Maryville College

Division of Social Sciences

Social Science 260-03

Perspectives on the Social Order

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Susan Ambler Credit: 3 semester hours

Office: Thaw 203C Term: Fall, 2005

Phone: 865-981-8232 Office Time: 8-9:15 TR

Hours: 10-12 MWF; 9:30-12:00 TR Place: Thaw 215

E-mail: susan.ambler@maryvillecollege.edu Home Phone: 865-980-0153

Instructor’s web page: http://faculty.maryvillecollege.edu/ambler/

Course Description (2004-2006): An examination of the social sciences as a distinctive way of looking at the world. Although individual course content may vary, each course focuses on the fundamental challenging questions and the seminal responses to these questions that have occupied the disciplines of anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology.

Textbook (required):

Ambler, Susan H. Social Science 260: Perspectives on the Social Order. XanEdu,

2005.

Levine, Rhonda F., ed. Social Class and Stratification: Classic Statements and Theoretical

Debates. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 1998.

General Education Goals:

1. Provide a creative and critical exercise of the social scientific modes of inquiry and their integration.

2. Develop an appreciation for the breadth, diversity, and richness of human experience in its various social and cultural dimensions.

3. Develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and willingness to explore.

4. Provide a global perspective that draws on an understanding of Western and other cultures, including cultures very different from one's own.

Additional Course Goals:

1. Enhance communication skills.

2. Enhance critical thinking skills.

3. Provide opportunities to apply social science concepts to real life situations.

4. Promote teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Methods of Evaluation:	Points
1. Homework/Discussion/Attendance	100
2. 3 Oral Reports @ 25, 50, 50	125
3. 2 Long Quizzes @ 50 points each	100
4. 3 Papers @ 100 points each	300
Total	625

1. For each assigned article in the text the student should provide a copy of written (or typed) answers to questions provided by the instructor. These answers will be graded and returned. Groups of students will be responsible for discussing most of the articles. We will use a cognitive map method of group discussion in order to maximize learning.

2. Other assignments will also be given, including projects on using a data base, interviewing faculty, using the internet, etc.

3. The quizzes will be a combination of objective and short answer questions.

4. The papers should be a minimum of 1200 words typed double-spaced. Provide a word count at the end of your paper. Document your ideas citing materials you have read using MLA style. Instructions will be provided regarding the content of each paper.

5. Each student is expected to help prepare for and participate in each of two simulations. The simulations are intended to represent potential real life situations, but structured to take place in a very short period of time (a class period or two.)

6. This instructor is committed to the Maryville College Covenant that MC students developed several years ago. These students identified the principles of scholarship, respect, and integrity as the most basic principles to guide the lives of members of this higher learning community. Living with a covenant means that the individuals in the community make a commitment to each other to live by the principles of the covenant. In particular, this instructor interprets the M.C. Covenant as guiding a scholar’s (student’s) behavior to be honest in doing the scholar’s own work on exams, quizzes, homework, and papers. This means that if the scholar uses others’ words or ideas for a paper or an exam, the scholar is obliged to identify the source. In order for this instructor to also be committed to the Covenant, for this course the consequence of the instructor being aware of a student’s violating these principles is that the instructor would assign the student an F on the exam, paper, etc. This includes copying from another student as well as from published sources on paper or on the internet. This instructor is committed to these same principles in her own teaching and research.

7. Attendance and participation in this course is critical. If you miss simulations, group discussions, or other assignments that require your presence, you are unable to earn those points.

8. Grading scale:

Percentage	Grade	Percentage	Grade
97.5-100.0	A+	71.5- 77.4	C
91.5- 99.9	A	69.5- 71.4	C-
89.5- 91.4	A-	67.5- 69.4	D+
87.5- 89.4	B+	61.5- 67.4	D
81.5- 87.4	B	59.5- 61.4	D-
79.5- 81.4	B-	0- 59.4	F
77.5- 79.4	C+

Outline:

1. General perspective of social sciences

a. Role of the social scientist: scientist/humanist/applied/activist (Ambler)

1) Theory & research

2) Role of values: value free or value based?

3) Intervention: should we or shouldn't we? by whom?

b. Perspective of social sciences (Ambler)

1) Common questions considered

2) Macro/micro distinction

c. Research methods in social sciences (Henslin, Ambler)

1) Research process

2) Research purposes

3) Types of designs (Whyte, Milgram)

4) Quantitative and qualitative methods (Whyte, Milgram)

5) Ethics in research (Milgram)

6) Community based research

2. Perspectives on stratification

a. Classical perspectives

1) Role of property (John Locke)

2) Adam Smith

3) Karl Marx & Fredrich Engels

4) Max Weber

5) W.E.B. DuBois

c. Modern perspectives

1) Evolution of and types of stratification: anthropologists

2) Functionalists: (Davis & Moore)

3) Conflict theorists (Tumin)

3. Perspectives on the Individual

a. Hierarchy of needs (Maslow )

b. Learning (Bandura)

c. Group influence & conformity (Sherif)

4. Studies & Debates on Inequality

a. Class and other variables

1) Middletown studies: static or dynamic? (Caplow & Chadwick)

2) Class and power: the power elite (Mills)

3) Class and race (Wilson, Willie)

b. Perspectives on poverty

1) Functionalist (Gans)

2) Cultural/symbolic interactionist (Lewis)

3) Critique of cultural (Ryan)

c. Taking social action

1) Should we intervene? Who should intervene? (Erber, Friedmans)

2) Public (government) or Private (business, grass roots organizations)

3) Is the solution effective?

5. Integrating class, race, and gender to explain inequality (Collins)

Schedule

Date	Activity	Assignment
9-1
9-6		Read Ambler, do cognitive map
9-8		Read Henslin, do cognitive map
9-13		Read Whyte, do cognitive map
9-15		Read Milgram, do cognitive map
9-20	Library training on using quantitative data bases	Read Locke, do cognitive map
9-22	Give group oral reports on faculty interviews	Prepare for and do Group Oral Reports
9-27		Read Smith, do cognitive map
9-29	Training on eHRAF	Turn in Paper on “A Quantitative Analysis of My Community”
10-4		Read Marx & Engels, do cognitive map
10-6		Read Weber, do cognitive map Read DuBois, do cognitive map
10-11	Long quiz (50 points) on readings; Prepare Culture Reports	Prepare for and take Quiz on readings
10-13	Ehraf Culture Reports	Prepare for and do Group Oral Reports
10-18	Ehraf Culture Reports	Read Davis & Moore, do cognitive map
10-20		Read Maslow, do cognitive map
10-25	Run Starpower Simulation	Read Bandura, do cognitive map
10-27		Read Sherif, do cognitive map
11-1		Read Caplow & Chadwick, do cognitive map
11-3		Turn in Paper on Starpower Simulation & readings; Read Gans
11-8		Read Mills, do cognitive map
11-10	Prepare Debates	Read Lewis/Ryan Read Wilson/Willie Read Erber/Friedman & Friedman
11-15	Run Debates	Prepare for and run Debates
11-17	Run Debates	Read Chambliss, do cognitive map
11-22		Read Kozol, do cognitive map
11-29		Read Collins, do cognitive map
12-1	Long quiz on readings	Prepare for and take Quiz on readings
12-6	Prepare homelessness simulation
12-8	Run Homelessness simulation	Prepare Role and Run Simulation
12-22 3:30	Discuss simulation	Turn in Paper on Homelessness Simulation & readings

Note: I reserve the right to change this syllabus due to problems caused by illness, unforeseen professional obligations, etc.