Papers (200 points, 40%) Undergraduate Advisor, Ann Miller, 923 Social Sciences – 624-6013 Director of Undergrad Studies, Professor Rob Warren, 1172 Social Sciences - 624-2310Introduction to Sociology 1001 Spring, 2008 9:05-9:55am MWF Anderson Hall, Room 210 4 credits Instructor: Professor Ann Meier 1127 Social Sciences Building 612-626-7230, [email protected] Hours: W 2-4pm Website: www.soc.umn.edu/~meierann Teaching Assistants: Danielle Docka Sections 3 & 4 1160 SSB 612-624-8040 [email protected] Hours: M 11-1pm and by appt Kristin Haltinner Sections 6 & 7 1058 SSB 612-624-2360 [email protected] Hours: W 12:30-2:30 and by appt Pao Lee Sections 2 & 10 1152 SSB 612-624-5021 [email protected] Hours: M & W 10-11 and by appt Course Description: This course is designed to introduce you to the study of society and what C. Wright Mills calls the “sociological imagination”: a way of viewing the events, relationships and social phenomena that shape our individual lives and much of our collective experience. We will examine some of the central concepts and problems that have preoccupied both classical and contemporary sociologists, and gain a sense of how the sociological imagination can illuminate the social forces that have a concrete impact on our everyday lives. Throughout the course you will be asked to consider the ways in which society affects your life, and how you, in turn, affect society. This course will prepare you for further study in the discipline of sociology and other social sciences. Course Objectives: (1) Students will be able to demonstrate a comprehensive introductory understanding of key sociological concepts, terminology, theories, approaches, and perspectives. (2) Students will be able to apply sociological analysis to contemporary examples and their own lives. (3) Students will improve their ability to think critically and to articulate their ideas in written and verbal formats. Course Materials: 1) Sociology: A Global Perspective. Joan Ferrante. 2008. Thomson Wadsworth. (Noted as “Ferrante” in the reading schedule below.) 2) Classic Readings in Sociology. Eve L. Howard (Ed). 2007. Thomson Wadsworth. (Noted as “Classics: Author” in the reading schedule below.) 3) Honky. Dalton Conley. 2000. (Noted as “Honky” in the reading schedule below.) 1All books are available at the University Book Store. For Honky, you should check popular e-commerce sites such as amazon.com for cheaper used copies of the book. All books are also on 2-hour reserve at the reserve desk in the basement of Wilson Library. Additional short readings such as newspaper articles or case studies may be added to your reading list during the semester to supplement our class discussions. These will be announced in class and posted on Professor Meier’s website during the week assigned. Course Requirements, Expectations, and Grading You are expected to be prepared to participate in class discussions and activities. In order to do this, you must complete the assigned readings and other assignments before class (note: in the Course Schedule below, the readings listed under a given date will be discussed in class on that date and should be completed prior to class). This will help you participate effectively and do well on exams and papers. According to university guidelines, the average student should expect to put in 3 hours of learning effort per week for each credit hour over an entire semester, in order to earn an average grade. That is, a student taking a 4 credit semester-long course such as this one should expect to devote 8 hours a week to coursework outside of class time and 4 hours per week in class/discussion. It is important that you keep up with the work for this class. Exams: There will be three non-cumulative exams all given during regularly scheduled lecture periods. The exams evaluate student’s understanding and mastery of the course material covered in lecture, lab, course readings and assignments. The exams will consist of multiple choice, short answer questions, and short essay questions. Exams will be closed-book and closed-notes. Papers: Students will write 3 papers for this course. Reaction Papers These two papers ask students to conduct sociological research of their own and to report and interpret their findings using concepts from the readings and other course materials. Students will choose the two topics that are of most interest to them of the four choices included at the end of the syllabus. Each topic has a due date that follows the discussion of the topic in class by at least a week. Papers should be four double-spaced pages in length. Sociological Imagination Memoir For the final paper, students will be asked to take what they have learned this semester about sociology and apply it to better understand their own life. During the middle of the semester we will read Honky, a memoir by Dalton Conley, a Sociology Professor at NYU. In this book, Conley reflects on his own life experiences, placing them within the structural and cultural contexts of the time. Conley focuses on race and class as powerful forces which shaped his childhood and education, and ultimately his life. In your memoir, I will ask you to analyze an aspect of your own life using a sociological lens, placing your own experiences within the larger historical, cultural and social context. In your analysis, you should apply course themes and concepts that we have discussed in class. For example, you might discuss 2your gender socialization experiences in the late 20th century and their effect on your career ambitions or identity as an adult, or you might discuss the ways in which social class has shaped your life experiences and life chances. There are many possibilities, and I encourage you to write about themes that you are most interested in or that you think have had the largest impact in shaping you or your opportunity structures. We will discuss this project more throughout the semester, and a few of the homework assignments are designed to prepare you for this project. This paper should be approximately 7 double-spaced pages. Class Participation: Your grade for this component depends on the extent to which you make thoughtful contributions to both large class and lab discussions, actively participate in large and small group activities, and attend class and labs. Class meetings will sometimes involve a completed