Sociology 170: Social Problems Summer 2017

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Course Dates: June 26 August 4, 2017 Location: Online course: Canvas platform Professor Office: Candelaria 2040 Email: kyle.nelson@unco.edu Phone: 970-351-2592 (email is best!

1 Course Dates: June 26 August 4, 2017 Location: Online course: Canvas platform Professor Office: Candelaria Phone: ( is best!) Sociology 170: Social Problems Summer 2017 Course Description Social Problems (SOC 170, 3 credits, LAC 5c, gtp) is an examination of problems facing American society through a sociological lens. We will examine the ways in which social issues are part of the organization of American society, with a focus on inequality. Through class interaction, course materials, and assignments, we will explore how our own viewpoints of society and social problems are influenced by our places in society. Students will learn to critically analyze social problems using the sociological imagination, and consider ways of addressing issues through research, policy, advocacy, and community building. Course Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: Compare sociological theoretical perspectives on social problems Define bases of inequality in American society View and explain contemporary social problems through a sociological lens Apply the sociological imagination in exploring solutions to social problems Enhance critical-thinking and writing skills Course Readings 1) Leon-Guerrero, Anna Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action, 4 th Edition. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. (Referred to as LG) 2) Crone, James Disturbing Things We Need to Know. Los Angeles, CA: Sage. (Referred to as Crone) 3) Additional required readings are posted on Canvas (Referred to by Author s Last Name) under Course Materials. 4) Before and After lecture notes posted in each Course Unit. These notes are my summary of key points in the readings and are meant to prepare you for the material (before you read) and then supplement your own analysis of course material (after you read). Course Design We are using the Canvas online system. There are 5 Course Units (comprised of Course Topics) throughout which students will complete textbook and online reading, study lecture notes, participate in blogs and discussions, take quizzes, write papers, and complete exams. There are deadlines for each graded assignment, Nelson SOC 170- Page 1 of 5

2 but students may submit their work at any point before 10 p.m. on the day assignments are due. This means you can set your own pace for your work as long as deadlines are met. I expect students to log on daily to our course website and to your in order to keep up with announcements and to ensure all tasks are being completed. I may need to communicate important information with you via announcement or , so be sure to check in often. Likewise, I will log into the course daily and respond to any inquiries from students within 24 hours. All of your grades will be posted with comments (when applicable) in the Grade Center within 72 hours (3 days) of each deadline. ***Please print and keep this syllabus handy in case you need any of this information if your computer is not functioning or you are away from your computer.*** Grading Your grade will be based on the following: 20% News and Views Blogs Posts and Responses (2 Posts, 80 points each; 2 Responses, 20 points each) 20% Multiple Choice Question Quizzes (5 Quizzes, 40 points each) 30% Papers (2 Short Papers, 150 points each) 30% Short-Answer Question Exams (2 exams, 150 points each) Final grades will be determined based on your score out of a possible 1,000 points: A = 90% or higher (900 points or more) B = 80-89% ( points) C = 70-79% ( points) D = 60-69% ( points) F = 59% or lower (599 points or less) If you have a question regarding any of these aspects of your grade, or the evaluation of your work, please contact me. News and Views Blogs Class participation will be evaluated through News and Views posts and responses on the Canvas course discussion forums. You are required to complete 2 News and Views posts and respond to 2 of your peers posts. Details are provided in the News and Views assignment. Quizzes will assess your mastery of the course material at the end of each Course Unit. Each quiz consists of multiple choice questions. You have the option to take the quiz once and submit your score, or take each quiz multiple times until a perfect score is achieved and submitted. These quizzes cover important material and will prepare students for subsequent assignments and exams. Each Course Unit concludes with a quiz on that unit. Exams will test your ability to critically and sociologically examine the sociological approaches to the social problems we address in the course. Exams take place upon completion of Course Units 1-3 and again upon completion of Course Units 4-5. Exams consist of five open-book short-answer questions. Exams are NOT cumulative; each exam covers the material from the most recent units of the course only. Papers There are 2 distinct writing assignments for this course- one due upon completion of Course Unit 2 and one upon completion of Course Unit 5. In these 3-page (minimum) papers, you will apply your sociological imagination and critically evaluate the issues and social problems discussed throughout the course. Detailed grading rubrics are provided with each writing assignment. Nelson SOC 170- Page 2 of 5

3 No late work accepted. All assignments and exams are available at least several days for you to complete before they are due. The pace of this 6-week course will be swift. Examine carefully the course plan outlined in this syllabus so that you can schedule in detail for yourself when and how you will complete your work. There are no late or make-up opportunities in this course, except under very rare circumstances. Students must contact me by or by phone prior to any missed deadline due to a University-sponsored engagement, illness, injury, or other emergency. You must provide written documentation verifying your situation. Computer Compatibility and other Technical Issues UNC has information about how to make sure you can successfully navigate the course in Canvas, I am not an IT technician. I cannot help you upload assignments, tell you what's wrong with your computer, or give you an extension because of any computer-related problems. You are in an online class, so you are solely responsible for figuring out how your computer is compatible with Canvas and ensuring that you see confirmation that your assignments are uploaded successfully before they are due. Contact an IT technician IMMEDIATELY at HELP if you have problems and they will work with you. I cannot accept any attachments as your submitted assignments unless you verify with IT and me that Canvas is somehow disabled. You should have Microsoft Word, or convertible software, in order to upload assignments to Canvas that I can download and open. If you don't have MS Word, be sure to convert your file or save it as a PDF or rtf. Mac/Apple files must be converted. For accessing required online course reading and assignment files, you will need Adobe PDF Acrobat reader. If you don t already have Adobe PDF Acrobat reader on your computer, it is most likely that your computer will launch a download when you go to open your first presentation. If it does not, Google to find Acrobat Reader and it will give you the site for the free download. The default for Canvas is your UNC Bearmail. If you would like your UNC e mail forwarded to another mail address your URSA student page, or the helpline, can assist you with changing this. When I send to the whole class I will use Canvas. I also make frequent use of Canvas announcements, so check that often too, even if you aren t planning to work on the course that day. Students with disabilities Any student requesting disability accommodation for this class must inform me with reasonable notice. Students are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services at (970) to certify documentation of disability and to ensure appropriate accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Academic Integrity: Cheating, Plagiarism, and Consequences I expect that members of this class will observe strict policies of academic honesty and will be respectful of each other. Any suspected instances in which cheating, including plagiarism or unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, computer accounts, or someone else s work will be referred to Student Services and will be investigated. If cheating of any kind is determined, you may receive a 0 on the assignment or exam. Some examples of academic dishonesty include: Cheating: Intentionally using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids. Nelson SOC 170- Page 3 of 5

4 Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one s own in any academic exercise. Cite everything you use from any source!! Fabrication: Intentional, unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping another student to cheat or plagiarize. Additionally: forged documents, forged signatures, and submission of the same documents to different courses are all serious violations. For more information, see: Student Code of Conduct All students are expected to adhere to the University s Student Code of Conduct, designed to promote a safe and respectful learning environment. For more information about your rights and responsibilities as a UNC student see: The success of a sociology seminar relies on student involvement. Simply put: the more you put into this course, the more you (and the rest of us!) will get out of it. In this class, we will be exploring topics that are often hotly debated and controversial. Our course should be a comfortable place for each of us to be able to openly share our insights and comments within the sociological framework. I expect each of us to respect and consider each other s viewpoints. This syllabus is a contract between you the students, and me the instructor. As our course progresses, I will communicate any changes to the syllabus, grading, deadlines, or expectations via Canvas announcement. Don t hesitate to seek clarification or answers to other questions or concerns via or in the Let s Be Clear Discussion forum. If we all do the work and respect each other s time and commitment, we can make this a great experience. The more you engage in the course and assignments, the more we will all learn! Nelson SOC 170- Page 4 of 5

5 Course Unit Dates 1: 6/26-7/1 (6 days) 2: 7/2-7/11 (10 days) Sociology 170: Social Problems Summer 2017 Dr. Kyle Anne Nelson Unit Name Course Topic Content/Reading Sociological Approach to Social Problems Bases of Inequality 1.1 Introduction Syllabus 1.2 Sociological Approach to Social Problems 2.1 Class & Poverty 2.2 Race & Ethnicity 2.3 Gender LG Ch. 1.; Crone Intro (Crone); Crone Ch. 7 (Eitzen) LG Ch.2; Crone Ch. 8 (Arora); Hochschild (Canvas) LG Ch.3; Bonilla-Silva & Forman (Canvas); Pager & Western (Canvas) LG Ch.4; Roth (Canvas); Crone Ch. 3 (Ehrenreich & Hochschild) Assignments & Due Dates (submit by 10p.m.) Quiz 1: Sat 7/1 Quiz 2: Sun 7/9 2.4 Sexual Orientation LG Ch.5; Crone Ch. 6 (Sanchez) Paper 1: Tue 7/11 3: 7/12-7/22 (11 days) 4: 7/23-7/28 (6 days) Our Social Institutions Our Social & Physical Worlds 3.1 The Media LG Ch Work & the Economy 3.3 Health & Medicine LG Ch. 9; Fishman (Canvas); Crone Ch. 13 (Nichols) LG Ch.10, Schwartz & Schwartz (Canvas) News & Views (N&V) Post 1: Wed 7/ Education LG Ch.8, Kozol (Canvas) Quiz 3: Sat 7/ Crime & Criminal Justice LG Ch.13; Crone Ch. 9 (DeFina & Hannon) 4.2 The Environment LG Ch.15; Crone Ch. 2 (Brown) Exam 1: Tue 7/25 N&V 1 st Response: Wed 7/26 N&V Post 2: Thur 7/ War & Terrorism LG Ch.16; Crone Ch. 15 (White) Quiz 4: Fri 7/28 5: 7/29-8/4 (7 days) Individual Action & Social Change 5.1 Individual Action & Social Change LG Ch.17; Crone Ch. 4 (Glenn & Gordon); Crone Ch. 5 (Sachs); Crone Ch. 12 (Moyers); Witt (Canvas) N&V 2 nd Response: Mon 7/31 Quiz 5: Tue 8/1 Exam 2: Thur 8/3 Paper 2: Fri 8/4 Nelson SOC 170- Page 5 of 5

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