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Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Mount Allison University

SOCI 1001B: Introduction to Sociology

Winter 2003

Brian Campbell
Erin Steuter
Office: AD 223
Phone: 364-2624
Email: bcampbell@mta.ca
www.sociologicalimagination.net/~blcampbell/
Office: AD 224
Phone: 364-2285
Email: esteuter@mta.ca
www.mta.ca/faculty/socsci/socanth/steuter.html
Part I Lectures and Test
January 9 to February 18
Part II Lectures and Test
March 4 to April 8


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Course Description:

This course is team-taught by two sociologists who will introduce you to the basic concepts of sociology. Sociology is the scientific study of society. It is concerned with the way humans organize and understand their affairs and the intended and unintended consequences of organizing them in a particular way. Throughout the course you will be introduced to key concepts, methods, and theoretical perspectives used by sociologists to understand the world we live in. Key concepts include agency, social structure, socialization, culture, structured social inequality, social institutions, and social change. Extensive use is made of examples from the Canadian context. In addition to lectures, the course includes a lab component and completion of a short survey.


Office Hours By Appointment

We encourage students to e-mail or come to see us for clarification and discussion of course material and themes. We recommend that you make an appointment to see any one of us in our office.

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Web site access to course materials

During the term students can gain access to course materials (overheads, announcements etc) by going to the home page for the course at www.sociologicalimagination.net/soci1001.

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Course Texts

The following text and dictionary are required for the course and are available at the university bookstore:

Brian Campbell and Erin Steuter, eds. Course Readings for SOAN 1001B: Introduction to Sociology. Sackville, N.B.: Mount Allison University, January 2003, Parts I and II

We also direct your attention to the Online Dictionary of the Social Sciences at http://bitbucket.icaap.org/. Athabasca, Alberta: Athabasca University.

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Evaluation

Activity
Value
Timing
Test 1 on Part I
49%
February 18
Test 2 on Part II
50%
Scheduled in the exam period
Survey participation
1%
Online until January 24

Missed Tests and Assignments

Students must write all tests and the final exam on the assigned dates. Anyone missing a test or the exam will receive 0 for that assignment. In the case of illness or crisis, alternative tests will only be considered if students provide acceptable documentation of the reason for their absence.

Test format

Tests in this course will be multiple choice and true/false format and will examine your knowledge of the assigned readings, lectures, and class discussions.

The Survey

Students will be given the opportunity of participating in a short online survey that will be used in class in the discussion of research methods. Those students who participate will get one percent added to their mark.

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Schedule of Classes and Readings

January 7. Introduction to the Course

Brian Campbell and Erin Steuter

Classes and Readings for Part I - Brian Campbell

January 9. The Sociological Imagination

Reading 1.1 C. Wright Mills, "The Promise"

Reading 1.2 Rodney Stark, "Groups and Relationships: A Sociological Sampler"

January 14. Classical Sociological Theory

Reading 1.3 Berkeley Fleming and Tom Goff, "Sociological Perspectives" Excerpt 1

Reading 1.4 Lynn McDonald, "The Women Founders of the Social Sciences"

January 16. Contemporary Sociological Theory

Reading 1.5 Berkeley Fleming and Tom Goff, "Sociological Perspectives" Excerpts 2 and 3

January 21. Durkheim and Weber on the Sociology of Law

Reading 1.6 James Inverarity, "Sanctions and Solidarity; The Contribution of Emile Durkheim"

Reading 1.7 James Inverarity and Pat Lauderdale, "Sociological Analysis of the Criminal Sanction"

January 23. Social Rationality and Technology

Reading 1.8 George Ritzer, "The McDonaldization of Society: An Introduction"

Reading 1.9 George Ritzer, "McDonaldization and Its Precursors: From the Iron Cage to the Fast-Food Industry"

January 28. Technology and Social Change

Reading 1.10 Rudi Volti, "The Sources of Technological Change"

Reading 1.11 Ruth Schwartz-Cowan, "The Industrial Revolution in the Home"

January 30. Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Reading 1.12 Ted Palys, "Research Objectives"

Reading 1.13 Ted Palys, "Perspectives on Research"

February 4. Technology and Work

Reading 1.14 John Goyder, "The D&D of R&D"

February 6. Macro Social Structural Relationships and the Use of Quantitative and Comparative Methods

Reading 1.15 Neil Guppy and Bruce Arai, "Who Benefits from Higher Education?"

Reading 1.15 Brian Campbell and Berkeley Fleming, "Access to Excellence? The social background of Mount Allison students as compared to four other universities in the Maritimes."

February 11. Micro Social Interactional Relationships and the Use of Qualitative Methods

Reading 1.16 Daniel Albas and Cheryl Mills Albas, "Phase III: The Exam Act Proper"

February 13. Review

February 18. Part I Test

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Topics and Readings for Part II - Erin Steuter

March 4. Social Organization and Social Order

Reading 2.1 Michael Schwalbe, Inventing the Social World

Reading 2.2 Allan Johnson, The Structures of Social Life

March 6. Culture and Socialization

Reading 2.3 Howard S. Becker, Culture: A Sociological View

Reading 2.4 Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman, Becoming a Member of Society - Socialization

March 11. Social Class

Reading 2.5 Anton Allahar, The Myth of the Classless Society

Reading 2.6 Barbara Ehrenreich, Scrubbing in Maine

March 13. Race

Reading 2.7 Augie Fleras and Jean Elliot, Race Matters

Reading 2.8 Augie Fleras and Jean Elliot, Faces of Racism

March 18. Gender

Reading 2.9 D. Kendall, J.L. Murray and R. Linden, Sex and Gender

Reading 2.10 Susannah Wilson, Paid Work, Jobs and the Illusion of Economic Security

March 20. Popular Culture

Reading 2.11 James Potter, Advertising

Reading 2.12 Augie Fleras and Jean Lock Kunz, Advertising and Minorities

March 25. Mass Media

Reading 2.13 David Croteau and William Hoynes, The Economics of the Media Industry

Reading 2.14 Robert Hackett and Richard Gruneau, Blind Spots on Labour, Corporate Power and Social Inequality

March 27. State

Reading 2.15 Joanne Naiman, The Role of the State

Reading 2.16 Katherine Dwyer, Lessons of Quebec City

April 1. Economy

Reading 2.17 Gary Teeple, The Decline of the Canadian Welfare State

Reading 2.18 James Cote and Anton Allahar (Eds.), The Liabilities of Youth in Advanced Industrial Society

April 3. Globalization

Reading 2.19 Murray Dobbin, How Do Corporations Rule the World?

Reading 2.20 Naomi Klein, A Tale of Three Logos

April 8. Social Movements and Social Change

Reading 2.21 Diana Kendall, J. Lothian Murray, R. Linden, Collective Behaviour and Social Change

Reading 2.22 E. Jones, R. Haenfler, B. Johnson, B. Klocke (eds.), Building A Better World

Test # 2 will be given in the exam period.

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© Brian Lewis Campbell and Erin Steuter
Last Updated: March 6, 2003