Sociology 2105 Fall 2009
Social Issues: Perspectives in Sociology
T/TH 11:00 - 12:15, SO 3028
Dr. Wachniak
770.423.6306
Office: Social Science 5022 and Kennesaw Hall 3453
Email me at lwachnia@kennesaw.edu
for quicker response than on WebCT
What happens to and around you on a day-to-day basis that you question? Why do these interactions happen? How are these events explained to you? How do you explain them to yourself and others? Human social behavior can appear to be erratic or odd to you if you don't understand it.
The sociological perspective offers one way of looking at life and provides a background for understanding why people are the way they are. This perspective offers a framework for a broader view of behavior and interactions. It takes into account the social forces that affect who we are and how we interact with one another. Once you are able to
“stand back” and see that we as humans do not operate in a vacuum, you will have been inspired by the “sociological imagination” (a phrase coined by C. Wright Mills). Cargin and Ballantine (1992) succinctly state, “Sociology shares a common bond with other social sciences. All are concerned with human behavior in society; they share the perspective of the scientific method and some of the same data collection methods to study their subject matter. Sociology is the broadest of the social sciences; its main concern is with predicting human group behavior.”
The Course Objectives are to strengthen your knowledge in the following areas:

Understanding of social issues, with particular focus on cultural, racial, ethnic, and gender diversity
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Understanding of international and global perspectives

Skills in scientific reasoning
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Skills in applying concepts and theories to what is happening around you
 Ability to critically analyze social phenomena

Knowledge about cyber research
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Understanding of connections among disciplines
Required text: Babbie, E. 1994. The Sociological Spirit. International Thomson
Publishing.
Additional required website readings and videos are on the on calendar. Please read or view prior to the class.
Grading: Two exams - each contributes 1/3 of your grade. One paper - contributes 1/3 of your grade.
Tests: Each test makes up 1/3 of your final grade. The exam dates are 9/29 and 11/10.
Each exam will have 50 multiple-choice questions (2 points each).
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Extra credit for tests : You can earn 5 extra points that will be added to each exam by submitting 10 multiple choice questions and answers for each exam (four possible answers per question). These questions will come from the book, lectures, assigned web sources, and discussions. True/False and fill in the blank questions will not be accepted.
These must be submitted via email in the body of the email (not as an attachment, please). I will use many of these questions on each exam. (Two extra credit opportunities worth 5 points each - I will not give any other form of extra credit). These questions are due by 3:00 on 9/24 and 11/5.
Paper
Each paper will have 1 to 4 authors. Please decide if you want to work alone or with other colleagues. All authors of a paper receive the same grade. More specifically, all authors on a paper can make a grade ranging from an “A” to an “F.” Authors who submit a paper together are equally responsible and liable for any academically dishonest practices, including plagiarism.
Option 1. A paper titled Scanning and Forecasting: The Future of (You decide the
Social Issue) . Five academic and popular resources are required for the paper. Apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of this issue (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). Good starting points for looking at data sources are at http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php http://www.sociology.org/archive.html http://www.wadsworth.com/sociology_d/special_features/virtualtours.html# http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Research on the Future: Millennium Project
15 Global Challenges Facing Humanity http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/challeng.html
Resources at the institute for the future at http://www.iftf.org/features/library.html
Option 2. Write a research paper about homelessness and create posters with information that can be distributed around campus during Homelessness Awareness
Week or develop a PowerPoint presentation on local and global poverty. Five academic and popular resources are required for the paper. Apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of homelessness (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). Posters and/or PowerPoint are due at noon on October 8 so that they can be
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posted or put up for Homelessness Awareness Week. By selecting this option you are giving permission to place your poster or PowerPoint on public display.
Option 3. Write a research paper about homelessness that includes an interpretive section about participation in the Sleep-Out. You must participate in the Sleep-Out for a minimum of 10 hours. Five academic and popular resources are required for the paper.
Describe the experience from a sociological perspective using sociological terminology
(stratification, civil inattention, stereotyping, and micro and macro level analysis).
Do not use generic popular encyclopedias (i.e. Encarta or World Book or Wikipedia.) On the other hand, specialized scholarly reference sources such as The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology or The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology can be valuable tools for most papers.
All sources must be cited within the body of your paper. A “works cited” or
“reference” page (depending on citation style) must also be included.
The paper is due by 5:00 on 11/17. The topic of your paper is due 9/8. I will be happy to read and comment on your paper at any time before it is due!
Paper requirements : submit a five page, typed and double-spaced paper. Depending upon your major(s), use APA, ASA, or MLA documentation. This includes citations for electronic resources. Documentation references can be found at http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/Documentation.html
and http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html
This site is great! Go into different directories to get info on various topics from how to proofread to how to write clear and concise sentences. http://www.calstatela.edu/library/styleman.htm
You are also responsible for reading what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC2ew6qLa8U http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/plagiarism.html
You will make an “F” in this class if you choose to plagiarize. I will neither negotiate your grade nor be sensitive to your “problems” if you choose to plagiarize the work of other writers or websites.
Course grade: 100-90=A 89-80=B 79-70=C 69-60=D Lower than 60=F
Courtesy consideration for other students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hut3VRL5XRE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG6bhBvARvA
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Academic Honesty Policy : Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and
Graduate catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University’s policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University records of academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities an/or services, and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an “informal” resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct’s minimum one semester suspension requirement.
Disabilities: If you have academic or testing needs, please make an appointment with me so that we may work together to serve those needs.
Please note that October 12 is the last day to withdraw without academic penalty.
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Calendar of Topics and Required Resources
Tuesday August
18
Thursday
August 20
Tuesday August
25
Overview
Chapter 1 An Idea Whose Time Has Come
The Sociological Imagination, Chapter One: The Promise, C. Wright Mills (1959) http://www.lclark.edu/~goldman/socimagination.html
Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner http://spot.pcc.edu/~rwolf/miner.html
continue with
Do I really need an education?
A brief look at research: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2009/pdf/17_2009.pdf
Pick one major finding to mention in class.
Continue with discussion of Research Methods Thursday
August 27
Tuesday
September 1
Chapter 2 Identity
Jean Kilbourne's pioneering work helped develop and popularize the study of gender representation in advertising. Her award-winning Killing us Softly films have influenced millions of college and high school students across two generations and on an international scale. Go to Youtube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufHrVyVgwRg
While the social construction of femininity has been widely examined, the dominant role of masculinity has until recently remained largely invisible. Tough Guise is the first educational video geared toward college and high school students to systematically examine the relationship between pop-cultural imagery and the social construction of masculine identities in the U.S. at the dawn of the 21st century. Go to Youtube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI
Zimbardo study slideshow and background at: http://www.prisonexp.org/ video of experiment and follow-up with Zimbardo and participants at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKW_MzREPp4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmwSC5fS40w&feature=related
Continue Thursday
September 3
Tuesday
September 8
Chapter 6 Culture and Society
Paper topic is due
Thursday
September 10
Tuesday
September 15
Thursday
September 17 http://www.learnaboutcultures.com/qulture_quiz/index.html# This is a different type of cultural quiz from normal ones. Take the quizzes about South Africa, W. Africa, Arab,
China, Japan, Australia, Britain, Russia, Spain, Mexico, and the US to get a sense of the differences that exist across cultures. The quizzes are in the form of short situations that one may encounter and are primarily of business significance. After the situation is provided, one can click to get the correct answer and explanation.
The big picture, a macrosocial view of changes across cultures: http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/519
The World is Flat 3.0 (48 minutes)
Continue
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Tuesday
September 22
Thursday
September 24
Tuesday
October 13
Thursday
October 15
Tuesday
October 20
Thursday
October 22
Chapter 3 Groups and Chapter 4 Organizations
Groupthink and the Abilene Paradox: http://www.answers.com/topic/groupthink http://www.answers.com/topic/abilene-paradox video of groupthink using the development and ensuing explosion of the Challenger as an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYpbStMyz_I
Continue
Extra credit questions are due by 3:00 pm
Test 1 Tuesday
September 29
Thursday
October 1
Tuesday
October 6
Thursday
October 8
Monday October
12
Chapter 5 Institutions web readings on Cloning: Ethics of human cloning: http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/Fall97Report/cloning.htm
Cloning discussion at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fertility/etc/cloning.html
Chapter 7 Inequality
Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty
You are invited to attend the Homelessness Awareness Conference from 8:00-5:00 in the University rooms. The theme of the conference is “Making Homelessness Visible through Education and Engagement”
Guest speakers on Homelessness
Continue with Inequality
The Sleep-Out begins at 6:00 pm
Chapter 8 Freedom versus Order
Continue – Insanity at: http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/more-criminaltopics/insanity-defense/
Click on the following topics: Background of the Insanity Defense
Defining Legal Insanity as a Defense:




The "M'Naghten Rule"
The "Irresistible Impulse" Test
The "Durham Rule"
The "Model Penal Code" Test for Legal Insanity
Legal Insanity: Current Trends


Current Application of the Insanity Defense
Status of the Insanity Defense
The Insanity Defense Among the States
Continue Tuesday
October 27
Thursday
October 29
Tuesday
NO CLASS – YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE GEORGIA SOCIOLOGICAL
ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO SO, YOU
CAN SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES LEARNING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS see http://www.georgiasociology.com/
Chapter 9 Social Change and Chapter 10 Global Picture
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November 3
Thursday
November 5
Tuesday
November 10
Tuesday
November 17
Social movement at: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/25/1412239
Click on Real video downstream or you can download on MP3
Resistance and Reform Movements:
The Freedom Rides Part 1, video 1: Civil Rights activists in the South force the
Kennedy Administration to enforce the Supreme Court decision allowing people to sit anywhere in a bus (please be aware that there is some uncomfortable language). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w_FDixZ0Sc&feature=related
The Freedom Rides Part 2, video 2: They are met with resistance from right wing hate groups who receive help from law enforcement agencies. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAd6PO79KFw
Revolutionary Movement in Iran: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0NRIMrnce0
Urban legends at: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/weekly/aa082497.htm http://people.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=urbanlegend.htm&url=http://www.snopes2.com/
Extra credit questions are due by 3:00 pm
Test 2 final exam
Papers Due by 5:00 pm
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OPTION 1: GUIDELINE FOR “FUTURE” PAPER
This is not an “opinion” paper in which you express your values and beliefs about a specific issue. You are to (1) research a topic, (2) summarize the current status of the topic, (3) analyze the information about the topic, and then (4) predict the future status of the topic. You will:
*summarize your analyses with bullets indicating the present and future statuses of your social issues
*apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of this issue (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). A good source to help you with concepts is at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=78695
This does not count as one of your resources.
Paper grade : Scan or review of the research on your social issue 25 points
Four bullets indicating present findings/status 10 points
Future status of social issue
Four bullets indicating future status
Use of sociological terminology (concepts, paradigms)
Integration of materials/references
25 points
10 points
20 points
10 points
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OPTION 2. GUIDELINE FOR PAPER ON HOMELESSNESS WITH POSTER OR
POWERPOINT
Option 2. Write a research paper about homelessness and create posters with information that can be distributed around campus during Homelessness Awareness
Week or develop a PowerPoint presentation on local and global poverty. A total of five academic and popular resources is required for the paper. Apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of homelessness (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). Posters and/or PowerPoint are due at noon on October 10 so that they can be posted or put up for Homelessness Awareness Week.
You are to (1) research homelessness (2) analyze the information about homelessness from a sociological perspective, and (3) develop poster or PowerPoint presentations for
Homelessness Awareness Week. Apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of this issue (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). A good source to help you with concepts is at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=78695
This does not count as one of your resources.
Paper grade : Review of the research on homelessness 50 points
Analysis of homelessness using sociological terminology 25 points
Poster or PowerPoint (see grading below) 25 points
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Power Point/Poster Grading Rubric
Component 4-5 points 2-3 points
Information
Background &
Text
Background and text compliment each other; easy to read, consistent throughout the presentation
Background is not consistent throughout the presentation; text size and color change with each slide
0-1 point
Accurate and complete information is presented in a concise, logical sequence
Information gaps and lengthy text are evident
Information is incomplete; logical sequence is not evident
Text cannot be read on selected background; text size and color make it difficult to focus on information
Graphics &
Transitions
Bibliography
Graphics are appropriate and relate to content; transitions are consistent throughout the presentation
Few graphics are utilized throughout the presentation, they do not relate to the topic; transitions are not consistent or effective
Little or no attempt was made to utilize graphics or transitions
A completed and accurate bibliography is included at the conclusion of the presentation
Bibliography is included, notation mistakes are evident
A bibliography is not included within the presentation
Spelling,
Punctuation &
Grammar
Spell check has been utilized throughout the presentation; correct grammar is evident
Several spelling mistakes occur throughout the presentation; a few grammar mistakes are present
Spelling mistakes occur throughout the entire presentation, standard grammar usage is not evident
Adapted from: http://dms.wcs.k12.va.us/pprubric.htm
Total
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___
___
Comments
___
___
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OPTION 3: GUIDELINE FOR PAPER ON HOMELESSNESS AND SLEEP-OUT
EXPERIENCE AND ANALYSIS
Option 3. Write a research paper about homelessness that includes an interpretive section about participation in the Sleep-Out. Five academic and popular resources are required for the paper. Describe the experience from a sociological perspective using sociological terminology (stratification, civil inattention, stereotyping, and micro and macro level analysis).
You are to (1) research the topic of homelessness, (2) analyze the information about the topic from a sociological perspective (3) participate in the Sleep-Out for a minimum of
10 hours, and then (4) discuss your experience from a sociological perspective in light of the research on homelessness.
Apply the terminology learned this semester in your analysis of this issue (recommend that you highlight or italicize the terms). A good source to help you with concepts is at http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=78695
This does not count as one of your resources.
Paper grade : Review of the research on homelessness 50 points
Macro-social Analysis of homelessness using sociological terminology
25 points
Micro-social, interpretive discussion of homelessness
Sleep-Out
25 points
Note:
Possible points of interpretive discussion:

What happened while you were “homeless?”

Did you experience any difficulties? If so, what were they? Were they due to being homeless, or due to the reactions of others?

Describe your feelings about this experience.

What changes did you observe? - about yourself? - about other participants? - about other people responding to you?

Does the experience stimulate thoughts about the reactions and behaviors of homeless people?

Does the experience suggest changes in your attitudes or behavior toward homeless people?
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