Sociology 206

Society in Focus, Fifth Edition...by Thompson and Hickey (TH)

206 Online Reader

4/05............2. Sociological Concepts and Institutions (Online)

4/12............3. Education(TH 14)

4/19............4. Families (TH 13)

4/26............5. Political Economy (TH 16 & 17)

5/03............5. Political Economy cont.

5/10............6. Media (TH Various Pages)

5/17............7. Religion (TH 15)

5/24............8. Health and Health Care (TH 18)

5/31............9. Social Change (TH 20)

5/31...........10. Conclusion (Online)

ANALYSIS PAPERS

There will be five(5) Analysis Papers...each worth 20 pts...for a total of 100 pts. Topics can be found HERE

ARTICLE REVIEW

You will be asked to sociologically review an online Article...worth 50 points. Eligible Articles are HERE. Article Review Instructions are HERE

INTERNET RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT

There will be an Internet Research Assignment worth 100 points. Instructions are HERE.

FINAL EXAM

There will be a Take-Home Final Exam...covering all material...worth 100 points.

350 Points........Total

Nostalgia as Ideology

The Courage to Teach

Mental Illness is Still a Myth

War as a Sporting Event

Christian Kissing in an Emotionally Constipated Nation

The focus of this course is twofold...first, on the institutions of our society (and by implication, on the "system" as a whole) and second, on social change. For the better part of the term we will examine the major institutions...education, family, religion, etc. So, it would seem reasonable to start with a definition and understanding of just what an "institution" is and isn't, sociologically. To facilitate this understanding, the following three links will take you to an outline of ideas concerning institutions, then to a short essay based on it, and also to another essay about "social institutions." Please read this material and then...

...write an analysis paper about what you've read...i.e. explain, in your own words, what an institution is all about and how this definition might differ from what you thought they were about. What does all this make you think about? What implications about our society...as well as us as individuals...do you see or can think of or speculate about?

So, here are the three links:

Outline of Institutions

Essay about Institutions

Social Institutions



ANALYSIS PAPER #2

After reading and considering the ideas Freire presents, react or respond to them. The following are SOME possible issues to address...Can you relate to his metaphors, especially the "Banking" one? Consider your own past and current experiences in school. What teachers are or have been "Bankers" and which ones are or have been "Problem-Posers"? What do you think of all this? Would our current "crisis" in our schools...the dropouts, etc....be diminished if we transformed our approach? Does this give any insight into the lower performances our country is so worried about these days? How does each address the "hidden curriculum" in schools? Go anywhere you want with these ideas.



ANALYSIS PAPER #3

Last week, April 26, we covered, in class, the variety of answers to the question of "Who Governs?" the United States. So after reviewing this OUTLINE and reading the material in Chapter 16 of our textbook, who do YOU think "governs" in our country? Which of these "answers"...and any combination of them...best answers this question?



ANALYSIS PAPER #4

Religion...quite a topic these days (any day, as a matter of fact!). This is going to be a relatively "open-ended" topic about religion...so, after reading the chapter in T/H, the material online, and hearing the lecture about it, what do you think about religion? You can discuss anything you like...anything that gets your interest going. Religion...a universal reality in cultures and societies...but is it so universal? What of those who don't participate in the various symbolic and spiritual aspects of religion? Every society seems to have developed some sense of religion, but does that mean that every individual in those societies has done so? So, stopping short of declaring your "faith" in a god, analyze the human reality of religion...what have we made of it...and why is social institution of religion so powerful? Go "anywhere" you want with this...



ANALYSIS PAPER #5

Evaluate YOURSELF in this course...not grade-wise...but rather, about the ideas/material, your reactions to them, your classmates (not individually, of course), discussions, the assignments, and the course content overall. What was the learning process like for you? Did you expand your "sociological imagination"...or perspective?
NOTE: Although I’ll probably get mentioned in this essay...the point of it is YOU, not me. Do a serious/full job and you'll get the full 20 points...less than serious/full, less points.

You are going to need access to a Computer for this course with access to the Internet. Whether its your own computer, your parent‘s, one in a Lab, a friend's computer, or one at a Library, they're not that difficult to find these days.

That means you'll need to have or to learn a basic minimum of skills in navigating the Internet. It's a tool that's quickly become a necessity in today's world...especially as it relates to academics. If you have no experience in doing this, don’t worry, there's plenty of help available...especially at LCC (Social Science Lab is on the 4th floor of Center Bldg) and on the Internet itself. I've put a link under MEMU (above) to a "beginners" tutorial which takes you through it step by step. I’m also willing to help get you started, if necessary.

Why? Besides being an immensely rich and important source of all sorts of information, the Internet provides the opportunity for providing reading material for academic classes...making materials accessible to anyone...anytime. This also cuts down on the amount of copying necessary...saving paper and money. My own website, The Sociology Shop, will be an integral component of this course...it will have a “room” for our class, links to required reading materials, and the details of the course...including assignments and instructions you will need, plus, of course, due dates. The Online Reader...beyond the textbook...is, in effect, a substitute for asking you to buy a Reader, thus saving you money. Thus you need to become familiar with The Sociology Shop in general as well as familiar with our “Sociology 206 Room”...which you are “in” right now. We will be viewing it in class on a regular basis.

ALSO, you will need an EMAIL address for this course. There will be occasions I may need to email you individually as well as the class as a whole. Likewise, you may need to email me with questions or information and possibly, an assignment. If you don't have an Email account, please get one SOON...it is a requirement of the course, not an option. Many are free, such as Yahoo and Hotmail...and these can be accessed on any computer, anywhere. I will be glad to assist you in setting one up...just ask me. IF you already have one (or when you get one), please send me a message (indicating your name---sometimes usernames don’t reveal that) so I can enter your address into my address book and create the class list. Send it to socshop@yahoo.com Please pay prompt attention to this matter...Thanks.

I firmly believe in the use of this technology as a teaching and learning tool...it's an essential component of the course.