DREXEL UNIVERSITY

           

Summer 2007

 

 

SOC 101-006  Introduction to Sociology                                                                                       

Mrs. Nancy Reeves    

E-mail : nreeves@gccnj.edu

Phone : 856-952-3562-Cell 

 

Office Hours : I do not have official office hours, however, I will be available before and after class to discuss any issues you might have.

 

    

 

SYLLABUS

 

 

CLASS MEETING TIME:                Mondays 6-8:50 pm                                    

REQUIRED BOOKS:

 

Sociology: A Down To Earth Approach

James Henslin

7th Edition 

 

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  A general introduction to Sociology covering empirically based theoretical insights on social groups, cultures, institutions, social organization, stratification, deviance, social movements, and social change.  The development of a sociological perspective through the application of core concepts, such as the sociological imagination and the social construction of reality, formulates the basic framework for this course.

 

 

 

OBJECTIVES:

 

  1. The student will be able to summarize the basic contributions made to the discipline of sociology by each of the following theorists: Karl Marx, Max Weber, Charles Cooley, Emile Durkheim, George Mead.
  2. The student will be able to compare and contrast subculture and counter culture.
  3. The student will be able to define socialization and discuss its importance to the individual and to society.
  4. The student will be able to summarize Kohn's findings on the way class differences in socialization get passed on from generation to generation within the family.
  5. The student will be able to discuss how the self develops according to the theory of the "looking glass self."  
  6. The student will be able to compare and contrast the following types of social control strategies that are likely to follow violation of these norms: folkways, mores, laws.
  7. The student will be able to discuss how the American family is changing in response to the increased employment of women.
  8. The student will be able to discuss the increased divorce rate, the causes of divorce, factors of the increase of divorce and the implications for the institution of marriage suggested by the high divorce rate.
  9. The student will be able to define education in sociological terms and summarize the function of the institutions of education in contemporary society. .

 

 

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING SYSTEM:

 

                                    Two tests@100 pts each=                   200 pts                       

                        3 Papers@30 pts each =                      90 pts                                     

                                    TOTAL POSSIBLE=                       290 PTS                                                                     

 

The +/- system will be used in calculating grades.

 

 

 

CLASS PREPARATION:  It is extremely important that you do the required reading before you come to class and come prepared with questions and/or comments.

 

 

 

TESTS: There will be twp tests.  The first test will consist of Chapters 1-6.  The second test will consist of Chapters 8, 9, 10,12,13,14. Each test will consist of 50 multiple choice questions which will be worth 2 points each.  The questions will be based on the readings and the lectures.  In order to do well on the tests, you need to do the assigned readings, come to class, and take excellent notes!

 

 

MINI-PAPERS:  There will be 3 mini-papers due over the course of the semester.  These papers MUST be typed or you can e-mail it to me.  The paper must be a minimum of two pages in length.  Each paper will be on topics from each chapter.  You will decide which question you want to answer from the list (See other page for list of topics).  You will see a handout before the movies which will have questions you need to answer.  The 2nd paper will consist of questions and answers from the Heavens Gate Documentary and I am a Promise.  Please use your critical and analytical thinking skills in writing your papers.  Make sure to answer all of the questions.  The quality of the paper is much more important than the quantity!             

 

 

ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PREPARATION:  Attendance is crucial in understanding the topics and achieving a good grade.  I understand that emergencies and/or illnesses may occur throughout the semester.  However, attendance is considered in the overall consideration of the final grade.  After THREE absences, A LETTER GRADE WILL BE DROPPED!  In other words, if an individual has a grade of A the grade will then be lowered to a B starting with the 4th absence.  Please attend class!  There is a correlation between success in the class and regular attendance!  

 

 

 

SCHEDULE:

 

 

6/25-Intro to Course, Chapter 1

7/2-Chapters 2 & 3

7/9-Chapters 4 & 5 and review for 1st exam

7/16-EXAM 1-Chapters 1-5-1st MINI PAPER DUE

7/23-Chapter 6, Heavens Gate Cult Documentary

7/30-Chapters 8 & 9

8/6-Chapter 12

8/13-Chapter 12, I am a Promise Documentary

8/20-Chapter 13 and review for 2nd exam-2ND MINI PAPER DUE

8/27-EXAM 2-Chapters 6, 8, 9, 12, and 13-3RD MINI PAPER DUE 

 

 

 

 

TOPICS FOR MINI-PAPERS

*Select one from each group*

 

GROUP A Chapters 1-5

 

Chapter 1

á      Can sociology really be value free? Should it be? How might sociologists best research such issues as capital punishment, euthanasia, and/or abortion?

 

Chapter 2

á      Provide some examples of cultural diffusion in the United States.  To what extent has this diffusion impacted our culture?  What role does new technology play in cultural diffusion?

 

 

Chapter 3

á      How do popular television shows portray gender roles?  Is there much variety contained in these presentations?  What messages do these programs transmit about appropriate male and female behavior?

 

 

                       Chapter 4

á      What are the Òback stageÓ and Òfront stageÓ areas of your life?  Do you feel it is important to have both in your life? How are they different? Are they similar at all?

 

 

 

 

 

                       

Chapter 5

á      What characteristics of larger groups make them stronger than dyads?  Do SimmelsÕ observations about dyads help us understand why so many American couples break up? How?  If you wanted to be chosen to be the leader of a group that had just been formed what could you do to improve your chances of selection?

 

 

 

 

 

 

GROUP B Chapters 6-13

 

Chapter 6

á      Choose any deviant behavior and distinguish between the explanations each of the following theories would offer for that behavior:  differential association theory, control theory, and labeling theory

 

 

 

Chapter 8

á      If your current major in college becomes your career, how will the new      technologies affect your work?  What is the future of social mobility in the United States?  How will technology affect that future?

 

 

Chapter 9

á      Explain institutional discrimination.  What impact does it have?  What might be some examples of institutional discrimination beyond those offered in the text?  How is institutional discrimination similar for both race and gender?

 

 

Chapter 10

á      Give two examples of gender inequalities you have witnessed in either (and) your workplace, college campus, any social institutions, or otherwise.  In your opinion, what will gender relations be like in 2016 (10 years from now)? Will women be paid as much as men? Why or why not? What social changes do you predict will occur in relation to gender inequalities?

 

 

 

 

Chapter 12

á      How is social class significant in child rearing?  Do you agree with KohnÕs hypothesis about class differences in child rearing?

 

 

 

Chapter 13

á      How would evaluate the educational experience of your high school?  Did you see examples of tracking, mainstreaming, and/or social promotion?