Introduction to Sociology
Sociology 105/Spring 2008
Professor Stuart Eimer
Office: LC 239 B
Office Phone: 499-4640
E-mail: speimer@widener.edu
Office Hours: TBA
http://www2.widener.edu/~spe0001/
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to introduce you to the basic concepts of sociology and to teach you how to
apply a sociological perspective to the world around you. Throughout the course the core goal will
be to develop your ability to “think sociologically,” that is, to recognize the crucial links between
individuals and the society in which they live. Using this perspective, we will explore a number of
issues including politics, economics, race and ethnic relations and gender.
While this course is an important introduction for sociology majors, the material covered is useful
for everyone. Many of the topics and issues we will consider are the subject of political debate,
media coverage, and conversations among friends and family. Studying sociology will enable you
to better understand these issues and to be an informed participant in these discussions and
debates. It is my hope that by the end of this course you will be better prepared to carry out your
responsibilities as a citizen in a democratic society.
REQUIRED BOOKS
Course Packet. (Available in Social Science Office, LC 226)
The Spirit of Sociology: A Reader edited by Ron Matson
Optional: Penguin Dictionary of Sociology (Available in many bookstores and online)
ATTENDANCE
Needless to say, you are expected to attend class. While readings and class material fit together,
many topics will only be covered in class. If you do not attend class, you can expect to do poorly
on the exams. Attendance will be taken on a regular basis. It is not necessary to contact me about
absences, unless a situation arises which will cause you to miss a number of classes. Please plan to
arrive before the beginning of each class period, and plan not to leave until each class period is
over. If you need to leave class early, please let me know and I’ll arrange to have you sit near the
door.
2
PARTICIPATION & ASSIGNMENTS
Everyone begins this class with a participation & assignment grade of zero, and gains points
through active participation in class and through the completion of various assignments. To insure
that you receive a good participation grade, you should complete the readings prior to Tuesday’s
class, and should come prepared to participate. Text messaging should be reserved for your time
outside of the classroom. Text message addicts who can not restrain themselves will have ¼ point
deducted from their participation grade each time they engage in this activity while in class.
Throughout the semester, assignments will be given in class. Failure to complete these assignments
will obviously lower your assignment grade. At times, we will do group work. Each time we do
group work, a member of the group will keep notes and must be prepared to report and discuss the
group’s findings with the rest of the class. The performance of your group and the quality of the
work handed in by your group will be a factor in determining each member’s participation &
assignment grade.
EXAMS
There will be three exams given in this class. All exams will be closed book and will consist of
multiple-choice questions. We will discuss this more as the exams approach. Please note that exam
dates are subject to change.
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
2/12
3/25
TBA
EXAM DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Exam Make-Up Policy: If you miss class on an exam day you receive a 0 for the exam. Make ups
will only be given if you contact me before the day of the exam or if you have an excuse verified
by the Assistant Provost.
GRADING
Final grades will be determined as follows:
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam
Assignments
Participation
TOTAL
25
25
25
15
10
100
Individual students will not be given opportunities to do extra credit.
3
FINAL GRADING SCALE
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
60-66
less than 59
NOTE: You are responsible for all of the policies explained in this syllabus. Ignorance of these
policies is not an acceptable excuse for failing to meet the course requirements. You are
encouraged to read over this syllabus very carefully and refer to it regularly throughout the course.
On rare occasion, changes in policy or readings that supersede the syllabus may be announced in
class. You are responsible for knowing any updated policies regardless of whether you were in
attendance when new policies were announced.
4
Topic and Reading Schedule: I recommend doing the readings in the order that they
are listed.
DATE/WEEK
WEEK 1
1/15
TOPIC
Introduction to
Sociology
READING
Kate Zernike, “The Harvard Guide to Happiness,” New York Times
(NYT), 4/8/01.
Glenn Altschuler, “Learning How to Learn,” New York
Times11/12/00.
Stanley Eitzen and Maxine Zine, “The Sociological Perspective” p. 39 in In Conflict and Order. Boston:Allyn and Bacon. 1998.
WEEK 2
1/22
Social Structure:
Culture
Matson # 2, The Sociological Imagination
Matson # 8 Body Rituals Among the Nacirema
“New Yorkers Ponder Rain Rage.”
Jon Elster, “Norms, p. 113-123 from Nuts and Bolts for the Social
Science.Cambridge University Press: NY. 1993.
Matson # 11 Extreme Isolation
Simmons, “Where Fat is a Mark of Beauty,” Los Angeles
Times(LAT),
9/30/98.
WEEK 3
1/29
Social Structure:
Institutions
Miscellaneous Advertisements
Jon Elster, “Social Institutions, p.147-150,” ,” ibid.
Jonathan Kozol, “Children of the City Invincible: Camden, NJ,” from
Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools. Harper
Collins: New York. 1992.
WEEK 4
2/5
Sociological
Methods
Vermont Spending Plan Seems to Help Schools, Peter Kilborn,
1/31/01
Elizabeth Olson, “Americans Lead the World in Hours Worked,”
NYT 9/17/99.
Chris Murphy, “Reducing Class Sizes Improves Test Scores,” The
Capital Times, January 29-30, 2000.
Jodi Wilgoren, “Quality Day Care, Early, Is Tied to Achievement in
Adult,” NYT, 10/22/99
Report Cites Danger in Long Nurses' Hours
By ROBERT PEAR, NYT 11/5/2003
Willliam Kornblum, “Chapter 2, The Tools of Sociology,” from
Sociology in a Changing World. Harcourt Brace College
Publishers: Forth Worth. 1994
5
WEEK 5
2/12
EXAM 1
Origins of
Sociology: Smith
& Self Interest
Robert Putnam, “excerpt from Lessons of History: The Gilded Age
and the Progressive Era.” BowlingAlone.
Lester Thurow, “Capitalism: Where Do We Come From,” p.3-16,
from Exonomics Explained. Prentice Hall: Engelwood Cliffs, NJ.
1982.
WEEK 6
2/19
Origins of
Sociology:
Durkheim
Robert Heilbronner and Lester Thurow, “Adam Smith, p.17-23,”
from Exonomics Explained. Prentice Hall: Engelwood Cliffs, NJ.
David Newman, “Social Dilemmas” excerpt from Sociology (Sage,
2006)
Robert Peston, “Reports Start Warning on Climate,” BBC News.
10/29/06.
Jon Elster, “Collective Action, p.124-126, ibid
Charles Derber, “The Good Man Fills His Own Stomach: All
American Crimes and Misdemeanors,” from The Wilding of America.
St. Martins Press: New York. 1996.
John Shaughnessy, “Fridge Test shows how moving chills ties.”
Courier Post, 12/17/02.
WEEK 7
2/26
Origins of
Sociology:
Weber & Marx
Evelyn Nieves, “San Francisco, More Live, and Die, Alone too, NYT
Matson # 43 The McDonaldization of Society
Rana Foroohar, “The Post Crash Backlash against American Haste,”
Newsweek, July 2, 2001.. “Health Workers Held in Organ Vending,”
Wisconsin State Journal,
1/16/00.
Amy Harmon, “Illegal Kidney Pops Up on E-Bay’s Site,” NYT,
9/3/99.
Miscellaneous Cartoons.
Robert Heilbronner and Lester Thurow “Karl Marx, p. 23-29,” ibid.
1982.
WEEK 8
3/4
Marshal Berman, “Unchained Melody,” The Nation, May 11
SPRING BREAK NO READING
6
WEEK 9
3/11
Organizations
and Society
Michael D. Yates, “Why Unions?” from Why Unions Matter. Month
Review Press: New York. 1998.
Economic Snapshots: Union Coverage in US, 1873-1998.
A Side Order of Human Rights By ERIC SCHLOSSER, April 6,2005
Charles Derber, “U.S. Business vs. Us: Global Capitalism and
Corporate Wilding,” from The Wilding of America. St.
Marrtins Press: New York
GE to Shift Output from US, Financial Times, July 2006.
Outsourcing: Bigger Than You Thought The outsourcing wave is
about to hit the service sector. To keep good service jobs, we need to
prepare the workforce and understand the jobs. By Alan S. Blinder
Week 10
3/18
Economy and
Society
Boondock, Aaron McGruder
Occupations Adding the Most Jobs
Chart on Redistribution of Wealth
Paul Krugman, For Richer. New York Times, 10/20/02
Meritocracy in America: Ever higher society, ever harder to ascend
Dec 29th 2004 | From The Economist print edition
WEEK 11
3/25
EXAM 2
Politics and
Society
Matson #23 The Super-Rich
Economic Snapshots, European Vacations.
Janet Gornick and Marica Meyers, “Support for Working Families,”
The American Prospect, January 1-15, 2001.
Paid family leave plan puts firms on defensive. By Barbara Rose
Tribune staff reporter April 1, 2005
Dan Hamburg, “Inside the Money Chase,” The Nation, 5/5/97.
“PA Lawmakers Fail to Limit Campaign Contributions,” Philadelphia
Inquirer, 11/26/00.
Don Van Natta, “Executive Order Followed Energy Industry
Recommondations.” April 4, 2002.
7
WEEK 12
4/1
Politics and
Society
G. William Domhoff, excerpt from Who Rules America. Mayfield
Publishing: Mt. View CA, 2000.
Charles Lindblom, “The Market as Prison,” from The Political
Economy, ed. Thomas Ferguson and Joel Rogers. M.E.
Sharpe: New York. 1984.Voter Turnout Comparisons
Is Voting Worth the Trouble? By JIM HOLT, NYT 9/26/04
WEEK 13
4/8
Race/Ethnicity
Robert Putnam,”Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social
Capital.” Journal of Democracy, January 1995.
Charles Petit, “Scientists Call Race Insignificant,” The San Francisco
Chronicle, 2/20/95
Bernard Weisberger, “A Nation of Immigrants,” American Heritage
Magazine,February/March 1991.
WEEK 14
4/15
Race/Ethnicity
and Gender
Illegally in the U.S., and Never a Day Off at Wal-Mart
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE November 5, 2003
Matson # 25, Race Matters
Cedric Herring, “Is Job Discrimination Dead,” Contexts. Summer
2002.
“Medical Students’ Biases Can Begin Early,” NYT, 6/20/00.
Norimitsu Onishi, “Oh No! My Little Brother Has Just Had a Baby!,
NYT, May 2, 2001.
WEEK 15
4/22
Gender
Margaret Anderson, “The Social Construction of Gender,” Thinking
About Women. Allyn & Bacon: Boston, 1997
Matson # 28 Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender
Naomi Barko, “The Other Gender Gap,” The American Prospect,
June 19, 2001
How Suite It Isn’t: A Dearth of Female Bosses
By JULIE CRESWELL NYT December 17, 2006
WEEK 16
4/29
TBA
Economic Snapshots: 1/3 of Women Workers Earn Poverty Wages
TBA