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Introduction to Sociology -‐-‐ SOC 101g M70 Department of Sociology, New Mexico State University-‐Las Cruces

FALL 2016 – On-‐line minimester course October 11 – December 9, 2016

Professor: Dr. Cynthia Fabrizio Pelak (a.k.a. Professor Pelak) Email: [email protected] Graduate Teaching Assistant: Ms. Laura Iesue Email: [email protected] Course Description:

This is an on-‐line, writing-‐intensive Introductory Sociology course. Sociology is a knowledge-‐ perspective that centers on the inseparable link between the individual and society, and a social science that examines the causes, contexts, and consequences of individual and group behavior. Through course readings, class discussions, films, and writing assignments, students will gain a working knowledge of the analytical and conceptual tools (concepts, theories, and research methodologies) that sociologists use to build knowledge about our communities, our global society and our-‐selves. Students will develop their individual and collective sociological imaginations through weekly writing assignments. We will use case studies from our own lives and communities to study: (1) cultural beliefs and ideologies, particularly around class, gender and race; (2) social institutions and social structures in our ever-‐increasingly global society, such as families, the media, the economy, sports, and education; and (3) social processes, such as social interactions, socialization, stratification, social mobility, and social change.

This course fulfills the NMSU general education requirement for Area IV -‐ Social and Behavioral Sciences and is useful for students planning to enter law, business, teaching, health care services, social services, politics, graduate school and civic life in general. This course teaches a sociological imagination and aims to inspire students to become more knowledgeable and responsible citizens for the 21st century. This course values social agents – individual and institutional social agents – who contribute to the creation of a more equitable and democratic society.

Course Learning Objectives:

1. Students will demonstrate how cultural beliefs, assumptions, and values of individuals and groups in the United States are socially constructed through layers of interactions within social institutions and other social contexts.

2. Students will identify and explain how social structures (such as social institutions, organizations, and laws) influence social identities, human behaviors and social inequalities within the United States, a complex, diverse and multicultural global society.

3. Students will use their emerging sociological imaginations to critically analyze the social dynamics of their own individual social advantages and disadvantages as well as that of their families and communities.

4. Students will apply sociological knowledge and analytical tools to identify, describe, and critically evaluate current global social dilemmas and conflicts.

Students with Disabilities or Differently-‐abled Individuals: If you have or believe you have a disability, you may wish to self-‐identify. Appropriate accommodations may then be provided for you. You can obtain accommodations for a disability by providing documentation to the Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) in Corbett Center, Room 208 (646-‐ 6840). If you have general questions about the Student Accessibility Services visit http://www.nmsu.edu/~ssd/ or contact the director, Ms. Trudy Luken at 575-‐646-‐6840 (telephone) or [email protected] (email).

Required Book:

Sociology: exploring the architecture of everyday life, Brief Edition. 4th Edition. Author: David M. Newman Publisher: Sage Publications Copyright year: 2014 Print: ISBN 9781452275871 Student website: https://study.sagepub.com/newmanbrief4e The REQUIRED book for this class is available for purchase through NMSU’s Bookstore and on-‐ line booksellers. Please note that I we are using the 4th edition. Some of the chapters from the Newman (2014) textbook are also available on Canvas. A copy of the book can also be borrowed from the Service Desk at the Zuhl Library on the main NMSU campus.

Optional supplementary materials: A suggested website for sociological knowledge and insights:

http://ctx.sagepub.com -‐-‐ This is the website for Contexts, a peer-‐reviewed, published magazine that offers a smartly written, thought-‐provoking take on modern life in our communities—it's an great resource for understanding sociology and our dynamic society.

A suggested non-‐commercial news source:

Democracy Now’s War and Peace Report http://www.democracynow.org -‐-‐ A national, daily, and independent news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The show provides news and perspectives that are “rarely heard in the U.S. corporate-‐sponsored media, including independent and international journalists, ordinary people from around the world who are directly affected by U.S. foreign policy, grassroots leaders and peace activists, artists, academics and independent analysts.” The aim of this show is to inform viewers rather than entertain viewers.

Course Requirements: 1. Ground rules and course basics a. The class schedule, quizzes, and due dates of weekly assignment are subject to change. Changes will be announced through the CANVAS course website (http://learn.nmsu.edu). It is the responsibility of each student to be aware of announced changes. Make sure you regularly check Canvas to read mail and announcements for the class. If you have problem using the course website please call the computer help desk at 575-‐646-‐1840 or ask the instructor. b. Academic dishonesty and plagiarism (i.e., presenting another person’s ideas as one’s own without acknowledgement) will not be tolerated and may result in failing the course or being expelled from the university. “Any ideas, words, pictures, or other intellectual content taken from another source must be acknowledged in a citation that gives credit to the source. This is irrespective of the origin of the material, including the Internet, other students’ work, unpublished materials or oral sources. Intentional and unintentional instances of plagiarism are considered instances of academic misconduct. It is the responsibility of the student submitting [written work] to know, understand, and comply with this policy” (quoted from written correspondence with Dr. Bond-‐Maupin, August 2009). If you are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty please ask the instructor, consult your student handbook, or go to the following website: http://deanofstudents.nmsu.edu/student-‐ handbook/1-‐student-‐code-‐of-‐conduct/3-‐academic-‐misconduct.html c. Last Day to drop this class—The last day to drop this course without having to pay for the course is OCTOBER 20, 2016.

2. Quiz & Exams (40% of final grade):

There is a quiz, midterm exam and final exam in this course. All quizzes/exams are administered on-‐line through the Canvas Quiz tool and will contain multiple-‐choice questions based on the chapters in the Newman (2014) textbook.

Ø The Quiz covers the content of the syllabus and the NMSU policy regarding plagiarism, and is due on October 18th at 11:59 PM.

Ø The Midterm covers chapters 1-‐6 in the Newman (2014) textbook and is due on April 19th.

Ø The Final Exam covers chapters 9 – 12 & 14 in the Newman (2014) textbook and is due on May 9 -‐ 12th.

3. Weekly writing assignments (60% of final grade):

a. CLASS DISCUSSIONS: There are seven (7) class discussions in the course, each corresponding to an article, film, or other course materials. For each discussion students must: (1) submit a discussion posting that meaningfully responds to the discussion prompt provided in the instructions, and (2) reply to a discussion posting submitted by a classmate. The main learning objectives of class discussions are to facilitate student’s engagement

with sociological questions, problems, and perspectives, and to promote intellectual dialogue and peer-‐to-‐peer learning between students.

b. INDIVIDUAL PAPERS (400-‐500 words): There are four (4) short papers required in the

course, each corresponding to an article, film, or other course materials that make up one of the learning modules. Detailed instructions and grading rubric for each paper are given in CANVAS. The main objective of the weekly papers is to increase student’s engagement with sociological questions, problems, and perspectives and to enhance student’s knowledge acquisition, skill development, and critical thinking abilities.

4. Grading Scale: (Grades are rounded up at the .6 level)

Letter grade Percentage grade Letter Grade Percentage Grade A+ 97% -‐ 100% C+ 77% -‐ 79% A 93% -‐ 96% C 74% -‐ 76% A-‐ 90% -‐ 92% C-‐ 70% -‐ 73% B+ 87% -‐ 89% D+ 67% -‐ 69% B 84% -‐ 86% D 60% -‐ 66% B-‐ 80% -‐ 83% F 59% & below

5. COURSE SCHEDULE: DATE & MODULE TOPICS, READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS

MODULE 1:

October 11 – October 18

GETTING STARTED: Welcome to the course REQUIRED READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS: PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE DUE DATES THIS WEEK! Due Friday, October 14th at 11:59PM:

1. Study the course syllabus and review NMSU’s plagiarism policy o Complete two quizzes on “the syllabus” and “plagiarism”

2. Watch the following two short video clips on “What is Sociology?”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFdUtCAXAUM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-‐GwWTxEw3k8

3. Contribute to two CLASS DISCUSSIONS which are due on October 18th at 11:59PM on: o C. Wright Mills’ (1959) chapter titled “What is the Sociological

Imagination?” and o The Visual Concept Map of Sociology created by Professor Pelak:

http://prezi.com/zyxxtyxilvlt/sociology-‐concept-‐map/?kw=view-‐ zyxxtyxilvlt&rc=ref-‐21335917

MODULE 2:

October 18 – October 25

THEORIES, CONCEPTS & THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION REQUIRED READINGS/MATERIALS:

Ø Chapter 1 (Newman 2014): The Individual and Society -‐-‐ Taking a new look at a familiar world

Ø Chapter 2 (Newman 2014): Seeing and Thinking Sociologically -‐-‐ Theoretical Perspectives of Sociology

ASSIGNMENT: Due Tuesday, April 5th at midnight

1. PAPER (400-‐500 words) summarizing the three theoretical frameworks: o Structural functionalist (social cohesion and social structures) o Conflict theories (power and social structures), and o Symbolic interactionism (social interactions)

MODULE 3:

October 25-‐ November 1

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY: METHODOLOGY & CULTURE REQUIRED READINGS/MATERIALS:

Ø Chapter 3 (Newman 2014): Building Reality: The Social Construction of Knowledge

Ø Chapter 4 (Newman 2014): Building Order: Culture and History Ø FILM: Deadly Deception: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNa8CnC4sSU Ø REPORT: “Some News leaves people knowing less.” Fairleigh Dickinson

University Study (2011) – available through Canvas ASSIGNMENT: Due Tuesday, April 12th at midnight

1. CLASS DISCUSSION Posting on the “Fairleigh Dickinson University Study” 2. PAPER (400-‐500 words) on the Tuskegee Syphilis Study

MODULE 4:

November 1-‐ November 8

SOCIALIZATION, THE SELF & IDENTITY REQUIRED READINGS/MATERIALS:

Ø Chapter 5 (Newman 2014): Building Identity: Socialization & The Self Ø Chapter 6 (Newman 2014): Supporting Identity: Presentation of Self Ø ARTICLE: “The Girl Hunt: Urban Nightlife and the performance of Masculinity

as Collective Activity” by David Grazian (2007) ASSIGNMENTS: Due Tuesday, April 19th at midnight

1. CLASS DISCUSSION of the “Girl Hunt” article by Grazian (2007) 2. MIDTERM EXAM: Chapters 1-‐6

MODULE 5:

November 8-‐ November 15

SOCIAL STRUCTURES, INSTITUTIONS & SOCIAL STRATIFICATION REQUIRED READINGS/MATERIALS:

Ø Chapter 9 (Newman 2014): Social Structure, Institutions, and Everyday Life Ø Chapter 10 (Newman 2014): Architecture of Stratification: Social Inequality

Ø PowerPoint presentation: Charts & Figures of empirical data on income and wealth stratification in the United States.

Ø “I Like Firing People”, a fictional sociology play about the global capitalist economy and the role of American workers, written by Charles Derber & Yale Magrass (2012). From their book: The Surplus American: How the 1% Is Making Us Redundant.

Ø Occupy Wall Street Video ASSIGNMENTS: Due Tuesday, April 26th at midnight

1. Contribute to the CLASS DISCUSSION on income and wealth inequality in the United States;

2. Write a PAPER (400-‐500 words) on the play “I Like Firing People” (2012)

Module 6:

November 15-‐ November 22

SOCIAL INEQUALITIES OF RACE AND GENDER REQUIRED READINGS/MATERIALS:

Ø Chapter 11: Race and Ethnicity Ø Chapter 12: Sex and Gender Ø FILM: Sex, Lies, and Gender (2009):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ScgvPvauKE ASSIGNMENTS: Due Tuesday, May 3rd at midnight

1. Contribute to the CLASS DISCUSSION on the film “Sex, Lies, and Gender” (2009)

2. PAPER (400-‐500 words) on the social construction of gender and institutional racism and sexism in U.S. social institutions (economic system, health care system, and education).

Module 7:

November 22-‐ November 29

SOCIAL CHANGE & RECONSTRUCTING SOCIETY REQUIRED READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS: Due Tuesday, May 10th at midnight 1. Read Chapter 14: Architects of Change 2. Contribute to the CLASS DISCUSSION on social movements:

o Salt of the Earth (1954 banned film) on the 1951 labor strike against the Empire Zinc Company in Grant County, New Mexico: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9oY4rmDaWw)

o Global Climate Movement (www.350.org) o VDAY: A global movement to end violence against women and girls

(http://www.vday.org/) o Black Lives Matters (http://blacklivesmatter.com/) o Fight for $15 -‐ labor movement (http://fightfor15.org/)

FINAL EXAM

WEEK The final exam covers Chapters 9-‐12 and 14 and will be administered starting Monday, May 9th at 8am through Thursday, May 12th at 5pm.