Texts: The text books are required.(1)*Andersen & Taylor General Sociology: Social Change &Social Institutions" (paperback) OR Andersen and Taylor "Sociology Understanding a Diverse Society" (hardback full text). Optional books you may find useful or of interest: Mander and Goldsmith."The Case Against the Global Economy;" "Parecon: Life After Capitalism." Recommended resource: "A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers" available in the library reference area at Sylvania.
*You may use either the full hardback version of the text, or the paperback 1/2 text.

Office Hours: M-R 8am-8:45am T/TR12-2pm  F10am-12pm.Other are times available by appointment.

About Your Teacher: I have my PhD in sociology from the University of Oregon. My special areas of interests are stratification systems, organizations, and the interplay of values and how they are embedded in social interaction and structure. As an Instructor, I encourage the participation of students in the learning process. My best hope is that students will leave my courses with the tools to look at the world critically and holistically.

Students with Disabilities or Special Needs: I Encourage students who have disabilities to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities for assistance in requesting accommodations.Please meet or talk with me outside of class to discuss any special considerations or problems that may affect your participation or performance in the class.

Flexibility Statement: All assignments and calendars may change in response to institutional, instructional, or weather needs. Changes in assignments may affect the number of total points available in the course. I plan to discuss several options with the class which may effect the assignments. This may mean changes in assignments or schedule. However, the overall focus and materials for the course will not change.

If you need to drop or withdraw: You are responsible for dropping or withdrawing from the class. The college policy is that you may withdraw from the course until the end of the fourth week of classes. If you quit attending and do not drop the class, you will receive whatever grade you have earned in the class. The College has restricted faculty discretion is giving Incompletes or an X grade, and they may impact your financial aid if you are receiving any. Please inform me if you are dropping the course.

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the discipline of sociology and to using the sociological perspective. We will explore social institutions their interactions and importance, and social change forces and effects.

Course Objectives:
1. Have an enjoyable and stimulating learning experience.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the course content.
3. Demonstrate ability to step outside personal experience to analyze the social environment.

Grading/Evaluation:Your grade will be based on your completion of the items detailed below and others that may be assigned. Your final grade is based on percentage of total points accumulated. A= 90-100%, B=80-89%, C=70-79%,D=60-69%, F - below 60%.

1. Attendance 5 points per class (105 total). Though you are not graded on your participation in the class,attendance is part of your grade. If you cannot make a class, or need to arrive late or leave early, please let me know. Unexplained absences are considered ditching the class. Excused absences receive reduced credit.

2. Weekly Reading Summaries: (10 points each week 100 pts) A one paragraph summary of each required reading (including online articles) is required.These will be checked regularly. 

3.Papers- 50 points per paper (100 total):Papers are due on the last class period of the week. Papers must be a minimum of two single-spaced (four double-spaced) typed pages of discussion and critique over questions from the text "Thinking Sociologically" sections of the text,online readings, class lectures and discussion, and/or supplemental readings. You should select one topic or question and discuss it for the entire length of the paper. The papers are NOT a review or summary of the material covered. Appropriate topics for each paper are those which have come up in the section of the course the paper covers. All sources must be cited appropriately, and included in a bibliography. The purpose of the papers is to 1) demonstrate you have an understanding of the material, and 2) the ability to think critically about the issues and concepts covered in the class. While I do not grade on grammar, papers should be clear enough for me to understand them.

4. Research Paper 100 points:Research papers may be over any topic of your choice that is related to the course material. Papers must be a minimum of four single-spaced ages and use a minimum of four sources.  The text (or other introductory texts) may not be one of you four sources, though it may be used as an additional source.All sources must be cited appropriately in the body of the paper and listed fully in the bibliography (including internet sources). Any standard citation style may be used. The research paper is not significantly different than the shorter papers. I am using the same evaluation criteria.

5. Research Paper topic description.I strongly encourage you to turn in a one paragraph description of your research topic and how you intend to approach it. This is not a graded assignment, but gives you the opportunity to get feedback from me on your topic and approach.This helps ensure that your paper is appropriate to the course.

Evaluation guidelines for all papers
1. Demonstrates understanding of the material/ concepts discussed.
2. Citations are correctly made, and paper meets requirements outlined for the paper.
3. Uses a sociological rather than an individual or psychological perspective.
4. Integrates and synthesizes material/concepts.
5. Takes the "next step" beyond the material, often through number four above.

Paper Format
Your papers should include the following information:
- a one sentence summary of the focus of your paper;
- a substantive discussion of the concept/topic you are discussing;
- your name, class, paper number, date, and my name.

All papers must be typed.
All sources must be cited within the body of any paper.
All papers must meet the requirements of the assigned paper(see above)

I HAVE A NOTEBOOK OF EXAMPLES OF EXCELLENT STUDENT PAPERS AVAILABLE IN MY OFFICE THAT YOU MAY EXAMINE.

Guidelines for Citing Work Electronic source citation guideline
Exact quotes: "Globalization is a force that will affect all workers." (Neubeck and Glasberg, 1996:215).

Paraphrase: Globalization affects workers around the world (Neubeck and Glasberg, 1996:215). OR According to Neubeck and Glasberg, (1996:215) workers will be strongly affected by the forces of globalization.

Internet Sources: Currently there are approximately 40 million workers employed by multinational corporations(Smith, 1997).

Guidelines for Bibliography

Book: Neubeck, Kenneth J. And Glasberg,Davita Silfen. 1996. Sociology: A Critical Approach.McGraw-Hill,Inc.:New York.
Article: Jones, Amy. 1997. "Living Life on the Streets." American Journal of Sociology.36(2):235-256.
Internet: Smith, Jason. 1997. "The Multinational Shuffle." http://www/multinational/shuffle.html.
Anthology: Brown, Malia. 2001. "The Way it Used to Be." In Readings for a New Society. Eds. Julius Kamis, and Frieda Byrd. Pages 32-48. Prentice Hall: Englewood, Ca.

Guidelines for Rewriting Papers
Only the first paper may be rewritten for possible additional credit if the paper received less than 45 points (excluding points deducted for lateness), and the paper did not receive zero points for plagiarism.
- Rewrites must be turned in before the next paper is due.
- Original paper with comments must be turned in with the rewrite.

Class Rules and Etiquette

Discussion
There will be a lot of discussion in this class, and some of it will be over very sensitive issues. I encourage the free exchange of ideas, and feel that this is an extremely valuable part of our learning experience. Please keep the following things in mind.

Avoid making personal attacks on others in the class.Aside from being hurtful, it also tends to discourage people from participating.

Don't talk over the top of someone else. As much as possible,I will allow time for everyone who has anything to say the opportunity to do so.

Try to listen closely to points being made by others.The diversity of experience and philosophy represented in the class are an important part of the learning process.

Monitor how much of the discussion time you are taking.Though your opinions are important, everyone should have the opportunity to share. If you feel you are frequently monopolizing discussion time, sit back and listen for a while.

If you feel uncomfortable with a discussion, or that I have treated you or the issue unfairly, please tell me either at the time,at break, or after class.

Plagiarism PCC's Academic Integrity Policy
Plagiarism is cheating and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is copying another person's ideas and/or words without giving them credit for creating them.  This could be quoting from a book or an article, or copying someone else's assignment.  The first instance will result in an F on the assignment (even if it is your final paper which is 25% of your grade). The second instance will result in an F for the class.
Plagiarism includes acquiring papers from other students, the internet,or other sources. I do have methods available to detect stolen or purchased papers and materials.
Most plagiarism is accidental and can be easily avoided by citing work used appropriately. Remember, that I am grading you on your understanding of the concepts and frameworks of sociology. I do not grade you on your ability to write. I grade you on your understanding of the course.

Summary of Requirements

Sociology 205  Schedule& Assignments

NOTES: Dates listed under "Week" are the MONDAY of the week.Late work receives reduced credit.
I EXPECT THAT EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST WEEK'S THAT ALL READINGS ARE DONE BEFORE THE FIRST CLASS MEETING OF THE WEEK

You are responsible for the readings indicated as REQUIRED and the assignments. You are not responsible for those articles and resources under "OPTIONAL"
** Readings indicated as password protected are accessible through the user id and password given you in class.

Quick Page Links: Week 1    Week 2     Week 3    Week 4    Week 5    Week 6    Week 7   Week 8    Week 9    Week 10  Week 11

     

Week 1:Introduction to the course 3/31 The first week we will be getting to know each other, discussing possibilities for the class, and getting into the substance of the class. We will also be covering basic concepts that will be utilized throughout the class.
Read	If you have not taken Soc 204 or its equivalent, you should look over Anderson and Taylor chapters 3 and 9.  Andersen Chapter 10: Global Stratification OPTIONAL Suggested resource: The Free Trade Area of the Americas (password protected:read/socread)
Do	Reading summary on Andersen Chapter 10
Week 2: Global Stratification and Social Change 4/7 We will continue discussing global stratification, and concepts of globalization. This introduction to globalization provides the basic concepts and terminology that are common for discussions of globalization. You may reference the Terminology Sheet as an easy reference and reminder throughout the course. You will be applying the global stratification concepts. We will also be looking at Social Change and some of the forces driving it.
Read	A/T Chapter 10: Global Stratification continued A/T Chapter 23: Social Change in a Global Perspective Online Reading: Global Economy and the Third World or here Globalization and Poverty or here
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings  OPTIONAL Extra Credit Assignment (10 points)Go to Rowan Wolf's Website and find three resources you think might be of use to you. Send the links and a brief statement of why it might be useful to you. Turn in via email by10/05
Week 3: Economy& Work 4/14 The institution of economy is at its base about how people physically survive in a society.  If we are looking at productive strategies then we get categories such as agricultural, industrial, postindustrial. If we look at distributive strategies we get categories such as capitalist, socialist, and traditional economies. When sociologists study the economy as a social institution, we are looking at both aspects and much more. For example, structured systems of inequality by race, sex, caste (and others) may transform who is doing what, and the distribution of economic resources. For example only one group may be able to do something that is considered valuable and for which top value is given, while another group may be constrained to doing things that are less valued and receive little or nothing in exchange for their contribution. This is the case with "household"production of women around the world. The work they do in relationship to home is very valuable, and the survival of their families may depend on it. However, that "production" is frequently outside the "formal"economic system and is not counted as economic activity by the World Bank or other strategies for determining the economic productivity of a group. A sociological examination of the economy takes many more things into consideration than one commonly considers when thinking about "the economy." Our understanding is further enhanced by examining how the institution of the economy links into other social institutions.Sometimes our social understanding of how the economy works, or what it means, may not reflect a sociological understanding. For example, there is a common perception in the United States that capitalism (an economic distributive system) and democracy (a form of political organization) are  somehow inseparable from each other - or even the same thing. This is clearly not the case, but it is the belief of many.
Read	REQUIRED Andersen Chapter 18: The Economy and Work Online Articles:   Parecon and Argentina     Conscience Clothing     The Rules of Corporate Behavior OPTIONAL  Other resources: False PRIDE - the new welfare reform M/G Chapter 9 - New Technologies and the End of Jobs
Do	Paper 1 over topics from weeks 1 through 3     Do your summaries of the required readings.
Week 4:Government & Politics 4/21 The political order, or polity, is focused on the division of power and authority within a society. It is the center of societal decision making, and decisions about division of resources. At heart, the polity is about power - who has it and how much, what is legitimate and illegitimate. Power and authority intertwine in a variety of way. The exercise of power without authority is perceived as illegitimate and is generally responded to negatively by the people of a society - any society. Illegitimate exercise of power by government may result in the mobilization of the populace - either through things like voter mobilization, through strikes and demonstrations, and through social movements. The polity is the social institution is somewhat unique in that it reserves the use of coercive force to itself. In other words, the right to use (or delegate the use) of economic and physical punishment to enforce compliance. In the framework of globalization various international and non-governmental organizations have been given political power.International organizations include the United Nations, the World Bank and the IMF. In terms of non- governmental organizations we have the NAFTA panels and the World Trade Organization (WTO) as glaring examples. With these non-governmental organizations in particular,there are questions of legitimacy in their authority and the power that they wield. There is the issue raised by Nader and Wallach (see readings) that these "agreements" override the rule of government.Mander argues, that they have essentially created a new form of colonialism.  At the heart of each of these articles is the argument about the polity - who has legitimate authority to exercise power.
Read	A&T Chapter 19: Government and Politics      Ralph Nader and Lori Wallach, GATT,NAFTA, and the Subversion of the Democratic Process      Jerry Mander Corporate Colonialism
Do	The 2004 Presidential election is passed, but goto 2004Campaign  and take the short quiz there. Does the candidate you voted for reflect your position on the issues?     After reading both of the above articles, go to the Political Compass web site. Read the information there and then take the survey. Does your placement on their chart surprise you?    Submit your response in class on Wednesday.       Do your summaries of the required readings,
Week 5: Cultural Institutions -Families & Religion 4/28 Both Family and Religion are (on part) "cultural institutions". In other words, they serve to connect us to each other through the promoting certain cultural values and norms. Family is the most "basic"unit of society. One could say that society is made up of networks of families. This is clearly the case in many societies, though less obvious in the United States which stresses the "individual."Regardless, family as an institution provides our first link to society, and to culture. Religion, on the other hand, creates a sense of unity among those who share the religion. In most societies there is a dominant religion which also interacts with the broader culture, and provides both a(sometimes loosely) shared sense of religious perspective. This may,and frequently does, underpin the concepts of what is right and wrong,and definitely interacts with concepts of authority and legitimacy (as discussed with the polity). Religion and Family frequently interact as social institutions in variety of ways. Religion may legitimate the relationships and roles within families, as well as being a vehicle for family creation.Families on the other hand may participate formally and informally in religious practices and training.
Read	A&T  Chapter 15: Families [pages 391-408]     A&T  Chapter17: Religion  [447-454, 468-471]
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings
Week 6: Cultural Institutions -Education & Media 5/5 Education and the mass media are two powerful forces for socialization.Education as an institution conveys not only what are considered necessary technical skills, but instills a cultural ideology. This is also where we are generally first exposed in any ongoing way to peer socialization. Media, on the other hand, portrays cultural values and norms, and sets standards against which we judge ourselves and others.In "modern" societies, it also provides the most widely disseminated information source. There has been ongoing debate in the U.S. about who should control the content of education. Should it be communities, or should it be the government. With the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, the balance has clearly shifted to the government. This comes at a time of ongoing debate about the teaching of values in public education and apolitical and cultural tug of war over that issue. Since the same forces that passed No Child Left Behind are also supportive of blurring the line between government and religion, the implementation of other policies may swing the debate and the control in a Christian rather than pluralistic direction. We see this with the federal support for various "character" curriculums across the country. We have a very different set of forces shaping the media. In this arena we have the increasing concentration of control into the hands of a few transnational corporations. There are increasing concerns about the objectivity of the media - particularly the news media. The basic presentation and framing of information is critical to social understandings of issues. Therefore, increasing concerns about "spin"and bias are feared to pose a threat to both democracy and the public's knowledge. Both media and education are at the heart of issue concerning globalization and the creation of a monoculture. Both historically and contemporarily, "western" education has been a tool of colonization and control. Education in this situation indoctrinates children into cultural values and world views that may be totally at odds with their cultural frameworks. The skills that are taught, as well as the embedded value systems are reflective of the originating culture. This is one of the issues raised in the Norberg-Hodge reading. Likewise, most major media, particularly entertainment and advertising,that is being broadcast around the globe is from the United States.This effects not only the perception of what the United States is, but also provides a global socialization into values and standards that may also conflict significantly with cultural values.
Read	A&T Chapter 16: Education [423-435] Online Articles:   The Pressure to Modernize and Globalize or this link[FYI: Other info about Ladakh and related issues Global Vision Global Vision International Society for Ecology and Culture ISEC]     Gannaway Mind Control and the Media  or this link
Do	Paper 2 due over topics from weeks 3through 6. Also one paragraph statement of your research topic is due.      Do your summaries of the required readings
Week 7:  Health and The Environment 5/12 Health care is an issue the world over. In the United States, the debate over access to and the cost of health care seems unsolvable - or at least there is not the political will to solve it. Over 45 million people in the US have no health care coverage. With the cost of health care, this effectively places them at risk. The cost of health insurance is sky rocketing and the out-of-pocket costs are increasing even for those with coverage. Over 50% of personal bankruptcies in the United States are caused by inability to pay for medical bills. Globally, particularly in poorer nations, a very different health care crisis exists. Many people live in conditions where epidemics are a constant threat and medical capacity is very low. Nations, even relatively prosperous nations, are unprepared for major epidemics. Of ongoing epidemics, many nations have been ravaged by AIDS (nations in Africa, and India have been particularly hard hit). This one epidemic is leaving millions of children orphans and undermining the workforce of these nations. Global response to provide AIDS medications and education, have been slow and inadequate. Meanwhile other health threats have emerged that could rapidly become global pandemics. Diseases such as SARS, Avian Flu, and Ebola, among others are raising alarm. Add to this the deliberate spreading of deadly diseases through biological terrorism, and there looms the potential for global catastrophe. No nation, including the United States, is prepared for an epidemic of any magnitude - including a flu epidemic. To complicate the issue on all levels are technological developments that may lead to disease and illness, or effect our ability to respond to it. The technology of genetic engineering is a primary example of a potential health risk. This risk takes two primary forms. The first is that a blight or disease might wipe out large portions of global food supplies. The second is that engineered genes may have an unintended effect on the health of individuals and populations.
Read	Andersen Chapter 20: Health Care [538-544] Andersen Chapter 21: Population,Urbanization, and the Environment [576-600] Articles:    The Biotech Century          The Monsanto Machine    Agriculture, Food and Public Health(password protected)                  Weathering the Globalization Storm Ramzy Baroud CounterPunch 2/17/06
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings
Week 8: Resources& The Environment 5/19 Resource Depletion Overview While virtually every resource on the planet from fresh water supplies to fertile topsoil, to forests and ocean fish stocks have been significantly degraded by human activity, the ones that pose the most immediate threat are likely depletion of fossil based fuels. We have created a society, and a global economy that is totally dependent on the availability of cheap petroleum and natural gas. Most experts now believe that we are either at, or rapidly approaching "peak" oil. Further, that natural gas is rapidly approaching "peak." In a nut shell, being at "peak oil" means that we have extracted virtually all of the easily available (and higher quality) petroleum of the planet. There is still oil in the ground, but it is much more difficult to extract, and much cruder than the "sweet oil" that floats to the top. It therefore becomes much more costly to extract and to refine. In fact, it may get to the point where it takes more energy to extract than can be derived from the oil itself. At that point, there is little reason to extract it except for critical needs that we are willing to expend other energy for. This situation has tremendous implications for the United States which is the largest oil consumer on the planet. However, it has equally dire implications for the rest of the world. Closely intersecting the issue of energy is the issue of climate change and its impacts. We will be examining these issues and their consequences on societies and the world.
Read	Online Articles:    A Special Moment in History (or here)    The Environment (password protected)   Can the Environment Survive the Global Economy    A Chilling Possibility Supplemental: Shocking new evidence of the dangers of GM crops Scientist 'gagged' by No 10 after warning of global warming threat A Chilling Possibility M/G Chapter7 - Global Trade and the Environment Trade Ruling Is Expected to Favor Biotech Food 2/06/06  Peak Oil Primer     The End of the Age of Oil OPTIONAL  Additional Resources:US Space Command Vision 2020 Cuba - Beyond Peak Oil this is an excellent resource page on Cuba's struggle for oil independence. The Essential Exponential! For the Future of Our Planet good peak oil video online.Video shown in class: Real Oil Crisis
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings   1 paragraph research paper proposal due
Week 9:  Alternatives 5/26 We have examined a number of issue throughout this course. There are troubles enough for anyone to lose sleep over. In the face of such huge and global issues, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and despairing. The readings you are doing for this week are aimed at showing that different ways of thinking and different approaches are possible. They are selected, to some extent to get you to think outside the box - the cultural box of assumptions and "the way things must be." This is a difficult process because we are so embedded in the "way things are" that it is difficult to see that there might be other ways to see and structure our societies and our world. As you do the readings for these two weeks, think about the main sources of problems and tensions. What things are likely to pose the highest level of threat and where are they located (socially)? What would a different world look like that addressed these various challenges. Physically and socially, what would a "good" community and a "good" society look like. Then think about what would need to change and the potential barriers to those changes.
Read	Andersen Chapter 22Collective Behavior and Social Movements (600-614) Online Articles:    Participatory Economics    Gross National Happiness    Global Problems, Local Solutions
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings
Week 10: Changing Course 6/2 The first class we will be working in groups doing problem identification. The second class we will be examining constructing community that the group feels would "good" for people and the world. Problem identification: From all that we have covered in the class,what do you feel are the core / driving issues. Are those issues related to each other? What other issues do they cause or impact? Solutions: This starts with a "visioning" exercise. What is your vision of a good community and a good world? Be as specific and clear as possible. You will be sharing your ideas with your group and coming to a consensus. Then you will examine how what you have envisioned addressed the issues you identified, and modify as necessary.
Read	Online Articles:   Solidarity is in the Air    Redesigning Corporate Law   Consent of the Governed: The reign of corporations and the fight for democracy;
Do	Do your summaries of the required readings     Research paper due.
Week11: Finals Week 6/9 The final class meeting will be Monday 6/09 at 1:00    Third short paper due at class time.    All incomplete work must be submitted