Sociology 105: Social Problems
Spring 2013
Instructor: Donna Granville, M.A.
Email: dgranv2@uic.edu
Office: 4176C BSB
Class Meetings: T/Tr 8-9:15am
Class Location: 389 BSB
Office Hours: T 9:30-11:30 or by appt.
Course Description
What is a social problem? Who defines social problems? How are social problems constructed
and framed? Over the course of this semester, we will answer the aforementioned questions
and more as this class will encourage you to apply a sociological imagination to examine a wide
range of contemporary issues and problems. Through a sociological perspective, this course will
also teach you how to think critically about the relationship between individual biographies
and larger social structures and institutional arrangements. Towards this end, we will use
media and popular culture as a lens within which to recognize and understand not only our
own social locations but how we are all connected in an increasingly diverse and global world.
Course Objectives
1. To examine social problems in a way that is sociologically mindful. This means taking a larger
view of things, seeing how the world is socially constructed, and understanding social patterns
(Schwalbe 2005).
2. To recognize the difference between commonsense and sociological explanations and
findings.
3. To understand the dialectical relationship between individuals and social structures.
4. To understand the role of popular culture and media in the framing, construction, labeling
and representation of social problems.
Required Text
Kendall, Diana. 2013. Social Problems in a Diverse Society. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson. Additional reading materials will be made available on Blackboard. These readings
will be denoted with a [BB] on the syllabus.
Course Policies
Attendance-Attendance and class participation is a must for full comprehension of course
materials. Attendance will be taken in a number of formats including sign in sheets, quizzes and
one minute essays. If you are not in class at the time attendance is taken, you will be marked
absent on that day. If you cannot attend class you must provide me with at least 24 hours
advance notice. To have your absence excused (e.g., medical emergency), sufficient
documentation must be provided. Students unable to provide documentation will receive a
reduction of 10 points for each unexcused absence. Make up exams and late assignments will be
accepted provided that I am given prior notification.
Class Etiquette- I expect students in this course to interact with one another in a respectful,
constructive, and mature manner. Many of the issues discussed in class may be controversial
and challenging. I encourage you to approach classroom discussion with a spirit of openness
and tolerance. Furthermore, the material covered in this course will challenge many of you to
think about social problems in new ways. You do not have to agree with everything you read in
this class. But you will be expected to take the arguments and ideas of the text, authors you
read, and comments from your peers seriously.
Academic Integrity-Please see UIC’s rules on plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Failure to
follow these rules can result in severe penalties including receiving a failing grade. The
following link has valuable information concerning the university’s policies:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/pols/Plagiarism1.pdf
Use of Electronic Devices- All cell phones should be turned off or placed on silent during class.
Activities that may be distractions to the class such as cell phone usage, “tweeting/status
updating,” eating large meals, and the like are prohibited during class time. Laptops may be
used in class however; they must be used for class purposes such as taking notes, not checking
your email or Facebook page.
Disability Services- The University of Illinois at Chicago is committed to maintaining an
inclusive environment so that individuals with disabilities can fully access programs, courses,
services, and all activities at UIC. Students with disabilities who require accommodations for
full access and participation in UIC courses and programs should register with the Office of
Disability Services. Please contact DRC at (312) 413-2183 (voice) or (312) 957-4822 (video phone).
Facing Challenges? - If at any point during the semester, you are experiencing challenges or
issues that may negatively impact your grade, please be proactive and make an appointment to
see me as soon as possible.
Contact- My office hours are Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 and by appointment, as necessary. You may
also reach me by email. I generally respond within 24 hrs. to emails during the week and within
48 hrs. to email sent over the weekend. You can also feel free to meet with me immediately
before and after class meetings. When sending emails please use your last name and SOC 105 in
the subject heading (i.e. Granville-SOC 105) and be sure to adhere to professional writing
guidelines. The following link provides guidelines on how to do just that:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4679819_write-professional-email.html.
*Syllabus- The syllabus is subject to change over the duration of this course, however you will
always be notified of changes via BB. This syllabus represents an agreement between the
instructor and student, in particular that the student is aware of the specific requirements of this
course. To further emphasize this each student must sign a syllabus contract, due in class by
January 29th.
Assignments and Grading
Popular Culture Journal
Group Presentation of a Pop Culture Item
Deconstruction Assignments (2 @ 100pts each)
Class Participation
Discussion Guides (10 @ 10pts each)
Attendance
Quizzes (5 @10pts each)
TOTAL
200 points (20% of final grade)
200 points (20% of final grade)
200 points (20% of final grade)
150 points (15% of final grade)
100 points (10% of final grade)
100 points (10% of final grade)
50 points (5% of final grade)
1,000 points
Grading Scale:
A: 900-1000 pts
B: 800-899 pts
C: 700-799 pts
D: 600-699 pts
F: 599 pts or less
Grading Guidelines
Assignments must be turned in on time. Make-ups or extensions for
assignments are only granted for emergency situations (illness, family
emergencies, etc.) and must be accompanied by documentation. If you
know that you will be absent on the day an assignment is due because of a
religious observance or athletic team travel, please let me know no later than
the second week of class! If you are concerned about your grade, come and
talk to me and we can discuss strategies for improvement. Be PROACTIVE
sooner than later!
Note: As in all courses, an “A” represents outstanding/exceptional work; a “B” represents good
to very good work; a “C” represents adequate work; a “D” represents a borderline effort, and
an “F” represents a failing grade.
Popular Culture Journal- Beginning week, each student will keep a journal of contemporary
popular culture items over the duration of the semester. This journal (hard copy) will include 6
items, one of each from the following list: a fashion trend, a music video, a sport, a television
show, a movie and a slang word or colloquial expression. For each item you will complete a
written analysis utilizing concepts and ideas in class as well as your own observations and
insight. The journal will be collected twice during the semester, on March 21st and May 2nd.
Further instructions will be posted on BB under assignments.
Group Presentation of a Pop Culture Item- In groups of 4-5, students will choose one popular
culture item to analyze. This item can be a particular fashion style, a television commercial, a
song, a celebrity, an object, or a piece of art. You can choose anything you’d like, as long as it’s
appropriate for a college classroom (and as long as it is not already something your group
members are analyzing independently in your journals). Each group will discuss their analysis
of the item in a 15-20 minute presentation. Further instructions will be posted on BB under
assignments.
Deconstruction Assignments- There will be 2 deconstruction assignments due during the
semester. These 2-3 page papers are designed for you to explore the importance of the framing,
representation and construction of social problems through the media and popular culture
through the analysis and deconstruction of pop culture items. Further instructions will be
posted on BB under assignments.
Class Participation/Attendance- You are required to come to class having read the assignments
and prepared to discuss them. Your questions and comments improve our class discussions and
allow us to learn from each other. There will also be in-class activities and assignments
throughout the semester that will count toward your participation as your attendance at each
class session is integral.
Discussion Guides- Group discussion is an important component to this course as well as to
your class participation grade. Each student must be prepared to engage in discussion by
reading the material listed on the course syllabus and turning in a 1page, single spaced, typed
summary of each discussion reading listed during that week. Only readings denoted with a BB
are required for discussion guides. For the first 10 weeks of the course discussion guides will be
due every 2 weeks (during the second week of each unit) and every week for the remaining 5
weeks. Due dates will be denoted with a [DG] on the syllabus. Further instructions will be
posted on BB under assignments.
Quizzes- 5 quizzes (approx. every 2-3 weeks) will be given over the course of the semester to
gage whether you have read and understood the material. They will be administered at the
beginning of class, closed book, and may be short answer or multiple-choice. There will be no
makeups.
I.
WEEK 1 & 2
1/14
1/17
1/22
1/24
WEEK 3 & 4
1/29
1/31
2/5
2/7
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS
INTRODUCTION/THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY
Introduction; Class Survey
Chap 1: Studying Social Problems in the 21st Century (Kendall)
*DG due 1/22
Mills, “The Promise” (BB), Henslin, “How Sociologists Do Research” (BB)
In Class Activity
POPULAR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Chapter 14: Problems in the Media (Kendall); *Syllabus contract due
Sternheimer, “Introduction: Media Phobia: Why Blaming Media for Causing
Social Problems is a Problem (BB), Introduction to Media Literacy (optional)
*DG due 2/5
Peterson, “Changing Highbrow Taste” (BB); Veblen, “Conspicuous
Consumption” (BB)
Lurie, “The Language of Clothes” (BB); TEDTalks: Wearing Nothing New
II. THE BASES OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY
WEEK 5 & 6
2/12
2/14
2/19
2/21
WEEK 7 & 8
2/26
2/28
3/5
WEALTH AND POVERTY
Chapter 2: Wealth and Poverty (Kendall); Liu, “Doubly Divided: The Racial
Wealth Gap” (BB)
Video: The One Percent
*DG due 2/19
Butsch, “Five Decades and Three Hundred Sitcoms about Class and
Gender” (BB); Mantsios, “Media Magic: Making Class Invisible”(BB)
Video: Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class
RACIAL AND ETHNIC INEQUALITY
Chapter 3: Racial and Ethnic Inequality (Kendall)
McIntosh, “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” (BB); Gallagher, “Ten Simple
Things You Can Do To Improve Race Relations”
*DG due 3/5; Deconstruction #1 due 3/7
Omi and Winant, “Racial Formations” (BB); Bonilla-Silva, “Racism Without
3/7
Racists” (BB); Video: Race: The Power of An Illusion
Video: Race: The Power of An Illusion
WEEK 9 & 10 GENDER AND SEXUALITY
3/12
Chapter 4: Gender Inequality (Kendall); Lorber, “The Social Construction of
Gender” (BB )
3/14
Chapter 6: Inequality based on Sexual Orientation
*DG due 3/21; Pop Culture Journal due 3/21
3/19
Speaker: Gender and Sexuality Center
3/21
Morgan, “Fly Girls, Bitches and Hoes: Notes of a Hip Hop Feminist (BB);
Sternheimer, “Media Phobia #9: Rap Music Promotes Misogyny,
Homophobia and Racism (BB)
Video: No homo
SPRING BREAK- NO CLASS 3/26 & 3/28
III. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS
WEEK 11
4/2
4/4
EDUCATION
Chapter 12: Problems in Educations (Kendall)
*DG due 4/4; Kozol, “Savage Inequalities” (BB); Mickelson & Smith, “Can
Education Eliminate Race, Class, and Gender Inequality?” (BB)
WEEK 12
4/9
HEALTHCARE & URBAN PROBLEMS
Chapter 10: Health Care-Problems of Physical and Mental Illness (optional)
(Kendall); *DG due 4/9 Silverstein, “Millions for Viagra, Pennies for Diseases
of the Poor” (BB)
*Deconstruction # 2 due 4/11; Chapter 16: Urban Problems (Kendall)
4/11
Week 13
4/16
4/18
POLITICS & THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
Chapter 13: Problems in Politics and the Global Economy (Kendall); *DG due
4/16 Mills, The Power Elite (BB)
In Class Activity-Social Problems Jeopardy
IV. RESISTANCE & SOCIAL CHANGE
Week 14
4/23
4/25
SOLVING SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Chapter 18: Can Social Problems Be Solved?(Kendall); Etzioni, Community
Building: Steps Toward a Good Society (BB )
*DG due 4/25 Sternheimer, Understanding Social Problems Beyond Pop
Culture (BB); Collins,“Toward a New Vision: Race, Class, and Gender as
Categories of Analysis and Connection” (BB)
*Week 15- Group Presentations on 4/30 & 5/2 & 5/7 ( if necessary); * Final DG due 5/2(see
BB); Pop Culture Journal due *5/2