2005 Spring SOCIOL 11-01
Bulletin Course Description Comparative analysis of social problems across historical periods, nations, and social groups by gender, race/ethnicity, social class, and culture. Major topics: deviant behavior, social conflict and inequality, human progress and social change. Emphasis on research issues, especially how and to what degree the understanding of social problems is a direct result of the inductive processes used to define social problems and the research methods and procedures used to investigate them. Includes a Service Learning component. Instructors: Bach and Land
(Instructor named in bulletin description above may not be current. For current instructor, see listing below.)
Title SOCIAL PROBLEMS Department SOCIOL Course Number 2005 Spring 11 Section Number 01 Primary Instructor Land,Kenneth C Prerequisites
Prerequisites
None
Synopsis of course content
This course surveys different approaches to the study of social problems and social trends in the contemporary American society. We focus on three general classes of social problems: deviant behavior (drug and alcohol use and abuse; mental illness; crime and delinquency; sexual behavior, sexual and family violence), social inequality and conflict (aging and the elderly, race and ethnic relations, gender, inequality, poverty and homelessness), human progress and social change (the economy, workplace, and worker alienation; health care). In each case, the course studies what is known about the problem and recent trends therein, its causes and consequences, and individual and societal responses to the phenomenon.
Textbooks
A general social problems textbook and a book reporting alternative political and ideological points of view on various social problems.
Exams
A midterm and a final exam
Term Papers
One 5 to 10 page term paper reporting on some aspect of a social problem chosen by the student. The paper is to be based on library resources -- books, research journals, and periodicals -- pertaining to the problem of choice.
Grade to be based on
Midterm and final exams (60%); term paper (30%); class participation (10%).
Additional Information
Students participate in teams of 2 in classroom debates on social problems -- taking essays in the above mentioned "points of view" book as a basis for various political and ideological positions.
