 |
SOC 101 For This Week |
|
Weeks ▪ Week 5 ▪ Week 6
Basic Pages:
▪
Class
Listserv ▪ FAQs
Class Pages:
|
Weekly Assignments and Listserv Topics: On this page I will remind you of the assignments for each week, as well as give you some tips on what you might discuss in your weekly listserv posts. Remember, you can post on subjects outside these listed here, but these give you some ideas about interesting topics from the chapters. You can click each week to the left or scroll down the page. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪ Familiarize yourself with the class, including the format, nature of assignments and the textbook. Email me if you have any questions. ▪ Sign up for the class listserv. Begin work on the listserv. Remember that all listserv posts are due on Thursdays. For your posts, you should post at least 2 posts of 100 words each. The topics are below with each reading, but you do not have to post on every question. These are just suggestions for your topics. ▪ Read Chapters 1, 2, 3 of the text. Have a look at the end of the chapter—it orients you to the format of the text and provides some good collected resources on sociology, including useful links. ▪ Complete posts to the listserv. Good topics for week 1 and chapter 1 are: (1) the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches (see the related section near the beginning of the chapter), (2) under "What Do Sociologists Study" find the link to the history of the American Sociological Association and post on the differences that you note between sociology from the past and that conducted today, (3) under "Why Study Sociology?" consider the extended case study. Can you think of another example from the news that allows us to use sociology to provide an "alternative" explanation of a major event?, (4) under "Who Majors in Sociology" complete the exercise listed at the end of the section and post on your results, (5) Review section III (Ethos of Sociology) and discuss your experience with the list of the six skills listed. (6) We recently witnessed the devastation along the Gulf Coast from Katrina. How might sociology be applied to understanding the disaster? For Chapter 2, post on the following ideas: (1) under "Saint-Simon" post on your response to the scenario. (2) under "Comte" choose one or more of the links at the end of the section and discuss whether or not Comte's work is important in contemporary sociology. (3) under "Martineau" discuss the significance of Martineau's work in terms of its influence on the tradition of cultural critique in contemporary sociology. (4) under "Marx" complete the exercise at the end of the section. (5) under "Durkheim" complete one of the scenarios listed at the end of the section. (6) under "Simmel" complete the included scenario. (7) under "Spencer" complete the second of the two exercises (dealing with the idea of society as an organism). (8) under "Weber" complete the listed exercise. (9) complete the exercise in the "DuBois" section. (10) complete the exercise at the end of the "Veblen" section of the chapter. Remember: as you complete these exercises and scenarios, post the results of your analysis and considerations to our class listserv....for Chapter 3: (1) Reread the first few pages of the text. The author addresses differences between belief systems and science—what is the reason for this discussion? (2) Check out the chapter link (Section I) related to Project Grizzly. Is Hurtubise's effort "scientific?" (3) In general, how is science viewed in our society, especially in the media? Is Sociology a science? (4) Of the types of research discussed in Section IV, have you conducted any of them? (5) Why is protecting the rights of the research subject a concern in sociology? ▪ Sign the class agreement, here and please read over these important policies! ▪ Complete Quiz #1, it is due on Thursday, July 3, 2008 by 12:00 p.m. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪ Get caught up on listserv posts if you have not already. Remember, this is a key to your grade in this class! ▪ Read Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in our textbook. ▪ Post on the following topics...for Chapter 4: (1) in the first section of the chapter, work on and post your results to the scenario at the end of the section. (2) review the sections related to language and reality. Post on the topic of language and culture and state specifically why sociologists are interested in studying the significance of language and social reality. (3) under "What Is Society," complete the exercise at the end of the section that focuses on the Matrix films. (4) based on your knowledge of the section "American Social Values," discuss which of Williams' values relate to your everyday life, and those which do not. Post your considerations on the class listserv. Chapter 5: (1) choose one of the major theorists' understandings of early human development and discuss why you believe it to be the most accurate view of human development. (2) at the end of the segment "B. F. Skinner (1904-1990): Operant Conditioning (Behaviorism)", complete the included exercise and post your examples to our class listserv. (3) discuss one example of the "Thomas Theorem" on our listserv. Chapter 6: (1) Review the tragic Genovese case. Could a similar situation happen again? Does the scenario, at all, relate to the reactions to Hurricane Katrina? (2) Do you see any applications of Durkheim's concepts of solidarity (mechanical and organic) to our contemporary society? (3) Conformity and obedience are interesting topics in sociology. What experiences (positive or negative) have you had with fitting in, or not fitting in, with groups? (4) Have you ever experienced role overload in your life? (5) Discuss your experiences with either voluntary organizations or forms of bureaucracy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪ Continue your listserv posts. Be sure to post each week and to reflect on the readings and any other information related to the class. ▪ Read Chapters 7, 8 and 9 in our textbook. ▪ Post on the following topics...for Chapter 7: (1) read the first section of the chapter and post on your opinion of the Armin Meiwes case—is this an example of deviance? Why or why not? (2) complete the exercise that is found at the end of the segment "The Normality of Crime and Deviance and Its Consequences." Overall, do you agree with Durkheim's notion that crime is "normal" for society? (3) choose one of the major theories of crime that you believe explains crime and another that you believe to be inaccurate. In your listserv post state your reasons for your selections. (4) looking over the last section of the chapter, explain what the carnival mirror of criminal justice is. Can you give an example of it from the media? (5) How do crime shows on TV portray crime and criminal justice? Is their accuracy in their portrayals?for Chapter 8: (1) complete the exercise at the end of the first section. Choose an example that relates to social class and post it on the listserv. (2) complete the exercise that closes section "V. How Stratification is Maintained." (3) what examples suggest that stratification is occurring on a global scale? (4) based on the chapter's discussion of poverty in the United States, state some sociological reasons as to why poverty exists in the U.S. For Chapter 9: (1) search the web resource found at the end of the first section and post on your ideas of promoting tolerance. (2) according to the information given to us in the second section of the chapter, why is the U.S. Census a problematic document? (3) complete the exercise at the end of the segment "Once a Minority, Always a Minority?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪ Continue your listserv posts. ▪ Read Chapters 10, 11, 12 in our textbook. ▪ Post on the following topics...In terms of Chapter 10, consider the following topics for posts: (1) work on the exercise that is included in the first section of the chapter. (2) based on your reading of the segment that focuses on the popular dating show Elimidate, discuss your own perceptions of gender role, stereotypes and expectations that are related in popular television shows. (3) complete the exercise at the end of "The Devaluation of Women's Experiences in Education." What is your opinion of the late Adrienne Rich's position on education? (4) visit my website, The Gender Ads Project, and spend some time looking at the advertising exhibits. Discuss your reaction to the nature of gender that is portrayed in the ads. In terms of your posts, for Chapter 11: (1) Look over the chapter's list of feature films related to the family. Have you seen any of them? What do such films say about the family? Are they accurate? (2) In terms of the recent Hurricane, how have families been impacted by the disaster? How have families aided in the recovery? (3) The chapter has a lengthy discussion of love and society. What experiences have you had with love and how do they lend themselves to sociological analysis? (4) In terms of cohabitation, a recent studied suggested that a growing number of people are choosing to live single. What social forms might explain this trend? For Chapter 12, (1) Health care is a global, national and local problem. Based on your understandings of the chapter, discuss your opinions on the health care crisis. (2) What is your opinion of the educational system in the United States? How do sociologists understand inequality within education? What is your view of No Child Left Behind? (3) Have you ever experienced McDonaldization? Please discuss. (4) Discuss your experiences with front/back stage performance, impression management, emotional (managed) labor. (5) Have you experienced alienation in your work? How did it make you feel? Could you respond to it? ▪ Complete Quiz #2, it is due on Thursday, July 24, 2008 by 12:00 p.m.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 5: July 28-August 3, 2008
▪ Continue your listserv posts. If you do any web searching, try to find items that relate to our class. Include the link (URL) in your post so that others can read the same information. ▪ Read Chapters 13, 14 and 15 in our textbook.
▪
Post on the following topics...For Chapter 13 post on the
following issues: (1) Look over the author's United Nations chart at the
beginning of the chapter. What does this chart suggest about U.S. policy? (2) In
section III, review the forms of government. Why would many citizens of the
United States not accept another form of government? (3) Do you believe that
democracy is a reality in the United States? Why or why not? (4) In section IV,
what does William's study of the structure of American government suggest about
our nations' decision-making capabilities? (5) In section VI, do any of the
sociological explanations of 9/11 resonate with your understandings of the
event? (6) Post on an example that relates to the sociological study of religion
and new social movements. (7) Review the chart on Faith in World Perspective.
Choose a religion that you have not heard of, research it on the Internet, and
post about it to the class. Chapter 14: (1) What does
population study have to do with Sociology? Have you ever studied demography in
another class? What did you talk about? (2) Discuss one of the major foci of
demography (mortality, fertility, etc.) and post on a recent news story from the
Internet that relates to the focus. (3) Have you heard any discussion of
the Hurricane Katrina crisis in terms of population (such as migration)? (4) In
terms of his understanding of the impacts of population (especially their
demise), would you say that Malthus was a cynic? Why or why not? (5) What can be
done about the population crisis?
Chapter 15:
(1) Considering the chapter on the future
(chapter 15), write a post that focuses on the issue of
surveillance and society. How are you surveilled in your
community? Do you surveill others? What are the sociological
implications of surveillance? (2) complete either of the
exercises that are found in section "V. Technology and
Society." (3) Read the section related to "Virtual
Society." What is your opinion of virtual society? How
dependent on it are you? How might sociologists study the
consequences of virtual society? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
▪ Complete the final examination. It is due on Monday, August 4, 2008, 12 p.m. No late exams will be accepted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|