1
Soc 100 X50
Introductory Sociology Winter 2021
Instructor: Susan Cake
Office Hours: Tuesdays 6pm through Zoom or by appointment
Email: [email protected] Please email me directly rather than through Eclass. If you do not hear back from me within 48 hours please resend your email.
Course Delivery:
The course will run on the UAlberta Eclass platform. Course content will be delivered asynchronously meaning you will have access to all the material for the week to review and interact with when you choose. Midterms and exams however will be scheduled on specific dates.
TERRITORIALACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the
histories, languages, and cultures of the First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community. We are all treaty people with treaty obligations.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
An examination of the theory, methods, and substance of Sociology. The study of how societies are shaped including economy, culture, socialization, deviance, stratification, and groups. The process of social change through social movements, industrialization, etc. Note: Not to be taken by students with credit in SOC 300.
COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will be able to
• Understand historical contexts, key arguments, and uses of diverse theoretical approaches in sociology.
• Critically situate individual experience within broader social contexts and relationships.
• Question assumptions about social phenomena.
• Interrogate forms of power, inequality, and social change.
• Assess social practices, programs, and policies.
2 COURSE FORMAT
The class will follow a lecture format online that is pre-corded and can be accessed anytime. Lecture material is mainly based on the textbook with a few additions. All lecture and textbook material are “fair game” for exams.
CLASSROOMPOLICIES/ATMOSPHERE
This will be an online class in which we all feel free to express our opinions and points of view. When you express your opinions on Eclass you are expected to follow certain etiquette and be respectful. The material covered in this class will allow us all to question each other and the world around us. Sociology is a discipline that surrounds us in our everyday life. As such many of us will have experiences and stories that are relevant to the course material. Sharing this material with each other is an important part of being in a Sociology class. However, we do need to follow certain guidelines to ensure that a certain order is maintained. For example, if you use the discussion forum do not type in all caps as that is commonly understood as yelling. Sarcasm also does not translate well in writing so what may seem like an obvious joke to you may come off as insulting to others. So it is best to avoid it.
Sociology tends to challenge our commonsense understandings of society. It is important that you come to class with an open mind, willing to listen to points of view that challenge your own way of thinking.
Finally, it is imperative that we respect each other and each other’s points of view. Debate is healthy – but it must be respectful debate. If you at any time feel that these general guidelines are not being met in class, please bring it to my attention by emailing me at [email protected].
COURSE MATERIALS
Required Text: Real-Life Sociology: A Canadian Approach by Anabel Quan0Haase and Lorne Tepperman
If you would like to purchase the digital option of the textbook, you can purchase through the U of Alberta bookstore: https://bookstore.ualberta.ca/courselistbuilder.aspx
There are free student resources available to everyone
https://learninglink.oup.com/access/quanhaasetepperman-1e-student-resources#tag_activities
You will also require access and use of a computer, microphone and camera for examinations.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Midterm #1: 30% Tuesday February 2nd will open at 8am MST and must be completed by 9pm MST Midterm #2: 35% Tuesday March 16th will open at 8am MST and must be completed by 9pm MST Final Exam: 35% Tuesday April 13th will open at 8am MST and must be completed by 9m MST Exams: The midterm exams include multiple choice questions and will be administered through the Eclass platform and monitored using SEM. The exams will include material from the textbook as well as from lectures, everything in the class is “fair game” for exams. The exams will be closed book and they
3 are not cumulative. You will have an hour and a half (90 minutes) to finish exams once you have started them.
Final Exam: The final exam follows the same format as the two midterms (multiple choice). It will not be cumulative and it will be a closed book exam that is monitored by SEM in Eclass.
Sample Exam Questions: The following are examples of the types of the questions that make up the exams in this course:
1. Which of the following is exemplified by denying blacks entry into some restaurants, schools, residential communities, and movie theatres in Canada?
a. split-market theory b. de jure segregation c. de facto segregation d. assimilation
2. What theoretical perspective derives its foundation from the U.S. civil rights tradition and the writing of persons such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and W.E.B. Du Bois?
a. feminism
b. symbolic interactionism c. critical race theory d. functional race theory
3. What is political crime?
a. illegal or unethical acts involving the misuse of power by government officials, or those perpetrated against the government by outsiders
b. illegal activities committed by people in the course of their employment or in dealing with their financial affairs
c. a business operation that supplies illegal goods and services for profit
d. an illegal action voluntarily engaged in by participants, such as prostitution, illegal gambling, the use of illegal drugs, and illegal pornography
4. If you were to apply verstehen to social analysis, which of the following would you be doing?
a. supporting the proletariat by bringing values into research b. trying to enlighten others to the social facts around them
c. employing understanding to gain the ability to see the world as others see it d. acknowledging and promoting personal beliefs and biases
5. In what perspective are both the ethnomethodological and dramaturgical approaches strongly rooted?
a. social conflict
b. symbolic interactionist c. structural functionalist
4 d. postmodern
Answers: B, C, A, C, B GRADING
Marks for graded course requirements are given in percentages, to which letter grades are also assigned, according to the table below. The percentage mark resulting from all graded components produces the final letter grade for the course. Marks for grades are not curved or scaled.
Letter % Pts Descriptor
A+ 95-100 4.0
Excellent
A 90-94 4.0
A- 85-89 3.7
B+ 80-84 3.3
Good
B 75-79 3.0
B- 70-74 2.7
C+ 66-69 2.3
Satisfactory
C 62-65 2.0
C- 58-61 1.7
D+ 54-57 1.3 Poor
D 50-53 1.0 Minimal Pass
F 0-49 0.0 Fail
5 LECTURESCHEDULE
Week Dates Topic Readings
1 January 12 Intro to Sociology and
Methods
Chapter 1 &2
2 January 19 Culture Chapter 3
3 January 26 Socialization Chapter 4
4 February 2 Midterm 1 (Chapter 1-4)
Deviance and Crime Chapter 5
5 February 9 Economic Inequality Chapter 6
6 February 16 Reading Week
7 February 23 Gender Chapter 7
8 March 2 Race and Ethnicity Chapter 8
9 March 9 Global Inequality Chapter 9
10 March 16 Midterm 2 (Chapters 5-9)
Families Chapter 10
11 March 23 School and Education Chapter 11
12 March 30 Work and the Economy Chapter 12
13 April 6 Mass and Social Media Chapter 14
14 April 13 Social Movements
Final Exam (Chapters 10- 12, 14, 16)
Chapter 16
Important Dates: Last day to add and drop courses on Bear Tracks is January 22. Course withdrawal deadline (50% fee refund) is February 10. Course withdrawal deadline (no fee refund) is April 9.
6 ATTENDANCE,ABSENCES,ANDMISSEDGRADECOMPONENTS
Regular attendance is encouraged for all courses, and in the case of online courses keeping up with the course schedule. In cases of potentially excusable absences from a midterm exam due to illness or other issues, notify me by email within two working days (or as soon as possible, given the circumstances underlying the absence). Regarding absences that may be excusable and procedures for addressing course components missed as a result, consult Attendance of the University Calendar.
Policy for Missed Term Exams: Students with an excused absence from a midterm must write the missed exam rather than shift the weight of that exam to other course requirements.
Absence from Final Exam
If you miss the final exam, you must formally apply to your Faculty Student Services office to be considered for a deferred final exam within two working days from the date of the missed exam (or as soon as possible, considering the circumstances). I cannot approve or deny requests for deferred final exams. Refer to the Absence from Final Exams information provided in the Attendance section of the University Calendar for full details.
Date of Deferred Final Exam: Students approved for a deferred final exam will write on May 3rd. Deferral of term work is a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferral will be granted.
Misrepresentation of facts to gain a deferral is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.
RESOURCESFORSTUDENTS
The best all-purpose website for student services on campus, including academic, financial, health, safety, career development services and more is https://www.ualberta.ca/current-students/.
ACCESSIBILITYRESOURCES
The University of Alberta is committed to creating work and learning communities that inspire and enable all people to reach their full potential. Accessibility Resources promotes an accessible, inclusive, and universally designed environment. For general information or to register for services visit the Accessibility Resources webpage.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
“The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty.
Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at https://www.ualberta.ca/governance/) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.”
Students are expected to engage in the highest level of honesty in their work. It is possible, however, to violate academic integrity even if you believed you were being honest. The onus is on students to
7 understand the University of Alberta's expectations regarding academic integrity. Not knowing is not an excuse. Resources and more information on the standards of Academic Integrity and the Code of Student Behaviour can be found at https://www.ualberta.ca/currentstudents/academic-resources/academic- integrity/.
An instructor or coordinator who is convinced that a student has handed in work that he or she could not possibly reproduce without outside assistance is obliged, out of consideration of fairness to other students, to report the case to the Associate Dean of the Faculty. See the Academic Discipline Process.
AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING
“Audio or video recording, digital or otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching
environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the Instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Student or Instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).”
LEARNINGANDWORKINGENVIRONMENT
The Faculty of Arts is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination and harassment. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE POLICY
It is the policy of the University of Alberta that sexual violence committed by any member of the University community is prohibited and constitutes misconduct. Resources and more information can be found at https://www.ualberta.ca/campus-life/sexual-violence
COURSEOUTLINEPOLICY
"Policy about course outlines can be found in Course Requirements, Evaluation Procedures and Grading of the University Calendar."