Sociology 112: Social Problems. Fall Semester 2013 ... By John J. Macionis.
ISBN-10: .... TH – Sep 5 The Sociological Perspective Macionis Chapter 1.
Sociology 112: Social Problems Fall Semester 2013 Instructor: Jonathan Jarvis Office: 2045 JFSB Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday from 10:00am to 12:00pm Office Phone: 801-422-4240 (2-4240 if on campus) Email:
[email protected] Course: Soc 112 Section 002 When and Where: Tuesday/Thursday 3:00-4:15pm in B062 JFSB Required Books Social Problems (5th Edition) By John J. Macionis ISBN-10: 0205881394 Outliers: The Story of Success By Malcolm Gladwell ISBN: 9780316017923 Little, Brown and Company Course Description What is a social problem? Why do social problems occur? What should we do about them? Social problems are everywhere and affect almost everyone in some way. Consider the relevance of gay marriage, health care, education reform, financial regulation, and immigration in your own life; these are a few of the topics we will dissect in this course. The effectiveness of this course is based not only on awareness of these issues, but also our ability to understand multiple perspectives for any given problem. In an era where opinions and personalities rule the airwaves, we will move beyond politically entrenched ideas towards a more humane, logical, fact-based understanding of social problems. With this approach, I hope we can foster respectful, insightful debate on issues that affect us all even if we might disagree. In this course I am interested in your ability to know the research, the arguments and potential solutions. Therefore, class discussion is highly valued, placing responsibility on you to be thoroughly prepared for class each day so you can participate and elevate everyone's classroom experience. Pop Quizzes (15% of grade): There is not a specific attendance policy in this course. However, inclass quizzes and writings make up a significant portion of your grade. These will take place throughout the term and will be unannounced. They will consist of short essay responses to any of the material in the reading. Students may not make-up quizzes, writings, or exercises without a
written excuse one day prior to class. Latecomers cannot make up in-class quizzes. There are 11 quizzes in total. The lowest quiz score will be dropped at the end of the semester. Short Paper Assignments (10% of grade): There are 2 paper assignments due in class (Around 2 pages). 1. Are you Middle Class? On the New York Times Interactive Graph, look up what is considered to be your socio-economic background. React to what you find by describing how these contexts of advantage/disadvantage may have shaped your opportunities. This information is available at the link below, under the tab “Components of Class”. http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_03.html
2. Counterpoint Assignment. Select a topic of interest (preferably one that is covered in the Photo Essay assignment) and argue the opposite of your viewpoint convincingly with theoretical clarity and empirical evidence. Photo Essay (30% of grade): The purpose of the Photo Essay is to create a research paper with evidence (pictures) of local social problems. To write your research paper you will need to capture images of three different social problems in the local community. You may take pictures of places, groups of people, and things. Evidence of social problems can be direct (i.e. town meeting) or indirect (i.e. rainbow flag). Your ability to frame pictures, use indirect lighting, and use balance in the composition of your photos is not relevant to the overall aim of this project. I will not accept pictures where the photographer could be considered in danger (i.e. do not take pictures of drug transactions). Furthermore, photographs of individuals should be taken after the express permission of the subjects. Pictures of groups of people and objects in public spaces require no express permission. Staged pictures are not commonly accepted. This is a research paper that uses photographs as evidence of the key concepts you are exploring. The paper should be about 8 pages in length. Exams (45% of grade): Midterm Exam (20%) The midterm exam will be made up of both class and reading material for the sections covered. The exams will consist of roughly 50 multiple-choice questions (50%) and two essays questions (50%). A list of 10 potential essay questions for the exam will be passed out one week before the exam. As a result, the quality of your exam questions should be at a high level. The midterm will be in the testing center and available for two days. Final Exam (25%) The final exam consists of new material covered in class since the midterm exam as well as more general cumulative material. The final will be structured like the midterm exam, although there will be about 75 multiple choice questions. Like the previous exams, there will be two essay questions of 10 potential questions (passed out a week in advance). The final exam will be in the testing center on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of finals week.
Attendance Expectations Class, not BYU Learning Suite, is where assignments are discussed and potential revised. If detail of an assignment is specified in class, the student is responsible for that information and will tested/graded on those expectations regardless of the student’s attendance record. Thus, missing a class is possible but risky. Check with other students/TA/Jarvis if an absence is inevitable. Grading Policies Quizzes are partly grading attendance so there is no make-up for quizzes if a student is late or misses class. Exceptions can only be made a day before class begins and after approval (contact Jarvis rather than the TA). One quiz will be dropped to account for instances of "bad luck." Missing an exam will automatically result in full letter grade reduction with additional reductions based on circumstance. Late papers (including e-mails sent right before or during class) will result in a full letter grade reduction. Be sure to allow enough time for printing and stapling of assignments. My rule for grading is to return all graded assignments to students one week after I have received them (including midterms and group projects). Grading Scale A
93-100
B-
80-82
D+
67-69
A-
90-92
C+
77-79
D
63-66
B+
87-89
C
73-76
D-
60-62
B
83-86
C-
70-72
E
59 and lower
Assignment Percent Breakdown (detailed assignments to be posted on Learning Suite) Assignments
Percent
Total
100%
Pop Quizzes
15%
Short Paper Assignments
10%
Photo Essay
30%
Midterm Exam
20%
Final
25%
Course Schedule: Date
Topics
T – Sep 3
Introduction to Course
-
TH – Sep 5
The Sociological Perspective Macionis Chapter 1
-
T – Sep 10
Outliers
Outliers Part 1
-
TH – Sep 12
Outliers
Outliers Part 2
-
T – Sep 17
Poverty and Wealth
Macionis Chapter 2
-
TH – Sept 19 Poverty and Wealth
Stiglitz Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%
-
T – Sep 24
Race and Ethnic Inequality
Macionis Chapter 3
-
TH – Sep 26
Race and Ethnic Inequality
Selected Readings
-
T – Oct 1
Gender Inequality
Macionis Chapter 4
Are You Middle-Class? Due
TH - Oct 3
Gender Inequality
Selected Readings
-
T – Oct 8
Crime
Macionis Chapter 6
-
TH – Oct 10
Crime
Selected Readings
-
T – Oct 15
Utah Prison Documentary
TH – Oct 17
Sexuality
Macionis Chapter 7
-
T – Oct 22
Sexuality
Selected Readings
-
TH – Oct 24
Reading Due
Assignment Due
-
Exam 1 (Exam in testing center Friday Oct. 24th and Saturday Oct. 25th)
Midterm Review
T – Oct 29
Drugs
Macionis Chapter 8
-
TH – Oct 31
Drugs
Selected Readings
- Photo Essay Outline with pictures Due
T – Nov 5
Economy & Politics
Macionis Chapter 10
-
TH – Nov 7
Economy & Politics
Selected Readings
-
T – Nov 12
Work and the Workplace
Macionis Chapter 11
- Counterpoint Assignment Due
TH – Nov 14
Work and the Workplace
Kojima temp work in Japan excerpt
-
T – Nov 19
Family Life
Macionis Chapter 12
- Post Pictures and Descriptions
TH – Nov 21
Education
Macionis Chapter 13
-
T – Nov 26
Friday Instruction
No Class
-
TH – Nov 28
Thanksgiving
No Class
-
T – Dec 3
Education
Rothstein Chapter 1
- Photo Essay Due
TH – Dec 5
Urban Life
Macionis Chapter 14
-
Urban Life
An Economic Analysis of Drug-Selling Gang's Finances (Levitt & Venkatesh)
-
T – Dec 10 TH – Dec 12
Review for Final Exam
T – Dec 17
Final Exam in testing center
-
W – Dec 18
Final Exam in testing center
-
TH – Dec 19
Final Exam in testing center
-
University Policies BYU Honor Code In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all of their academic work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own must in fact be your own work and not that of another. Violations of this principle may result in a failing grade in the course and additional disciplinary action by the university. Students are also expected to adhere to the Dress and Grooming Standards. Adherence demonstrates respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and working environment. It is the university's expectation, and my own expectation in class, that each student will abide by all Honor Code standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have questions about those standards. Preventing Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU's policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university, but to students as well. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hours); or contact the Honor Code Office at 422-2847. Students with Disabilities Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (422-2767). Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures by contacting the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285 ASB. Academic Honesty Policy The first injunction of the BYU Honor Code is the call to be honest. Students come to the university not only to improve their minds, gain knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life's work, but also to build character. President David O. McKay taught that 'character is the highest aim of education' (The Aims of a BYU Education, p. 6). It is the purpose of the BYU Academic Honesty Policy to assist in fulfilling that aim. BYU students should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others. They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.
Plagiarism Policy Writing submitted for credit at BYU must consist of the student's own ideas presented in sentences and paragraphs of his or her own construction. The work of other writers or speakers may be included when appropriate (as in a research paper or book review), but such material must support the student's own work (not substitute for it) and must be clearly identified by appropriate introduction and punctuation and by footnoting or other standard referencing.
