that you missed because you did not attend class. I
strongly urge you to exchange contact information with a fellow student early in the
class.
Policy on Late Work
To be fair to all students, I will not consider personal illness, hardship, financial interests,
or personal emergency in the grading process, although these situations may justify extra
time for an assignment. By university policy, I cannot change a final course grade after
the end of the term unless I made a mathematical error in calculating it.
Tolerance
While all respectful comments are tolerated, comments that intentionally degrade any
race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or family form are not acceptable. Violations will
result in dismissal from the class and/or University sanctions. Maturity is expected as we
read, view, or discuss material related to sexuality.
Readings
Unit 1: Comparative and Historical Perspectives
Week 1
August 25-27
Chapter 1: Sociological Theory: Explaining Theory in a Stratified Society
No Class August 29 or September 1: Labor Day
Week 2
September 3-5
Chapter 2: The Social Ingredients of Families: Gender, Love, and Property
September 3: Course Requirements Proposal Due
Week 3
September 8-12
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Chapter 3: History of the Family I: From Kinship Politics to Patriarchal
Households
Week 4
September 15-19
Chapter 4: History of the Family II: The Love Revolution and the Rise of
Feminism
Unit 2: Diversity in Modern Families
Week 5
September 22-26
Chapter 5: Family Trends: The Twentieth Century and Beyond
Week 6
September 29-October 3
Chapter 6: Families and Work: The Economy, Social Class, and Inequality
Week 7
October 6-10
Chapter 7: Race and Ethnicity: Understanding Structural and Cultural
Differences
Exam Time Slot: Friday, October 10 (See Course Requirements)
Unit 3: Love, Marriage, and Childbearing
Week 8
October 13-17
Chapter 8: Romantic Markets: Love, Cohabitation, and Marriage
Week 9
October 20-24
Chapter 9: Erotic Ties: Marital and Nonmarital Sex
Week 10
October 27-31
Chapter 10: Contraception and Reproduction: Making Babies in a
Technological Age
Unit 4: Family Realities
Week 11
November 3-7
Chapter 11: Domestic Life: Housework, Power, and Marital Happiness
Week 12
November 10-14
Chapter 12: Raising Children: Motherhood, Fatherhood, and Socialization
Week 13
November 17-21
Chapter 13: Family Violence: Spouse Abuse, Child Abuse, and Elder
Abuse
Unit 5: Family Change
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Week 14
November 24-26
Chapter 14: Uncoupling-Recoupling: Divorce, Remarriage, and
Stepfamilies
No Class November 28: Thanksgiving Break
Week 15
December 1-5
Chapter 15: Life Course Transitions: From Adolescence to the Aging
Family
Week 16:
December 8-10
Chapter 16: The Future: Social Policy and Family Well-Being
Portfolio Due: December 10, in class
Must include ALL course assignments, exams, quizzes, papers, etc.
Final Exam Time Slot: Friday, December 12 from 11am-1pm
(See Course Requirements)
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Course Requirements Proposal
Please include:
A)
B)
C)
D)
E)
F)
your assignments and how many points each assignment is worth
how those assignments will cover material from every week in the course
(breadth) and allow you to show deep understanding of some concepts (depth)
your deadlines
ways that people could cheat using your methods
how you will provide a way for me to know that you are not cheating
A table, on a separate page, with your course assignments and points. I will use
this table to keep track of your grade.
Things to keep in mind as you are creating your course requirements:
1)
You will turn in a portfolio at the end of the semester that includes all course
materials from the semester that you have submitted, including papers, tests, quizzes
grades on oral exams, etc. I will look through your individual portfolio to make sure that
you have met the course requirements. I will adjust your grade at that time to reflect the
sum total of the work you have done throughout the semester.
2)
Your assignments must demonstrate that you have read the material, learned the
material, understand the material, and can apply the material in novel situations. You
must find a way to show that you can do ALL of those things, on EVERY chapter. You
will want to make sure that your course requirements provide breadth (you are somehow
evaluated on every chapter in the book) and depth (you are able to show deep
understanding of some of the concepts).
3)
Course assessments must demonstrate that you have learned the material, not
provide you opportunities to learn the material better. For example, if I want to lower my
cholesterol, I will eat more vegetables. Eating vegetables is an activity that helps me
reach my goal. To see if I have lowered my cholesterol, I will get a cholesterol test at the
doctor. The cholesterol test is an activity that lets me know if I have reached my goal.
The following table helps clarify those differences:
Examples of activities that help you
learn the material
Examples of assessment methods that
demonstrate whether or not you have
learned the material
Exams (multiple choice, essay, oral)
Quizzes
Writing papers
Oral presentations
Teaching or Tutoring someone else
Creating exam questions
Creating a short documentary
Creating an educational website
Attending class
Class participation
Journal writing
Leading group discussions
Group activities
Interviewing people
Service activities
Reading outside materials
Asking good questions in class
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Taking good notes on the reading
Attending presentations outside of class
In this course, your course requirements must be based on Assessment Methods. I will
provide a range of activities in class to help you learn the material, but those activities
will not determine your grade.
There are four major ways you can demonstrate your knowledge of the material: writing,
talking or teaching, test-taking, or certain creative activities.
4)
Use your strengths
Often in college, we spend a lot of time doing what we are worst at—we are terrible at
tests, so we spend all of our time in a class trying to prepare for the test. Meanwhile, we
are excellent speakers, but we never get to speak. In this class, I urge you to construct
assignments that let you use the skills you are best at—that let you show off your
strengths and use those strengths to demonstrate your knowledge of the material.
5)
Proper amount of difficulty
Don’t be too hard or too easy on yourself. If you are too easy on yourself, I will not
approve your proposal.
6)
Your goals
Why are you taking this class? How does it fit into your long-term goals? For example,
if your goal is to be a family therapist, then you may want to focus on trying to improve
your speaking skills. If your goal is academic research, then you may want to focus on
trying to improve your writing.
7)
I need to see it to evaluate it
If you want to demonstrate that you have learned the material by teaching it to your
roommates, I can’t see that. Instead, plan on teaching during class sessions, which I can
see.
8)
Objective criteria of evaluation
I need to know whether or not you have met the requirements, so those requirements
must be clear.
9)
YOU are responsible for keeping yourself on track, contacting me to set up
appointments, and meeting your deadlines. I will not send reminders to you.
10)
Mix and match
You may need or want to mix and match assessment methods in order to demonstrate
competence in every chapter and keep from getting bored.
You may mix and match from any of the following possible activities, or any others that
you may think of that allow you to demonstrate that you have learned the material.
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Tests: Written exams will be given on October 10 and December 12; Oral Exams
must be done in the instructor’s office by appointment. The instructor will write the
exams.
Tests: Multiple Choice
2 exams
Tests: Essay
2 exams
Tests: Oral
2 exams
Quizzes: Quizzes will be given every Friday in Class; Oral Quizzes must be done in
the instructor’s office at a time that we schedule. The instructor will write the
quizzes.
Quizzes: Multiple Choice
Weekly exams
Quizzes: Essay
Weekly exams
Quizzes: Oral
Weekly exams (If you choose this option, please let me know a few possible times that
you can do the quizzes—plan on 20 minutes every week, and plan on the same time
every week).
Writing: You will select paper topics yourself. Select a paper topic that allows you
to demonstrate that you have read the material, understood it, remember it, and are
able to apply it to a novel situation. Papers must be written in a formal, academic
style. All papers must be given to the instructor in hard copy. (See “Types of
Papers”)
Short Writing
Weekly 1 page papers
Medium Writing
Three 3-5 page papers
Long Writing
One 10-15 page paper
Write Exam Questions
Write ten multiple choice exam questions each week
Write three essay exam questions each week
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Talking/Teaching/Presenting: Teaching means being responsible for teaching a class
or a part of a class. Debating means that I will assign you to work in a small group
and prepare a formal debate
Teaching
Teach one to four classes (or half classes) (I will select the dates and topics in
consultation with you)
Debate
Do one to four in-class debates (I will select the dates and topics in consultation with
you)
Other: I am open to any other activity that demonstrates your mastery of the
material.
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Sample Course Proposal
(for a student who is a good speaker)
A)
Assignments and how many points each assignment is worth
Teach two classes (20 points each X 2=40 points)
Do two in-class debates (10 points each X 2=20 points)
Take two oral exams (20 points each X 2 =40 points)
(total points=100 points)
B)
Breadth and depth of course material
The two oral exams will cover the entire course (the first exam will cover the first half
and the second exam will cover the second half)
The teaching and debates will allow me to deeply cover four topics.
C)
Deadlines
I will teach the two classes and do the two debates on dates that you assign.
I will take the oral exams on October 10 and December 12. I will contact you to set up
an appointment.
D)
Ways that people could cheat
Someone can cheat on teaching by using pre-existing teaching materials and claiming
that they are their ideas.
Someone can cheat on debating by not doing their share of the work and allowing
someone else to do it for them.
Someone can cheat taking oral exams by finding out what questions are asked by talking
to another student.
E)
How to prevent cheating
I will prove that I am not cheating on teaching by providing you my lecture notes
electronically so you can scan them through turnitin (an online anti-cheating website).
I will prove that I am not cheating on debating by giving you a copy of the notes I used to
prepare.
I will prove that I am not cheating on oral exams by agreeing that you will ask every
student different questions.
Monika Ulrich
S01392855
ASSIGNMENT
POINTS POSSIBLE
9
GRADE
POINTS
EARNED
Teach Class 1
Teach Class 2
In-Class Debate 1
In-Class Debate 2
Oral Test 1
Oral Test 2
20
20
10
10
20
20
TOTAL
100
1
0
Types of Papers
Response Papers
Usually these are one page papers that explore a topic or topics in the reading. For
example, you could write a one page paper (based on the readings from the chapter) that
debunks popular myths people have about the family. You may also write and then
respond to essay questions that give you a chance to show your knowledge of the course
material.
Book Reviews/Critiques or Academic Paper Critiques
This is not a book report. Book reviews or academic reviews require you to read an
academic book or article and write a critical essay evaluating it. You should write no
more than one or two paragraphs synthesizing (summarizing) the reading. After that, you
should offer a critique of the reading. Book reviews are usually three to five pages.
Persuasive/Argumentative Papers
You should select a perspective on a controversial sociological topic and defend it. You
should make your argument based on sociological literature and theories, not your own
opinion or the popular press. Persuasive papers are usually three to five pages.
Literature Reviews
A literature review outlines the key academic research articles that speak to a specific
theory or hypothesis. (See
http://www.library.arizona.edu/help/tutorials/litreviews/whatis.html). A literature review
is probably five to ten pages.
Proposals
A proposal is a formal academic paper where you outline a research project. It includes
an introduction, a literature review, a methods section, and a detailed outline of your
research project. A proposal is at least seven pages.
Research Papers
A research paper is a comprehensive paper that includes an introduction, literature
review, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion. It is similar to an academic article.
It requires you to carry out original research. You should plan on at least twelve pages.
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In-Class Debates
I will give you the topic in advance. For example, “should same-sex marriage be legal?”
You will come to class prepared and well-informed about your individual topic.
When you arrive in class, I will randomly assign you to a position on the topic: yes or no.
You will be assigned to that position with a small group of three total students.
Your small group will have ten minutes to prepare your opening statement. This
statement should reflect your strongest argument. Your opening statement should be five
minutes long.
The Pro group will present your opening statement (five minutes)
The Con group will present your opening statement (five minutes)
Your small group will have five minutes to prepare a counter argument.
The Pro group will present their counter argument (2.5 minutes)
The Con group will present their counter argument (2.5 minutes)
Your small group will have three minutes to prepare your final statement.
The Pro group will present your final statement (1 minute)
The Con group will present your final statement (1 minute)
The class (and your instructor) will vote to see which side “won” the debate.
Grading, 10 points:
6 points: your individual performance and preparation
3 points: your groups overall performance
1 point: whether you won the debate
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