Aging and Society Sociology 180 Spring 2005 Professor Merrill Jefferson 407 Ext. 7284 Office Hours Tuesdays 10:30-12:30 Course Requirements Your grade will be based on the following: Two In-Class Essay Exams (60%) Class Participation (20%) Life Review (20%) Attendance is required. You are expected to miss no more than four classes during the semester. Students who miss more than four classes will receive a lower grade for class participation. Students are expected to participate, particularly during discussion sections. Students who do not participate will receive a substantially lower grade. You must take the exams during the assigned times. Extensions will be granted (for both the exams and paper) only if the student has a doctor's note and only if the student notifies the professor prior to class. Papers will be marked down a letter grade for each date that they are handed in late and will not be accepted after one week. Course Texts Friedan, Betty. 1994. The Fountain of Age. Simon and Schuster. Gubrium, Jaber. 1997. Living and Dying at Murray Manor. University Press of Virginia. Gubrium, Jaber and James Holstein. 2000. Aging and Everyday Life. Blackwell. Myerhoff, Barbara. 1980. Number Our Days. Touchstone. Quadagno, Jill. 2005. Aging and the Life Course. McGraw Hill. Objectives of the course: --To become familiar with some of the current controversial issues regarding the elderly in America --To have an understanding of the diversity of elders in our country while also recognizing common experiences and trends among the elderly --To examine the impact of an aging society --To have a greater understanding of the aging experience in the general population and among subpopulations --To examine ageism in our country and the causes of our negative view of aging --To explore the benefits of aging --To get to know an elderly person Course Outline Jan. 20 Discussion of the Syllabus/ (Thurs.) Life Review Gubrium/Holstein pp. 277-287 (Ronai) ------------------------------I. Introduction Jan. 24 Defining Age and Aging Jan. 27 Quadagno, Ch. 1,4 The Fountain of Age (Group A) by Betty Friedan pp. 35-103 -------------------------------Jan. 31 Feb. 3 The Fountain of Age (Group B) by Betty Friedan pp. 35-103 Social Theories of Aging Quadagno, Ch. 2 -----------------------------Feb. 7 "On Golden Pond" Gubrium/Holstein pp. 40-46 (Rose) Feb. 10 (continued) Gubrium/Holstein pp. 47-61 (Atchley) -------------------------------Feb. 14 History of Aging Quadagno Ch. 5 II. Housing and Health Care Feb. 17 Community and Housing Gubrium/Holstein pp. 231-254 (Hochschild) ------------------------------Feb. 21 Number Our Days (Group A) Feb. 24 Number Our Days (Group B) ------------------------------Feb. 28 Health Care Mar. 3 ------------------------------ Quadagno, Ch. 13 ** EXAM 1 ** Mar. 14 Rationing Health Care And Medicare Reform Scharlach and Kaye, pp. 103-113, 13-21 (In Packet) Mar. 17 Film -----------------------------Mar. 21 Life Reviews The Ageless Self by Kaufman (In Packet) Gubrium/Holstein pp. 103-111 (Kaufman) IV. Families and Aging Mar. 24 Later Life Families Quadagno, Ch. 8 ------------------------------Mar. 28 Adult Children Climo, Ch. 3 (In Packet) Gubrium/Holstein pp. 193-213 (Finch/Mason) Mar. 31 Family Caregiving Merrill, Ch. 1,2,5 (In Packet) --------------------------Apr. 4 Apr. 7 Film: Dad ** LIFE REVIEWS DUE ** (Film continued) -------------------------Apr. 11 Nursing Homes Apr. 14 Gubrium/Holstein pp. 401-412 (Diamond) Living and Dying at Murray Manor (Group A) -------------------------Apr. 18 Living and Dying at Murray Manor (Group B) V. Income of the Elderly Apr. 21 Employment and Retirement ------------------------- Quadagno Ch. 12 Gubrium/Holstein pp. 145-150 (Stephens) Apr. 25 Social Security Scharlach and Kaye, 1-12 (In Packet) "How Social Security Works" (In Packet) Apr. 28 Politics Quadagno Ch. 17 ------------------------May 2 Early Exam: Optional