Social Problems
SYG 2010, Section 6982
Fall 2014
rd
MWF, 3 period (9:35-10:25am), FLG 0265
“Social order is not part of the "nature of things," and it cannot be derived from the
"laws of nature." Social order exists only as a product of human activity.”
- Peter L. Berger and Thomas
Luckmann
Instructor: Sarah Boeshart
Email: sboeshart@ufl.edu
Office Hours (TUR 3353): TBA
Email hours: Tuesdays 11am-12pm
Thursdays 2:30pm-3:30pm
Course Description: This course introduces the sociological perspective on the social construction
of social problems (focusing on the West, the US in particular). Daily, we are inundated with news
reports that that call our attention to numerous social problems such as crime, prejudice, poverty,
and health. Indeed, many people rely on the media to get their information about such problems.
Unfortunately, this is not the most accurate way to get information, since news reports typically
ignore the systematic causes of these problems. As a result, social problems are reported and
received as isolated incidents happening at the individual level, rather than questioning social
arrangements that lead to such issues. Further missing from the picture is the discussion as to why
some social problems receive attention when others do not.
In this course, we will extend our understanding about social problems beyond media sound
bites or statistical understandings of problems. Rather, we will study social problems from a social
constructionist point of view by asking questions such as “How does something become a social
problem?”, “What are the social causes of the problem?” and “What is being done about the
problem?”
Course Objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able to:
1. Recognize the difference between personal and social problems.
2. Analyze the nature and characteristics of a number of social problems.
3. Understand the social constructionist approach to social problems.
Required Text: There is no required textbook for this course. All the readings will be posted on
Sakai for you to download. You may find it helpful to print out the articles and bring them to
class, but this is not required. The course website can be found through Sakai at this web address:
https://lss.at.ufl.edu/. The course site contains the assigned readings for each week, as well as
grades and other class updates.
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Attendance Policy: I am not requiring your presence, i.e. attendance for this class is not mandated.
However, if you miss assignments you will not be allowed to make them up. The class is
structured around discussion, so materials will be presented in class that are not in the readings. I
completely understand that there may be circumstances that can prevent you from attending every
class. Accommodations will be made for excused absences only. If you find yourself in a
situation that requires you to miss class, it is your responsibility to let me know beforehand, and
it is your responsibility to get all notes or material from class. You may be asked to provide
written confirmation of your situation (e.g. a doctor’s note, coach’s note, etc.).
- Excused Absences include (but are not limited to): illness, serious family emergencies,
university-sanctioned events (e.g. professional conferences, athletic competitions, etc.),
military obligations, religious holidays, and legal obligations (e.g. jury duty).
- Unexcused Absences include (but are not limited to): sleeping in, missing the bus,
vacations, non-University sanctioned trips, events for your fraternity/sorority, meetings
with advisors/bosses, club events, and car troubles.
UF Policies:
University Policy on Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Students requesting
accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students Office
(http://www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/). The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the
student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting
accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking
the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the
office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.
University Policy on Academic Misconduct: Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental
values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student
Honor Code at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/students.php.
Failure to comply with these standards will result in disciplinary action. Students caught
cheating on any assignment for this class will be given a failing grade for the assignment, or, at my
discretion, a failing grade for the course. Incidents of possible cheating will be reported to the
Office of Student Judicial Affairs. Please be sure you understand: I take academic dishonesty very
seriously and consider it a personal affront to me and the academic community. I am required to
report all cases of plagiarism.
For all written work for this course, you must properly cite all sources (1) directly quoted,
(2) paraphrased, or (3) consulted in any fashion (including the course readings). Sources include
all printed material as well as the Internet. Proper citation means using a standard citation format
and in this class that is the American Sociological Association (ASA) style. It is also considered
plagiarism if you merely rework source material, placing an author's thoughts in other words
without contributing your own ideas.
Unless otherwise noted in the course syllabus or on the assignment sheets, all work that is
required for this course is to be your own work. As such, sharing answers with other students is a
violation of the Academic Integrity Code. You must receive prior permission from me if you want
to submit a paper or part of a paper that you have written for a previous class.
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Gordon Rule: This course is not designed to fulfill a university writing requirement
(Gordon Rule).
Course Evaluations: Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of
instruction in this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at
https://evaluations.ufl.edu. Evaluations are typically open during the last two or three
weeks of the semester, but students will be given specific times when they are open.
Summary results of these assessments are available to students at
https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results.
Grading Policies:
Grading Distribution:
93 -100 = A
88 - 89 = B+
78 - 79 = C+
60 - 69 = D
90 - 92 = A83 - 87 = B
73 - 77 = C
< 60 = F(E)
80 - 82 = B70 - 72 = CA
Excellent--demonstration of superior work (written and oral) in fulfillment of
course requirements; demonstration of mastery of course concepts and strong
critical analysis skills.
B
Good--shows a solid foundation (written and oral) in fulfillment of course
requirements; demonstrates knowledge of course concepts but needs more critical
analysis
C
Satisfactory--(written and oral) in fulfillment of course requirements; follows
instructions but only does the bare minimum
D
Poor--assigned work is not satisfactory or not completed and/or student fails to
meet the minimum assignment requirements.
F(E) Failure--fails to meet course requirements defined in the syllabus.
**Please note that your final grade in the course reflects a cumulative performance over
the duration of the entire course. You must be diligent throughout the course to ensure a
successful final grade. As such, I do not offer extra credit, “re-dos”, or make up work.
This means that I will not entertain pleas for extra credit at the end of the course. In
addition, I will not accept any late work. Due dates for the course assignments are not
negotiable. Failure to meet them will result in a grade of zero for that assignment.
Course Requirements
While you are not required to attend classes, you are required to frequently participate in
the course by contributing to discussions. Final grades in the course will be derived from
the following assignments:
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Requirement
Discussion
Response Papers
Soc Auto Bio
Final Presentation
Final Paper
Course Grade
% of grade
15%
10%
25%
10%
40 %
100%
Points Possible
75
50
125
50
200
500
Discussion: You are required to be an active participant in the classroom learning
environment. Your discussion grade will be judged upon your participation in in-class
activities, discussions, and general attentiveness and preparedness. Inconsistent
performance and a lack of consideration for fellow students/professor, will result in a
lower participation grade. Part of your ability to participate in class discussions depends
on your reading. Your participation grade will decrease significantly if you are
continually unprepared for class discussions. However, in order to receive an A in
participation you must also participate in the larger class discussions. Failing to do so
(despite fulfillment of other participation requirements) will only earn you a C in
Participation.
Each of us is personally responsible for creating a safe learning environment. No
one “owns” a particular knowledge or experience and thus cannot force that onto
someone else. Nor, can anyone devalue the knowledge and experience of someone else.
Our course is based upon active student participation and on the sharing of ideas and
experiences. Some of the topics we’ll be discussing this semester are controversial.
Discussion is encouraged, and engaging with people who have different views than your
own is one of the best ways to learn. It’s NOT okay, however, to be disrespectful to
other students or to your instructor. No personal attacks- in any form- will be allowed in
this classroom, period. This is done to ensure that the classroom environment remains
friendly, open, and comfortable for everyone.
Response Papers (total of 2): Throughout the semester, you will be expected to respond
to the “optional readings/viewings” associated with the required course readings. These
response papers should be no longer than 2-4 pages in length (double spaced). The
response should identify and connect the “optional readings/viewings” to the substantive
area of the week, and provide a critical evaluation of the material. Specifically, the paper
should give a brief summary of the material and discuss how it informs our own
understanding of the social problem. Finally, each response should include 2 discussion
questions. Each review will be worth 25 points. You are required to speak about each
reading assigned as well as the additional material. These are to be turned in the
Monday of that week.
Sociological Autobiography: To facilitate complex reflection and evaluation of the field
of social problems, each participant in the class will be expected to write a 4-6 page
(double spaced) sociological autobiography. A sociological autobiography focuses on
your interactions with society (in this case, a social problem) and explains how you
understand society through the academic medium of sociology. These sociological
autobiographies are expected to incorporate class material and readings. However, you
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are allowed to bring in outside reading as well. They are allowed to be organized in any
fashion, but should not be a simple regurgitation of the class readings. Further details
will be provided in class.
Final Paper and Presentation: Each member of the class will be expected to write a 8-10
page (double spaced) essay reviewing a social problem of their choosing and present it to
the class. This provides an opportunity to do further independent research as well as
develop public speaking skills. You may choose to focus on any social problem at any
point of time in any region. You are welcome to use primary sources; however, it is
expected that you will be using mostly secondary research to describe the problem. In
this paper, you are expected to outline the social problem, situate it within literature of
the field, and discuss what further research you think needs to be done to better
understand and resolve the social problem.
Course Schedule
(This is just for the next 2 weeks, the full schedule is coming your way)
Disclaimer: This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through
the semester, those plans may need to change, but I will make sure you are given plenty
of notice. No worries.
Week of:
August 25: Introduction to the course and the Sociological Imagination
C. Wright Mills Excerpt from “The Sociological Imagination” –
Ch1
(http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Sociological_Imaginati
on.html?id=UTQ6OkKwszoC)
September 1: No Class
September 3: What is a social problem and Power, Privilege, Intersectionality
 Either Yamada-Invisibility in an Unnatural Disaster or Crenshaw
“Mapping the Margins
 Robert Jensen. “White Privilege Shapes the U.S.”
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/freelance/whiteprivilege.htm
 Peggy McIntosh. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible
Knapsack”
https://www.isr.umich.edu/home/diversity/resources/whiteprivilege.pdf
September 8: Poverty/Class
 Excerpts from Shipler, The Working Poor
 Hochschild’s Facing Up to the American Dream, Ebook, Chapters
1-2
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Suggested Materials:
Play Spent: http://playspent.org/
Excerpts from The Glass Castle
September 15: Education and Inequality:
 Lewis, The culture of Poverty--Skim
 Excerpts, Kozol, Shame of the Nation
 Scott and Leonhardt’s Shadowy Lines that Still Divide,
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/national/class/OVERVIEWFINAL.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
 Excerpts from A Hope in the Unseen
Suggested Materials:
Watch Inequality for All (2013)
September 22: Race
 Anderson, Margaret and Patricia Hill Collins. “Why Race, Class,
and Gender Still Matter.”
 Lorde – “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining
Difference”
 Excerpts, Collins, Black Feminist Thought
Suggested Materials:
Crash (2004)
September 29: Race (cont)
 Omi and Winant’s Racial Formation
 Tatum’s Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
 Bobo and Smith’s Laissez-Faire Racism
Suggested materials:
Read excerpts from The Oxford Anthology of African-American
Poetry, Blessing the Boats, for colored girls, and Macnolia
October 6: Gender
 Excerpts from Hochschild, The Second Shift
 Excerpts from Kimmel’s Masculinity
 Excerpts from Judith Butler, Gender Trouble
Suggested Materials:
Read excerpts from The Vagina Monologues
October 13: Sexual Orientation
 Ingraham “Heterosexuality: Its Just Not Natural”
 Adam “Constructing the Neoliberal Sexual Actor: Responsibility
and Care of the Self in the Discourse of Barebackers.”
 Rust, “Sexual Identity and Bi-Sexual Identities; The Struggle for
Self-Description in an Changing Sexual Landscape”
Suggested materials:
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Read Excerpts from 500 tips for fat girls, and Watch Milk (2008)
October 17: No Class
October 20: Hate Crimes// Bullying
 Excerpts from Broad and Jenness Hate Crimes
 Meyer, “Resisting Hate Crime Discourse: Queer and Intersectional
Challenges to Neoliberal Hate Crime Laws”
 Watch Bully (2012)
Suggested materials:
Watch Boys Don’t Cry (2004)
October 27: Gendered Violence
 Excerpts from Renzetti, Violent Betrayal
 Excerpts from Katz, Macho Paradox
 Rose. “Rape as a Social Problem: A Byproduct of the Feminist
Movement”
Suggested Materials:
Read excerpts from A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A
Prayer, and the afterward of Bastard out of Carolina
November 3: Prison Industrial Complex
 Excerpts, Angela Davis, Are prisons obsolete?
 Watch Davis: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ2cC7LHMxA
 Schlosser, “The Prison-Industrial Complex”
http://www.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/98dec/prisons.htm
Suggested Materials:
Watch War On Drugs - The Prison Industrial Complex (1999)
November 10: Environment
Sociological Autobiography Due
 Smith. “There’s No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster”
http://understandingkatrina.ssrc.org/Smith/
 Further Readings TBA
Suggested Materials:
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
November 14: No Class
November 17: Bodies // Social Movements
 Excerpts from Bordo, Unbearable Weight
 Wendell, “Toward a Feminist Theory of Disability”
 Verta Taylor, et al, Culture and Mobilization: Tactical Repertoires,
Same-Sex Weddings and the Impact on Gay Activism
Suggested Materials:
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Watch Eve Ensler’s Ted talk
(https://www.ted.com/talks/eve_ensler) and Stella Young’s Ted Talk
(https://www.ted.com/talks/stella_young_i_m_not_your_inspiration_thank
_you_very_much)
November 24: Student choice
Readings and Assignments TBA
November 26, 28: No Class
December 1: Student Presentations
December 8: Student Presentations (cont)
Final Paper Due
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