SOCIAL THEORY

SPRING 2008

TEXTS:

Key Ideas in Sociology.  2004. Second Edition. Peter Kivisto. Pine Forge Press: Thousand Oaks, California.

The Discovery of Society.  20075. Seventh Edition.  Randall Collins and Michael Makowsky.  Mc Gray Hill: Boston.

INTRODUCTION:

Welcome to Social Theory!  Social theory is about “making sense” about why society is the way it is and how people relate to one another.   In other words, social theory represents sociology's “take” on the human condition, social behavior, and society.  The emphasis on this course will be on applied theory; that is, how can we use theory to “make sense” of society at large and our place within it.
 

PRE-REQUISITE: 

The pre-requisite for this course is SOC 105 and six additional hours of sociology courses. By enrolling in this course, you are assuming the responsibility of having met this pre-requisite.
 

OBJECTIVES:

In a general way, my hope for you in this course is that you become more knowledgeable and sophisticated in your understanding of modern society and social behavior.  Social theory examines a wide range of social circumstances, from the briefest of encounters between two individuals to social change occurring among nations over centuries.

This knowledge can be practically useful to you in several ways.  First, if you want to "work" the system, then you should know how the system "works."  I would hope that as a result of taking this course, you will be able to address pertinent social issues with confidence and formulate your own informed view of the social world.  In other words, I hope you will be able to come away from this course with several practical “life lessons” that have application beyond the content of this course and beyond the university to the world  “out there.”   Finally, for those of you who may be thinking about graduate school, social theory is a required part of all sociology graduate programs and provides a useful background for graduate study in other social sciences as well.
 

Beyond these general goals, the more specific objectives of this course are:
 

·        To understand how individuals become social beings and take on social identities

 

·        To understand how individuals coordinate and align their behavior relative to the anticipated reactions of others

 

·        To understand how social forces influence individual circumstances, attitudes, and behaviors

 

·        To understand how societies change over time

 

·         To improve your ability to distill and synthesize information

 

·        To sharpen you inductive and deductive reasoning abilities

 

·        To learn about the history and development of social thought

 

·        To improve your ability to think critically and evaluate theories

 

·         To develop your ability to formulate your own informed understanding of social life

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
 

Your final grade for the course will be based on the following:
 

Tests:

The format for the tests will be essay.  The tests will cover material from  both the readings and class presentations/activities.  You are responsible for all the material in the readings including that which is not covered in class as well as material presented in class above and beyond what is included in the texts. 

A general rule of thumb is that one-third of the test material comes from the readings not covered in class, one-third from material presented in class that is not covered in the readings, and one third is reinforcement between the two.

In short, there are no short-cuts; you have to get to both the readings  and classroom presentations to be adequately prepared for tests.

Each test covers roughly one-fourth of the material for the course.  The fourth test is the final exam.  The tests are not cumulative except in the sense that theory is itself cumulative (e.g. contemporary theory builds on the classical tradition).  Because theory is modified and developed over time, it is especially important to keep up with course content as the semester proceeds; it is not easy to skip material or catch up if you fall behind.

Make-Up Tests:

            You are expected to take tests on the assigned days.

Make up tests are given only if you (a) have just cause (e.g. hospitalization), (b) notify me in advance, and (c) provide written documentation.  All make up tests are given on reading day prior to the final exam period .
 

Class Attendance and Participation:
 

Regular attendance and participation is essential in this course.  If you are not in class you will miss important material not covered in the readings including lectures, class discussions, demonstrations, films, etc..  In short, you are expected to attend class regularly, actively participate in class discussions and in-class projects, and complete reading assignments when they are due.  Class participation will be based on the quality and quantity of your input in the class.

By enrolling in this class, you are contracting for your availability to attend class during the scheduled class times and to be available for the scheduled final exam.  If you are not available for those scheduled times, then you should not enroll in this course. With respect to attendance, you may have a total three undocumented absences without penalty (about 10% of all classes).  Each additional undocumented absence will result in a one point deduction from your overall course average. Documented absences include court subpoenas and hospitalization.  You must attend the entire class in order to get credit for attendance. 
 

Freedom of Expression:
 

Freedom of expression is actively encouraged in this class.  I strongly believe that the university is and ought to be the marketplace of ideas and I encourage vigorous intellectual debate among opposing viewpoints.  Therefore, I welcome the expression of different points of view in class.   
 

Civility:
 

Debate on ideas and issues is part of the learning process but personal or ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated. Other rude or discourteous behavior that is disruptive to the learning process of other students such as coming to class late, leaving early, or talking to classmates during class will also not be tolerated. 

Let’s work together to create a positive learning environment in which all class members’ comments and interests are listened to and respected.
 

            Your UNCW E-Mail Address:
 

I may send announcements, updates, and other information related to this course to your official UNCW e-mail address.  It is your responsibility to check this e-mail regularly.
 

Grading:

Your grade for this course is entirely performance driven based on your demonstrated comprehension, understanding, retention, and command of the material presented in this course.  I use the "criterion" system of grading which means that if you demonstrate a certain level of knowledge of the material, then you earn the appropriate grade.  There is no fixed “curve” as such.  In other words, I do not have a "quota" of As, Bs, Cs and so on.   Theoretically, if everyone performs at A level (or F level), then everyone would earn an A grade (or F) as appropriate, although in practice either of these scenarios is unlikely.  This means that you are not in direct competition with each other for grades.  Instead, you are in competition with yourself in terms of how well you learn the material from the course.  I use a ten point grading scale with 90s=A, 80s=B, 70s=C, 60s=D, and below 60=F.  If you score within those ranges, then you are earn at least that letter grade.  In other words, I will not “curve” down.  However, I do reserve the right to “curve” upward to adjust for degree of difficulty.  I do not ordinarily use +/- grades, but I reserve the option to do so at my discretion as circumstances warrant.

HOW TO GET AN ‘A’ IN THIS COURSE:
 

There is no secret or magical formula for doing well in this course.  The strategy for doing well in this course is the same as it is for most other courses that you take at the college level.  In order to establish an ‘A’ pace for this course, you should therefore:
 

1.      Carefully and thoroughly read and study the assigned material when it is due.  “Reading over” the assigned material is NOT good enough.  You should notate and outline assigned reading material as you read it.  If there are any parts of the reading that you do not understand or feel that you need additional elaboration or clarification, then you should raise the appropriate questions in class or arrange to see me during office hours to go over any parts of the assigned material that you do not understand.  The rule of thumb for ‘A’ level pace in a college course is that you should spend one to two hours of homework preparation for every one hour of class time

2.      Attend class regularly, be attentive, take good notes, and actively participate in class activities and discussions.  Getting someone else’s class notes for classes you miss is NOT good enough. If you are not in class, you will miss important material not covered in the readings including lectures, class discussions, demonstrations, exercises, films, etc that will be included on the tests.  If you are in it for the ‘A’ then you need to be there and actively participate to get full credit.  Also, getting someone else’s notes for classes you miss is a poor substitute for not being there yourself.  People write notes to themselves, not to a generalized audience.  Notes are taken in order to jar your memory of what material was presented in class.  If you were not there in the first place, you have no memory to jar. What might make sense to other students taking notes for themselves may make no sense to you.  You are also presuming that the person who took the notes got down all the information presented in an accurate and complete manner, which is not always the case. 

3.      Know about the forest and the trees.  Knowing just the “main points” is NOT good enough.   I expect all students who pass the course to get the general ideas and the main points (forest).  However, if you are in it for the ‘A,’ then I expect that you have both breath (forest) and depth (trees) of understanding of the material.  In other words, you should not only know what the name of the forest is and where it is, you should also be able to identify and distinguish among the different types of trees in the forest.   So learn about the individual trees in the forest—know them, hug them, make friends with them.

4.      Take adequate time to make final preparations for tests.  Cramming is NOT good enough.   There is no quick substitute for spending concerted time studying for tests.  If you are unsure about how to go about preparing for tests, you should consult my study skills handout on taking college level examinations (point # 3 listed under the section on “Other Resources” listed below).
 

STUDENT HONOR CODE:

Please note that in this course I expect you to abide by the policies on academic integrity as set forth in Section V of the UNCW Student Handbook and Code of Student Life which prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty including any unauthorized collaboration or assistance on any text, assignment, or project. 
 

OTHER RESOURCES:
 

In addition to your text and your classnotes, there are several other resources available to assist you to help you in this course.
 

1.         Office Hours:

I would be happy to see you on a one-to-one basis during my office hours, or by appointment, or by chance.  I encourage you to stop by my office throughout the semester.  I encourage you to see me for extra help, to follow up on points raised in class, or just to stop in and chat.  In addition, I am happy to answer questions after class. Unless I have to dash off to some meeting somewhere immediately after class, I will usually be the last person to exit the classroom in case anyone wants to follow up with me after class. 

2.         E-Mail:

I encourage you to stay in touch with me through e-mail (MCNAMEE@UNCW.EDU).  You can ask questions and/or make comments, observations, or suggestions regarding any aspect of the course throughout the semester.  I usually check my e-mail several times a day so you can ordinarily expect a prompt reply.

3.           Study Skills Handout

                        This is a brief three-page handout on how to prepare for college-level  
            examinations.  It provides tips on how to study efficiently and effectively.
            You can access it on the web by clicking on the subtitle of this section in
            the electronic version of the syllabus.

4.         Essay Test Handout

This is a brief handout that has tips on how to take essay tests.  You can access it on the web by clicking on the subtitle of this section in the electronic version of the syllabus.

5.         The Learning Center

The Learning Center (962-7857-Westside Hall) offers a variety of academic services to students including individual tutoring, study skills, and test taking skills.  Help with writing and math is available through the Writing Center  (962-7875-Westside Hall).  All of these services are available to you as part of your regular tuition.  

6.         Student Counseling Center

The Student Counseling Center (962-3746-Westside Hall) offers a variety of services to students including stress management, counseling, and special services for students with learning disabilities. These services are available to you at no cost beyond your regular tuition.
 

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABLED STUDENTS:

I am happy to make appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities as specified in federal regulations.  If you have a disability and need accommodation please follow this procedure.  First, contact and register with the Office of Disability Services  (962-7555 Westside Hall).  Second, obtain a copy of your Accommodation Letter and then make arrangements to speak with me.  Assistance will be gladly provided based on the recommendations of the Office of Disability Services and our mutual agreement.

COURSE OUTLINE

Below is a tentative schedule of events.  I expect you to thoroughly and carefully read and study each assigned reading.  You should outline, take notes, and review each of the readings as they are assigned.  Also, I may place additional readings on the WEB or on reserve during the semester.  Any changes in this outline or due dates will be announced in class. 

Final Note:  I look forward to working with you this semester.  Social theory is an important and interesting subject.  I hope you enjoy the course and benefit from it.