UNDERSTANDING SOCIETY

SOC 104 WINTER TERM 2011: SECTION 020 RYERSON UNIVERSITY and CENTENNIAL COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR: Sabrina Malik E-MAIL: smali44@my.centennialcollege.ca PH: 416-289-5000 ext. 2858 Office: Morningside (HP) Campus, Rm 336 OFFICE HOURS Tuesdays 11:30 to 1pm or by appointment. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course provides an introduction to some of the major issues in the discipline of sociology, and is intended to provide students with an understanding of society and social phenomenon. The aim of this course is to help students develop a critical understanding of social inequality, class, race, ethnicity, sexuality and gender with respect to different social locations in society. Topics include: major theoretical debates of classical sociology; research methods and problems; culture and socialization; the evolution of human societies; and the structure of Canadian society. REQUIRED READINGS Naiman, Joanne. 2008. How Societies Work: Class, Power and Change in a Canadian Context. Fourth Edition. Toronto: Fernwood Publishing. ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION Assignment/Test Date In-Class Mid-Term Test Week 6 (Feb. 15th) Essay Week 11 (Mar. 29th) Class Participation Final Exam Week 14 (Apr. 19st) Value 30% 30% 10% 30%

GRADES In accordance with Ryerson University s Privacy Policy, grades will not be provided to students via email. The professor will only provide students with their grades in person in class. The grades will also be posted on Blackboard. Once the course is completed, final grades will be available online in a timely fashion. RESEARCH ESSAY Students may pick any topic that deals with any social issue from the course materials or lectures. Students are required to write a sociological paper that is analytical and critical. It is imperative to note that the writing of a sociological paper requires the primary use of scholarly sociological sources, such as sociological scholarly journals, sociological books, and sociological edited collections. The paper MUST include a minimum of FIVE sociological scholarly sources (books, scholarly journal articles) NOT including the course textbook and relevant course materials. The essay should be 6-7 pages in length, with one inch margins, size 12 font, Times New Roman, double spaced and stapled, not including bibliography or title page. Please do not triple space between paragraphs or use larger (14+) font. In doing so, you immediately signify that you have not met the minimum length requirements for this paper. Moreover, triple spacing between paragraphs is improper formatting and does not meet the standards of APA.

Students are required to include a full bibliography of all materials used in the paper. Late papers will not be accepted without consent from the course director obtained PRIOR to the scheduled due date. Papers will NOT be accepted via e-mail. Papers will only be accepted in person in class. Please note that references that are NOT scholarly sources and will NOT count in your bibliography as scholarly sources include the following: newspaper articles (i.e., The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, etc.) magazine articles (Newsweek, Macleans, The Economist, etc.) encyclopedia references (including Wikipedia) dictionary references (including Oxford Dictionary and other dictionaries) non-scholarly websites, blogs, etc. Students should also note that government websites and statistical data are NOT scholarly sources and will NOT count as one of the five scholarly sources required for this paper. Government websites and statistical data provide information that is NOT scholarly and NOT analytical. Statistics denote a social trend but can be interpreted in numerous and contradictory ways. Statistics themselves are devoid of analysis. Simply stating a statistic does not explain or explore any critical sociological analysis. Similarly, government websites state government policy that is devoid of analysis, and usually reproduces mainstream stereotypes, assumptions and misconceptions. Critical sociological analysis provides a critique of mainstream stereotypes and assumptions. The use of government data requires critical sociological analysis. Please note that these government websites and statistics include, but are not limited to the following: Statistics Canada Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship Government of Canada website Government of Ontario website Students must get approval from the course instructor for any internet sources they may wish to use. Scholarly journal articles can be retrieved on-line through the Ryerson Library journal abstracts website, Sociological Abstracts. Sources acquired on-line through Sociological Abstracts do NOT require instructor permission. Students should also note that the research paper is a SOCIOLOGICAL paper that requires a sociological analysis. Scholarly sources are required to be limited to sociological sources. Scholarly sources that are NOT sociological and will NOT be counted as part of your FIVE required sociological scholarly sources include: Nursing journals and books Medical journals and books Economic journals and books Business journals and books Social work journals and books Psychology journals and books Behavioural science journals and books Biology journals and books Genetics journals and books

Scholarly sociological sources that are ACCEPTABLE are the following: Race and ethnicity journals and books Feminist and Womens Studies journals and books Sociology journals and books Mass Communications journals and books Criminology journals and books Sociology of Education journals and books Sociology of the Family journals and books Sociology of Work and Occupations journals and books Sociology of Health and Illness journals and books Political science journals and books Political economy journals and books History journals and books Papers that do not include a minimum of five scholarly sociological sources will automatically be assigned a failing grade. Make sure that your sources and your analysis are sociological. Make sure that your sources are SOCIOLOGICAL and NOT psychological, medical or derived from popular mainstream media. Papers that are written from a psychological, medical or mainstream popular media perspective will automatically be assigned a failing grade. Students should never reference lecture notes in their papers. Any issue raised in lecture must be referenced in its original scholarly sociological source upon which the lecture is based. This means that students are required to seek out the original scholarly publication. Please note that students who do not submit the research paper will be marked zero which will impact their final grade. Possible research topics include but are not limited to the following: The Eugenics Movement/Biological Deterministic arguments The restructuring of work Social inequality/social mobility Poverty in Canada Canadian immigration policy and Canadian nation-building Aboriginal peoples in Canada Racialized minorities in Canada (pick a particular racial/ethnic community) The role of the state The reserve army of labour Migrant workers in Canada The media and images of popular culture Racism and policing Racism and the criminal justice system Anti-Racism education The medicalization of women/the feminization of mental illness Social Issues and AIDS (i.e., the social construction of African AIDS, women and AIDS) Racism in Canada (pick a particular issue involving one particular racial/ethnic group) The womens movement in Canada (first wave, second wave or third wave feminism) The domestic labour debate/gender division of labour in the family

Women and part-time work The feminization of work Women and the glass ceiling Men, masculinity and sport Women, femininity and sport The social construction of sex The social construction of heterosexuality/homosexuality Race, class and gender (i.e., Black feminist thought, South Asian feminist thought) Grading Criteria for Research Essays: Your research paper is worth 30% of your final grade and will be evaluated on a 30-point scale based on the following criteria: 1) Essay Topic and Thesis Statement Presentation & Discussion: (2 points) 2) Content: (15 points) adequately addressing the topic with an emphasis on Sociology and critical analysis. Do not summarize and/or describe your research sources, or simply describe a problem. You must argue and support your thesis. You must engage the sources and critically apply them to your argument (i.e., thesis). Your analysis should address how and why this social problem/issue occurs. Your paper should emphasize HOW this social phenomenon becomes normalized in our society. In other words, you need to examine the social process by which this social phenomenon occurs and is legitimated in our society as normative. 3) Thesis Statement and Clarity of Argument: (5 points) focus, direction and logical organization and integration of ideas in a well-structured argument. 4) Structure and Organization: (4 points) paper should include the following components: a. Introduction: clearly stating your thesis/research argument and the specified points you will be arguing in the paper. b. Body of Paper: where you develop your argument with support from your reference sources. c. Conclusion: links your main ideas together. 5) Proper referencing style and grammar: (4 points) Both direct quotes and an authors ideas must be referenced in your paper. Your paper should not have more than one or two (maximum) direct quotes. The paper should primarily be written in your own voice with social science citations crediting the scholars to whom those ideas belong. APA is the preferred referencing style. All referencing citations must include the authors name and the year of the publication using social science citations. Social science citations are located as the end of the direct quote or an authors idea. Social science citations are located inside brackets and include the authors last name, the year of the publication, and the page number. For example, (Miles, 1989, p. 18). Your references in your bibliography must include the authors name, the year of the publication, the exact and complete title of the article/book, the publishers name, the city of publication, and (in the case of a journal article or book chapter) page numbers. Please note that essays that do not include the required FIVE scholarly sources (as defined in the terms above) will automatically be given a failing grade. 6) Bibliographic References: The following are examples of proper bibliographic reference styles for books, edited collections, and journal articles. a. Book Reference Example: Miles, Robert. 1989. Racism. London: Routledge. b. Edited Collection Reference Example:

Mitchell, Allyson & Karaian, Lara. 2005. Third Wave Feminisms. In Nancy Mandell (Ed.). Feminist Issues: Race, Class and Sexuality. Fourth Edition. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada Inc. c. Journal Article Reference Example : MacKinnon, Catherine A. 1983. Feminism, Marxism, Method, and the State: Toward Feminist Jurisprudence. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society . 8(4):635-658. ESSAY TOPIC AND THESIS STATEMENT PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION (Week 8) Students are required to attend and participate in the essay topic discussions during the class on Week 8. The seminar is held for the benefit of students. Each student will have 5-6 minutes for presentation and discussion. Students must bring their research essay topic and their thesis statement. Students are required to have read two scholarly sources (not including the course readings) on their topic. Each student will be asked to present the topic, thesis argument and outline. Students should explicitly state in one sentence what he or she would be arguing in their essay. This one sentence statement of your argument is your thesis statement. Please note: A thesis statement is the argument of your paper. It is not the purpose of your paper. (What you intend to explore in your paper is the purpose of your paper.) It is not the topic sentence of your paper. (The topic sentence is the last sentence of your introductory paragraph stating what issues you intend to discuss in your paper.) A thesis statement is an argument. What are you arguing in your paper? Please note that failure to attend and participate in the essay topic presentation and discussion WILL result in loss of 2 points. The essay topic and thesis statement cannot be submitted through e-mail. MID-TERM EXAM AND FINAL EXAM The mid-term exam and final exam will be based on materials covered in both the course lectures and readings. The mid-term exam will cover lectures and readings from Week 1 through Week 5. The final exam will cover lectures and readings from Week 7 through Week 13. In accordance with Ryerson University policy, make-up mid-term or final exams will only be granted with accompanying appropriate documentation for one of the following reasons: 1) medical illness accompanied by appropriate medical documentation, 2) religious observance accompanied by the Student Declaration of Religious Observance Accommodation form, or 3) compassionate grounds subject to the discretion of the course director. Ryerson University Policy stipulates that travel plans are not appropriate grounds for writing a make-up exam. Please ensure that you do not make travel plans during your exam or assignment submission or presentation days. No make-up exams will be granted on the grounds of travel plans, and a zero mark will be assigned. CLASS PARTICIPATION The class participation grade is based on qualitative participation and regular attendance in lecture. Grades for weekly participation will be based on the following criteria: Criteria for Weekly Participation: Outstanding contribution of own ideas, opinions and information demonstrating integration and comprehension of relevant concepts on a consistent basis. Reflects exceptional preparation. Responds constructively to the ideas, opinions and information contributed by others. Consistently builds on others comments. Demonstrates a strong ability to analyze, synthesize and make critical and insightful evaluation. Shows genuine concern and interest in others views, work and discussion. Actively encourages others to express their views. Asks penetrating questions. 9 10 %

Good contribution of own ideas, opinions and information demonstrating integration and comprehension of relevant concepts on a regular basis. Reflects thorough preparation. Responds substantively to the ideas, opinions and information contributed by others demonstrating good ability to analyze, and make critical and insightful evaluation. Shows genuine concern and interest in others views, work. Makes important contributions to discussions. Allows others to express their views. Asks good questions. 7 8% Occasional/poor contribution of own ideas, opinions and information with some integration and comprehension of concepts. Responds inconsistently to the ideas, opinions and information contributed by others.Demonstrates some ability to analyze, and make critical and insightful evaluation. Does not allow others to express their views. Asks some questions. 4 6% Little contribution to discussions. 0-4% Poor ability to integrate and comprehend concepts. Little response to the ideas, opinions and information contributed by others. Demonstrates weak ability to analyze, and make critical and insightful evaluation. Little concern and interest in others views, work, and discussion. Does not ask questions. Failure to attend any lecture will automatically result in a zero class participation mark for that class. NOTE A: It is the intention of this course to examine and question conventional assumptions about the social world, many of which are deeply entrenched in our thinking. Academic inquiry can be an exhilarating, but also a disorienting, process. Students should know that without prior announcement, they may be exposed to materials or points of view they find offensive or upsetting. NOTE B: If a student is absent for a class, it is the students responsibility to make arrangements to get lecture notes from another student from the class. The professor does not ever give out her lecture notes to students. Please do not ask the professor for lecture notes in the case of a missed class. NOTE C: It is in the students interest to read this document carefully and retain it. The instructor can assume absolutely no responsibility for difficulties encountered by students who do not attend class and therefore are not present for the announcement of assignments, assignment details, assignment deadlines or any other matters of vital concern to those who would wish to obtain a passing grade. RYERSON UNIVERSITY POLICY ON PLAGARISM The minimum penalty for students found guilty of plagiarism normally will be a grade of 0 on the assignment in question; however, depending on the details of the plagiarism, a more severe penalty may be imposed. The teaching department will report all cases of plagiarism to the Registrar and the program department. A second violation of the Code of Academic conduct will result in a recommendation of suspension or expulsion. Please refer to the Faculty of Arts policy on Plagiarism at www.ryerson.ca/ai/students/studentcheating.html What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is a form of intellectual dishonesty because you are trying to pass off the work of others as your own. Thus, it is universally regarded as grave academic misconduct. Ryersons Student Code of Academic Conduct says the following about plagiarism: A.1. Academic Dishonesty (a) i. ii. iii. iv. v. Plagiarism[is] claiming the words, ideas, artistry, drawings, images or data of another person as if they were your own. This includes: copying another persons work (including information found on the internet and unpublished materials) without appropriate referencing; presenting someone elses work, opinions or theories as if they are your own; presenting anothers substantial compositional changes to an assignment as your own; working collaboratively without permission of the instructor on an assignment, and then submitting it as if it was created solely by you; or submitting the same work, for credit in two or more courses without the prior written permission of the instructor(s).

Students have the responsibility to learn and use conventions of documentation, and, if in any doubt, are encouraged to consult with the instructor of the course, or the department Chair/Director for clarification. The Faculty of Arts, operating within University policy, offers the following guidelines (note this is not an exhaustive list and do not assume that some instances of plagiarism are too minor to result in a formal charge and serious penalty): DO NOT: submit, in whole or in part, a paper researched, written or rewritten by somebody else, including: o papers produced from basic research conducted by somebody else, o papers written by previous students in the course, o papers written by essay services, and o papers downloaded from websites or online essay banks; take information word-for-word (or with slight alterations) from any source without marking it with quotation marks and providing a proper source citation; take someone elses work and put it into your own words (paraphrasing) without making clear the extent to which you are paraphrasing someone elses work and providing a proper source citation; use someone elses argument, idea, opinion, etc. without proper source citation. DO: acquaint yourself with Ryersons Student Code of Academic Conduct which is reproduced in the General Information section of each years Calendar; consult with the instructor of the course if you have any doubt or question about what you are doing; pay attention, as you read academic material, to the way in which sources are cited; use the services the University provides if you are having problems researching, writing, or editing your papers:

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The Library provides research workshops and individual assistance. Enquire at the Reference Desk; The Writing Centre (http://www.ryerson.ca/writing-centre/), located in LIB272B (416-979-5000 x 7192) offers one-on-one tutorial help with writing; Learning Success Centre (http://www.ryerson.ca/lss/) located in VIC B-15 (416979-5000 x 7350) offers individual sessions and workshops covering various aspects of researching, writing, and studying; and The English Language Support, located in VIC B-17 offers workshops to improve overall communication skills www.ryerson.ca/studentservices/els/ use an accepted academic format for your citations (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian) or the format specified by your professor; be prepared to submit the sources used in writing your assignment if required; be prepared to submit an electronic version of your assignment for submission to web-based plagiarism checking programs.

The Department of Sociology has a web page at www.ryerson.ca/soc. There (and also in the Office of the Departmental Assistant) students may find Departmental policies regarding deadlines, appeals, plagiarism, and many other issues. It is the students responsibility to know and adhere to all Departmental and University policies; and also to make all arrangements for maintaining a proper registration in this course. Read the Calendar carefully. Any alterations in course assignments, tests, and deadlines, or in the marking and evaluation scheme, will be discussed in class prior to being implemented. The students attention is drawn especially to the policy on plagiarism (www.ryerson.ca/soc/plagpol.html) and the policy on Liberal Studies writing requirements (www.ryerson.ca/soc/lstud.html) as well as to the Faculty of Arts statement on Plagiarism on the Faculty website. Plagiarism in academic work is a serious offence. Students must know how to both demarcate sources used and properly credit them. In Liberal Studies courses, a critical analytical essay graded for both sociological content and writing style is absolutely required. The Department has a procedure for academic appeals, available at www.ryerson.ca/soc/appeal.html. Any application for appeal must follow it closely and be submitted before the Calendar deadline. RYERSON UNIVERSITY STUDENT CODE OF ACADEMIC CONDUCT HIGHLIGHTS For full policy details see: www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/pol60.pdf Academic misconduct includes: plagiarism (note: plagiarism is the claiming of words, ideas, artistry, drawings or data of another person this also includes submitting your own work in whole or in part for credit in two or more courses) cheating misrepresentation of personal identity or performance submission of false information contributing to academic misconduct damaging, tampering, or interfering with the scholarly environment unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials violations of departmental policies or professional behavior violations of specific departmental or course requirements If suspected of academic misconduct:

You will be notified through Ryerson e-mail by the instructor or the Academic Integrity Officer (AIO) to attend a discussion. You will have the opportunity to explain your perspective. A decision will be made by the instructor and communicated to your Ryerson e-mail within 5 business days or sooner. You have the right to request that the discussion happen with the AIO in attendance. If you are charged with misconduct: The instructor may assign: the minimum penalty of a 0 for the work and an F in the course. The instructor may also recommend: Disciplinary Suspension (DS) (this is not applicable to graduate students), Disciplinary Withdrawal (DW) or Expulsion. As a consequence, a Disciplinary Notice (DN) will be placed on your academic record and official transcript. Appeals process: Please see the policy for details on the Appeal process.

COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1 (Jan. 11th ): Course Overview: Sociology and the Study of Society Readings: Chapter 1 Week 2 (Jan. 18th ): Biological Deterministic Arguments for Human Behaviour Readings: Chapter 2 Week 3 (Jan. 25th ): Foraging Societies Readings: Chapter 3 Week 4 (Feb. 1rd ): From Feudalism to Capitalism Readings: Chapter 4 Week 5 (Feb. 8th ): Social Class Readings: Chapter 5 and REVIEW FOR MID-TERM TEST Week 6: IN-CLASS MIDTERM TEST (Lectures and Readings covering Weeks 1-5) READING WEEK: (Feb. 21st 25th ) Week 7 (Mar. 1st ): Capitalism and Peoples Everyday Live s Readings: Chapter 6 Week 8 (Mar. 8th ): Essay Topic Presentation and Discussion Week 9 (Mar. 15th ): Ideas and Ideologies Readings: Chapter 7 Week 10 (Mar. 22th ): The Role of the State Readings: Chapter 8 Week 11 (Mar. 29th ): Social Inequality

Readings: Chapter 10 ESSAY DUE Week 12 (Apr. 5th ): Race and Ethnicity Readings: Chapter 11 Week 13 (Apr. 12th ): Gender Inequality and Feminism Readings: Chapter 12 REVIEW FOR FINAL EXAM Week 14 (Apr. 19st) : IN-CLASS FINAL EXAM (Lectures and Readings covering Weeks 7-13)