Health, Social and Behavioral
Sciences Division
Soc 100.
Introduction to Sociology
(IAI S7 900)
Winter
Quarter 2002 - Weekend Studies Program
Instructor : Dr.
Christine Monnier
Office : IC 3005a
Office hours:
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday – 10:00 to 12:00PM
Saturday - 8:00 to 9:00 AM (OCC 101) when class meets
Sunday - 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (OCC 101) when class meets
Phone: (630) 942 2438
E-mail: Monnier@cdnet.cod.edu
Meeting Days:
Saturdays from
Sundays from
Room : OCC 101
Dates :
5 credit hours
Course Description : Students
explore the concepts and theories necessary to a systematic understanding of
our social worlds. Topics may include considering sociology as science; the
nature of large and small-scale groups; social institutions; ideologies,
conformity and social deviance; social stratification and historical eras;
social change; and race, ethnic and gender relations. (5 lecture hours)
Course Objectives :
1. You will learn
what kind of science sociology is, its main theoretical approaches and methods.
You will learn how these different theories provide new insights into domains that
you thought you knew and understood. You will learn to use the sociological
reasoning to debunk commonsense assumptions.
2. We may think of
ourselves as individuals, with our own opinions and ideas, our specific
personality. This class will show you that this is too simple a picture. You
will learn to see that our individual characteristics and the most private of
our personalities are the product of society. The sessions on culture,
socialization and groups and organizations will devoted to the development of
such an understanding.
3. You will learn
to identify the different dimensions of social inequality along class, racial
and gender lines. Our social locations, in terms of class, race or gender, are
our positions in different dimensions of social hierarchies. Through the study
of social inequality, under its different forms, you will see that the notion
of "equal opportunity" is more an ideal than a reality.
4. You will learn
how the different institutions of society contribute to society's functioning
and at the same time to the reproduction of inequalities. The description of
social institutions in the
5. Finally, you
will learn the specific problems connected with population growth and how
societies change over time. Social change is not a random process but usually
the result of social groups, with different levels of power, conflicting over
certain issues. The result of these conflicts is that the norms and values of
society are affected.
6. Overall, you
will learn to think sociologically about social problems, institutions, and
social change. You will develop a sociological imagination.
Texts Used:
(1)
Margaret L. Andersen & Howard F. Taylor (2003), Sociology – The Essentials, 2nd Edition,
(2) Rodney Stark
(2002), Doing Sociology: A Global Perspective, 4th Edition,
Grades and
Course Assignments
You will be graded
on several types of assignments (which can be modified at the discretion of the
instructor):
1. Essays - 30% of your final grade.
2. Exercises in the book "Doing Sociology: A Global
Perspective". These will count for 30% of your final grade.
3. Tutorial
Quizzes - 30% of your final
grade.
4. Attendance
and Participation – 10% of your final grade.
As you can see, you
will be graded on 100 points; your final grade for this class will consist in
the following:
|
90
- 100 |
A
|
|
80
- 89 |
B |
|
70
- 79 |
C |
|
60
- 69 |
D |
|
less
than 55 |
F |
Academic
Honesty: Plagiarism includes not only
copying directly from another source without acknowledging the source, but also
rewriting the material in your own words without acknowledging that you have
done that. If the idea belongs to another, do not pass it off as your own.
Plagiarism is grounds for failure and can become part of your academic record,
affecting your chances for success in your career.
Behavior: it is the students' responsibility to be familiar with
and conduct themselves in accordance with the Standards of Conduct as outlined
in the
Disabilities: it is the students' responsibilities to make the
instructor aware of their disability and of their specific needs (extra time or
specific devices).
Assistance: I will be more than happy to help you in any way I
can to make this class a success for you. If you have any trouble with the
different assignments, make an appointment with me and we will try to find the
best solution for you.