Professor Douglas Hartmann
Social Science Tower 835
624-0835; hartm021@umn.edu
Office Hours: W 11-1:00, and by apt.
Course T.A. Lisa Gulya
Social Science Tower 1082
guly0003@umn.edu
Tu 12:30-2; W 8-9:30
SOCIOLOGY MAJOR PROJECTS SEMINAR
Soc4966 / Capstone Version / MW 9:45-11:00 / Blegen 235 / Fall 2015
Course Overview: This course is designed to provide you with an opportunity to reflect
on what you have learned as a sociology major and to think ahead about how the
knowledge, skills, and insights of the sociological enterprise can be used and applied in
your lives and careers outside of the University. It is, in short, a capstone course. The focus
is on how sociological knowledge, research, and thought help to promote skills such as
critical thinking, effective communication, an appreciation of diversity and ambiguity, and
social responsibility in public life. Specific topics include: the status of social scientific
research and writing in politics and public policy implementation; the ways in which
sociological thinking and research inform movements for social change; the presence (or
absence) of sociological research and thought in popular culture and the mainstream
American media; the day-to-day work of professional sociologists in the academy; the
professions and careers where sociological methods and insights are most useful and
prominent; and the utility and value of situating one’s life and work in sociological
perspective. This will all be situated in the context of the role of ideas, information,
intellectuals, and experts in the complex, contemporary global world. Indeed, the larger
intellectual goals of the course are to encourage you to think critically about your place in
society and history, to reflect on the role of knowledge in the contemporary world, and to
understand what skills and understandings you will take with you from your study of
sociology to your future careers and lives beyond the academy.
Readings: The required readings for the course include two books, one of which is
essentially a career resource guide (see below), and collection of relatively brief articles,
book chapters, and commentaries that will be available on electronic reserves. You will
also be expected to have access to an introductory sociology textbook for some exercises
early in the semester. Reading will be limited to approximately two or three articles (or
book chapters) per week.
•
•
Kidder, Tracy. 2004. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul
Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. New York: Random House.
Korgen, Kathleen Odell and Jonathan M. White. 2015. The Engaged
Sociologist: Connecting the Classroom to the Community (Fifth Edition). Los
Angeles: Sage.
Course Requirements: In addition to regular attendance and active participation, the main
purpose and primary requirement of this course is for students to complete the senior
project required for a sociology degree here at the University of Minnesota. This will
involve completing somewhere between 14-20 pages of polished work, for most students in
the form of a formal final paper. Students have a choice of three options for writing their
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senior papers, two of which are service learning-based. Brief descriptions are provided
below. More information on each—including specific elements and timelines—will be
provided as the course progresses.
(1) Service Learning Research Report
This option will involve writing a rather traditional sociological report and analysis
based on community service learning with a local community organization of your
choice. This paper will be based on a minimum of thirty hours of community
service work completed during the course of the semester. (Field notes from your
service learning experience will be submitted for review on several occasions.)
Your final paper should focus on how sociological insights and concepts have
helped you to better understand participants in this organization, their goals, and the
organization’s ability or inability to attain its goals. In other words, it should
connect what you have learned in your sociology classes to what you have observed
in the issues and ongoing activities of your service site.
(2) Service Learning Action Project
The project will be primarily service-based as well; however, instead of writing a
traditional report based upon the service experience, the final product will involve
working on an actual project of direct relevance or immediate concern to your
respective organization, agency, group or movement. These projects might involve
a variety of tasks such as writing a mission statement or action plan, creating
program materials or a grant proposal, working on an evaluation study, or
producing publicity information. Students will also be required to complete two
short (4-6 page) writing assignments during the course of the project. The first, due
around the midterm, will be a memo outlining the project goals, activities, and
projected outcomes as well as explain how sociological information and insights
will be utilized. The final will be an essay evaluating the project both in terms of
meeting the immediate goals or needs of the organization and in terms of its success
in putting sociological ideas and knowledge into practice. This will be submitted
upon completion of the course along with any relevant project documents and
materials.
(3) Extended Reflective Essay
This option will involve writing a more traditional research paper or extended
reflective essay on some aspect of sociology and its relevance for contemporary
society and social life. A variety of topics and formats are possible but perhaps the
most efficient and typical papers will consist of two main parts. The first would
provide a systematic and comprehensive overview of sociological knowledge and
understanding on a particular question or in a more general subject area. The
second part would then consider and evaluate the extent to which this knowledge
and insight has (1) impacted social life; (2) barriers or constraints tthat stand in the
way; and (3) steps that might be taken to increase its impact on society.
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Other, more general topics can also be worked out in collaboration with the
TA and instructor. Some examples might include: (1) effective communication and
dissemination of knowledge: how do sociologists communicate their findings about
the social world to non-academic audiences and what are the most effective
strategies for doing so? (2) critical thinking and the sociological imagination: what
are the taken-for-granted assumptions that sociological research brings to light and
how does sociology help to foster self reflection and value awareness? (3)
appreciation of diversity: what are the promises and pitfalls of diversity in
democratic societies and what does the study of sociology contribute to our
understanding of diversity in complex advanced industrial societies?, and (4)
citizenship and democracy: how does the study of society help us better understand
the roles and responsibilities of citizens in contemporary social life? This paper may
be supplemented with interviews with sociological practitioners and professional
sociologists, informed by more theoretical reflections on the role of ideas and
intellectuals in American society, or studies of how key sociological works or ideas
have been interpreted and used by movement activists, newspaper reporters, or
public officials.
Grades: Final papers/projects will constitute 50% of your grade. An additional 25% of
your grade will be based upon writing and drafts that lead up to the final submission—these
include, a formal proposal, introduction and annotated outline, and a first draft. The final
25% of your grade will be based on in-class active learning exercises and participation in
the course as a whole. To receive an A or A- for the course, you must complete all
assignments, including all in-class exercises, and be an active participant in course
meetings. If you have a documented illness/other emergency that might warrant an
exception to these rules, this must be discussed and confirmed with the instructor.
Incompletes will be allowed only in rare circumstances and will require prior written
documentation.
Course Websites: The course syllabus and readings (with a few exceptions) will be
available on a course moodle along with service learning materials, in-class exercises,
handouts, and other relevant website links. For those taking one of the service learning
options (probably the vast majority of students in the course), the website for the
Community Service-Learning Center (CSLC) is: http://www.servicelearning.umn.edu,
which includes information and about resources about service-learning. You can also
register for a pre-service training workshop offered by the CSLC at
http://www.servicelearning.umn.edu/trainings. You should keep track of your service
learning hours for the course (this is a requirement) in the CSLC online servicelearning system at http://www.csl.umn.edu. Additional information can be found on the
last pages of this document and the service-learning handouts you receive on the second
day of class.
Community Service Learning Hours and Journals: If you choose to take one of the
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service learning options, you are required to perform at least two hours per week (for a total
of at least 30 hours) of community service at a local social community organization. We
will provide you with a list of possible sites for your project as well as a panel of potential
supervisors on the first day of class. If your service is to be of value to the organization,
people need to be able to count on your contribution. If you are going to miss a scheduled
time at your CSL site, please be sure to notify the staff member to whom you report at the
site in advance that you will be absent. Your weekly journal entries provide an opportunity
for you to connect your community experience with readings and class discussions and
exercises. The field notes in these journals should be a record of what you observed at
your site along with thoughts about how these observations can be connected to lectures,
readings, and class exercises. Come prepared to discuss your entries during section
meetings and be sure to bring your CSL journals to section meetings. Once again: you
must keep track of your hours in the CSLC online service-learning system at
http://www.csl.umn.edu; you will have to have your hours approved by your
supervisor by the time you turn in your final paper.
Disabilities: It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis,
reasonable accommodations to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to
participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Individuals should contact
the course instructor to discuss any individual needs for accommodations.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Getting Started
9.9 Introductions, Course Overview, and Objectives
Panel presentation on serving learning, moderated by Monica Siems from CSLC
office
Readings: * “Preface” (pp. viii-ix) and chapter 1 (pp. 1-14) from The Engaged
Sociologist
*Distribution of first participation exercise*
Unit I: Sociology, Knowledge and Contemporary Society
Week 2:
9.14 So, what is sociology again?
The Engaged Sociologist, chapters 2 and 3 (pp. 15-25, 32-41—“Theory” and
“Methods”)
*
Please complete all reading prior to the class period for which it is assigned.
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Ragin, Charles C. 1994. “Journalism and Social Research: The Similarities … [and the
Differences].” Pp. 19-30 in Constructing Social Research. (Pine Forge Press).
Recommended: Hartmann, Douglas. 2009. “Re-Claiming the Sociological Imagination:
A Brief Overview and Guide.” Pp. 25-38 in Bureaucratic Culture and Basic Social
Problems: Advancing the Sociological Imagination, edited by Bernard Phillips.
Paradigm Publishing.
*Distribution of project proposal guidelines*
9.16 Sociology Visions and Divisions
Calhoun, Craig and Troy Duster. 2005. “The Visions and Divisions of Sociology.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 12: B7-B8.
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Part 1 (“Dokte Paul”)
*Distribution of “Citings and Sightings” exercise from The Society Pages.org*
Week 3
9.21 Sociology, Intellectuals, and Apathy in American Culture
Kimmel, Michael. 2008. “Good Sociology Makes Lousy TV.” Contexts, 7 (2): 6264.
Jacoby, Susan. 2008. “The Dumbing of America.” The Washington Post, February
17. (find online at: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2008-0217/opinions/36908728_1_anti-rationalism-intellectualism-american-life/2)
The Engaged Sociologist, chapter 4 (“Creating Civic Engagement versus Creating
Apathy,” pp. 48-61)
Recommended: Wesley Longhofer, Shannon Golden, and Arturo Biaocchi. 2010.
“Sociology Best-Sellers: A Fresh Look.”
(http://contexts.org/articles/spring-2010/a-fresh-look-at-sociologybestsellers/)
**Project Proposals due**
9.23 Sociology in Action: The Paul Farmer Case
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Part II (“The Tin Roofs of Cange,” continue through
week 6)
First meeting sign-ups
Week 4
September 28-30: One-on-one meetings with TA and instructor.
No class, no new reading.
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Unit II. Different Types of Sociology
Week 5
10.5 Burawoy’s Public Sociology Typology
Burawoy, Michael. 2004. “Public Sociologies: Contradictions, Dilemmas, and
Possibilities.” Social Forces, 82 (4): 1603-1618.
10.7 Two Variations on the Theme of Public Sociology
Kleidman, Rob. 2006. “Public Sociology and Community Organizing.” Applied
Social Science, 1 (1).
Missouri State Group. 2011. “Measuring Capital and Building Community in the
Ozarks.” Contexts.
Week 6
10.12 Minnesota Visions and Variations
Aminzade, Ronald. 2004. “The Engaged Department: Public Sociology in the Twin
Cities.” Footnotes, November: p. 9.
Uggen, Christopher. 2005. “Public Criminologies and Sociological Education.”
Sociograph, Spring: p. 7.
Boyte, Harry C. 2000. “The Struggle against Positivism: Academics can be Public
Intellectuals but They Can’t Pose as “Experts.” Academe, July-August: 4452.
10.14 Exemplars of Engaged Sociology: Paul Farmer and Tracy Kidder
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Part III (“Medicos Aventureros”)
*Project Status Reports and/or First set of Fieldnotes due*
Week 7
10.19 Engaged Scholarship Continued and Small Group Workshops
Coontz, Stephanie. 2005. “Putting on a Public Face.” Contexts, 4 (4): 78-79.
The Engaged Sociologist, chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 (select one, with a theme or
application appropriate to your individual project)
10.21 Policy Sociology
Wilensky, Harold I. 2005. “Can Social Science Shape the Public Agenda?”
Contexts, Spring: 41-47.
Maris, Peter. 1990. “Witnesses, Engineers, or Storytellers? Roles of Sociologists
in Social Policy.” Pp. 75-87 in Sociology in America, edited by Herbert
Gans. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.
Additional reading on civic organizations and neoliberal governance, TBD.
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Week 8
10.26 Critical Sociology
Charon, Joel M. 2004. “Is Sociology Important? The Necessity for a Critical
Understanding of Society.” Pp. 284-297 in Ten Questions: A Sociological
Perspective. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Reading on volunteers/volunteering, TBD.
10.28 Types of Sociology, In Action and Combination
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Part IV (“A Light Month for Travel”)
**Paper Introductions and Extended Outlines Due**
Week 9
November 2 and 4: Individual meetings on project progress and paper drafts.
No class; no new reading.
Unit III. Sociology, Society, and You
Week 10
11.9 Jobs and Careers: Options, Applications, and Pathways
Little, Daniel. 2012. “Why a Sociology Major?” Huffington Post (July 3).
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-little/college-sociologymajor_b_1641546.html
Recommended: “The Value of a Degree in Sociology” (pp. vii-xiii in Lampert’s
Great Jobs for Sociology Majors)
11.11 Small Group Workshops on Institutions and Social Change in Final Papers/Projects
Reading: The Engaged Sociologist, chapters 10-11
Week 11
11.16 Career Pathways and Options
Guest Presentation, Lance Wilson, U of M sociology alum; former corporate CEO,
current career coach
“Strong Ties, Weak Ties, or No Ties: What Helped Sociology Majors Find
Career-Level Jobs?” 2013. Roth, Van Vooren, Kisielewski, and Senter,
Department of Research on the Discipline and Profession, American
Sociological Association, Washington, DC.
“Idealists vs. Careerists: Graduate School Choices of Sociology Majors.” SpalterRoth and Van Vooren. 2009. American Sociological Association, Department
of Research and Development, May.
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11.18 Career Resources and Services at the University of Minnesota
Guest Presentation, TBA, Career and Community Learning Center
*Prepare and bring resume drafts*
Week 12
11.23 Jobs and Careers, Continued
*First Drafts Due**
11.25 Thanksgiving Break
Individual meetings as necessary.
No class, no reading.
Week 13
November 30 and December 2: Final round of one-on-one meetings
Week 14
12.7 From Work to Life: Sociological Citizenship
Charon, Joel M. 2004. “Does the Individual Really Make a Difference?” Pp. 212242 in Ten Questions: A Sociological Perspective. Belmont, CA:
Thomson/Wadsworth.
Guidelines for Submission of Final Papers/Projects Distributed
12.9 Finding Meaning, Motivation, Purpose
Loeb, Paul Rogat. 1999. Introduction (pp. 1-13) and Ch. 1 (pp. 14-33) from Soul of
a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time.
Week 15
12.14 The Sociological Life: Is Paul Farmer a Role Model?
Mountains Beyond Mountain, Part V (“O for the P”)
12.16 Living the Sociological Life
Wallace, David Foster. 2005. “This is Water (a Commencement
Address)” http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~drkelly/DFWKenyonAddress2005.pdf
; for video, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI
**Final Papers Due: On or before Friday, December 18 at 12:00 noon in the Sociology
Department, 909 Social Science Tower**
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Additional Service-Learning Information
Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with
instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen
communities. Students use what they learn in the classroom to address community-identified issues. You
will not only learn about practical applications of their studies, you will also become actively contributing
citizens and community members through the service you perform.
Academic integrity also applies to community work done for academic credit. Any of the following
actions constitute academic dishonesty within a community-based learning context and will be addressed in
the same way as any other act of academic dishonesty:
1. Misrepresenting hours completed at a community site or spent working on a community project
(students can count time spent off-site doing work that is required to complete a project for a
community organization).
2. Writing reflections or completing other assignments about events or activities the student was
supposed to attend and participate in, but did not actually attend or participate in.
3. Signing in at a site or training session and leaving before the hours or training was completed OR
signing in for a friend or classmate at a site.
4. Writing reflections based on previous community work or documenting hours done at a community
organization during a previous semester and misrepresenting it as your current service-learning
experience.
Accommodations for Students Registered with Disability Services Doing Service-Learning
If you are registered with Disability Services, you are eligible to receive accommodations from the
University when doing service-learning in the community. While not all buildings where community
groups are located are 100% accessible to students with physical disabilities, service-learning staff can work
with you to find a service-learning site that meets your needs. If you have an invisible disability, we
encourage you to talk with your service-learning liaison and/or your DS specialist to discuss the type of
work environment and structure you need to be successful during your community experience.
Confidentiality and Privacy Issues within the Service-Learning Context
Community organizations participating in service-learning expect students to work to the best of their
abilities and act in a responsible manner. Furthermore, many service-learning students will be working with
individuals who fall into protected categories, such as children, seniors, or individuals with disabilities. Be
aware that through your service-learning, you may come to know information about individuals that is
covered by rules and ethical guidelines about confidentiality. You should speak to your community
supervisor about how confidentiality obligations apply to you. Examples of how these issues might arise in
your service-learning include:
1. You should not take photographs of anyone at your service-learning site without following the
policy the organization has in place. This often involves getting written permission from the
individual and/or written permission or the parent/guardian of children under 18 years of age.
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2. During class discussions, be careful about revealing any information that could be used to
personally identify any individual you work with in your service-learning.
3. In written assignments and especially when using online learning tools (Moodle, class blogs, etc.),
be particularly attentive about the information you disclose about your service-learning experience,
in case the site you are using is publicly available online. Refrain from mentioning the name of
your organization and change the names of any individuals you write about if you are utilizing
these online tools for your class.
Please note that Criminal Background Checks are also required for many service-learning
placements, especially those that involve working with “vulnerable populations” such as children, the
elderly, and individuals with disabilities. If the agency asks about any convictions and you have a
criminal record:
• Be honest. Failure to state convictions that are then uncovered in a background check will likely
result in your immediate dismissal from your service organization.
• Ask the agency representative to explain what types of convictions are not acceptable (these often
involve convictions such as those involving theft, violence, drug sales, and/or crimes against
minors).
• If you believe that your record could disqualify you from the approved service-learning options,
please be proactive and talk to your service-learning liaison to discuss alternative placement
options.
Non-Discrimination and Religious Service
According to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents policy on Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity
and Affirmative Action, the University shall,
Provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment
without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status,
disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or
gender expression.
This policy applies to service-learning provided as part of any academic course, so the Community ServiceLearning Center (CSLC) shall only develop partnerships with organizations that comply with this policy
and offer volunteer opportunities to any and all interested students. If your faculty member allows you to
do your service-learning at an organization that is not a CSLC partner, CSLC staff must contact the
organization to ensure their compliance with this non-discrimination policy before your work with
them will be approved for class credit. Organizations that exclude any potential volunteers on the basis
of any of the criteria listed in the non-discrimination policy will not be a permissible service-learning site.
In order for you to receive academic credit, the site must qualify as a “University of Minnesota program”
that is equally available to all members of our community.
You may perform service-learning with faith-based organizations, including religious institutions such as
churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc., if the organization complies with the non-discrimination
policy. However, service done as part of an academic course cannot include any of the following
religious activities: providing religious education/instruction, conducting worship services, or
engaging in any form of religious proselytizing. CSLC staff ensures that our community partner
organizations comply with these guidelines as well. Again, if your faculty member allows you to do your
service-learning at an organization that is not a CSLC partner and you would like to work with a faith-based
organization or a religious institution, please consult with your service-learning coordinator before
beginning your service to make sure your proposed experience adheres to these guidelines.