Sociology: Introduction to Sociology
SYLLABUS
Spring 2015
Instructor: Jason Leblang
Class meeting time:
Office hours:
E-mail:
Tuesdays/Thursdays: 4:00 –
5:45
Anytime per e-mail or in person
by appointment
Jason.leblang@bronxlawhs.org
Bronx Community College Credit Information:
Welcome to the College Now program. For many of you, this is your first experience
taking a real college course, and therefore, BCC would like to remind you of a few facts
about the program. Upon signing up for this course, you will now have a permanent
record in CUNYfirst (The CUNY grading and transcript system). A grade of C or less
(even a W) places you on academic probation and imperils your financial aid
opportunities. A how-to guide for students to claim their CUNYfirst accounts will be
distributed to you within the first few weeks of the semester. If you wish to obtain a
transcript (CUNYfirst will only display their records; it cannot be used as a transcript),
you can visit the BCC Registrar’s link:
http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/Registrar/Transcripts/. All student queries NOT related to
your course should be directed to Collegenow@bcc.cuny.edu.
Course Description:
This introductory course will give you an understanding of the basic principles of
sociology as an academic discipline and provide an analytical perspective of society
and everyday life through sociological theories. In this course we will analyze the ways
in which people interact and function in groups. It is a practical as well as theoretical
study which includes such subjects as culture, values, and norms, social stratification,
race and ethnicity, conformity, deviance, urban living, social change, and social
movements. By learning how to apply theory to empirical examples you will develop
your “sociological imagination”, and cultivate an open perspective in trying to
understand your behavior, society, and other cultures. This is a writing intensive
course and to promote the learning of course material writing assignments will be
assigned throughout the semester. In these assignments you will be able to apply the
knowledge you acquire during the course and they will help you polish your critical
thinking and writing skills.
This course is designated as a Writing Intensive course.
1. The course uses writing to promote the learning of course materials
2. The course provides interaction between the professor and students while students
do assigned writing
3. Written assignments contribute significantly to each student’s course grade.
4. Students write at least 2,000 words (about 10 typed pages - not including drafts and
in-class essay exams)
Course Goal
By the end of the course you should be able to: know what sociology is and distinguish
it from other social sciences; be familiar with the main sociological theories, know the
fundamentals of sociology including research, culture, socialization, society, and
groups; know aspects of various sub-disciplines of sociology including collective
behavior, sexuality, deviance, social stratification, population/ urbanization, and social
institutions; and integrate this knowledge into your own life by recognizing the
concepts in it and critically analyzing what we "know" about society.
Readings
All of the readings will be from the required texts and from reading assignments listed
in the syllabus. Complete all reading assignments prior to the class.
Course Requirements (Overview)
There are five components to the final grade.
1. Writing Assignments: Two writing assignments each worth 15% (Total 30%)
2. Quizzes: Fifteen quizzes each worth 2% (Total 30%)
3. Midterm: One Midterm Exam worth (Total15%)
4. Final Exam: One Final Exam worth (Total15%)
5. Discussions: In-class writing assignments during discussions. (Total 10%)
Detailed Class Structure and Grading Procedures
Writing Assignments
· There will be two writing assignments. These are due during session 11 and 21. See
exact due days on the schedule at the end of this syllabus)
· Each of these written assignments must be at least four (4) pages (or 1000 words
each)
· The assignments must be submitted by the due date. Late assignments will not be
accepted.
· You will receive additional information for each assignment.
Grading (Writing Assignments)
Your assignments will be graded according to this matrix.
Quizzes/Final
· There will be 15 quizzes, plus 1 midterm and 1 final exam.
· All quizzes and the final have the same format (multiple choice and/or short
answers)
· See exact dates for the quizzes, midterm, and the final exam at the end of this syllabus.
Grading the Discussions
Your in class responses to case studies and articles will be graded according to this
matrix.
Policies
Academic Integrity
You are expected to understand and comply with the College’s Policy of Academic
Integrity. The integrity of a college depends upon academic honesty, which consists of
independent learning and research. Academic dishonesty includes cheating and
plagiarism. Violations of the Student Conduct Code may result in suspension or
expulsion from the program, receiving a failing grade for the course or being referred
to the BCC Dean of Students for disciplinary action.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes but is not limited to submitting, in fulfillment of an academic
requirement, any work that has been copied in whole or in part from another individual's
work without attributing that borrowed portion to the individual; neglecting to identify
as a quotation another's idea and particular phrasing that was not assimilated into the
student's language and style or paraphrasing a passage so that the reader is misled as to
the source; submitting the same written or oral or artistic material in more than one
course without obtaining authorization from the instructors involved; or "drylabbing,"
which includes obtaining and using experimental data and laboratory write-ups from
other sections of a course or from previous terms.
It is ultimately each student's responsibility to learn about plagiarism and how to
avoid it. Ignorance of the rules, saying "I forgot about that" or "I made a mistake" is not
considered a valid excuse when it comes to plagiarism.
Session
Topic
1
2/5/15
Chapter 1:
Understanding
Sociology
2
2/10/15
Readings and
Media (all
readings from
textbook unless
otherwise noted)
pgs. 2-13: What is
Sociology?, What is
Sociological
Theory, The
Development of
Sociology
pgs. 13-23: Major
Theoretical
Perspectives,
Taking Sociology
With You
Quizzes,
Assignments
Quiz #1: Chapter 1
3
2/12/15
Chapter 2:
Sociological
Research
4
2/24/15
Chapter 3: Culture
5
2/26/15
6
3/3/15
7
3/5/15
Chapter 4:
Socialization and
the Life Course
pgs. 28-48: What is
the Scientific
Method?, Major
Research Designs,
Ethics of Research,
Feminist
Methodology, The
Data-Rich Future,
Social policy and
Sociological
Research, Using
Statistics and
Graphs, Writing a
Research Report
pgs. 52-67: What is
Culture?,
Development of
Culture around the
World, Cultural
Variation, Role of
Language, Norms
and Values
pgs. 67-72: Global
Culture War,
Culture and the
Dominant
Ideology, Social
Policy and Culture
pgs. 76-90: The
Role of
Socialization, The
Self and
Socialization,
Agents of
Socialization
pgs. 90-96:
Socialization
throughout the life
course, Role
Transitions, Social
Policy and
Socialization
Quiz #2: Chapter 2
Quiz #3: Chapter 3
Quiz #4: Chapter 4
8
3/10/15
Chapter 5: Social
Interaction,
Groups, and Social
Structure
9
3/12/15
Chapter 6: The
Mass Media
10
3/17/15
11
3/19/15
12
3/24/15
Chapter 7:
Deviance and
Social Control
pgs. 100-122:
Social Interaction
and Reality,
Elements of Social
Structure,
Understanding
Organizations,
Social Structure in
Global Perspective,
Social Policy and
Social Structure
pgs. 126-142:
Sociological
Perspectives on
the Media, The
Audience
Quiz #5: Chapter 5
The Media’s Global
pgs. 142-144:
Reach, Social
Policy and the
Mass Media
Quiz #6: Chapter 6
pgs. 148-163:
What is Deviance?,
Social Control, Law
and Society,
Sociological
Perspectives on
Deviance
pgs. 163-171:
Crime: A
Sociological
Approach, Crime
Statistics, Social
Policy and Social
Control
Research Paper
#1 Due
Quiz #7: Chapter 7
13
3/26/15
Chapter 8:
Stratification and
Social Mobility in
the United States
14
3/31/15
15
4/2/15
16
4/14/15
Midterm
Chapter 9: Global
Inequality
pgs. 204-218: The
Global Divide,
Stratification in the
World System,
Stratification
within Nations
pgs. 219-223: Case Quiz #9: Chapter 9
Study:
Stratification in
Mexico, Social
Policy and Global
Inequality
Chapter 10: Racial
and Ethnic
Inequality
pgs. 226-239:
Minority, Racial,
and Ethnic Groups,
Prejudice and
Discrimination,
Sociological
Perspectives on
Race and Ethnicity
pgs. 240-253:
Quiz #10: Chapter
Spectrum of
10
intergroup
Relations, Race and
Ethnicity in the
United States,
Social Policy and
Racial and Ethnic
Inequality
17
4/16/15
18
4/21/15
19
4/23/15
pgs. 176-189:
Systems of
Stratification,
Sociological
Perspectives on
Stratification, Is
Stratification
Universal?,
Stratification by
Social Class
pgs. 189-200:
Quiz #8: Chapter 8
Income and
Wealth, Poverty,
Life Chances, Social
Mobility, Social
Policy and
Stratification
20
4/28/15
Chapter 11:
Stratification by
Gender
21
4/30/15
Chapter 12: The
Family and Human
Sexuality
22
5/5/15
23
5/7/15
24
5/12/15
Chapter 13:
Education and
Religion
pgs. 258-276:
Social Construction
of Gender,
Sociological
Perspectives on
Gender, Women:
The Oppressed
Majority,
pgs. 280-296:
Global View of the
Family,
Sociological
Perspectives on
the Family,
Marriage and the
Family, Divorce
pgs. 296-301:
Diverse Lifestyles,
Human Sexuality,
Social Policy and
the Family
pgs. 306-320, 333334: Sociological
Perspectives on
Education, Schools
as Formal
Organizations,
Social Policy and
Education
pgs. 320-332:
Durkheim and the
Sociological
Approach to
Religion, World
Religions,
Sociological
Perspective on
Religion,
Components of
Religion, Religious
Organization
Quiz #11: Chapter
11
Research Paper
#2 Due
Quiz #12: Chapter
12
Quiz #13: Chapter
13
25
5/14/15
Chapter 14:
Government and
the Economy
26
5/19/15
Chapter 15: Health
and the
Environment
27
5/21/15
Final
pgs. 338-362:
Economic Systems,
Case Study:
Capitalism in
China, Power and
Authority, Types of
a Government,
Political Behavior
in the United
States, Models of
Power Structure in
the United States,
War and Peace,
Changing
Economies, Social
Policy and the
Economy
pgs. 366-387:
Sociological
Perspectives on
Health and Illness,
Social
Epidemiology and
Health, Health Care
in the United
States, Sociological
Perspectives on
the Environment,
Environmental
Issues, Social
Policy and the
Environment
Quiz #14: Chapter
14
Quiz #15: Chapter
15
*The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus according to class need and
progression.