CRITICAL THINKING
IN SOCIOLOGY
Syllabus 2006
Professor: Martha E. Gimenez
Office: Ketchum 205A
Telephone: 492-7080
EMAIL: martha.gimenez at colorado.edu
Home Page: http://www.colorado.edu/Sociology/gimenez/index.html
Office Hours: W 10 to 12 and by appointment.
VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS:
Students are encouraged to ask questions using email. Questions and answers will be posted. All students are REQUIRED to join the ct
(critical thinking) list. Additional or substitute reading assignments,
important deadlines, reminders, information and general discussion will be posted daily: READ THE COURSE EMAIL EVERYDAY TO KEEP
INFORMED
All students are REQUIRED to join ct-list.
Additional or substitute
reading assignments, important deadlines, reminders, information and general
discussion will be posted daily:
To subscribe to the list send email to
listproc@lists.colorado.edu
in the message write: subscribe ct-list first name last name
example: subscribe ct-list Homer Simpson
Send your messages to: ct-list@lists.colorado.edu
IMPORTANT: YOU MUST USE YOUR UNIVERSITY ADDRESS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS LIST
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Sociology 4461 examines a sociological topic in depth, covering such issues as class structure, race relations, gender roles, criminal justice, and political conflict, with an emphasis on writing, reading, and critical thinking. Prereqs., SOCY 1001, and 2001, 3001, or 3011. Restricted to seniors.
This section of Sociology 4461 focuses on critical thinking about inequality
and social justice in the
There will be space to examine also other sources of current controversy such as, for example, effects of inequality on issues such as immigration, abortion and other matters students might want to bring up for the class' consideration.
In addition to written work, the course entails a great deal of classroom discussion and student participation.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Students should attend all classes, participate as much as possible in class
discussions and structured debates and complete all written assignments. Class
participation will be assessed by ability to use critical thinking skills, and
by the quality of the comments made and their contribution to enhancing everyone's learning experience. Written work will be assessed in terms of students' ability to do the
following:
- To identify main theses, arguments, their stated and unstated assumptions, and causal relationships.
- To evaluate the evidence provided to support conclusions.
- To identify authors' values and theoretical commitments.
- To summarize and criticize an author's line of reasoning.
- To defend a claim or a standpoint with cogent and well supported arguments.
Guidelines to prepare for class participation:
Students should read the assigned materials, take notes, and ask and find answers to questions such as, for example: what are the author's main arguments? What are the main premises and conclusions? What new concepts does the author introduce? What evidence does the author provide to support his/her claims? Is that evidence credible? What am I learning from this author, or chapter, or article? How do these readings relate to my learning in previous courses and to what I know and experience as a member of this society? How am I reacting to these readings? Do they support or challenge my values, beliefs, knowledge? what do I find confusing, difficult to understand, wonderful, abhorrent, etc. in these readings? Bring your notes and answers to class everyday. Be prepared!
GRADING WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING:
I. ONLINE CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLASS DISCUSSION:
All students must email, to the ct-list, FOUR items for class discussion, stating briefly why this a relevant contribution to the class. Examples:
· a link to an assertion you consider outrageous because of its premises or assumptions, because of the lack of evidence, or because of its short or long term potential effects. You could also cut and paste the paragraph you find most revealing, adding the link for those who might want to read the entire article.
· A brief (no longer than a couple of paragraphs) description of an issue which you think the class should examine critically
The last fifteen minutes of every class will be dedicated to the discussion of several of these contributions.
Online contributions to class discussion will be graded on the basis of relevance to the course's concern with inequality and social justice, and usefulness for the practice of critical thinking skills. 10 percent of the grade.
Your emails will be DUE, BY 5 PM AT THE LATEST, ON, OR BEFORE BUT NOT AFTER,
the following THURSDAYS: September 7 and 21.
October 5 and 12.
LATE EMAILS WILL RECEIVE AN F
II. FOUR TWO PAGE ESSAYS:
These essays require the application of critical thinking skills to the analysis of a short article chosen by the professor. These articles will be available online or will be handed out to you in class. 30 percent of the grade.
These essays will be due on the following MONDAYS:
September 11 and 25
October 9 and 23
Each essay is worth 7.5 percent of the grade.
III. MIDTERM SHORT ESSAY:
Critical analysis of an article chosen by the student: 30 percent of the grade
Students should select the article from a newspaper, a magazine, or a website. The topic of the article should be an issue about which there are strong and conflicting views, written with the intention of convincing the reader of the correctness or superiority of the author's viewpoint.
These essays should be between 5 and, at most, 8 double spaced pages long, EXCLUDING references. You should place your essay in a folder together with a copy of the article.
MIDTERM ESSAYS ARE
DUE ON OCTOBER 18
IV. FINAL ESSAY: 30 percent of the grade.
You have two options:
- To write a position paper presenting opposing viewpoints about a given issue, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, and concluding with your reasoned arguments in support of one of those viewpoints.
OR
- Select a public issue, social, political, economic, that matters to you. Do some research online to find out how politicians and pundits frame the issue, and what relevant policies are been debated and implemented. Write an article (which you would like to submit to The New York Times) describing the issue, outlining the policies and stating your approval or disapproval of those policies. The article should be well organized, clearly written, explaining with well developed and well supported sociological arguments, why you approve or disapprove the authorities' position on this matter and indicate, if necessary, what alternative policies you would suggest and why. You need to choose the topic for the final essay by September 27th. You must make an appointment to discuss your topic as early as possible.
Final essays should be between 8 and, at most, 12 double spaced pages long EXCLUDING references.
FINAL ESSAYS ARE DUE ON
SATURDAY DECEMBER 16 AT
.
ALL essays must be printed on a computer (or typed) using one-inch margins at the top and bottom and 1.25-inch margins on the left and right. They must be double-spaced, using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Staple a cover page to your essay so that you do not waste space on your first page with your name and essay title.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING MIDTERM AND FINAL ESSAYS
IMPORTANT: LATE WORK POLICY
If you need to turn a SHORT or MIDTERM essay in late, you must inform me no later than the day before the day in which it is due. You may inform me in person, or by an email (by the same deadline) explaining the reasons why you need additional time. I am willing to grant an extension of at most two days to students who follow those instructions. LATE WORK FROM STUDENTS WHO DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RECEIVE AN F.
LATE FINAL ESSAYS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL RECEIVE AN F
GROUNDS FOR EXCEPTION: written proof of a death in your family, a medical emergency, a court date, a religious conflict, or your participation in a university-supported activity
_____________________________________________________________________________________
REQUIRED
Dudley, William, SOCIAL JUSTICE. Opposing Viewpoints. Thompson Gale. 2005.
REQUIRED Background readings useful throughout the semester: preliminary list - more will be added throughout the semester:
Elements of Critical Thinking I
Elements of Critical Thinking II
Corporate Welfare
Notes on Inheritance
Additional
About the Sociological Imagination
Values and Beliefs about Inequality
Functionalist Theory of Inequality
Critiques of the Functionalist Theory
Conflict Theories of Inequality
There will be additional readings, chosen by students and the professor, from recent publications and the Web.
SCHEDULED
This schedule is subject to changes because, throughout the semester, additional short readings, will be required.
Week 1:
Introduction to Critical
Thinking. The sociological imagination and the
sociological view of the world.
Problems of Inequality.
Weeks 2 and 3
Chapter 1, articles by Moyers, Keke, Citizens for a Sound Economy, and Gates Sr. and Collins.
Monday 9/4 - NO CLASSES - LABOR DAY
Weeks 4 and 5
Chapter 1, articles by Quigley and Sewell.
Chapter 2, articles by Street, Horowitz.
Weeks 5 and 6
Chapter 2, articles by Perry, Yates, Marable and Chavez.
Weeks 6 and 7
Chapter 3, articles by Wendland, Venable, Boushey, and Tacker and Hall.
Weeks 8 and 9
Chapter 3, articles by Equal Rights Advocates, and
Taylor.
Chapter 4, articles by Nielsen and Norberg
Weeks 10 and 11
Chapter 4, articles by Aristide, Bandow, Boettcher, and Ishister
Week 12
REVIEW Week 13
THANKSGIVING 
BREAK
Week 14
Weeks 15 and 16
Lessons from our readings and analysis.
Throughout the semester we will suplement the readings with online or other (e.g., newspaper and magazine articles and editorials) presenting alternative views to those put forth in your texts.
DECEMBER 8 - LAST DAY OF CLASSES
Final essays due December 16 at
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Disability Policy
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me
a letter from Disability Services (DS) early in the semester so that your needs
may be addressed. DS determines accommodations based on documented disabilities
(303-492-8671, Willard 322, www.colorado.edu/sacs/disabilityservices)
Religious Holidays Policy
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty 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, a class missed to observe a religious
holiday will not be counted as an absence. If you have
to miss an exam because of a religious holiday, please notify me two weeks in
advance, so that we identify an alternative date for fulfilling that course
requirement. See full details at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Appropriate Classroom Behavior Policy
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate
learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards
may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the
professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity
and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the
manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy
and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics
dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual
orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal
name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or
gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so
that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
Academic Integrity Policy
All students of the
"Plagiarism (Portrayal of another's work or ideas as one's own), Cheating
(Using unauthorized notes or study aids, allowing another party to do one's
work/exam and turning in that work/exam as one's own; submitting the same or
similar papers in more than one course without permission from the course
instructors)" and other forms of academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated. Please see additional information about academic dishonesty
in http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/Code1.html and learn about the
new Student Honor Code System in
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/Home.html
Sexual Harassment Policy
The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment
(http://www.colorado.edu/policies/discrimination.html, the University of
Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on
Amorous Relationships applies to all students, staff and faculty. Any student,
staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of
discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age,
disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the
Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of
Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH and the campus
resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination
Return 
to Martha's Teaching Page
|
|