Syllabus

You can download a printable copy of the Hon2125 Syllabus.pdf by clicking on the link.

HON 2125 – Global Sociology (4 credits)

Spring Semester 2008
MWF 2:15-3:20 p.m.

Instructor: Sister Edith Bogue, Ph.D.

Email: ebogue@css.edu I try to respond by the next business day.

Office: Tower 3652 (beyond the Music Hall) Office Phone: 723-6616

Office Hours:

Monday: 9:30 – 10:45 a.m.	Tuesday: no office hours
Wednesday: 3:30 -4:30 in Storm’s Den	Thursday: 2:00 – 3:30
Friday: 9:30-10:45 a.m.	OR by appointment

Textbooks: One textis required for this course. It can be purchased in the bookstore.

Stark, Rodney. (2007). Sociology (10th edition).

In our text, well-known sociologist Rodney Stark introduces you to the methods and theories of sociology using his “Over the Shoulder of a professional sociologist” approach, addressing you directly as someone who shares his intellectual questions and curiosity. Stark describes what sociologists do and how we do it, focusing first on the questions we pose and how we search for and formulate our answers, and only then moving on to study the answers and conclusions of earlier sociologists.

Other reading for the course will include extensive use of online news sources, use of the web site associated with the textbook, and other articles provided online.

Course Description

This course addresses a wide-range of sociological issues as questions to be answered, using solutions already provided by sociologists and your own hands-on lab and real-world observational experiences. Examples and exercises use both U.S. and world data throughout, highlighting the way humans structure their lives around differences of culture and ethnicity, gender, race, social class, age, sexual orientation, and other significant groupings. Using art, literature, music, film as well as traditional quantitative and ethnographic sociological data, students will encounter and analyze the diverse ways in which people structure their social lives to meet common human needs, gaining experience and mastery of some basic tools of quantitative and qualitative analysis. This course cannot be taken for credit by students who have completed SOC 1125. Limited to 15 students.

HON 2125, Global Sociology and the Benedictine Liberal Arts Program

Education at the College of Saint Scholastica, regardless of the major or career goals of the student, is organized on the Liberal Arts model. Since ancient times, this style of education teaches students to think clearly and logically for themselves, to learn new subjects long after their teachers are gone, to view situations and issues holistically, and to be comfortable and effective in a world offering a multiplicity of viewpoints and ways of doing things.

Overview of Outcomes

HON 2125 Global Sociology, has been identified as a course which contributes to the outcomes of the Benedictine Liberal Arts Program of the College in several ways.

College Outcomes: Ways of Knowing

Sociology studies social groups and organizations in a systematic way. Students learn, as sociologists, to uncover the social rules and processes that bind and separate people, not only as individuals, but as members of groups defined by race, ethnicity, social class and religion, of families, of social organizations for work and leisure, and within social institutions. Students in HON 2125 learn the scientific method, in which knowledge about societies is based on and tested by qualitative or quantitative data. They gain basic skill in using these techniques through hands-on experience. By developing their sociological imagination, students learn to investigate a wide range of social issues within their own society and across cultures and nations. They reflect on issues critically to move beyond their limited experience to reasoned insights. The ability to challenge and change one’s perceptions and actions based on a careful study of social reality is, perhaps, the core outcome of HON 2125 Global Sociology.

College Outcomes: Social Responsibility

The study of society from a global perspective necessarily leads students to the exploration of the origins and results of social inequality of all types, including that based on national wealth, ethnicity, race, gender and sexuality, social class and religion. Students study systems of power and privilege that shape groupings of nations (World Systems Theory) and peoples (class, race, gender, age, disability, and others) and maintain inequalities. They use and compare several conflicting, theoretical perspectives. Using the methods of sociology as tools, they are able to analyze social justice issues, articulate a reasoned assessment, and become active change agents. The ability to perceive, respect, and honor both differences and commonalities within American society and across the global community is an integral outcome of developing the sociological imagination in HON 2125 Global Sociology.

Pathways: Social Sciences

HON 2125 Global Sociology introduces the methods and ideas of a core social science discipline by applying them to key issues that arise in societies around the globe. Students who successfully complete the course show significant progress in all four social science outcomes. They are able to address the social and cultural thinking of individuals and groups and consider the impact of their economic and political perspectives on their economic, political, social and private lives. They understand the factors that motivate social groups from the local to the international level, how individuals learn and develop within those groups, and the processes that contribute to change within and between societies. Their study of the impact of race, ethnicity, national identity, gender, family status, religion and other characteristics enables them to explain both the sources of differences and the implications of those differences, as well as to recognize similarities. They will have developed basic competence in applying classical and contemporary theoretical frameworks to explain these social phenomena.

Pathways: Cultural Diversity

HON 2125 Global Sociology examines the wide diversity of social organizations, institutions and processes in societies around the globe: socialization and deviance; inequality on dimensions of race-ethnicity, class, and gender; families; religion; political and economic systems; and social change through development, population change, urbanization, and social change movements. International data and examples are used to explore the links among culture, patterns of behavior such as gender and work roles, values and perception of social reality. Activities and classroom discussions enable students to begin to think and perceive the social world from the context of cultures and social locations very different from their own.

Specific Outcomes

Students accomplish these outcomes of the Benedictine Liberal Arts Program as a result of achieving competence in several of the specific goals of HON 2125 Global Sociology. These goals, and the methods used to assess student progress towards them, are listed below.

1. Students will develop the sociological imagination, and be able to apply the sociological perspective across a wide variety of social organizations and systems. This is assessed through essay questions on exams, short papers, lab exercises, and class discussion.

2. Students will develop basic competence in understanding and using empirical data, both qualitative and quantitative, in describing and explaining social phenomena. This is assessed through test questions and lab exercises.

3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the logic of sociological research and of several methods for conducting it. They will be able to apply this understanding to understand unfamiliar social settings. This is assessed through lab exercises, short papers, and class discussion.

4. Students will be able list, define, and demonstrate understanding of the major issues of global sociology; of social inequalities based on national wealth, class, race, gender, and other social categories; of the sources of social problems and conflict; of the role of globalization in social change within societies, and the ways in which both purposive and unintended social change occurs. This is assessed through essay questions on exams, short papers, and class discussion.

5. Students will increase their ability to recognize their ethnocentric perspectives regarding other Americans and other nations, to challenge their preconceived notions, and to be able to understand, articulate, and respect diverse perceptions. This is assessed through written assignments, class exercises and discussion, and essay questions on tests.

6. Students will demonstrate understanding of the interplay of systems of power and privilege, within societies based on race, class, gender, age, disability and other statuses; and across societies that differ by culture, wealth, previous colonial status, and development. They will also demonstrate an understanding of the processes which serve to maintain social inequalities. This is assessed through written assignments, classroom discussion, and essay questions on tests.

7. Students will be able to explain and apply fundamental sociological theories across a variety of topics, to recognize the conflicting perspectives of these theories. This is assessed through written assignments, classroom discussion, and exam questions.

8. Based on their increased understanding of cultural differences, social inequalities and injustices, students will be able to effectively analyze and act creatively to bring about social change. Initial assessment of this outcome occurs in classroom discussion and essay questions on tests, although this is a long term development whose fruit often develops over several semesters.

9. Students appreciate the use of a historical perspective to understand how international and local social realities have developed over time, as well as how individuals develop and are socialized. They will demonstrate competence in examining the relationships among the factors that motivate individuals, organizations, and socieities in the process of development and change. This will be assessed through test questions, in-class discussion, and written assignments.

10. Through the study of textbooks and other materials which include substantial content from other cultural, ethnic, and national perspectives, students will develop a broad understanding of commonalities and differences in cultures around the globe, the ability to internalize more than one worldview, and to explore contemporary American social issues within this broader perspective. This is assessed on written tests and assignments, and through classroom discussion and exercises.

Course Grades and Requirements

Your course grade is based on four exams, two papers papers, regular contributions to the class blog, and class participation. All work must be submitted to receive a grade.

The Exams will include short answer and essay questions. Because essay exams must be carefully graded, it may be a full week before your results are available. Exams are worth 30% of your grade.

Papers will ask you apply ideas from our textbook to information you gather through your own online research. Each paper is worth 15% of your grade, or 30% for both papers.

Topics will be assigned each week for the Class blog. Students will rotate weeks of posting and commenting on the blog. Participation in the class blog is worth 25% of your grade.

Preparation and Participation is an integral component of every Honors class. This class uses a seminar method of discussion. Students will use the QQTP method to prepare for class; active participation and evidence of preparation are worth 15% of your final grade

In summary, course grades will be based on the following:

Three exams	30%
Two papers	30%
Class blog and comments	25%
Preparation and Participation	15%

Letter grades depend on the percentage of the total points earned and are assigned as follows:

Grade	Percent
A	93 – 100%
A-	90 – 92.99%
B+	87 – 89.99%
B	83 – 86.99%
B-	80 – 82.99%
C+	77 – 79.99%
C	71 – 76.99%
C-	69 – 70.99%
D	60 – 68.99%
F	Below 60%

Incompletes.

Incompletes are granted to individuals who are passing the course but who encounter a situation (e.g., extended illness or a death in the family) that prevents them from finishing the course on time. An Incomplete will not be granted merely to avoid a low grade in the course. If you are not doing well in the course, it is your responsibility, in consultation with your advisor and me, to decide in a timely manner whether you need to drop the course.

If you cannot complete this course by the end of the semester, it is your responsibility to formally request a grade of Incomplete. You cannot receive a passing grade for HON 2125 without completing all of the required components. If I approve your request for an Incomplete, you and I will sign a contract indicating (a) the deadline by which the work must be submitted, and (b) the default failing grade for the course if the work is not completed by the expiration of the deadline. The contract will be submitted to the Registrar, with copies to you, me, and your advisor.

Grades of Incomplete remain as an “I” on your transcript until I receive and grade the missing work and submit the final grade for the course, or upon expiration of the deadline at which time the default grade will automatically replace the “I.” By College policy, grades of “I” that are not finished by the 10th week of the next semester assume the default grade.

Exam Policies

Students who (a) arrange to miss a Quiz or Exam for a verifiable and validreason or (b) unavoidably miss a Quiz or Exam for a verifiable and valid reason may take it before the end of the next business day without penalty. Quizzes missed for other reasons cannot be made up. Missed exams will be made-up during Finals Week; the make-up exam may be oral. Valid reasons are defined below.

Missed Exam policies: Valid reasons:

Unavoidable things can happen that might make it impossible for you to take a quiz or exam at the scheduled time, but late quiz and exam restrictions are necessary to maintain security and to minimize the amount of extra time I spend in providing the special service of preparing, administering, and grading late or make-up exams.

• If you get approval from me before ahead of time and if the reason is unavoidable and verifiable, you may take the regular exam one business day late.
• Acceptable reasons for a late test include official college activities (athletic, musical or theatrical performances; presenting at conferences) and documented serious illness, accident, or a death in your immediate social network..
• If you cannot take the exam within one day of the regularly scheduled exam (due to a continuation of the problem that led to the delay in the first place), I must prepare a make-up exam. This is a time-consuming process, so these exams may be given orally, and will be given during final exam week.
• If you miss the final exam for an acceptable reason, contact me as soon as possible to arrange for the make-up exam.
• There is no grading penalty for late or make-up quizzes for exams for acceptable reasons.

Missed exam policies: Reasons that are not valid:

Unacceptable reasons for missed exams include leaving early for vacations or weekends, forgetting the date of the test, poor time management, having one other exam on the same day, scheduling doctor or other appointments at that time except for verifiable necessity, work schedules, or not being ready for the test.

• If you do miss an exam for an unacceptable reason, it is your responsibility to schedule a time to take a make-up exam; do not wait for me to contact you.
• In order to compensate for your extra study time, your score will be reduced by 10% (one full grade).
• Make-up exams are time-consuming to write, so they may be oral , and will be during Finals Week.
• If you miss the final exam for an unacceptable reason, you will not have an opportunity to take it later; an F grade will be recorded for the exam.

Missed exam policies: Other reasons:

If an exam is missed for a reason that is not listed above as either Acceptable or Unacceptable, I will listen carefully to your reasons for missing the Quiz or Exam. Because dates for Quizzes and Exams are available from the first day of class, only serious, unavoidable and unforeseeable circumstances are likely to be considered acceptable reasons for missing a test.

Early tests.

Early tests are not usually possible, including final exams. The reason is that to be fair to all my students, I would have to make this option available to everyone in the class, which is not practical. A secondary reason is that the exams are usually not ready until the day of the exam, anyway.

Course Policies

My philosophy.

Two principles provide the foundation for all the policies in this course: FAIRNESS to me, to your fellow students, and to you in the event of unavoidable life occurrences; and PREPARATION for responsible living and meaningful work (as stated in the College Mission). These two principles are grounded in values from the College’s Benedictine Heritage – Community, Hospitality, Respect, Stewardship, and Love of Learning.

Consultationand Problem Solving

If you have questions, need help, are concerned about someone cheating, are annoyed with me, are frustrated or anxious, or want to more detailed discussion than is possible in class, please come see me. I can’t guarantee that I’ll always have a good answer or that I will change my mind if there is a disagreement, but I certainly can’t be of help if you don’t let me know. Please don’t let problems slide until it is too late. I am here to listen and to try to help.

Student Responsibilities.

In addition to responsible time management, academic honesty, preparation for class, and being “intellectually present” during class meetings, you are also responsible for being aware of the information covered in the lectures, discussions, class reports, videos, handouts, and various announcements such as assignments and course changes.

• If you must miss class, it is your responsibility to get notes and other information (such as announcements) from a reliable classmate.
• This course has many due dates. When you cannot turn in work on time, inform me of this. Projects turned in late without a valid reason will decline in value 5% per working day. Late assignments will be graded as time allows, and may not be returned to you for some time.

• Information about the course will be posted regularly in the class blog. It is your responsibility to check the blog regularly. Provision is made for you to subscribe to the blog and receive notification of new posts in by e-mail.

Please consider your responsibility to the other students in the class when you request special considerations, such as asking for substantial explanation of material covered on a day you missed for a less-than-emergency situation. The extra time you are asking of the professor is time that could otherwise have been spent serving the class as a whole through updated lectures, project consultations, discussion of exam problems, etc.

E-mail questions

I provide a lot of help to students via e-mail, often with quick response times. To get help by e-mail:

• Make the subject line informative (”Question about Central Tendency homework”)
• State a specific question (not “I’m stuck” but “here’s the answer I get, and my computations, why is it wrong?”)
• Provide as much information as possible, including screen-shots of WebAssign if necessary
• Sign your name

Although I try for quick turnaround, it may take me a day (during the week) or until the next work day (on the weekends) to write an answer to your question.

E-mail about missed classes.In general, I do not respond to e-mail asking what we did in class. In situations of serious illness, accident, or the death of an immediate family member, please see me so that we can make a plan for you to catch up on missed work.

Classroom Deportment

• Conversations. It is important to avoid disrupting your fellow students’ learning environment. I welcome your questions, reactions, and examples given to the whole class, but ask you not to do this in side conversations.
• Cell phones, pagers, and electronic devices. Turn your cell phone or pager to “silent” or “vibrate” mode. If you must answer a call, leave the classroom quietly. Please do not engage in text-messaging during class, nor listen to MP3 players. No electronic devices will be permitted to be used during quizzes or exams.
• Mutual respect.I expect that you and I will treat one another professionally with mutual respect, especially when discussing points that we disagree on or that are causing frustration or anxiety.
• Children. Do not bring children to class (this is College policy)
• Attendance.Come to class. Come to class on time. Stay until the end. Do not begin to pack up your books and materials until class is finished.

Lost Homework and Projects.

It is your responsibility to keep an extra printed and/or computer file copy of each item in case it is lost. If I collect printed items, which I sometimes do instead of electronic reports, please turn them in to me in person, or put them in campus mail at the Tower Hall Mail Room with my name and your name (as return addressee) clearly labeled. Do not put them on my bulletin board or under my door.

CSS disabilities statement.

Any student who needs assistance in gaining equal access to classes or college resources because of a physical, psychological, or learning disability, as well as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or a hearing impairment should request assistance through the Access Center.

CSS academic honesty statement.

Academic honesty directly concerns ethical behaviors which affect both the academic environment and the civic community. Plagiarism and other academic dishonesty, including falsification of data, will result, at a minimum, failure of the assignment or test, and the maximum penalty shall be failure of the course. In addition, a department may deny admission to or dismiss from a program a student who has engaged in academic dishonesty, and the Academic Vice-President or the Dean of Students may exclude such a student from extracurricular activities or expel him or her from the College, even on the first instance of academic dishonesty.

Student Concerns and Issues.

1. The first step for resolving problems or concerns about this course is to meet with the course instructor. Faculty in this department strive to provide an environment in which students can succeed, and find that most problems can be cleared up quickly through open communication and problem-solving techniques.
2. If your efforts to resolve the problem with the course instructor are not successful, a second step is available by contacting the Honors Director, Dr. Debra Schroeder (dschroed@css.edu). You will need to provide her with a description of the problem and the steps you have taken to resolve it with the course instructor. She will explore the matter, and may moderate a meeting to help you and the course instructor reach a resolution to the problem. Because problem-solving requires conversation and mutual understanding, it is usually not possible to handle complaints about course procedures and policies anonymously.Student complaints are serious matters which have an impact on the course instructor and the tone in the class. Course instructors make every effort to conduct their courses in ways that are fair, to resolve student problems quickly, and to keep such problems separate from the grading process.
3. Students who are not satisfied with the resolution of their concerns within the Department have recourse to the formal appeal procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.

Snow or emergency days.

When CSS officially closes due to a snowstorm or emergency, an exam scheduled for the canceled day will be given at the next class meeting that CSS is officially open. If CSS closes on the day of the final exam, the exam will be permanently canceled & deleted from the grading scheme, unless CSS announces otherwise.

Posting grades.

Grades for exams and papers will be posted on the class blog with anonymous identification. Final grades will be posted on BannerWeb according to the time table for grades set by the Registrar’s Office. In order protect your privacy, grades may not be given out over the telephone.