Lane Community College
Fall 2001
Tuesday & Thursday 11:30 AM-12:50 PM...Bldg #11, Rm 130
Office...........418 Center
Voice Mail.........741-1212 (Mailbox 7804)
E-Mail......................socshop@yahoo.com
Home Phone...............................736-0204
David H. Kessel
MENU
LCC Catalog Course Description
Class Policies and General Comments
What you'll need for SOC 225
Wadsworth's Virtual Society Surfing Lessons---A Tutorial
Required Reading Materials
Schedule of Topics and Readings
Assignments and Instructions
Due Dates
Summary of Points in Course
Grading Scale
TSS Directory
LCC Catalog Course Description
An examination of selected social problems,basic facts, effects on the individual and society, and explanations. Problems will be selected from the following three areas, but not all topics will be covered each term. 1. Systemic problems: racial and sexual discrimination, inequality and poverty, militarization and war, ecological problems, overpopulation, urban and rural problems, life cycle problems.
2. Problems of specific institutions: government, economy, family, education, religion, social services. 3. Personal pathologies: mental illness, suicide, alcoholism, drug addiction.
Grading Scale
Social Problems, Eighth Edition...by D. Stanley Eitzen and Maxine Baca Zinn (EBZ)
Assigned Materials in The Sociology Shop (TSS)
In-Class Handouts
OTHER REQUIRED READING...BY CHAPTER
SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS
Sociological Concepts
Chapter ONE---SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES
The Genuine Progress Indicator
Chapter TWO---POLITICAL ECONOMY
Equality DOES NOT EQUAL Sameness
Capitalism: From Three Perspectives
The "details" of who's running america
Minimum Wage Laws in the States
Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor
Study of Oregon's Minimum Wage Increase
History of Federal Minimum Wage Rates
Chapter ELEVEN---WORK
Labor and Alienated Labor in Capitalist Society
A short outline of Marx's Concept of Alienation
Chapter THIRTEEN---EDUCATION
Chapter 2 from Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire
Banking and Problem-Posing Education Compared
Chapter EIGHT---RACISM
The Racism Room
Good links to interesting and pertinent sites...especially about Black Like Me
The Geometer of Race...by Stephen Jay Gould
Racism in the English Language...by Robert B. Moore
HANDOUT: Oprah on Racism Video Guidelines...also online HERE
Chapter NINE---GENDER
Gender Role Allocation in 224 Societies
The Child and its Enemies...by Emma Goldman
Androgyny as an Ideal for Human Development
Mills' Structural Model of Society
Chapter SIXTEEN---CRIME
Pathology of Imprisonment
Original article about the Stanford Prison Experiment...written by Phil Zimbardo
The Stanford Prison Experiment: Still Powerful after all these years
Critique of Stanford Prison Experiment
An excerpt from book by Erich Fromm
Discussion Questions about SPE
Chapter FOURTEEN---HEALTH
Health as a Virtue...by Ivan Illich
The Psychology of Normalcy...by Erich Fromm
Medicalization and Social Control: A Bibliography
Medicine Gives Us a Longer Life?
Mental Illness and the Medical Model
Health Studies: Medicalization
Social Control Through Medicine
Medicalization and Social Ills (gun control)
Thomas Szasz...list of books by...from amazon.com
The Medicalization of Women's Lives
Death with Dignity National Center
Chapter EIGHTEEN---PROGRESSIVE PLAN FOR FUTURE
Pre-Political and Political Thought
Society as Drama
----Outline of Chapter 6 of Invitation to Sociology...by Peter L. Berger
A Call to Celebration...by Ivan Illich
1. 9/25-9/27-10/2
Introduction (Syllabus and SOC 225 Room in TSS)
Sociological Concepts (HERE)
Sociological Approach (EBZ Preface and EBZ Chapter 1)
2. 10/4-10/9-10/11-10/16
Political Economy (EBZ Chapter 2)
National Security (EBZ Chapter 15)
World Population and Inequality (EBZ Chapter 3)
Threats to Environment (EBZ Chapter 4)
3. 10/18-10/23-10/25
Work (EBZ Chapter 11)
Poverty (EBZ Chapter 7)
Urban Problems(EBZ Chapter 6)
4. 10/30-11/1
Education (EBZ Chapter 13)
5. 11/6-11/8-11/13-11/15
Race(EBZ Chapter 8 & Chapter 5a)
Gender (EBZ Chapter 9)
Sexual Orientation (EBZ 10)
Families (EBZ Chapter 12)
6. 11/20-11/27-11/29-12/4
Crime (EBZ Chapter 16)
Drugs (EBZ 17)
Health and Aging (EBZ Chapter 14 & EBZ Chapter 5b)
7. 12/6
Progressive Plan and Conclusion (EBZ Chapter 18)
ANALYSIS PAPERS
There will be five (5) Analysis Papers to write...worth 20 points each for total of 100 points. Go HERE for the topics.
ARTICLE REVIEW
There will be an Article Review worth 100 points. You may choose any article on any topic with "Social Problems" on the Internet. Instructions are HERE.
MID-TERM EXAM
There will be a take-home Mid-Term Exam worth 100 points. It will cover material through 10/18. The EXAM is HERE
INTERNET ASSIGNMENT
You will have an Internet Assignment worth 100 points. Instructions are HERE.
FINAL EXAM
There will be a take-home Final Exam worth 100 points...due at our scheduled Finals Week time slot.
As we begin our journey into the tangled web of "social problems" I'd like to focus our thinking about just what a social problem IS...and ISN'T...& TO WHOM...and WHY (among other things). Clicking HERE you will find an excerpt from Invitation to Sociology by Peter L. Berger about "Social Problems." I'd like you to read this (along with your reading of of the Preface and Chapter 1 in EBZ) and see what personal and analytical sense you make can out of it. If Berger is correct...and many including myself think he is...then what are the implications in terms of looking at our "system" itself...in what sense is it a social problem itself?
Analysis Paper #2
One of the most often spoken of ideas in our country and around the world today is "equality." Some say its not possible, some say its not desirable, and some say inequality is simply a fact of human existence. Alexander Liazos, however, gives us a different slant on this important concept...in the short piece entitled "Equality (doesn't equal) Sameness. This piece is linked under Required Reading Materials in the 225 Room or you can get to it directly by clicking HERE.
Read this piece and consider what he is saying and then react/analyze it. Just why do we tend to equate "equality" with "sameness"? Why do we have such a difficult time with "differences"? Why are we seemingly obsessed with "ranking" and notions of superiority and inferiority? The questions could go on forever about this...lets see what you can make of it, ok?
Analysis Paper #3
This Analysis Paper will be based on the Oprah/Racism video we see in class. I’d like to hear your analysis of the subject matter of this video. In the Handout, I’ve given you some details of the video and some ideas to get you started and to help you organize your thoughts. (In case you misplaced it, that Handout can be accessed HERE)
In short, tell me about racism...based on the video and your readings from the text and links I've provided.
Analysis Paper #4
React to and analyze "Quiet Rage"...the video on the Stanford Prison Experiment. There are numerous links about it under Chapter 16 in Required Reading Material, including Discussion Questions. There's also an article by Erich Fromm who was very critical of the Experiment. A central question is, of course, the power of roles in our lives. Finally, there's also a Slideshow of the experiment...if you miss the video or just want another look at it, go to the Stanford Prison Experiment site and look for the Slideshow link.
Analysis Paper #5
Evaluate YOURSELF in this course...not grade-wise...but rather, about the ideas, your reactions to them, your classmates (not individually, of course)
discussions, and the course overall. Where and why were you reluctant or not reluctant to be swayed or,in other words, what was the learning process like for you? Also, tell me what you thought of the textbook and reading materials...and...the class assignments. Although I’ll probably get mentioned in this essay...the point of it is YOU, not me. (Do a serious job and you'll get the full 20 pts...this is a chance to get credit...literally...for being honest about yourself!!.)
You are going to need access to a Computer for this course with access to The Internet. Whether its your own computer or one in a Lab or a friend's computer or one at a Library or even one at a place like Kinko's, they're not that difficult to find these days. Why? Well, besides using one for a specific assignment, I've decided to copy less and post more for this course...saving on paper as well as costs. Assignment instructions will be online and some required readings will be online.
That also means you'll need to learn a basic minimum of skills in navigating The Internet, The Web, Cyberspace, it has many names. It's a tool that's quickly become necessity in today's world especially as it relates to academics. If you have no experience in doing this, there's plenty of help available especially at LCC and on the Web itself. I've put a link in the Menu to a "beginners" tutorial. Then there's me. I'll help as much as I can. So don't panic if you're in this category, it will be okay.
You will need an EMAIL Address for this course...if you don't have one, please get one ASAP...I can help if you need it.
Finally, The Sociology Shop, my own website, is essential for this course. We have our own "room" in TSS, the SOC 225 Room (the Room you're in NOW) where you'll find links to the stuff I mentioned above. There's also other rooms which you may find helpful. I will help you become familiar with TSS and how to access information, especially in our classroom.
Pick 2 of the following (Each is worth 40 Points):
1. Select two (2) of the “Sociological Concepts” (online) (ANY 2) and explain them first...in general and second....how they specifically help you in approaching and understanding social problems (generally...or...a specific one).
or
2. Select any major topic from Chapters 1, 2, 15, 3, or 4 and discuss it. Explain what its about...why it is sociologically important/relevant, and... why you chose it (i.e. what does it “say” to you personally).
3. Select one (1) of the following links under “Required Reading Material” in our SOC 225 Room and write an essay explaining what its about and then what conclusions you come to on the basis of this information:
1. “Capitalism: From Three Perspectives” (Hint: how would social problems vary from each perspective/paradigm?)
2. “Who Governs?” (Hint: which one (or combo of ones) do you think best represents our society?)
3. “Types of Societies” (Hint: why does a change in “subsistence strategy”---i.e. economics---lead to a change in the other rows or categories?)
Summarize and interpret what this course has been all about so far...an overview, so to speak. This isn’t intended to be a “gripe” or “don’t like it” opportunity...nor is it intended to be a “praise the teacher” one either. Education isn’t about liking or disliking...its about awareness, understanding, and learning. So, what have you learned...probably and mainly about yourself?
Instructions
If you handwrite, please write so I can read it...typing is preferred, but not required
Although there are “directed” questions, this is really YOUR exam...seriously tell me what you know and I’ll be able to recognize it.
DUE: Beginning of Class on Tuesday, 10/30...no extensions...no excuses, period, ok?
Thanks!!
