COURSE SYLLABUS, SPRING 2004
SO/AN 302: THEORY IN THE
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Camp Smith, Bldg. 27, Thu,
5:30-9:40pm
Fred Magdalena,
Ph.D.
Adjunct Faculty,
Chaminade University
[email protected] or [email protected]
Tel (808) 944-6263 (eve) or
956-6086 (day)
Course Description
Social theory is a course
that helps us explore the world to unveil some of the mysteries, as well as
explain everyday occurrences of social life, using concepts that critically
examine how and why things happen the way they do, and evaluate the
significance of these concepts for a better understanding of our society. It
is a useful source of knowledge that gives us a lens with which to see the
forces that shape the human experience, how realities are constructed and
what do they mean to some people, and informs us of the variety and
direction of change that has an immense significance to our lives
today.
The course will introduce
the ideas of social thinkers whose ideas have helped shape current
understanding of society and behaviors of individuals, and even enable us to
predict the future. Their contributions have also profoundly influenced the
way researchers investigate topics that lead to a formulation of a
“progressive” society through scientific methods and other organized
techniques of analysis. Our concern here, therefore, is to keep track of who
these theorists are, what do they say, and how important are the ideas that
they have left behind to appreciate and understand the world as we live it
today. More particularly, we
will take a look at some of the “founding fathers” of social theory like
Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber, among others, and move on to the
current theorists, notably Robert Merton, Sigmund Freud, Leslie White,
George Ritzer, Alvin Toffler, Peter Berger, Samuel Huntington, Immanuel
Wallerstein, Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault, among others.
Goals
- To introduce students to the major theorists and
critical ideas in the social sciences
- To understand and appreciate the theoretical ideas
and perspectives of these theorists
- To be able to relate these ideas for better
comprehension of society and social behaviors
- To question the basic structures and beliefs
prevalent in our society, and entertain a new mode of doing things to make
the world a “better” place to live in
- At the end of the semester, students are expected
to have learned some major theories/ perspectives and be able to relate
them to everyday life situations, develop critical and logical thinking to
analyze events and processes, and be able to write clearly about the link
between theory and practice.
Required Textbook:
Cuzzort, R. P. & Edit W.
King, Social Thought into the Twenty-First Century. 6th
ed. New
York.
Harcourt College, 2002.
Supplementary
Readings
Berger, Peter L. & Samuel P. Huntington (eds.). Many
Globalizations: Cultural Diversity in the Contemporary World.
London: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Ritzer, George.
Explorations in Social Theory: From Methatheorizing to Rationalization.
London: Sage, 2001.
___________. Modern Sociological Theory.
4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Co., 1996.
Internet Resources: http://www.marxists.org/ and http://www.src.uchicago.edu/ssr1/PRELIMS/%20theory.htm
These websites feature several theorists and their works which you can
download free of charge. Cuzzort & King likewise provide some useful
URLs for selected authors at the end of each chapter. See also other
materials in the web as listed here.
Method:
The course uses a
combination of lectures, readings, examinations and class reports. The basic
requirements are these: (1) Two 1-2 hr class examinations at the
middle and end of the semester; (2) One term paper (major paper); (3)
Two reaction papers based on a topic discussed or else a chapter in
the text; (4) One oral presentation in class using a reading or some
other sources (must be approved by instructor); (5) Interest/active
participation in class, and (6) at least 70% attendance
(meaning, 3 excused absences) in class sessions.
Aside from being indicated
in the syllabus, other activities and requirements are announced in
class. Those who miss them may
visit my URL (http://www.geocities.com/fred_magdalena)
for these announcements and other important postings. Occasionally, I will
also post some materials here for you to download. For example, this syllabus may be
accessed and printed directly from the internet using this address: http://www.geocities.com/fred_magdalena/soc302-syl-04.html.
The term/major paper is a
written work based on an instructor-approved topic 8-15 pages in length. It
may or may not be derived from the oral class report; if it is, make sure to incorporate
more ideas with proper documentation in the bibliography. The term paper is different from the
reaction paper, the latter being a 3-6 page critical analysis of a theory or
sociological concept (not necessarily approved by instructor). Writing a
paper follows a standard style, such as the APA (http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm) or ASA (http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html) style manual
or some other standard styles.
For the oral class presentation, each student will be given the
opportunity to select a topic or chapter from the reading and discuss it
before the class for 15-20 minutes, the presenter providing every class
member with a 1-2 page abstract.
Group papers are not allowed. Finally, you should be able to attend
at least seven out of ten class sessions in order to make the grade. For
absences to be excused, a written justification must be given before
incurring one, or by sending me an email within 3 days after it is incurred.
If, for any reason, you are unable to come during the mid-term and final
examinations, please inform me well ahead of time.
Grading:
Grading is determined as
follows: Two examinations (40%); one term/major paper to be submitted at the
last meeting during the semester (25%); two reaction papers (15%); one brief
oral report in class (10%); class attendance, interest/active participation
in class (10%). Grades are calculated from your weighted scores as follows:
91-100%=A (Excellent)
81-90%
=B
71-80%
=C
61-70%
=D (Passing)
00-60%
=F (Failed)
Important dates to Remember
May 6 - 1st
Reaction paper due (in hard copy, email not accepted)
May 13 - Mid-term exam
May 27 - 2nd
Reaction paper due (in hard copy, email not accepted)
June 10 - Term/major paper
(in hard copy, email not accepted); Final exam
Class Session and Schedule
April 8 – Introduction:
pre-modern thought, “founding fathers,” theories, models and paradigms,
women in the underside of history, global peace. Cuzzort & King, Ch.
1-2. (Unless specified, Chapters are those of Cuzzort & King). “A
General View of Positivism” by A. Comte in www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/fr/comte.htm
April 15 - Sociological
applications of theory H. Becker (Ch. 3), Sociology as bad faith by P.
Berger, Ch. 4, “Definition of Sociology” by M. Weber in www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/weber.htm,
“Pragmatism & the Question of Truth” by E. Durkheim in http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/weer.htm
April 22 –
Structural-Functionalism by R. Merton (Ch 5), Leisure and loneliness by
Reisman, Ch. 6. On Merton, see www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/courses/mertonr1.html; also “Structuralism” by C. Levi-Strauss in http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Levi-Strauss
(Note the underline between “Claude” and “Levi,” thus, the
name should read Claude_Levi)
April 29 – Life as a con
game (dramaturgy) by E. Goffman (Ch 7), Ordinary life and the Commonplace by
H. Garfinkel (Ch 8). On Goffman see also http://www.sociology.ccsu.edu/%20adair/goffman%20the%%2020nature%20of%20deference%20and%20demeanor.htm
.
May 6 – Sacred and the
profane by Durkheim (Ch 9),
Power and bureaucracy by M. Weber (Ch 10), Knowledge and Power by A.
Toffler (selected Chs). Also see www.ne.jp/asahi/moriyuki/abukuma/weber/world/ethic/pro_eth_frame.html
and Toffler’s Powershift
in http://www.hoboes.com/html/NetLife/powershift.shtml
1st Reaction paper due (typed, hard copy)
May 13 – Profit, misery and the class
struggle by K. Marx (Ch 11), see Marx’s The Manifesto of the
Communist Party, in http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm,
Mid-term
exam
May 20 – Sexuality by S.
Freud (Ch 12), Ideationalism
and sensatism by P. Sorokin (Ch 14),
Cultural analysis by M. Mead (Ch 16) and by L. White (Ch 17). See
also D. Stevenson on Freud’s “Infantile sexuality,” http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/f/freud.htm#Infantile%20Sexuality,
and “Psychosexual Stages of Development,” in http://65.107.211.206/%20science/freud/%20Psychosexual_%20Development.html
May 27 – World System
Analysis of I. Wallerstein in
“Summary of Wallerstein on
World System Theory” in www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/wallerstein.html,
also ”Wallerstein’s World System Theory” in www.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/theorists/wallerstein;
Globalization as applied to South Africa, Chile and Turkey (Berger &
Huntington, Chs 7-9). 2nd
Reaction paper due (typed, hard copy)
June 3 – McDonaldization of Society (G.
Ritzer, Ch. 10), Post-modernism, post-structuralism,
deconstructionism. See “Postmodernism” by M. Klages in http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/pomo.html,
also “Defining Post-Modernism” by C. Keep et al. in www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hf0242.html,
and “Post-Structuralism” by R. Jones in www.philosopher.org.uk/postr.htm
June 10 – Winding up,
linking theory and practice. Submission of term paper (major paper) (typed,
hard copy), and final
examination. Late submission of paper or non-taking of the final exam is
not accepted, unless under extremely meritorious situation. Make-up
exams and late papers are scored 10% less each day past the deadline (no
exceptions!).