SOCY 2031: Social Problems
Summer Session A 2006
Summer Woo
Email: Summer.Woo@colorado.edu
Office: Ketchum 35
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 11-12 or by appointment
Lecture: M-F 9:15-10:50 MUEN E064
Required Course Books:
2004. Kendall, Diana. Social Problems in a Diverse Society. Boston: Pearson Press.
2000. Maran, Meredith. Class Dismissed. New York: St. Martins Griffin.
1999. Eitzen, Stanley. Fair and Foul. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.
* There will also be additional readings either posted on e-reserve or handed out in class.
Description: The main goal of this course is to serve as an introduction to understanding contemporary issues that are present in our society. Throughout the term, we will talk about the relationship between individuals, communities, and social problems within a sociological framework.
Participation and Attendance
Participation and attendance are mandatory and imperative to your grade. Attendance will be taken throughout the semester. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss course materials, answer questions, and complete all assignments. Please come to class on time. If you are habitually tardy, you will be asked to stop coming to class unless you can arrive on time.
You are expected to behave as adults and will be treated as adults. This means saving conversations that do not pertain to the material being discusses until after class, putting away the newspaper, and staying awake (despite the early hour for some of you). Additionally, we will be covering some very controversial issues this semester and I expect you to discuss and debate these issues with respect to all opinions, perspectives, and people. Hate speech will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Grade Breakdown: Grades will be determined based on attendance, participation, in-class assignments, papers, exams and other projects as assigned. Your grade will be divided into the following categories:
1. Attendance and Participation 50 points total. You are allowed 1 excused absence. All other absences are unexcused, and you will lose 5 points from your final grade for each additional unexcused absence, in addition to any assignments you may have missed. I do not accept late assignments or give make-up assignments. Therefore, if you are planning on missing class make sure to make arrangements to turn in any assignments and to contact me about homework assignment for the next class. This is your responsibility. If you do not like to talk in class, you may contact me with questions or attend office hours to earn additional participation points.
2. Exams 100 points each. There will be a mid-term and a final.
3. Papers 50 points each. There will be two papers (5-7 pages each) assigned over the course of the semester.
4. In-class assignments 10 points each. Throughout the semester there will be a variety of assignments to be completed during the class period.
Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a
disability, please submit to
me a letter from Disability
Services in a timely manner so that your needs may
be addressed.
Disability Services determines accommodations based on
documented disabilities. (303-492-8671,
Willard 322, www.colorado.edu/
disabilityservices)
Religious Services and Holidays: Campus policy regarding religious observance requires the faculty to make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please inform me before the event or holiday and I will accommodate you. If you inform me after the event of holiday, I will not accommodate you. Students can see full details of this policy at www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
Classroom Behavior: Students and faculty each have a responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the responsibility to treat students with understanding, respect and dignity, to guide classroom discussion, and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which students express opinions.
There are topics in this class that are controversial, medially oriented and occasionally personal and graphic. Please understand that my intent is to provide information, not to influence your opinions, or make outrageous statements or assertions. Every opinion is treated with respect and your right to hold that opinion is protected.
Honor Code/Plagiarism: If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing in recitation, you will receive a failing recitation grade and will be punished according to university guidelines. When requested, students must sign the honor code for any written work: On my honor, as a University of Colorado at Boulder student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this test, paper, work or assignment. Violations of this policy include:
a) cheating
b) plagiarism (document sources very carefully and rigorously)
c) aiding others in academic dishonesty
d) fabrication and lying
e) bribery
f) threatening behavior
All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code Council. If you are found to be in violation of University policy, you will be subject to sanctions from the instructor and the University, including but not limited to probation, expulsion and suspension. The Honor code can be found at www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html.
Sexual Harassment: The University of Colorado policy on sexual harassment applies to all students, staff and faculty. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual attention. It can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises that create an environment that is hostile or offensive. Harassment can occur between members of the opposite sex, those of the same sex, students, faculty, staff or administrators, and may occur anywhere on the campus or related to campus activities. Any student, faculty or staff who believes that he/she has been sexually harassed should contact the Office of Sexual Harassment (OSH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Further information may be found at www.colorado.edu/sexualharassment.
Reading Schedule:
Week 1: Economic and Political Problems
6/5 first day of class
6/6 Kendall, ch. 1 (only pp. 3-15)
Mills, The Promise of Sociology (e-reserve)
6/7 Kendall, ch. 2
6/8 Ehrenreich, ch. 1 and Evaluation (e-reserve)
6/9 Kendall, ch. 13
Zweigenhaft and Domhoff, Inroduction: Has the Power Elite Gone Multicultural? (e-reserve)
Week 2: Racial and Gender Inequality
6/12 Kendal, ch. 3
Paper #1 due
6/13 Ojita, Best of Friends, Worlds Apart (e-reserve)
Ledruff, At a Slaughterhouse, Some Things Never Die (e-reserve)
6/14 Kendall, ch. 4
6/15 Hochschild ch. 1-3 (e-reserve)
6/16 Kendall, ch. 6
Week 3: Crime
**** You need to be reading Classed Dismissed during these next two weeks!!!
6/19 no reading, review for exam
6/20 Exam 1
6/21 Kendall, ch. 9
6/22 Kendall, ch. 8
Should Drug Use Be Decriminalized?(e-reserve)
6/23 Is Capital Punishment Justified? (e-reserve)
Week 4: Health and Education
6/26 Kendall, ch. 10
6/27 Quill, Death and Dignity (e-reserves)
6/28 finish reading Class Dismissed
6/29 finish reading Class Dismissed
6/30 Kendall, ch. 12
Bring Class Dismissed to class
Paper #2 due
Week 5: Sport, Culture and Media
7/3 Eitzen, ch. 1-3
Berkow, The Minority Quarterback (e-reserve)
7/4 Eitzen, ch. 4, 8-9
7/5 Kendall, ch. 14
7/6 no reading, start reviewing for exam
7/7 Exam 2
Have a good summer!!!