Theoretical Perspectives
SOCI 4385 – 001 - Spring 2015
Department of Sociology, East Carolina University
Susan C. Pearce, PhD
Tuesday and Thursday
12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Office: Brewster 402A
Telephone 252 328-2544
Office Hours Tuesdays 2:00-5:30 PM;
Thursdays 2:00- 3:30 PM and by
appointment
Classroom: Brewster B 305
e-mail: pearces@ecu.edu (Please put the course number in the subject line when e-mailing me. Please use
e-mail sparingly. I prefer seeing you in person during my office hours.)
Graduate Assistant: Miranda Esposito Guardiola (espositom07@students.ecu.edu)
Please be aware that this syllabus is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.
Required Books:
Nealon, Jeffrey and Susan Searls Giroux, 2012. The Theory Toolbox. Lanham, MD: Rowman and
Littlefield.
Dubois, W.E.B. The Souls of Black Folk. 2007. London: Oxford University Press. (e-book from Joyner
library)
Other Required Readings (available as pdf’s on Blackboard): See Semester Calendar below.
Website for constitution project: https://www.constituteproject.org/
Overview: No academic discipline would be complete without its theories. Theory is the bedrock that
drives the discipline of sociology and helps it hang together. We need theories to make sense of our social
world and understand how it has evolved and how it might change. We now have a rich tradition of
sociological theories that range from the grand, macro visions of the world and history to explanations of
the most minute of social interactions. Our theorists do not all agree with one another, and sociology is
filled with healthy debate between alternative perspectives. You will be getting to know theory better this
semester, and I hope you will find your own theoretical voice and some inspiring ideas, perspectives, and
questions.
Approach to Learning:
My philosophy is to make learning enjoyable and accessible to everyone, while inspiring you to push
yourself to your highest academic potential. Every voice matters, and the classroom should be a place
where you feel free and empowered to express yourself. My goal is to get meaningful exchanges going in
class, with discussions that are based on readings, research, and theories. I want to see you develop your
own voice, challenge yourself, learn to listen, and engage in critical thinking. This involves challenging
your own assumptions sometimes, and testing your own experience against that of the researchers and of
your fellow students. I want everyone to do work in which you can take pride.
I need all of you to meet me halfway, however. You need to be in class well-prepared, having done the
required readings and assignments, and having contributions to make about the readings. For every class,
be prepared to be called on during the discussion for the following:
--an understanding of the main points of the reading
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--a question for clarification
--a question to stimulate student discussion. Think about questions that challenge us to have evidence-based
discussions, rather than only opinion-based.
Course Requirements: It is very important to do the readings. Our discussions will draw heavily from the
readings, and you will need to read the texts as a baseline for our discussions, as we will go beyond what
you have read in order to do applications and comparisons.
Projects:
Constitution Project:
We will be collaborating with classes in about 12 universities across the United States on a constitution
project. Together, we will rewrite the U.S. Constitution. We will do a close reading of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, of constitutions in other countries, and other treaties. We will learn about
theories of human rights. Working in small groups, you will do a close reading of the U.S. Constitution,
and examine the other international constitutions comparatively. Each group will re-write the U.S.
Constitution based on your understanding of 1) diversity and inequality, 2) citizen and noncitizen rights, 3)
the role of the individual nation-state in implementing human rights treaties, and 4) the issue of social
rights.
Each group will present their new constitution to the class, and the class will vote on the constitution that is
best. You will communicate with students in the other classes participating in the experience, and will post
all of your constitutions on shared web platforms.
Each of you will submit a short piece of writing reflecting on these questions and how decisions were made
regarding the constitutional revision. More details will follow.
Holocaust Memorial Project
I will place you in a different group for this project. We will be assisting with this year’s Holocaust
Memorial Day commemorations on campus, April 1-2. Each group will have a role in 1 (short) activity
related to the day. Each of you will write a short paper reflecting on the event and your contribution, and
relate it to theories of collective memory and at least 1 other theory from the semester.
Weights:
Constitution assignment: 25% of grade
Holocaust assignment: 25% of grade
Mid-term exam: 25% of grade
Final exam: 25% of grade
Grading scale: I grade on a 100-point scale. Each test/assignment is worth 100 points, and all will be
averaged for your final course grade. Here is how the new grading scale converts to letter grades:
A 94-100, A- 90-93, B+ 87-89, B 84-86, B- 80-83, C+ 77-79, C 74-76, C- 70-73,
D+ 67-69, D 65-66, D- 60-64
F 0-59
Please be aware that failure to hand in any assignments, or handing any in late, will lower your grade
considerably.
Diversity in Learning: I am attentive to, and respect, all styles of learning. If you have an academic disability of
some type, please let me know how to accommodate you. If you are speaking English as a second or other
language, please let me know how to make the class accessible to you. East Carolina University seeks to comply
fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students requesting accommodations based on a disability
must be registered with the Department for Disability Support Services located in Slay 138 ((252) 737-1016
(Voice/TTY)).
Non-Discrimination Statement: East Carolina University is committed to equality of educational
opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, color,
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national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. Please note that the following is now
a North Carolina state requirement: Students shall be allowed a minimum of two excused absences each
academic year for religious observances required by the faith of the student. Students shall provide written
notice to the faculty member for the affected class of their request for an excused absence for a religious
observance in a reasonable time prior to the date of the observance.
Academic Integrity: It is your responsibility to learn and adhere to the university’s policy on academic integrity.
Here is the policy:
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/policyhub/academic_integrity.cfm
Academically violating the Honor Code consists of the following:
1. Cheating. Unauthorized aid or assistance or the giving or receiving of unfair advantage on any
form of academic work.
2. Plagiarism. Copying the language, structure, ideas, and/or thoughts of another and adopting same
as one’s own original work.
3. Falsification. Statement of any untruth, either spoken or written, regarding any circumstances
relative to academic work.
4. Attempts. Attempting any act that if completed would constitute an academic integrity violation as
defined herein.
If I determine that a violation has taken place, I reserve the right to assign a grade penalty or refer the case
to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for an Academic Integrity Board Hearing. You should
be aware that among the penalties for violation of academic integrity is suspension from the university.
Code of Conduct: Please be familiar with ECU’s general Code of Conduct, which outlines students’ rights
and responsibilities: http://www.ecu.edu/PRR/11/30/01/
Evacuation: If there is an evacuation drill or actual emergency, leave the building; do not use the elevators.
Meet in the parking lot directly in front of Brewster. I must check off your name on the roster to make sure
you are accounted for. If there is a lockdown, follow the instructions from the university and your professor
to stay in place. Do not listen to rumors on social media. In a recent scare, all rumors turned out to be false.
Fragrance-Free Policy
The Department of Sociology at East Carolina University strives to sustain healthy indoor air quality. In
the interest of promoting the health of the University's students, faculty, staff, and visitors, we encourage
the campus community to maintain a fragrance-free environment. Please refrain from using scented
personal care, laundry, and cleaning products, and keeping scented products in your work space. Thank
you for your consideration of others in providing an environment in which every person on campus can be
comfortable. (adapted from Portland State University)
New East Carolina University Retention Requirements, Effective with Fall 2011 grades:
GPA Hours at ECU
Retention Requirement GPA
Plus Transferred Credit Hours
1-29 semester hours
1.8
30-59 semester hours
1.9
60-74 semester hours
2.0
75 or more semester hours
2.0
Tests: Tests will take place in class. If an emergency prevents you from taking a test, I will offer a make-up
test if you contact me within 48 hours of the scheduled test. Under most circumstances, the make-up should
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be taken the same week that the test was administered. Make-ups must be scheduled as soon as possible;
there is no provision for late requests for make-ups.
Attendance: Attendance is extremely important in order to pass this class. I also want you in class so I can
get to know you. Moreover, we need everyone in class in order to accomplish our goals this semester. I will
regularly present lecture material that is only covered in class and will appear on the tests. I will not take
attendance each class session, but will do so occasionally.
You are expected to attend class on time and stay until class is dismissed. You will not be counted as
present if you sleep, read, use cell phones, etc. during class; in fact, you may be asked to leave. Respectful
behavior in class is expected—please do not walk in and out of class, leave class early, use cellular devices
for any purpose, wear headphones, read newspapers, or other activities to distract us from the important
learning process. Your professor’s ability to concentrate without distractions is a key variable in the
quality of the class.
Cellular Devices: Like other professors, I have a zero tolerance policy for the use of cellular devices for
any reason during our class: no calling, receiving calls, texting, emailing, surfing, playing games,
Facebooking, or any other applications. The use of these is considered rude, interrupts your ability to
follow the class, and is disruptive to students around you. Research shows that students who check their
devices in class have lower grades, and the students surrounding them have lower grades. The devices
should be put away where you have no access to them for the entire class period. I have the right to ask you
to leave the class if you use your cellular devise. If you are a caregiver and must have your phone on
vibrate in case of an emergency, please let me know.
Laptops: Since some of our readings are available through ebooks, I am making an exception to allow
laptops, ereaders, iPads, etc. only for this purpose. If you use these for some purpose other than class
readings, etc., I will need to suspend your use of these.
Food: Please refrain from eating in class. Beverages are fine, and please have what you need if you have a
cough, to save walking in and out of the classroom.
Blackboard: Check this regularly for announcements and updates, including adjustments to the calendar.
NOTE: Both the syllabus and the course schedule are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion or due
to weather interruptions, etc. Changes, if any, will be announced in class or on our course’s Blackboard
site. Such changes may also be announced to class members via email. For this, and a number of other
reasons, it is imperative for students to check email regularly. The instructor will send all email to students’
ECU email address.
Course Schedule
It is your responsibility to know the due dates for assignments and exams. The readings assigned for each
class session are to be done BEFORE coming to class that day. If unforeseen circumstances cause us to get
behind in the syllabus and you have missed class, check emails from me or speak with someone in the class
to learn where we are in the readings.
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Date
Tuesday, January 13
Thursday, January 15
Tuesday, January 20
Thursday, January 22
Tuesday, January 27
Thursday, January 29
Tuesday, February 3
Thursday, February 5
Tuesday, February 10
Thursday, February 12
Tuesday, February 17
Topic and Readings
Class Introduction
Introduction to Theoretical concepts: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 1-20
More Theoretical concepts: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 35-50
Overview of the Classical Theorists
Karl Marx Reading: (excerpts on Blackboard) from “The Communist
Manifesto”
Max Weber Reading: (excerpts on Blackboard) from “The Protestant Ethic”
Emile Durkheim Reading: (excerpts on Blackboard) from “Suicide: A
Study in Sociology”
Reading: DuBois, The Souls of Black Folk, “The Forethought,” chapters 1-3
Reading: DuBois, chapters 4-6
Reading: DuBois, chapters 7-9
Reading: DuBois, chapters 10, 11, and 14
Feminism and Intersectionality
Reading: Patricia Hill Collins, “Black Public Intellectuals: from Du Bois to
the Present” AND “Like One of the Family: Race, Ethnicity, and the
Paradox of US National Identity” (both on Blackboard)
Thursday, February 19
Tuesday, February 24
Thursday, February 26
Tuesday, March 3
Thursday, March 5
March 8-15 SPRING
BREAK
Tuesday, March 17
Thursday, March 19
Tuesday, March 24
Thursday, March 26
Tuesday, March 31
Thursday, April 2
Planning for April 1-2 Holocaust Memorial Day begins
Feminist Theory: Reading: Mary Wollstronecraft, Vindication of the Rights
of Woman, pp. 1-12
http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/pdfs/wollstonecraft1792.pdf
Mid-term exam, in class.
Differences: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 171-205 AND
https://www.constituteproject.org/
Planning for April 1-2 Holocaust Memorial Day
Begin Constitution Project
Human Rights
Reading: Mark Frezzo, Chapter 1, “Introduction” and Judith Blau, Chapter
2, “Comparing Constitutions” in Sociology and Human Rights (on
Blackboard)
Human Rights
Reading: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration . . .
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/library/pdfs/sears.pdf
AND The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf
NO CLASS
Human Rights
Reading: Marie-Bénédicte Dembour, “What Are Human Rights?” (on
Blackboard)
Human Rights: Economic and Social Rights
Reading: http://www.nesri.org/human-rights/economic-and-social-rights
(click on each link to learn more: education rights, right to food, etc.)
Constitution Project reports in class: no reading
Collective Memory: History: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 107-120
Constitution project individual papers due
Collective Memory: Reading: Inge Auerbacher’s story:
http://www.inquisitr.com/1231716/holocaust-remembrance-day-neverforget-child-survivor-tells-her-story/
Holocaust Memorial Day Project (April 1-2) Reading: collective memory:
Maurice Halbwachs, “From the Collective Memory”
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Tuesday, April 7
Thursday, April 9
Tuesday, April 14
Thursday, April 16
Tuesday, April 21
Thursday, April 23
Tuesday, April 28
11:00 AM -1:30 PM
Tuesday, May 5
Culture: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 51-89
Micro sociology: Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 255-268
Micro sociology: Reading: Erving Goffman (on Blackboard) excerpts
from Gender Advertisements and Stigma
Social Movements: Reading: James M. Jasper, “Social Movement Theory
Today: Toward a Theory of Action?”
Collective Memory / Holocaust papers due.
Social Movements: LGBT Movements
Reading: Susan Pearce, “’Gej’ (‘Gay’) in Southeast Europe” (on
Blackboard)
The “posts” and pop theorists
Reading: Nealon & Giroux, pp. 139-169
Wrap-up and exam review
NO CLASS. YOU WILL MEET ANY CLASSES THAT WOULD HAVE MET
ON FRIDAY APRIL 3.
Final exam, in class.
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