INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Sociology 101
Ohlone College
Instructor: Dr. Bennett Oppenheim

Introductory Remarks

Welcome, I am pleased you have chosen this class. Thousands of students have taken it and been successful, and I have every reason to believe you will be successful too. We are about to embark on a journey exploring the relationship between the mind, self, and society. No endeavor could be more central to an understanding of the social world and our part in it. I look forward to our collective quest!

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to better understand the nature of social life, which has occupied the minds of reflective people since the first glimmerings of wonder and inquiry touched the dark corners of ignorance and unexamined belief. Sociology is a unique discipline in the social sciences, which systematically studies social behavior and human groups. It focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships on people’s attitudes and behavior and on how societies are established and change.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing Introduction to Sociology, students will be able to:

• Discuss/describe cultural diversity in relationship to social institutions
• Identify theoretical perspectives of human behavior in cross cultural contexts
• Relate the biological, historical, and cultural make-up of one’s own life to the common humanity of all people
• Identify the major paradigms and research methods applied to the discipline of sociology

Required Reading

Text: Sociology, (Any Edition), Richard T. Schaefer, McGraw-Hill

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Academic dishonesty defrauds all those who depend upon the integrity of the College, its courses, and its degrees and certificates, and therefore there is zero tolerance. Any questions regarding this matter, please refer to the Academic Dishonesty Policy on the Ohlone website. (Copies are available in the office of the Vice President, Educational Services/Deputy Superintendent)

The student has the right and shares the responsibility to exercise the freedom to learn.

The student is expected to engage in conduct in accordance with standards of the College that are designed to perpetuate its educational purposes. These procedures, along with applicable penalties for violation, are found in the Standards of Student Conduct and Discipline and Due Process Procedures. (Copies are available in the offices of the Vice President, Educational Services/Deputy Superintendent or Division Deans)

The student has the responsibility to be informed of all dates & policies pertaining to:

• Course Registration
• Add, Drop and Withdrawal from a class
• Exams
• Instructor Office Hours
• Attendance
• Credit/No Credit grading preference (if applicable)

Exams

• The compositional make-up of the exams and grading curve will be discussed the first day of class.
• Exams are based primarily on lectures and complemented by readings in the text.
• Students will be provided with an outline of information to be covered each class.
• Students are expected to take notes on class lectures in preparation for exams.
• There is no “extra credit”.
• Make-up exams will only be permitted with instructor approval prior to the exam.
• All students are encouraged to participate in class discussions, and can feel comfortable knowing it will have no bearing on their grade.

Grading

• 1^st Midterm Exam = 25%
• 2^nd Midterm Exam = 25%
• Final Exam = 50%

Content

• UNDERSTANDING SOCIOLOGY
1. Sociological Imagination
2. Early Thinkers
3. Style and Methods
4. Theoretical Perspectives


• CULTURE
1. Development
2. Elements
3. Cultural Variation
4. Subcultures and Countercultures
5. Ethnocentrism
6. Cultural Relativism


• GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS
1. Types & Characteristics
2. Purpose & Function
3. Oligarchy
4. Bureaucracy
5. Organizational Models
6. Managerial Approaches
7. Life Cycle


• MIDTERM #1


• PERSONALITY & SOCIALIZATION
1. Role and Function
2. Social Construction of Self
3. Agents of Socialization
4. Theories of Personality


• SOCIAL STRUCTURE
1. Statuses & Social Roles
2. Gender & Age
3. Race & Ethnicity
4. Social Institutions: Religion, etc.
5. Community vs. Mass Society
6. Sociocultural Evolution


• MIDTERM #2


• DEVIANCE & SOCIAL CONTROL
1. Social Order
2. Informal & Formal Controls
3. Types & Classifications
4. Law & Society
5. Theories of Deviation
6. Social Inequality & Criminal Justice


• SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
1. Systems & Perspectives
2. Determinants of Social Class
3. Race, Gender, & Age
4. Significance & Consequence
5. Rates & Measurement
6. Social Mobility
7. Life Chances: Race & Gender


• COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR
1. Mass & Crowd Dichotomy
2. Characteristics & Dynamics
3. Limitations
4. Forms of Crowd & Mass
5. Theories & Perspectives
6. Social Movements


• Final Exam

ENJOY THE COURSE!