SYB 115—STUDIES IN SOCIAL PROBLEMS

READING AND WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT LIST

 

MOST RECENT ASSIGNMENT IS AT TOP.  ASSIGNMENTS MAY NOT NORMALLY BE SUBMITTED MORE THAN ONE CLASS MEETING AFTER THE DUE DATE.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THURSDAY, APRIL 30

 

EXAM #3.    Due date for projects has been moved to Thursday, May 7 by 4:30 PM.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 28

 

Read: Ain’t No Makin’ It, Chapters 12-14

 

Write:

1.      What surprised you the most about how the Brothers/Hangers turned out at midlife?  Why?

2.      After finishing the book (especially Chapter 14), what conclusions can you draw about inequality in the U.S.?  What makes in difficult for people like the Brothers and Hangers to get ahead?

3.      After reading pages 451-457 and reflecting on the rest of the book, how do you see the future for the children of the Brothers and the Hangers?

 

Reminder:  Exam #3 has been moved to Thursday, April 30.  A study guide was posted on the course website on Friday afternoon.

 

Extra Credit Opportunities:

 

1.      Attend lecture by former Civil Rights Movement activist Bernard LaFayette, Jr. (3 PM Friday, April 24 in Dana 201) on nonviolence and social change.  Write a reaction to the lecture.

2.       Read Appendix 1 in Ain’t No Makin’ It on the issues that Jay MacLeod experienced in researching the book.  Discuss/respond to this material.  What did you find most interesting (and why)?  What can you conclude about some of the challenges in doing sociological research?

 

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THURSDAY, APRIL 23

 

No assignment.  Work on projects or continue reading in Ain’t No Makin’ It.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 21

 

Read: Ain’t No Makin’ It, Chapters 9-11; short article “How School Taught Me I Was Poor” Click here to access the article.

 

Write:

1.      What patterns do you see in the Brothers’ and Hangers’ lives in the 8 years covered by the reading?

2.      What changes could be made in society to improve opportunities for young people such as the Brothers and the Hangers.

3.      Write a general reaction to the reading “How School Taught Me I Was Poor.”

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THURSDAY, APRIL 16

 

No new assignment.  Revised Stage 1 is due for students who have selected the research option.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 14

 

Read: Ain’t No Makin’ It, Chapters 7 and 8

 

Write:

1.      What explains the differences between the Brothers and the Hallway Hangers?

2.      Why don’t things work out for the Brothers?

3.      How do the Brothers and the Hangers explain/understand their lives to this point?

4.      What questions do you have after reading chapters 1-8?

 

Important upcoming dates:

 

Research Stage 1 Revision due             Thursday, April 16

Exam #3                                                           Tuesday, April 28 [changed]
Research Revised Stage II due              Tuesday, May 5    [changed]
Service Learning Journal due                 Tuesday, May 5 (includes final volunteer log)

Research Stage III due                         Tuesday, May 5  [changed]

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THRUSDAY, APRIL 9

 

No reading or written assignment.  Use the time to work on your projects.  REMINDER: Stage 2 will not be accepted after Thursday, April 9.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 7

 

Read:   Ain’t No Makin’ It (Chapter 6)

“Education Chief Favors Longer School Year.”   Click here to view a copy of the article.

 

Write:

1.      Compare/contrast the Brothers’ and the Hallway Hangers’ school experiences with your own.  What are the most important similarities and differences?

2.      How does education provide opportunity?  How does it present obstacles to opportunity?

3.      Discuss the proposal in “education chief Favors Longer School Year.”  What are the advantages and disadvantages of this idea?  Do you favor or oppose the suggestion?  Explain your position.

 

REMINDER:  IF YOU HAVE NOT SUBMITTED STAGE 2 IT MUST BE SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY, APRIL 7.  I WILL NOT ACCEPT STAGE 2 AFTER THE 7TH.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THURSDAY, APRIL 2

 

Read: Ain’t No Makin’ It, Chapters 4 and 5 (Family and Work)

 

Write:

1.      Compare and/or contrast your family influences with those of the Brothers and the Hallway Hangers.  What factors seem to be the most important?  What conclusions can you draw about the impact of the family?

2.      Compare and/or contrast your work experiences and/or aspirations with those of the Brothers and the Hallway Hangers.  What explains the similarities and differences?

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE TUESDAY, MARCH 31

 

PROJECT STAGE 2 IS DUE!  There is no other reading or written assignment.

 

ASSIGNMENT DUE THURSDAY, MARCH 26

 

Read:

 

Ain’t No Makin’ It, Chapters 1-3 (pp. 3-50).  I understand that Chapter 2 (pp. 11-24) is very abstract. 

 

Write:

 

1.         What does the author mean by “social immobility in the land of opportunity?”  What questions does this raise about American society?  What social problems emerge from the author’s research?

 

2.         What questions do you have after reading chapters 2 and 3? 

 

3.         What explains inequality in American society?  Why do we have billionaires like Bill Gates and 12.5% of the population living below the poverty line?

 

 

DUE TUESDAY MARCH 24

 

No assignment.  We will discuss the current economic crisis in class.  Use your time over spring break to work on stage 2, the revision of stage 1, and the assignments for March 26.

 

 

DUE THURSDAY, MARCH 12

 

            EXAM # 2.   Review guide will be posted on the course website on Friday, March 6.

 

DUE TUESDAY, MARCH 10

 

Read: “How Financial Madness Overtook Wall Street.”  Click here to view the article.

            “One Layoff, A Cascade of Effects.”  Click here to view the article.

 

Write: These two articles look at both the causes and the consequences of the current financial crisis.  Write a reaction to each article.  What conclusions can you draw?  What questions does this raise for the future of American society?

 

DUE THURSDAY, MARCH 5

 

Read: “Rewriting the Rules: Families, Money, and Risk.”  Click here to gain access to a copy of the article.

 

Write:  (1) Summarize the main points of the reading. (2) What does the author mean by “rising family risk?”  (3) How do you see the issues raised by the author as connected to your own family experience—past, present, and future?

 

DUE TUESDAY, MARCH 3

 

Stage I of project is due!  There are no other reading or written assignments.

 

DUE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26

 

            Read: Newsweek article “The New American Job.”  Click here to access the article.

 

Write: What are some of the effects of the “new American job” on society?  How could it be a problem?  Who are some of the “winners” and “losers” under this scenario?  How would you feel about having one of these jobs?

 

Stage I of projects is due on Tuesday, March 3.

 

DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24

 

Read:  Newsweek article “Who We Are Now.”  Click here to access the article.

 

Write:  Discuss the reading.  How will changes in American society change public discussion of social problems?  Try to apply concepts and ideas from past class discussions.

 

REMINDER:  Stage 1 of your project is due on either Thursday, February 26 or Tuesday, March 3.

 

 

DUE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

 

EXAM #1

 

DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

 

Read:  Chronicle of Higher Education article: “Needed: A Single Electronic Source for Textbooks.”  Click here to access the article.

 

Write:  Analyze the article from a social constructionist perspective.

·        How is the problem framed?

·        What claims does the author make about both the problem and his proposed solution?

·        What is your response to the author’s argument?  Do you accept or disagree with his claims?  Explain your position.

 

Reminder: review guide for exam will be posted on the course website on Friday, February 13.  The exam will be on Thursday, February 19.

 

DUE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12

 

There is no assignment.

 

DUE    TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

 

Read:

 

(if you have not already done so) (Library Reserve)  “The People and the Tasks in Constructing Social Problems” [to access electronic reserves, see instructions for February 3). 

 

No written assignment.  Project information sheet is due if not submitted on February 5.

 

DUE    THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5

 

Read: 

 

Class handouts--the Thomas advertisement and the Fischer letter.

 

(Library Reserve)  “The People and the Tasks in Constructing Social Problems” [to access electronic reserves, see instructions for February 3).  This article and class notes From February 5 will be used throughout the semester.

Write:

1.  Analyze Professsor Thomas' argument and Mr. Fischer's counter argument.  According to each person, what is the social problem—and what explains the problem?

2. Focus on the idea of "caring" in the two arguments.  How does each writer use this word?  Can you account for any differences?

3.  After analyzing both positions, what do YOU see as the social problem?  Explain your position.

 

PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET IS DUE!

 

 

DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 (Class was cancelled on THURSDAY, JANUARY 29)

 

Read:

 

1.      (Library Reserve) “The Sociology of Social Problems” (Read the first 12 pages of the document—to the heading “Organization of the Book.”  Focus on the “person-blame” and “system-blame” approaches (pages 8-12 of the document).

2.      (class handout) “Robert Alton Harris”  (Click HERE for a copy of the reading)

 

Write:

 

Apply the person-blame and system-blame approaches to the “Robert Alton Harris” reading.  How would the person-blame approach EXPLAIN the events described in the reading?  How would the system-blame approach EXPLAIN the events described in the reading?  Be specific.

 

To Access Electronic Reserves:

 

Ø      Go to http://library.hartford.edu

Ø      Click on “Course Reserves”

Ø      Click on “Search for Mortenson Electronic Reserves”

Ø      Select “Doane” from the left hand instructor menu and click on “submit”

Ø      Click on “SYB 115”

Ø      Click on “Sociology of Social Problems”

 

The article should then appear (note: you must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to read the article.  If you do not already have it, there is a link to download it on the “electronic reserves” page [the page where you select the name of the faculty member].  You may also need to use your university e-mail address and password to gain access to the material.

 

 

DUE TUESDAY JANUARY 27

 

LIST what you believe to be the five most significant social problems.  Review the list and CIRCLE the problem that you feel is the most important.  In a brief one or two-paragraph statement, explain why you believe that the circled problem is the most significant one (your statement should provide an explanation as to why this problem is more important than other problems).