The University of Maryland

European Division

Lecturer: Michael S. Ofsowitz
E-mail address: mofsowit @faculty.ed.umuc.edu



Textbook:
Introduction to Sociology (6th edition), H. Tischler. (Note: Textbooks are selected by the administrative heads of each academic department for all courses.) Additional readings, selected by the lecturer, will be placed on reserve in the library.

Introduction to Sociology:
(3 credit hours): Sociology is often defined in textbooks as the scientific study of human social behavior... but that seems vague to anyone outside of the field. Sociology is the one field of study that tries to describe the patterns of activity engaged in when people interact with other people and the rules that underlie them. Sociologists study the patterns (or routines) that emerge when individuals interact with other individuals, as well as those that come to exist when we form larger groups. Wherever there comes to be some pattern of activity - whether we're talking about employment patterns like working 40 years before retirement, or the household patterns like the seating at your family's breakfast table -- sociologists look to explain where the patterns come from, why they have come to exist, and how they are being maintained or changed. We try to describe the patterns of activities, we try to expose the rules that come to underlie or enforce many of the patterns, and we try to understand the reasons in people's minds that support the patterned activities in their lives.

Sociology is, for most people, a new way of looking at the world around them. We call this way of looking at the world a sociological imagination. The sociological imagination helps a person to see the patterns in social activities that were always there, but often went unattended. It helps a person to see what purposes the patterns are serving, or the forces that are involved in establishing and maintaining those patterns. The sociological imagination helps us to see the interconnections of many of our daily activities, and the link between those activities to much broader social patterns - patterns that work on millions of persons at a time. And the sociological imagination helps us to see the world from other people's points of views, getting to know the reasons they all have for engaging in the patterns of activities that they engage in.

The problem with sociology: Before getting into a description of the topics to come in this class, let me warn you about a common problem. Almost everyone comes to their first sociology class with assumptions and beliefs about how the world works, what people are like, what's good and bad, and so on. These assumptions and beliefs are often held onto dearly, for after all, they've gotten you through years of life, and they may have been acquired from persons you respect highly (parents, friends, clergy...). In other words, you just know they can't be wrong. But in sociology we try to look at the social world from a rather sober viewpoint, and what we see challenges many of our thoughts - even those we most strongly believe in. What this means for you, the student, is that you have to come to class prepared to be exposed to alternate explanations of the world, as well as belief-shattering evidence. It doesn't mean you have to convert, but without an open mind, willing to learn what sociologists know and think, you probably won't do well in class.

Okay, one other problem before I move on. Students often think sociology is going to be easy, after all it's fun. Well, maybe it's fun, but if it were easy we'd know more about society than we know about physics. (I'm not the first to say that... it was someone else's brilliant thought.) In other words, explaining atomic energy is easy; explaining patterns of drug abuse is tough.

Getting on with it: The course begins with a general description of sociology and the sociological perspective in the study of human life. Students are introduced early in the course to the leading theoretical orientations within sociology: conflict theories, functionalism, and social constructionist theories. These are basically the different approaches that guide how sociologists look at and explain patterns in society. Following the discussion of sociological theories, our attention turns to large-scale, macro-sociological patterns: culture (our lifestyle patterns), social structures (the system's organizing frameworks), and stratification (patterns of inequalities or opportunities). The focus then changes to the interpersonal micro-sociological viewpoint for an analysis of socialization (making others in our own images) and social interaction (everyday experiences with others). After these core topics are covered we turn our attention to the components of medicine (the health care system), education (the school system), work, and community.

Brief descriptions of each of the topics covered in class can be found below, in the outline of the class schedule.

General purpose and objectives:

The objectives of this course are twofold: one, to introduce you to the work of sociologists, and two, to contribute to the larger puzzle that is your general education. If you develop a good grasp of the materials presented in this course you should be able to understand some of the basic components underlying the patterns of our social lives and the methods used to ascertain them. You should come to understand what we mean by patterns of social activities, rules, and meanings. You should develop a bit of a sociological imagination, to understand your own life in relation to the patterns of activities that you are involved in (both voluntarily and involuntarily). You should then be able to comprehend, with a skeptical eye, the various discussions going on around us - in the media and in private - that have to do with the influences of societies on people and people on societies. If you work hard in this class and put thought into the topics you should also come away with an improved general ability to research and think about college-level subjects, and an altered view of your life in the world.

Responsibilities:
Students are responsible for acting, thinking, and working like college students. See the additional study and grade guides ("How to Study" and "How to get an A") for an idea of how much work you're expected to put into this course. During class, come prepared to listen to and understand what I have to say. The class will be in a lecture and discussion format, and you will be held responsible for attempting to understand the lectures, the discussions, and the readings (whether these all coincide or not). Your primary job as student is to learn how to think about sociology, not how to pick out right answers from a list of possibilities. Keep in mind that my interpretation of sociology is not the only interpretation, so you should be prepared to question what I have to say with the knowledge and ideas you have been exposed to from other credible sources. (Questions can be asked directly on the spot, and issues can be raised for discussion, and you can always talk to me in private.) Regarding your written assignments, you may show me outlines and rough drafts prior to the due dates; I expect your final drafts to be neat, well thought-out and organized, free of plagiarism, and on time. Scheduling arrangements can be made for work-related absences that interfere with tests and homework assignments, although such arrangements are at the discretion of the instructor.


Grades:
Grades for this course are based on the following: there will be seven weekly quizzes (given at the start of class on Mondays/Tuesdays or for lunchtime courses, Fridays) containing two 5-point questions each; your best 10 (of the 14 possible) answers will provide your total quiz grade, which is worth 40% of the final course grade; you may make-up a missed quiz only once ­ all other missed quizzes are final. See below for quiz point-grade conversion details. Three homework assignments (numbers 1, 2, & 3, below) worth 10% each, and a final exam worth 30% of the final course grade round out the grading. You'll need a total grade of "90" or better for an A, "80" for a B, "70" for a C, and so on. This means that your entire course grade is calculated on the basis of written communication. Please take care and try to develop good writing habits. And keep in mind that there are few right answers to complex questions: usually there are good answers and lousy answers. If you're anticipating or having trouble in class, see the hints for introductory courses.

Michael S. Ofsowitz:
Born and raised in Rochester, N.Y. Studied psychology and sociology at The University of North Carolina-Charlotte, before going to Tulane University for graduate study in social psychology. I've been teaching with the European Division since 1990, and usually teach: PSYC 100, PSYC 221, PSYC 334, PSYC 341, SOCY 100, SOCY 105, SOCY 230, SOCY 300, and SOCY 430. My dominant interests concern the relationship of macro and micro social structures to interpersonal interaction and personality. My dominating non-academic interests center around my kid (a six-year-old boy), my appetite (for French-styled cooking, with an emphasis on game), and comedy. Since I am not part of the U.S. military, try to avoid calling me "sir." Also, since the University of Maryland European Division has no formal titles, use of the label "professor" is colloquial at best. Feel free to call me Mike, Michael, Mr. Ofsowitz, or "teach." (A teaching philosophy statement is available, too.)

OUTLINE OF LECTURES AND ASSIGNMENTS:

(Note: occasional readings will be handed out in class, for which you will also be held responsible.)

Section 1:

A. Introduction to the sociological imagination and the study of society.

B. Facts, theories, and references: reading a college text.

C. Frameworks and perspectives in professional sociology. (Textbook: chapter 1; Handouts 1 & 2)

This is the first major topic. Most work in sociology typically fits into one major theoretical orientation (framework) or another. Here we'll be introduced to the three main orientations, conflict theories, functionalism, and interactionist theories.

Section 2:

A. Culture. (Textbook: chapter 3; Handout 3)

We'll get back to chapter two later in the course, but first we'll have a look at what sociologists think of as the components of a group of people's way of life.

B. Society and its structure. (Textbook: pp. 161-167 & 450-454; Handout 3)

Unfortunately, the textbook has no special section on social structures, so you're asked to skip around here and also to read a chapter detailing one particular structure -- the economy. Our discussion of structure will not be specific to the economy, however.

Section 3:

A. Stratification: power, opportunity, and status differences in society. (Textbook: chapters 7, 8, & 9; Handout 4)

For some sociologists, the topic of stratification and inequalities is the topic from which an interest in sociology springs, and that's why I've moved it closer to the head of this course. Note that your readings for this section include an analysis of the social class system of American society. The hot issues, of course, are race and gender.

Section 4:

A. The socialization of society's members. (Textbook: chapter 4; Handout 5)

How do screaming little babies eventually become normal members of their society? Here we return to a focus on persons and the interactions between them that play a role in molding persons and personalities.

B. Interaction in daily lives (between people, within groups, between groups). (Textbook: chapter 5; Handout 6)

Another big topic in sociology. Ongoing interaction between real people in real situations: How do we know what to do? Who's who? What is a role? How do I control the way others see me? Am I a part of a group? How does the group influence me, and how do I influence it? How am I (and how is my group) influenced by other groups?

Section 5:

A. Research methodology. (Textbook: chapter 2; Handout 7)

Textbooks cover research methods early on, and you'll notice that the reading takes you back to chapter two. I thought you might like to get an idea about what sociology deals with before covering the methods used to generate knowledge in the field.

B. Deviance, conformity, and social control. (Textbook: chapter 6; Handout 8)

Deviance (explaining why people don't always act within norms) is a core topic in sociology, but it just doesn't seem to fit one of the three sections neatly. Here we examine the meaning of norms and rules and violations and accusations and even the functional aspects of being deviant.

Section 6:

A. The sociology of medicine. (Textbook: chapter 16; Handout 9)

The sociology of medicine is not a core topic, but it is one that interests many sociologists and non-sociologists alike. And, since we are not trying to cover everything in the textbook, I have decided to include it here as the first of the social institution topics. The focus of this section will be on two things: one, inequalities in the access to health care in American society, and two, interactions between sick persons (patients) and health care providers.

Section 7:

A. The sociology of education. (Textbook: Chapter 12; Handout 10)

Another specialty topic within the field of sociology that generates a good deal of interest. Here the interest is on what goes on in classrooms between students and teachers, and who has access to which types of classrooms.

B. Communities and residential patterns. (Textbook: chapter 15)

Where we live and why we live there. The focus of this section will be on trends of suburbanization in residence and business within American society.

Section 8:

A. Social change. (Textbook: chapters 19 and 18)

Last, but not least (although time may not permit). Why does social change occur? What kinds of conditions make it more or less likely? What kinds of people play central roles in making it come about?

B. FINAL EXAMINATION.

Writing Assignments.

The writing assignments will be detailed in class. The following guidelines apply to all assignments.

Assignments one, two, and three should be 500 - 1000 words in length each. For assignments four and five (the quiz corrections), you should write approximately one paragraph for each assigned question. All assignments will be graded for thought content, clarity, and English (grammar, syntax, spelling, organization, etc.). All assignments should be typed. If you are unable to find a typewriter or computer (although these are often available for student use in libraries), make sure your papers are neatly written and easily readable. Illegible or messy papers will be returned without grades. Papers should be double-spaced, neatly ordered, and stapled together. Don't forget to number your pages

If you are not satisfied with a grade on an assignment, you may rewrite the assignment and hand in an improved version. The rewritten work is eligible for a maximum 2/3 letter grade improvement (i.e., a change in grade is not guaranteed, and the maximum improvement will be 2/3 of one full letter, such as from B- to B+), however, I will not provide comments or justifications for the rewritten work. (This option does not apply to tests.)

Assignments turned in late will be devalued one-third of a grade (e.g., from B to B-) for each class period. However, due-date extensions can be given for consecutive excused absences.

A note on the weekly quizzes. Each completed quiz answer will receive a numerical score from zero through five points. Your 10 best answers will be used to calculate your total quiz grade based on the following scale: 48 or more= A+, 44-47= A, 40-43= A-, 37-39= B+, 34-36= B, 30-33= B-, 27-29= C+, 24-26= C, 20-23= C-, 17-19= D+, 14-16= D, 10-13= D-, 9 or less= F.

A note on absences:

Since the military environment often leads to unexpected absences, it is to your benefit as student to be prepared to seek help from, and to give help to other students. If you miss class for any reason, you should find out from other students what went on in the class you missed. Ask for copies of notes, or, if available, tape recordings. I am available to clarify any problems you might have in understanding the material or the assignments, but I can not review entire classes for each student absence. Due to the nature of the course, repeated absences are likely to result in lower grades. In other words, attendance is not mandatory, but tests and homework assignments will relate to material covered in the classroom, which is not always the same as material covered in your textbooks and other readings. Therefore, absences can severely influence your ability to get a good grade in the class.

Incomplete (grade of I):

The grade of I, or incomplete, is available for special cases where the student is unable to finish the course by the scheduled end of the term. To receive an I, students who are having problems finishing the course as scheduled must fulfill the following requirements: 1) 55% of the graded assignments must be completed at the time of the request; 2) 60% of the class sessions must have been attended by the end of the course; 3) the student must provide evidence of a valid reason for not finishing the graded assignments by the end of the course; 4) the student must request an incomplete in writing, prior to the last day of the course, and this request must include the reason for the request and a date by which the work for the course will be completed (which should not exceed one week from the expiration of the reason for the I). Granting the grade of I, and setting a date for its completion remain at the total discretion of the instructor. For students who are unable to finish the course as scheduled, alternatives to the grade of I include the W (withdrawal) and the F(n) (failure for non-attendance).

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is academic dishonesty. In other words, it's a big word for cheating. If you are caught plagiarizing, or cheating in some other form, then you may wind up failing the assignment you were working on, or, if the infringement is serious, the course as a whole. The common form of plagiarism is using someone else's work as if it were your own. That is, by copying the work of another person and presenting that work as if you wrote it, you are plagiarizing. To avoid plagiarism you should learn how to paraphrase and how to use quotation marks. Basically, if you copy anything word-for-word from a previously published source (another book, a magazine article, etc.), using three or more consecutive words, you must put the passage within quotation marks and show where the material came from with a footnote or other reference. If you put the ideas of someone else into your own words (and not just a rearrangement of the original words) you don't need the quotation marks but you still need to show where the material came from.

Under no circumstances should you ever use the work of a fellow student in any of your written work. Consulting with other students is encouraged, but when it comes to writing, you must write your own product. Anything else is down-right cheating. (Never let another student borrow a paper of yours for any purpose other than getting a general idea about the assignment or issue at hand.) Also, if you plan on using something that you had once written for another course as a piece of work for credit in this course, you must get prior approval.

I highly recommend that you get an English manual of some sort to help you avoid some of the common mistakes that result in accusations of plagiarism. The Harbrace College Handbook is one such manual.

Respect:

Go light on your fellow student, and show patience.
Assume your fellow student has good intentions.
Don't try to deceive your fellow students, don't be ambiguous or obscure when discussing.
Allow others to play Devil's advocate.
Take a joke, but don't insult anyone.
Treat the classroom as a confidential situation, and don't gossip.
Listen to others when they speak, pay attention to them, and hope they'll do the same for you.
Allow others to decline comment.
Speak in the first person; recognize that your opinions are your own and that you don't speak for others.
Try to be accurate and try to defend any of the claims you make.