SOC M01 – Introduction to Sociology at Moorpark College
Course # 70679
Fall 2013
Instructor: Robert Wonser
Class Time and Place: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Room: Academic Center Bldg.1-AC Rm: 203
Office Hours: After class and by appointment only
Email: rgwonser@gmail.com
Website: www.cheerfulrobot.com
"Sociology's misfortune is that it discovers the arbitrary and the contingent where we like to see
necessity, or nature ... and that it discovers necessity, social constraints, where we would like to see
choice and free will." - Pierre Bourdieu
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Students will be able to explain and analyze the main theoretical and research perspectives
in sociology and apply them to an array of social issues.
2. Students will be able to apply what C. Wright Mills called the Sociological Imagination; that
is the ability to situate his or her life in a social context and to understand the impact of social
forces on the individual.
Required Text:
Cinematic Sociology Second Edition Edited by Jeanne-Anne Sutherland and Kathryn Feltey
ISBN: 9781412992848. Available in the bookstore or online.
Recommended Text:
Free Text Available here: http://www.canyons.edu/Faculty/wonserr/intro_to_soc.htm
Course Description:
Analyzes major theoretical constructs involving human interactions, cultural origins, community
organization, collective behavior, social change, institutional growth, and social movements. Applies
to Associate Degree. Transfer credit: CSU; UC. IGETC AREA 4
Course Presentation:
This course will utilize lectures, discussions and possibly films throughout the semester. Exam
questions will come from all three sources, as well as the required text. Additionally, there will be a
project assigned pertaining to course material. Details will be discussed later in the session and
found on the course website.
Course Requirements:
Attendance and reading are imperative for success in this class. I trust you all are responsible adults
and this won’t be a problem. Therefore, missing more than three classes may result in the lowering
of one letter grade. Reading the textbook is important; assigned readings must be done by the day in
which they are posted on the syllabus. Grades will be based on the following:
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Assignment: Doing Nothing
Assignment: Twenty Statements
Test
Participation in class
Final Project
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Total
Points
Possible
30
Points you
Earned:
30
15
75
40
40
40
40
310
________ / 310
CALCULTAING YOUR GRADE
If you scored
between:
277 - 310
246 - 276
215 - 245
184 - 214
183 and below
Then you
earned an:
A
B
C
D
F
DISCLAIMER #1
Since this is a college-level course we will be discussing adult themes and issues that some of you
may hold strong opinions about. At all times we must have an environment conducive to learning,
therefore, everyone will have respect for each others ideas. Along with this comes the recognition
that our own views may not be the only or correct views about these issues.
DISCLAIMER #2
In this course you will be expected to keep up with your attendance, readings and class assignments.
It is your job to come to class everyday, read ALL of your assigned readings (on time) and pay
attention and participate in class discussions. Doing so will ensure yours and the rest of the class’
learning experience is optimal. It is also you responsibility to keep up with your grade throughout the
course. DO NOT wait until the end of the semester to panic about your grade and inquire about extra
credit. I cannot stress this enough; if you do not plan to take this course seriously then I urge you to
strongly consider dropping this course.
Other Stuff:
Any behavior that is rude, distracting or disrespectful in any way to anyone in the class (including me)
will NOT be tolerated! To make sure we are clear this includes all of the following (and anything else
related that I forgot to mention); NO: iPods, cell phones (texting, talking, playing games, internet
whatever), no laptops (unless for the sole purpose of taking notes – you must run this past me before
using), no arriving late (once or twice is ok, after that it will become a problem and you will have to
talk with me about it), no leaving early, no packing up before the class is dismissed, no
studying/reading for another class, no talking with your neighbor, and sleeping etc. Please note this
list does not include everything possible. Use common sense and common courtesy. If you don’t
want to be here then don’t come; there are plenty of students who would love to have your spot.
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Email Tips:
I teach several sections of this course at several schools, therefore, when emailing me please do
include the following:
 Your name
 school, section number and meeting time (e.g. T/TH 7-8:15)
 an appropriate subject in the subject line (e.g. questions about Marx)
Grading System:
Final grades will be based on the following breakdown. There will be no curve.
A
B
C
D
F
90-100%
80-89%
70-79%
60-69%
59% and below
Exam Format:
There will be four exams in this class. Material covered in class readings, films and lectures will be
on these exams. The final will be non-cumulative. Exams will consist of multiple choice and
true/false questions. You will need the scantron brand form 882E (sold in the bookstore).
* Note: If you do not attend class regularly and keep up with the assigned reading I can almost assure
you will not perform well on these exams.
 There will be no make-up exams.
If you know in advance that you will not be able to
take the exam on exam day let me know ahead of time (AT LEAST two weeks from the date listed on
the syllabus!) and we will make arrangements for you to take it an earlier date during office hours.
Students must give advance notice if an exam schedule conflicts with other obligations. Should a
student not be able to take a test on the scheduled date, the examination may involve an alternate
evaluation technique, such as an oral exam. Note, forgetting an exam is not considered a valid
reason for missing an exam. Additionally, as soon as the first person leaves the room I will no longer
allow anyone to start, because the questions are then out in public circulation.
Assignment Policy:
All work in this course must be your own. They are to be worked on independently and individually.
Unless noted otherwise, all assignments are to be submitted by the assigned due date (early is ok) to
me in person. Absolutely NO LATE PAPERS will be accepted. There are no excuses for late
papers. You can always turn them in early, but not late.
Assignments:
The class will have two papers due throughout the semester at the beginning of class. They are
listed in the syllabus. These essays will serve as the springboard for a class discussion on a topic
and/or to get you thinking critically about the material as it pertains to your life. Assignments will
usually be due at the beginning of class the day we discuss the chapter. On most occasions, there is
no right or wrong answers. Essays will be approximately 3-4 pages in length (unless specified
otherwise in the assignment!), 12-pt Times New Roman (or similar) font, double spaced. You will not
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be getting physical handouts on these but the guidelines will be available on the course website listed
above for download.
→
I highly encourage you to format your paper the way the guidelines are presented. That is, if
there are three parts to the handout, your paper should have the corresponding three parts. Every
question asked of you in the handout should be addressed in the paper. Don't lose crucial points by
not addressing them and labeling them in your paper.
Cheating policy:
It’s not tolerated, not worth it, and hopefully won’t be a problem. If it becomes one, I will report it. All
college academic honesty rules will be enforced. Please refer to the policy on academic dishonesty
for further questions. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form. If you
are unsure how to cite something check with me or the various campus services listed in this
syllabus. Copying from wikipedia without citations is NOT ok! There is NO excuse to cheat or
plagiarize ever! For further questions please see the college’s policy on plagiarism available at this
link: http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/catalog/2003/succeed.html
Students enrolled in this course are encouraged to use The Learning Center, The Math Center, and
the Writing Center services to support their efforts in this class. The Learning Center, Math Center,
and Writing Center, located in Library 322, will provide tutorial services and supplemental instruction
based on course goals. When using these services, students need to state their instructor’s name for
tracking and reporting purposes. Students will also need to provide their student ID numbers when
receiving tutorial services. For further information call The Learning Center (805) 378-1556 or the
Writing Center (805) 378-1400 ext 1696.
Participation
Participation accounts for 15 points of your final grade, while this may not seem like a lot it is often the
difference between letter grades. More importantly, this class is discussion based. It works better
when more people contribute and you learn more through discussion than through passive listening
alone. 15 out of 15 in participation points is for the person who attends regularly and contributes
meaningfully to the discussion. These are not random comments or stories that detract from learning
but rather insightful comments that enhance learning. Disruptive behavior bodes negatively for your
participation grade.
Special Accommodations
If you have a learning, attention, or physical disability that may require classroom or test
accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible. If you have not already done so, please
register with ACCESS. The ACCESS office is located just to the right of the Campus Center
Building. Call them at 378-1461. Verification from ACCESS is required before any classroom or
testing accommodation can be made: Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or
psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to
contact ACCESS as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a
timely fashion. Authorization, based on verification of disability, is required before any
accommodation can be made. The phone number for ACCESS is 378-1461 and they are located on
the ground floor of the LMC Building.
For Your Information:
Should you need to get in contact with the chair of this department her contact info is listed below:
Daniel Vieira, Department Chair
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Tentative Topic Outline and Reading Assignments
WEEK
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DAY
TOPIC
READINGS (Free text readings
are the chapters in the 'topic'
heading)
Syllabus (read it thoroughly to
make sure you do not have any
questions about the course
requirements)
Chapter 1: Introduction (p. 1)
Tuesday, August
20, 2013
Introduction to the Course
Thursday, August
22, 2013
Sociological Beginnings
Tuesday, August
27, 2013
The Sociological
Imagination
Reading 2.1: Sitting in the Dark with
Max: Classical Sociological Theory
through Film (p. 27)
Thursday August
29, 2013
Theorists
Reading 2.2: Decoding Modern
Society: The Matrix Trilogy and the
Realm of Alienation (p. 42)
Tuesday
September 3,
2013
Social Theories
Outtake: Lights, Camera, Theory:
Picturing Hollywood Through
Multiple Sociological Lenses (p.55)
Thursday
September 5,
2013
Tuesday
September 10,
2013
Thursday
September 12,
2013
Tuesday
September 17,
2013
PP.3 - Sociological
Research Methods
Thursday
September 19,
2013
Tuesday
September 24,
2013
Thursday
September 26,
2013
Tuesday October
1, 2013
PP.4 - Culture
Tuesday October
3, 2013
PP.6 - Society and
Groups
Tuesday October
8, 2013
Film
Thursday October
10, 2013
Exam 2 (PPs 4-6)
Tuesday October
15, 2013
PP.7 - Deviance and
Conformity
Free text chapter: Sociologists
Doing Research
PP.3 - Sociological
Research Methods
Exam 1 (PPs 1-3)
PP.4 - Culture
Reading 9.2: Sport as Social
Institution: Football Films and the
American Dream (p. 320)
PP.5 - The Self and
Interaction, Socialization
Reading 8.3: Battles and Balloons:
Old Manhood in Film (p.286)
PP.5 - The Self and
Interaction, Socialization
PP.6 - Society and
Groups
Reading 9.4: The 1991 Iraq
Invasion in Cinematic Perspective:
Jarhead and Three Kings (p. 347)
Reading 7.1: The Caped Crusader:
What Batman Films Tell Us about
Deviance (p. 213)
5
EXERCISE
DUE
#1 - Doing
Nothing
10
Thursday October
17, 2013
PP.7 - Deviance and
Conformity
Tuesday October
22, 2013
PP.8 - Social
Stratification, Class and
Inequality
PP.8 - Social
Stratification, Class and
Inequality
Thursday October
24, 2013
11
12
13
14
15
17
18
Reading 3.1: Understanding Social
Mobility Through the Movies (p.60)
Reading 3.2: Class in the
Classroom: Hollywood's Distorted
View if Inequality (p. 70)
Tuesday October
29, 2013
Film
Thursday October
31, 2013
PP.9 - Race and Ethnicity
Reading 4.2: Don't Worry, We Are
All Racists! Crash and the Politics
of Privatization (p.104)
Tuesday
November 5, 2013
PP.9 - Race and Ethnicity
Reading 8.1 "Look Out New World,
Here we Come"? Race,
Racialization, and Sexuality in Four
Children's Animated Films (p. 261)
Thursday
November 7, 2013
Film
Tuesday
November 12,
2013
Thursday
November 14,
2013
Exam 3 (PPs 7-9)
Tuesday
November 19,
2013
PP.10 - Sex and Gender
Thursday
November 21,
2013
Tuesday
November 26,
2013
Thursday
November 28,
2013
PP.11 - Family
Tuesday
December 3, 2013
Film
Thursday
December 5, 2013
PP.12 - Popular Culture
and the Media
Tuesday
December 10,
2013
Thursday
December 12,
2013
PP.12 - Popular Culture
and the Media
PP.10 - Sex and Gender
#2 Twenty
Statements
Test
Reading 5.1: The Masculinity of the
Governator: Muscle and
Compassion in American Politics
(p. 135)
Reading 5.3: Working the
Boundaries: Bisexuality and
Transgender on Film (p. 162)
PP.11 - Family
No Class: Thanksgiving
Reading 8.2: First Comes the Baby
Carriage? Nonnormative
Transitions to Parenthood in Film
(p. 272)
Final Project
Due
Reel Families: The Delicate
Balance of Family and Work in Film
(p. 194)
Final Exam 8:00 10:00am (PPs 10-12 and
all films)
Important Dates for Fall 2013:
Last day to add class:
30-AUG-2013
6
Last day to drop with a refund:
Last day to drop without a "W":
Last day to drop with a "W":
30-AUG-2013
06-SEP-2013
22-NOV-2013
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