Syllabus
LSTD 3333: HUMAN ARRANGEMENTS
Troubled Institutions and Social Inequality
Hybrid format:
Classroom meetings: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm (Oklahoma City Community College Campus location: Room
2N3 of the Main Building)
Online Component: Please log into http://learn.ou.edu and click on this course
Instructor: Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.
Interdisciplinary background, diverse interests. B.S. in Geology, M.A. and Ph.D. in English,
graduate studies in Economics, certificates in instructional design and technology. Involved in elearning & technology-enhanced training and education since early 1990s. Her articles on elearning, humanities, and literature have appeared in Talisman, International Journal of
Knowledge and Learning Objects, Journal of Issues in Informing Science and Information
Technology (IISIT), and others. Dr. Nash’s latest book, Excellence in College Teaching and
Learning: Classroom and Online, was co-authored with Dr. George Henderson was published by
Charles C. Thomas Publishers. Her latest novel, Otozna Boginja, was published by Sodobnost in
Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Dr. Nash has worked extensively with economic develop programs involving at-risk populations,
and has been involved in prison reform / rebuilding investigations in Paraguay, and has worked
to improve the economic status of women and internally displaced persons in Azerbaijan, Kenya,
and Mozambique through programs with USAID and the World Bank.
Course Overview
This course will address issues that affect institutions from family through those that affect the
national population, including health care, education, the economy, and the interaction of
government. The course also addresses problems that arise from inequality among groups in the
society, including poverty, elderly and young, minority and majority, and gender concerns.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
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Examine problems in social institutions from a variety of perspectives;
Identify the five most important family issues today;
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Understand the debates about education in the United States today;
Define globalization and understand the effects it has on economic systems around the
world;
Understand who runs the government, what threats to our civil liberties exist, and how
government can be made more democratic;
Describe the problems faced by the U.S. health care system;
Explain why the gap between the rich and poor is growing;
Describe the underclass;
Understand the unique problems faced by each ethnic minority group in the United
States;
Describe the differing theoretical perspectives on problems of the life cycle and aging;
Discuss the problems faced by both the young and the elderly in society; and
Discuss the relationship between gender socialization and gender discrimination.
Learning goals will be assessed through the following tasks:
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Writing assignments
In-class discussions
In-class group work and participation
Reading articles on the Internet
Online research
Responding to professor guidance
Writing will be critiqued on the basis of
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Relevant and original insights on course content;
Connections made between readings and course concepts;
Clarity and originality of ideas;
Excessive spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors will reduce the grade. It is
recommended that you have a friend read your paper and give you feedback on these
before you send the paper to the professor; and
Soundness of the arguments, including the claims, evidence, and connections made.
Required Textbooks
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Finsterbusch, Kurt. (2006) Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Social Issues,
14th edition. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. ISBN-10: 0073514969, ISBN-13:
978-0073514963.
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Buy
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Coleman,
James W. and Kerbo, Harold K. (2002) Social Problems, 9th edition. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. ISBN-10: 013154053X, ISBN-13: 978-0131540538.
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Buy
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Supplement
al Textbook
Behrens, Laurence and Rosen, Leonard F. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum
10th edition. 2007. ISBN-10: 0321486439, ISBN-13: 978-0321486431.
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Buy
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Carefully
read Part One in the text Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum for more detailed
information about the writing assignments.
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Grading Scale
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200 Points - Unit Critiques/Response Papers (four papers at 50 points each)
200 Points - Unit Internet Assignments (four at 50 points each)
100 Points - Course Spanning Task/Final Paper
500 Points - Total Points
Point Breakdown
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A - 450-500 Points
B - 400-449 Points
C - 350-399 Points
D - 300-349 Points
F - 0-299 Points
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Unit One: Weeks One and Two
Unit Overview
This unit focuses on the sweeping changes our family system has gone through, how and why
our education systems are mired in one crisis after another, and society’s profound influence on
our health.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit, students should be able to:
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Understand the problems faced by families in the United States;
Describe varying family patterns;
Identify the major problems faced by families today;
Understand both sides of the issue about the effects of the decline of the nuclear family;
Describe the problems faced by the U.S. system of education;
Identify potential solutions to the education crisis in the United States;
Identify the major issues in healthcare in the 21st century; and
Understand the debate surrounding physician-assisted suicide.
Reading Assignments
This unit’s reading will focus on Family, Education, and Health and Illness.
Assigned Readings for Unit One
WEEK ONE
ONLINE
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Read the Introduction to Social Sciences.
In the Social Problems text
o Chapter One — “Sociology and Social Problems”
o Chapter Two — “Problems of the Family”
In the Taking Sides text
o Issue Four —“Is the Decline of the Traditional Family a National Crisis?”
 Yes: Popenoe, D. (1995). The American Family Crisis. National Forum:
The Phi Kappa Phi Journal (Summer), or online
 No: Furstenberg, F. (2005). Can Marriage Be Saved? Dissent (Summer),
or online
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Lesson One
We will review key terms and concepts in class.
The lecture will cover the following ideas / notes (see below).
Lecture Notes for Lesson One
(to discuss in class, connect to current events, relate to readings and guided questions, connect to
required work)
Since the 1960s, family composition has been changing. Most family units today are dualearners. There has also been a rapid growth in single-parent households due to both divorce and
births outside of marriage. Family composition also varies along class and ethnic lines, with
lower social classes marrying younger and having more children. These families experience a
higher divorce rate, have more single mothers and have more extensive kinship networks than
middle-class families. African-American women are more likely than white women to be the
head of single-parent homes, in part due to their concentration in the lower socioeconomic strata.
Families today face a number of problems include divorce, births outside of marriage, violence,
child-raring issues, and inequality in the family. In the U.S., almost one of every two marriages
ends in divorce. There are several possible explanations for this high divorce rate. Divorce is
often considered a social problem because of other problems that are associated with it. Lower
family income, the stress of single parenting, and problems associated with blended families
upon remarriage are just a few of the issues families face following a divorce. Is the family today
less strong than it was fifty years ago? Why or why not? Are there positive aspects to dual-earner
families in terms of role-models for children?
Topics and Themes We Will Discuss in Class
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Blended Family
Monogamy
Nuclear Family
Polygamy
Affirmative Action
Compensatory Education Programs
Literacy
Hidden Curriculum
Medicaid and Medicare
Mental health
Alternative Medicine
Group Questions To Discuss and Present in Class
Sociologist David Popenoe contends that families play important roles in society but how the
traditional family functions in these roles has declined dramatically in the last several decades,
with very adverse effects on the children. Do you agree? Why or why not?
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Do you believe that there has been a false idealization of the traditional family of the past and
misleading interpretation of current data on families? Why or why not?
Would you be content in a 1950’s style nuclear family? Why or why not? Do you believe that the
1950’s style family is truly the traditional family? Why or why not?
Do you believe that a single parent, a gay couple, a guardian, divorced parents, or a group of
adults in a communal living situation provide children with the foundation they need to become
healthy, functioning adults? Why or why not? Which type of family do you believe is the
healthiest environment for children to grow up in? Explain.
Online Enrichment
Sex Roles and the Family
Divorce and Children
Who Practices Polygamy?
Family Ties: The Nuclear Family
Gender Bias in Education
Reforming the Hidden Curriculum: The Key Abilities Model and Four Curricular Forms
WEEK TWO
ONLINE
Required Readings
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In the Social Problems text
o Chapter Three — “Problems of Education”
o Chapter Six — “Health and Illness”
In the Taking Sides text
o Issue Fourteen —“Is Competition the Solution to the Ills of Public Education?”
 Yes: Bolick, C. (2003). The Key to Closing the Minority Schooling Gap:
School Choice. The American Enterprise (April/May), or online
 No: Wolk, R. (2004). Think the Unthinkable. Educational Horizons
(Summer), or online
o Issue Fifteen —“Should Biotechnology Be Used to Alter and Enhance Humans?”
 Yes: President's Council on Bioethics. (2004). Beyond Therapy. Regan
Books, or online . The full report is available online.
 No: Sandel, M. J.(2004). The Case Against Perfection. The Atlantic
Monthly (April), or online
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In-Class Lecture
(Overview – actual on-site lecture will incorporate current events and will cover more points
from the readings)
Lecture Notes for Lesson Two
The institution of education in the U.S. also faces problems. Declining scores on standardized
tests have led experts to seek solutions. Critics of American education point out that too little
emphasis is placed on academic subjects. Others suggests that the education offered through the
public school system is very unequal, with the poor and minorities receiving far less instruction
in basic academics. Recent innovations include home-schooling and school voucher systems.
Although the standard of living in the U.S. is one of the highest in the world, many American
citizens cannot afford basic healthcare. The crisis in the American health care system has many
causes, including rising malpractice insurance costs, financing of health care, and the high costs
of new drugs and technologies. Unlike many other industrialized nations, the U.S. does not have
a national health care plan.
Today’s health care issues are very different from those of fifty years ago. Medical advances in
immunizations and treatment of contagious diseases have reduced the threat of illnesses such as
measles and influenza. Today, many of the health issues are a result of lifestyle. Common
contributors to health problems in Americans are stress, poverty, pollution, smoking, poor diet,
sedentary lifestyle, smoking, accidents and violence. Furthermore, some diseases have developed
new strains that are resistant to antibiotics.
One issue that has been gaining public attention in recent years is whether terminally ill patients
have the right to ask their physicians to help them terminate their lives. This is an important
ethical issue for the medical profession, as physicians have an ethical responsibility to save lives.
The issue is complex, however. Physician participation potentially can range from passive
participation through simply not providing extraordinary measures such as machines to keep
patients alive all the way to actively giving patients lethal doses of drugs or providing them with
lethal doses that patients then administer to themselves.
These three institutions are facing rapid changes, if not serious problems. As you read the
assigned chapters, consider the following questions. Is today’s educational system in crisis?
Should we try to renovate public education or is it time to turn to private schools to solve our
problems? Why, given that we spend more money per person on health care than any other
nation, do we have almost 40 million people in this country with no health insurance, most of
them full-time workers?
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Suggested Additional Readings
These readings are not required but may help you understand the material better.
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Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy
No Child Left Behind
National Institute of Mental Health
In-Class Group Discussion Questions
Do the arguments presented by Finn et al. and Comer overlap at all? Is either of their solutions to
the problems of education more radical than the other? Explain. Which author do you think
offers the most workable approach?
Unit One Required Work (to discuss in class, to complete on your own time, to submit
online via dropbox in D2L)
Unit Content and Comprehension Analysis Tasks
For this unit, you are required to complete two unit content comprehension and analysis tasks: a
critique, and an Internet assignment.
Critique Description
You are required to write a critique paper on selected readings from the Taking Sides text. This
critique will examine both sides of ONE issue, then you will respond by examining how well the
arguments for both sides are presented. Please read Part One, Chapter Two of Writing and
Reading Across the Curriculum for greater detail about writing a critique. A good critique
analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, comparing and contrasting the two
readings. End your critique with questions you feel are left unanswered by the readings. Each
critique should be two to three pages long, typed, double-spaced, and proofread.
Unit One Critique Assignment
Read Issues Four, Fourteen, and Fifteen in Taking Sides, then select one issue to write about for
your critique. Examine both sides of the issue that you have chosen. Then discuss how well each
side of the debate is presented.
Internet Assignment Description
For your Internet assignment, you will read an online article and write a three page response to
that article that answers specific questions related to the topic. The link to the article and the
specific questions are provided below.
Unit One Internet Assignment
Click on the links below and read the contents of these two Web sites:
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Race and Racism
Digital Divide Project
Next, visit U.S. Census Bureau Educational Attainment – this Web site provides multiple reports
on educational attainment compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Reports.
Study the tables providing information about the highest degree obtained for people over 25
years of age and answer the following questions.
Next, read the information on these three links for the World Health Organization:
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WHO Global InfoBase Online
Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network
Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response
After reading the information on all these Web sites, write a three page essay that addresses the
following questions:
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What do these figures tell us about the level of general education in the U.S.?
How might differences in the technology available to students affect their futures?
What are likely outcomes of the differences in educational attainment between men and
women?
What are some of the persistent health problems in the world?
What are some of the new health problems in the world today?
How do the health problems compare in rich countries and poor countries?
Course Spanning Task Part A
Identify a topic and write a one paragraph proposal for your final project. This should include a
title and a brief description of what you plan to write about. Also, find five references and write a
one paragraph description of each reference.
Part A of the course spanning task is due at the end of Week Two.
For more information about the course spanning assignment, click here.
Please submit all assignments no later than the last day of this unit, Sunday Jan. 27th if you
are taking this course in Session 1 of the Spring 2008 semester.
All writing projects should be double spaced, use Times New Roman12 point font, and
have one inch page margins.
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Unit Two: Weeks Three and Four
Unit Overview
This unit focuses on the seemingly vast and confusing systems of our economy and how and why
power is the essence of politics.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
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Define globalization;
Differentiate between the types of capitalist economies;
Understand the role of government in the U.S. economy;
Describe the changes in the economic situation of the average American worker over the
past ten years and identify possible contributing factors to these changes;
Describe the relationship between government and the media;
Describe potential threats to our civil liberties; and
Understand the role of special interest groups in the U.S. politics.
Reading Assignments
This unit contains assigned chapters and issues that focus on Economy and Government.
Assigned Chapters for Unit Two
WEEK THREE
ONLINE
In the Social Problems text
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Chapter Four — “Problems of Economy”
In the Taking Sides text
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Issue Twelve — “Should Government Intervene in a Capitalist Economy?”
o Yes: Spitzer, E. & Celli, A. G. Jr. (2004, March 22). Bull Run: Capitalism with a
Democratic Face. The New Republic, or online
o No: Stossel, J. (2001). The Real Cost of Regulation. Imprimis (May), or online
Online Lectures
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United States Economy and Pluralism
Political Perspectives
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Topics and Themes We Will Discuss in Class
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Unemployment
Underemployment
Third World Economies
World Economy
Pluralist
Structuralists
Capitalism
Goal Displacement
Lecture Notes
(will be connected to current events in class, plus to the readings, guiding questions, and required
work. The class will discuss and debate concepts and points)
The real income and benefits of the average American worker have decreased over the past ten
years, despite economic growth during most of that time. One reason is the loss of production
jobs due to automation and the large increase of low-paying service jobs. By 1995, over 30% of
U.S. workers did not earn enough to keep a family of four above the poverty line.
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Americans also have decreased their savings, and U.S. industry is losing its competitive
edge due to low investments. Deregulation of major industries has led to further problems
in some industries, most notably the airlines, which face bankruptcy. Adam Smith argued
that there was an invisible hand that ruled the market place and that government should
not intervene. Do you believe laissez-faire economics are the best solution for our ailing
economy? How does that form of capitalism compare to communitarian capitalism?
Which do you think is most effective in a large capitalist society?
Guiding Questions to discuss in groups and as a class
What are your feelings/reactions regarding Domhoff’s argument that the “owners and top-level
managers in large income-producing properties are far and away the dominant power figures in
the United States” and that they have overwhelming influence in the federal government?
Do you agree with Erber’s argument that capitalism creates serious social problems that need to
be redressed by an activist government?
WEEK FOUR
ONLINE
Required Reading:
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In the Social Problems text
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Chapter Five — “Problems of Government”
In the Taking Sides text
Issue Eleven —“Is Government Dominated by Big Business?
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Yes: Moyers, B. (2004). This Is the Fight of Our Lives. Timeline
(September/October), or online
No: Berry, J. M. (1993). Citizen Groups and the Changing Nature of Interest
Group Politics in America. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and
Social Science (July), or online
ONSITE
Review of Key Terms and Concepts for the Unit
Lecture Notes (connect to current events, content, articles, and guiding questions, then
relate to the guiding questions and required work)
The pluralistic perspective argues that many competing interest groups are involved in the
decision-making of our government. Coalitions are formed between groups that have common
interest on some legislative issue, and they are able to get favorable legislation passed. No one
group has power, and coalitions form and reform as the issues change. In contrast, the elitist
perspective argues that power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals or groups and that
political decisions serve their interests. Elitists actively try to influence political decision.
Finally, the structuralist perspective also argues that the government serves the interests of the
elite, but this view argues that the elite do not have to actively try to influence policy.
The government of the United States is a representative democracy. Voters elect public officials
to carry out the business of the government. In a pure democracy, every citizen votes on every
issue. In a country as large as the U.S., it is readily apparent that we would have a very hard time
getting any business conducted that way. Critics of the system express concern that powerful
interest groups are able to control the votes of the politicians through large campaign donations
and fund-raising efforts, thus controlling the legislation that is passed.
The American political system faces a number of problems, including voter apathy. Distrust of
government due to past scandals and lack of direct contact with politicians adds to the problem.
Perhaps the greatest dilemma faced by the government is how to balance the protection of
individual personal freedoms with the needs to maintain social order and national security. As
you read the assigned chapters, reflect on the following questions. How could we improve the
democratic process in the U.S.? Do politicians represent the interests of the average voters or do
they represent the interests of large corporations? How can we balance civil liberties and national
security in the post-9/11 world?
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Guiding Questions to Discuss in Class
Compare capitalism to socialism. Which type of government do you believe has the capability of
promoting a more utopian society?
Do you believe that changes on the business scene as well as societal changes will affect change
in the relationship between big business and government?
Review of Required Work:
Discussion of the Questions and the Work (in-class debates and discussions, connect to the
required readings)
Online Enrichment
Vulture Funds' Descend On Dying Third World Economies
Seven Arguments for Reforming the World Economy
Colonizing the World’s Economy
Culture of Capitalism
Free Trade Versus Fair Trade
Required Work for this Unit (to discuss in class, to complete on your own time, to submit
online via dropbox in D2L)
(please submit via the Dropbox in D2L)
Unit Content and Comprehension Analysis Tasks
For this unit, you are required to complete two unit content comprehension and analysis tasks: a
critique, and an Internet assignment.
Critique Description
You are required to write a critique paper on selected readings from the Taking Sides text. This
critique will examine both sides of ONE issue, then you will respond by examining how well the
arguments for both sides are presented. Please read Part One, Chapter Two of Writing and
Reading Across the Curriculum for greater detail about writing a critique. A good critique
analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, comparing and contrasting the two
readings. End your critique with questions you feel are left unanswered by the readings. Each
critique should be two to three pages long, typed, double-spaced, and proofread
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Unit Two Critique Assignment
Read Issues Eleven and Twelve in Taking Sides, and choose one issue to write about for your
critique. Examine both sides of the issue. Then discuss how well each side of the debate is
presented.
Internet Assignment Description
For your Internet assignment, you will read an online article and write a three page response to
that article that answers specific questions related to the topic. The link to the article and the
actual specific questions are provided below.
Unit Two Internet Assignment
Click on the link below and read
Marriage Wanes
Next click on the link to the PDF file Money Income in the United States
titled, “Highlights.”
.”Read the section
Write a three page essay that addresses the following questions:
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What do these figures and the article “Marriage Wanes” tell us about the state of
marriage in America today?
What has been happening to the “real median income” of U .S. households in recent
years?
Have all families been equally affected by recent changes in the American economy?
Has economic inequality been increasing or decreasing?
Course Spanning Task Part B
Write an outline of your essay. Also, find five more references and write a one-paragraph
description of each reference. E-mail these assignments to your instructor.
Part B of the course spanning task is due at the end of Week Four.
For more information about the course spanning assignment, click here.
Please submit all assignments no later than the last day of this unit, Sunday Feb. 10th if you
are taking this course in Session 1 of the Spring 2008 semester.
All writing projects should be double spaced, use Times New Roman12 point font, and
have one inch page margins.
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Unit Three: Weeks Five and Six
Unit Overview
This unit focuses on the misery of the poor and the violent face of ethnic relations.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit, learners will be able to:
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Define the underclass;
Understand the differences between the wealthiest and poorest Americans in terms of
both income and wealth;
Describe recent changes in the gap between the wealthy and the poor;
Compare poverty in the United States with other industrialized countries;
Understand competing explanations of poverty;
Describe the most common patterns of ethnic relations;
Describe the problems faced by minority groups in the United States; and
Understand why minority groups in the United States have high poverty rates.
WEEK FIVE
ONLINE
Reading Assignments
This unit contains assigned chapters and issues that focus on Poverty and Ethnic Minorities.
Assigned Chapters for Unit Three
In the Social Problems text
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Chapter Seven — “The Poor”
In the Taking Sides text
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Issue Seven — “Is Increasing Economic Inequality a Serious Problem?”
o Yes: Jencks, C. (2002). Does Inequality Matter? Daedalus (Winter), or online
o No: DeMuth, C. C. (1997). The New Wealth of Nations. Commentary (October),
or online
Issue Eight —“Is the Underclass the Major Threat to American Ideals?”
o Yes: Murray, C. (1999). And Now for the Bad News. Society
(November/December), or online
o No: Schwartz, B. (1999). Capitalism, the Market, the “Underclass’, and the
Future, Society (November/December), or online
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o
Click Here for Online Lectures
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Review of Key Terms and Concepts for the Unit
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Culture of Poverty
Ideology of Individualism
Underclass
Assimilation
Ethnic Minorities
Prejudice
Salad Bowl Theory
Colonized Minorities
Civil Rights Movement
Lecture Notes
(presented in class, related to readings, and connected to guiding questions for debate and
discussion)
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Although it is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the U.S. currently has the largest
gap between the rich and poor and the highest poverty rate of any developed nation. The
economic situation for workers has become worse due to the decrease of blue-collar
production jobs during the latter half of the twentieth century. Two trends have been
largely responsible for this. First, increased automation has eliminated many higherpaying jobs. Second, many jobs are now out-sourced to cheaper foreign labor.
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The majority of the poor in the U.S. are white, but minority groups are over represented.
Single-parent families are a large segment of the poor. One group of the poor is
particularly important: the underclass. The underclass is the lowest poverty class and the
members of this class are frequently raised in poverty. They are more likely to be
minority group members and are live in extremely poor neighborhoods, often in central
cities. However, many of the poor are full-time workers.
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Americans place a very high value on individualism and tend to believe that hard work
results in rewards. Thus, they often blame the poor for their condition. Institutionalized
welfare has therefore been stigmatized in this country. One explanation of poverty is the
cultural of poverty theory, which states that people pass values and attitudes down from
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generation to generation that make it difficult for them to escape poverty. Another
explanation of poverty focuses on economic structures, stressing the fact that there are
too few high-paying jobs for those at the bottom to escape poverty. Political explanations
focus on the lack of concern Americans have about elimination of the conditions that
cause poverty. As you read the following chapters, consider these questions. Why does
the U.S., an affluent society, have such a high poverty rate compared to other developed
countries? Is our system of taxation fair to the average worker?
Guiding Questions to consider and to discuss in class
After reading Issue Seven in Finsterbusch, do you believe that increasing economic inequality is
a serious problem? Why or why not? Which author had a more convincing argument? Why?
After reading Issue Eight, “Is the Underclass the Major Threat to American Ideals?,” comment
upon your stance on this issue. Do you believe that the destructive behavior among the
underclass is the major threat to American ideals, or do you believe that the theory and practice
of free-market economics is the larger threat?
Online Enrichment
Genocide Studies
WEEK SIX
ONLINE
Reading Assignments
This unit contains assigned chapters and issues that focus on Poverty and Ethnic Minorities.
Assigned Chapters for Unit Three
In the Social Problems text
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Chapter Eight — “Ethnic Minorities”
In the Taking Sides text
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Issue Nine — “Has Affirmative Action Outlived Its Usefulness?”
o Yes: Crawford, C. (2004). Racial Preference Versus Nondiscrimination. Society,
March/April, or online
o No: Bobo, L. D. (2004). Inequalities that Endure? In M. Krysan & A. Lewis
(Eds.) The Changing Terrain of Race and Ethnicity. Russel Sage Foundation.
Issue Thirteen — “Has Welfare Reform Benefited the Poor?”
o Yes: Winship, S. & Jencks, C. (2003). Understanding Welfare Reform. Harvard
Magazine (Fall), or online
o No: Hays, S. (2003). Off the Rolls: The Ground-Level Results of Welfare
Reform. Dissent Magazine, Fall, or online
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Review of Key Terms
Lecture Notes (to discuss in class, relate to readings, discuss and debate in groups, connect
with required work and outcomes)
Racial and ethnic minority groups exist in most countries. Ethnic groups are defined as groups of
people who share common cultural characteristics such as language. Race becomes socially
important when those physical characteristics are used by one group to dominate another group.
The U.S. has several racial and ethnic minority groups who have experienced prejudice and
discrimination. Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s one group is superior to other groups.
Prejudice is a negative attitude or belief about members of another group. However, without
power differences, this can cause only minimal harm. When one group has significantly more
power, is ethnocentric, and is prejudiced towards another group, discrimination is likely to occur.
Discrimination is the unfair treatment of an individual based solely on his or her membership in a
group. Discrimination occurs when members of a group are blocked from opportunities or are
mistreated.
Three minority groups have experienced long-term discrimination in the U.S. Native Americans
were systematically killed or forced onto reservations. African Americans were brought to North
America as slaves. After emancipation, they were segregated from the dominant white culture
until the 1960s. Hispanic Americans were forced off their lands in the southwestern U.S. All
three of these groups have faced unequal education, job discrimination, and unequal treatment by
the legal system. Due to the Civil Rights movements, many of the legal barriers to success have
been removed. As you read the assigned chapters, consider the following. Have the successes of
the Civil Rights Movement and Affirmative Action created equal opportunity for minority group
members today?
Guided Questions: Reflect while reading, discuss in class
Do you believe that the “civil rights struggle for blacks is over and won?” Why or why not? How
can affirmative action policies adversely affect society if the civil rights struggle is indeed over?
What is your position on welfare? Do you believe that it is a good thing or a bad thing? Do you
believe that welfare actually helps people or do you think that it handicaps recipients of welfare
and promotes minimal effort and laziness?
Poverty rates in the United States are far higher than in any other industrial nation? Why? How
does the welfare program effect this?
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Unit Three: Required Work (to discuss in class, to complete on your own time, to submit
online via dropbox in D2L)
Unit Content and Comprehension Analysis Tasks
For this unit, you are required to complete two unit content comprehension and analysis tasks: a
critique, and an Internet assignment.
Critique Description
You are required to write a critique paper on selected readings from the Taking Sides text. This
critique will examine both sides of ONE issue, then you will respond by examining how well the
arguments for both sides are presented. Please read Part One, Chapter Two of Writing and
Reading Across the Curriculum for greater detail about writing a critique. A good critique
analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, comparing and contrasting the two
readings. End your critique with questions you feel are left unanswered by the readings. Each
critique should be two to three pages long, typed, double-spaced, and proofread.
Unit Three Critique Assignment
Read Issues Seven, Eight, Nine, and Thirteen In Taking Sides. Select one issue to write about for
your critique. Examine both sides of the issue. Then discuss how well each side of the debate is
presented.
Internet Assignment Description
For your Internet assignment, you will read an online article and write a three page response to
that article that answers specific questions related to the topic. The link to the article and the
actual specific questions are provided below.
Unit Three Internet Assignment
Click on the link below and read the contents of the Web site

Poverty and Homelessness
Next click on the links below to access the PDF files:
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
Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States
Black Population in the United States
Write a three page essay that addresses the following questions:
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Has poverty changed in recent years? In what ways?
How is poverty related to sub-group membership?
For which group has poverty changed the most?
Why do you think these changes have occurred?
In what ways has Civil Rights legislation affected these?
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Course Spanning Task Part C
Write a draft of your final essay and preliminary bibliography. e-mail these assignments to your
instructor.
Part C of the course spanning task is due at the end of Week Six.
For more information about the Course Spanning Assignment, click here.
Please submit all assignments no later than the last day of this unit, Sunday Feb. 24th if you
are taking this course in Session 1 of the Spring 2008 semester.
All writing projects should be double spaced, use Times New Roman12 point font, and
have one inch page margins.
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Unit Four: Weeks Seven and Eight
Unit Overview
This unit focuses on the social phenomenon of aging and the debate of the proper roles of
women and men in our society.
Unit Objectives
After completing this unit, students will be able to:
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Successfully demonstrate an understanding of the problems faced by the elderly today
through their written essays and critiques;
Describe the problems faced by children and adolescents;
Describe how society responds to the aging process;
Understand male and female gender roles and describe how we learn gender roles; and
Describe forms of gender discrimination.
Reading Assignments
This unit contains assigned chapters and issues that focus on the elderly, youth, and gender.
UNIT FOUR
WEEK SEVEN
Assigned Chapters for Unit Four
In the Social Problems text

Chapter Nine — “The Old and the Young”
In the Taking Sides text

Issue Six — “Should Same-Sex Marriages be Legally Recognized?”
o Yes: Human Rights Campaign. (2004). Answers to Questions about Marriage
Equality HRC’s FamilyNet Project, or online
o No: Sprigg, P. (2004). Questions and Answers: What’s Wrong with Letting SameSex Couples ‘Marry’? Family Research Council, or online Online Lectures


The Erosion of Childhood
Is There a Weaker Sex?
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Topics and Themes to Discuss in Class
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Activity Theory
Age Grades
Ageism
Rites of Passage
Androgyny
Gender Inequality
Homophobia
Sexism
Sexual Harassment
Lecture Notes
(to discuss, connect with readings, relate to current events, connect with guiding questions
and required work)
In some cultures, at age seven the child was considered a little adult, with the same
responsibilities as other adults. With the development of factories and increased automation,
fewer workers were needed. The conception of childhood changed. By the nineteenth century
social movements were underway to prevent the exploitation of child labor. Childhood in the
western world became a more carefree time.
Experts now, however, are concerned about the “erosion of childhood.” While child labor is still
prohibited, children face other pressures, including materialism, competition, increased family
responsibilities, and fewer societal supports. Children also face other problems, including
physical abuse and incest, single-parent homes, dual-earner households, and fewer government
programs.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the elderly face many problems as well. As the “babyboomer” generation ages, a large portion of the population will be elderly, which will place an
economic burden on society. One area that is already a major problem is health care. Many
elderly cannot afford adequate health care and necessary prescription medications. Due to the
lack of extended families, the elderly are also frequently isolated and alone. They are less likely
to have technological skills and are therefore less employable. Affordable housing is often
difficult to locate. As you read the following chapter, ask yourself the following questions. What
changes would we need to make in our society to protect our young? How could we keep our
elderly more integrated into society?
Guiding Questions to consider as you read and to discuss in class
Do you believe that men or women suffer more in life? Why or why not?
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Jeff Grabmeier presents evidence showing that women experience more stress than men and then
analyzes why. Do you agree with his argument? Why or why not?
Look on the Internet for information regarding the salaries of women compared to men, the
amount of hours in a day spent working (including housework), trends in heart attacks, violent
crimes committed against men and women, life expectancy rates for men and women who are
married, and the life expectancy rates for men and women who are not married. After examining
these issues, what conclusion(s) can you make regarding sex roles and general stressors of being
male or female?
Author Philip Yancey argues that men and women have strikingly different communication
styles. Psychologist Mary Crawford critically evaluates the claim that men and women have
different conversational styles, and argues that this claim is invalid and inflammatory. On the
Internet, research linguistic styles of men and women and use the information from your research
to support either side of the debate.
Organized religion throughout the world has usually been a pillar of support for the patriarchal
tradition. This can be seen in Catholicism, Islam, and organizations such as the “Promise
Keepers.” Explain how these and other religions have used religion to suppress women. What, if
anything, has been done about this in recent decades?
Online Enrichment
Children’s Literature and Gender
Male Sex Roles
Male and Female Communication
Language, Gender and Writing
Susan Sontag, "Feminism and the Changing Status of Women"
1999 BBC Interview in MP3 or Real Audio format.
UNIT FOUR: WEEK EIGHT
ONLINE
Required Readings
Assigned Chapters for Unit Four
In the Social Problems text
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Chapter Ten — “Women and Men”
In the Taking Sides text
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Issue Ten —“Are Boys and Men Disadvantaged Relative to Girls and Women?”
o Yes: Conlin, M. (2003). The New Gender Gap. Business Week, 3834, 74-82, or
online
o No: Wendland, J. (2004, March). Political Affairs, or online
Online Lectures
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
The Erosion of Childhood
Is There a Weaker Sex?
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Topics and Themes To Discuss and Review In Class









Activity Theory
Age Grades
Ageism
Rites of Passage
Androgyny
Gender Inequality
Homophobia
Sexism
Sexual Harassment
Lecture Notes
(to relate to current events, debate and discuss, connect with readings, guiding questions,
required work)
The Industrial Revolution changed traditional gender roles, creating a public-private split. Prior
to that time, both men and women worked the land, usually together. With industrialization and
the payment of wages, men worked outside the home for pay, women remained in the home
doing all the domestic labor for no pay. The unpaid labor of women thus became devalued.
Since the 1970s, women have been entering the work force in large numbers and into more
varied occupations. There are two different ways that the gender inequalities in pay have been
addressed. “Affirmative Action” has sought to increase the number of women employed in
“traditionally male” occupations. “Comparable worth” approaches have sought to increase the
pay for “traditionally female” occupations.
Sex refers to our biological makeup, while gender refers to our social roles. Males and females
are socialized into their gender roles from birth, often in very subtle ways. The family is the
primary agent of socialization. School, the media and peers are also important in learning gender
roles. Gender roles are more flexible for females than for males, but female gender roles tend to
be devalued. Women have more freedom to choose how they will act. Men tend to be criticized
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harshly for acting “feminine.” As you read the following chapters, consider the following
question. Do strict gender roles benefit or harm society? In what ways?
Guiding Questions to consider as you read and to discuss / debate in class
Organized religion throughout the world has usually been a pillar of support for the patriarchal
tradition. This can be seen in Catholicism, Islam, and organizations such as the “Promise
Keepers.” Explain how these and other religions have used religion to suppress women. What, if
anything, has been done about this in recent decades?
Unit Four Required Work (to discuss in class, to complete on your own time, to submit
online via dropbox in D2L)
Unit Content and Comprehension Analysis Tasks
For this unit, you are required to complete two unit content comprehension and analysis tasks: a
critique, and an Internet assignment.
Critique Description
You are required to write a critique paper on selected readings from the Taking Sides text. This
critique will examine both sides of ONE issue, then you will respond by examining how well the
arguments for both sides are presented. Please read Part One, Chapter Two of Writing and
Reading Across the Curriculum for greater detail about writing a critique. A good critique
analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each perspective, comparing and contrasting the two
readings. End your critique with questions you feel are left unanswered by the readings. Each
critique should be two to three pages long, typed, double-spaced, and proofread.
Unit Four Critique Assignment
Read Issues Six and Ten in Taking Sides. Select one issue to write about for your critique.
Examine both sides of the issue. Then discuss how well each side of the debate is presented.
Internet Assignment Description
For your Internet assignment, you will read an online article and write a three page response to
that article that answers specific questions related to the topic. The link to the article and the
actual specific questions are provided below.
Unit Four Internet Assignment
Click on the links below and read of the contents of these two Web sites


Gender Stats
Database of Gender Statistics
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Next, click here to access the Census Bureau’s report on Women in the United States
Write a three page essay in which you compare gender differences in the United States. Compare
gender differences in the U.S. to those in three other countries. What do you think are reasons
gender differences are not the same in all countries?
Course Spanning Task Part D
Turn in your completed Final Project and bibliography. E-mail these assignments to your
instructor.
Part D of the course spanning task is due at the end of Week Eight.
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