(1) Images of Terror: What We Can and Can’t Know About Terrorism – Philip Jenkins
(2) Occasionally articles may be distributed in class to supplement the readings
(3) Other books may be required as we progress
The main objectives of this course are to expand your knowledge and appreciation of contemporary social problems: the defining process, problems in different areas, historical perspectives of social problems both in general and specifically, as well as the development, implications and change of policy related to a particular putative condition.
1. This is a graduate seminar. It is critical that you attend and be on time for every class meeting, be prepared for discussion, discuss the readings, and be professional in your presentations and interactions.
2. Each class period will have its own assignment that will follow the format listed next, but as some things will be emergent, the particulars of the assignment will also emerge. The seminar is broken into four parts: (1) introduction to the sociology of social problems; (2) terrorism; (3) group choice topic; (4) second group choice topic. Part 1 includes two exercises that will be due on the 3rd and will lead class discussion. The first two class meetings for each of the three topics will be spent in discussion of the issues so your assignment will be reading and preparation of questions for discussion. The last two class meetings for each topic will be spent in presentation and discussion of policy. Each of you will be responsible for presenting some aspect of policy (its history, change, implications, etc.) related to the issue discussed and drawing on our discussions of social problems, and then make recommendations for likely and perhaps “necessary” policy change. Each of you will submit a paper detailing your assigned policy and implications for change which will be due the last class period for that topic. Your papers will be shared with each other! 400 total points for these various assignments.
3. Final exam - Due date TBA, 100 pts.
Final grades will be computed through a simple tally of points using the following scale:
470 - 500 A (94%)
460 - 469 A- (92%)
450 - 459 B+ (90%)
420 - 449 B (84%)
410 - 419 B- (82%)
400 - 409 C+ (80%)
370 - 399 C (74%)
360 - 369 C- (72%)
< 360
F
e-mail:
webpage: http://www.mtsu.edu/~jaeller
1417
M
W
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F
Other times by appointment.
Jan 20 Introductions to the class and to a sociological examination of social problems
27 continue with discussion
Reading assignments:
1. Best, Joel. 2003. “Killing the messenger: The social problems of sociology” Social Problems 50,1:1-13.
2. Best, Joel “Constructionism in context” – handout
3. Zimmerman, Catherine. 2004. “Introduction to a debate on public sociologies” (and the debating articles) Social Forces 82,4:1601-1643
4. Burawoy, Michael et al. 2004 “Public sociologies: a
symposium from
5. about the labeling perspective if this is unfamiliar to you
6. (This is FYI as I discuss this in class) Kitsuse, John and Malcolm Spector. 1973. “The definition of social problems.” Social Problems 20,4:407-419.
7. (Also FYI and good) Schneider, Joseph W. 1985. “Social problems theory: the constructionist view” Annual Reviews in Sociology 11:209-229.
Feb 3 Exercises due – discussion of additional “problems” to discuss
Terrorism
Reading assignments:
1. Images of Terror -- Jenkins
2. “Terrorism” chapter – Eller and Brown
3. “Terrorism, identity, and public order: a perspective from Goffman” -- Weigert
10 continue with discussion
17 policy discussion
24 policy discussion and papers due
Mar 3
Spring Break
17
24
31
Apr 7
14
21
28
May 5