Introduction to SociologyCourse DescriptionBooks & SuppliesAttendance and DeadlinesAssignmentsGradingCourse ScheduleIntroduction to Sociology Section 1, 8:00-8:50 am MWF, Spring 2005 ARH 120, Grinnell College Professor: Karla Erickson Email: [email protected] Phone: (641) 269-3330 Office: ARH 116B Office hours: posted weekly outside my office The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society. That is its task and its promise. —C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination Course Description Welcome to Sociology at Grinnell College. Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. In this course, you will be invited to develop your sociological imagination and refine your ability to appreciate the complexity of social life. We will study everything from working at McDonald’s to selling drugs. Our inquiries will carry us from the street corner to the classroom, from the shopping mall to the bedroom. Because sociology is the study of society and social relations, we all have intimate experience as social actors in a variety of contexts. In this class, I will ask you to draw on your own experiences to enrich our studies. Our course will consist of a mix of small group and large group discussions, short lectures, films, field activities, group presentations, and individual written work. Our readings include a sociological reader, edited by Susan Ferguson, which will usher us through many of the central arenas of sociological study, from classical works to recent studies of social life. We will read two exemplary case studies: first, a study of two groups of boys in Chicago by Jay MacLeod, and second, the devastation of community after a flood in Buffalo Creek by Kai Erikson. These two studies will provide us with models of sociological inquiry, preparing each of you to conduct your own sociological research during the second half of the term. Our course will end with two theories of contemporary social practices. Hochschild uses her study of airline stewardesses to consider how emotions are produced and consumed at work, and Barry Glassner considers the causes and consequences of what he describes as “the culture of fear” in the U.S. I hope our course will be an exciting and challenging introduction to sociological practice. Welcome to the class. I’m glad you’re here.2 Objectives It is my hope that together we will: 1. Become familiar with the questions sociologists ask, the research methods sociologists use to answer their questions and the theories sociologists use to interpret their findings. 2. Refine our ability to situate individual and group behaviors within larger social structures and institutions. 3. Recognize and critically evaluate the forces of social stratification that facilitate and constrain human behavior. 4. Develop your ability to apply a sociological perspective to your own life, hopes, dreams, values and plans. 5. Improve your skills of writing, discussing, listening, and presenting your ideas in an enthusiastic and compelling manner. Books & Supplies Mapping the Social Landscape: Readings in Sociology, 4th Edition Susan J. Ferguson, ed. McGraw Hill, 2004 Ain't No Makin' It: Leveled Aspirations in a Low-Income Neighborhood Jay MacLeod Westview Press, 1987 Everything in Its Path: Destruction of Community in the Buffalo Creek Flood Kai T. Erikson Simon and Schuster, 1976 The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling Arlie Russell Hochschild University of California Press, 1983 The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things Barry Glassner Basic Books, 1999 Reading Journal --of your choosing, dedicated to this course for notes and observations Attendance and Deadlines This course requires a high level of student interaction, participation and involvement. I expect you to come to class on time, prepared and ready to discuss. Each class meeting you are expected to have read all the assigned readings and have worked in your journal beforehand, in order to come to class prepared to actively discuss the materials. The course starts promptly at 8:00am; I take attendance at the start of class, so be on time. Everyone gets one “oops” as I call it, one day off from the course while still getting full credit for attendance. More than three unexcused absences will lower your final grade for the course (every additional absence will lower your grade one step, for example from an A- to a B+). When you do need to miss class, it is your responsibility to get notes and an update from a classmate and to contact me regarding your absence. Your written work needs to be in on time. I rarely allow late work to be handed in, and only if you contact me in advance of the deadline. All written assignments must be printed out and handed in, I do not accept emailed assignments. Whenever possible, please3 print double-sided. Assignments should either be handed in during class, or to my mailbox in Carnegie 115. Contacting Me I expect to stay in contact with students throughout the term. Please come by during my office hours to discuss course content, your thoughts or concerns about assignments, or to get extra assistance. My office hours are posted weekly outside my office (ARH 116B). If you cannot attend my office hours, talk to me about scheduling an appointment at a different time or scheduling an email or phone discussion. I am online daily, so email is the fastest way to get in touch with me. Course Policies *If you have a physical or learning disability that requires you to make some adaptations to this course, please contact me to discuss arrangements. All conversations will be confidential. For help with disability services, contact Joyce Stern (3702). The Student Affairs Office offers a wealth of resources for all students. Stop in during business hours in the basement of the forum, or during drop-in hours, Friday 1:30-4:30. Assignments Participation Student participation is central to this course. I expect you to come to class with your readings done, with prepared responses and ideas, ready to discuss with your classmates. In addition to your group presentation, I expect students to interact, ask questions, share insights, and push