SOCIAL THEORY

Fall 2005
SOC 3303, Section 001, Call # 13289

“Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking of
something different.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Andrea Laurent-Simpson Time: TTH 11:00 - 12:15

Email: andrea.laurent-simpson@utdallas.edu Location: CB1.106
Office:GR 3.406 Credit Hours: 3
Office hours: M 12:00 – 1:00 Fax: 972 883-6297

Description:
An introduction for undergraduates to major western classic social theorists that
are still central to the discipline today. Some more contemporary
microinteractionist theory will be covered later in the course.

Objectives:
Students will not only become acquainted with specific theoretical work, but will
develop the ability to thoughtfully analyze and debate the finer points of each
theorists work. We will focus specifically on what each theorist has to offer us in
terms of our own research perspectives as well as debate how their theories may or
may not be germane to today’s western society. In doing this, a better
understanding of how research and theory are unequivocally linked in all research
upon which we endeavor.

Most importantly, my goal is to ensure that students leave this course prepared with
the analytical and theoretical toolbox needed to pursue a graduate career in
sociology.

Required Texts: Coser, Lewis. (1977). Masters of sociological thought.

Second edition. Prospect Heights: Waveland Press.
ISBN: 1577663071

Gerth, H.& Mills, C.W. (eds.). (1946). From Max Weber:

Essays in sociology. New York, Oxford
University Press.
ISBN: 0195004620

Goffman, Erving. (1959). The presentation of self in

everyday life. New York, Doubleday.
ISBN: 0385094027

Morris, Charles, (ed.). (1967). Works of George Herbert

Mead, volume I: Mind, self, and society from the
standpoint of a social behaviorist. Chicago,
 The University of Chicago Press.
ISBN: 0226516687

Thompson, Kenneth, (ed.). (2002). Readings from Emile

Durkheim. London, Routledge.
ISBN: 0415043204

Tucker, Robert, (ed.). (1978). The Marx-Engels

reader, 2nd edition. New York, W.W. Norton, Inc .
ISBN: 039309040X

Supplements: - Collins, R. & Makowsky, M. (2005). The discovery of

society. New York, McGraw-Hill. (ON
RESERVE)
- Sociosite - http://www2.fmg.uva.nl/sociosite/
- Dead Sociologists Index -
http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/DSS/INDEX.HTML
#weber

Throughout the semester, I will also assign readings that I will expect you to pull from
either reserves at McDermott Library or from ebook, available through McDermott
Library’s computer access (must have Comet Card number to do this). I assume that
everyone in this class is a sociology major. If you already own these texts, great! If you
do not, then you must have them in this discipline. There is no substitute for the original
theorists’ words! If you are unable to afford any of these texts, McDermott should have
at least one copy of each on its shelves.

Prerequisites: Soc 1301

Course Requirements

1. Social Theory is a class dependent on interactive discussion and absolute dedication.

Believe it or not, this is part of what makes theory so much fun! Therefore, class
attendance and participation are vital to learning. Attendance will be taken at every class.
Excessive unexcused absences (over 3 for the semester) may result in a lower course
grade. Four tardies will add up to one unexcused absence. Please remember that you
are only allowed three unexcused absences before it begins to affect your overall course
grade. Note that attendance and participation are 10% of your overall grade.

2. Reading of all assigned materials prior to class. Please bring your books to class for
reference purposes. You are responsible for all of the material in your texts whether
it is covered in class or not. I will also assign required readings throughout the
semester that can be found in McDermott Library Reserves or on the McDermott Library
website.
3. WebCT – It is imperative that you stay up to date with WebCT as I will use it to not
only make announcements outside of class, but also to collect assignments with due dates
as well as those collected randomly.

4. Understanding theory is impossible unless you engage in your own analysis. Simply
regurgitating what I say in class or what the theorist says will do nothing to help you
learn the material. Therefore, I expect you to come to class with at least one prepared
question. Your participation grade will depend on both your discussion in class as well as
questions that you come to class prepared to ask. You won’t always get a chance to ask
your question, but you must teach yourself to actively analyze this material.

5. Satisfactory completion of exams and journals.

6. Journals must be submitted in hard copy format by the beginning of the class date on
which the journal check is due. Journals must be turned in via WebCT. No late work
will be accepted. Do not turn in work under my office door as this is a good way for
it to be lost.

7. Consideration for other students is conducive to everyone’s learning. Please arrive on

time and have cell phones turned off. Verbal abuse of others, class disruptions, and
sleeping during class will not be tolerated.

8. Scholastic integrity is key to a successful education. Please keep in mind that all work
is to be done independently, unless otherwise stated by the instructor. If you are unsure
of a situation, you must ask the instructor for clarification. Cheating in any way on any
work in this class will not be tolerated and the student may be turned into the college for
disciplinary hearings. The minimum punishment for che ating in this class will be a 0
on the relevant assignment and/or exam.

9. Students that intend to withdraw from the course must do so by September 2 to avoid
getting a W. You must withdraw between September 22 and October 20 in order to
receive a WP/WF.

10. If you stop attending class, but do not officially withdraw from the course, you will
receive an F. It is your responsibility to withdraw by using the forms found in the
Admission’s Office.

COURSE FORMAT
It is my personal objective to facilitate student learning in any pedagogical way I can.
This means that I will be using a variety of learning methods that include but may not be
limited to reading assignments, lectures, class discussions, and creative thinking exercises
via journal entries.
METHOD OF EVALUATION**

Exams: 50% (25% midterm, 25% final)

Journal: 20%
Discussion Questions: 10%
Discussion Guide: 10%
Attendance/Participation 10%

AVERAGE Letter Grade Grade Descriptions as per CCCCD Catalog

90-100 A Excellent
80-89 B Above Average
70-79 C Average
60-69 D Below Average
59 and below F Failing
** There will be no curve in this course!

Exams: The midterm will consist of short answer and essay questions that cover material
taken from class lectures and readings. Please be aware that theory is about analysis,
therefore, your exam questions will assess how well you are able to discuss and analyze
the relevant theories/theorists. An open book midterm will be given during class. A take
home final, which will offer you the choice between several essay questions, or a paper,
will be given over WebCT and will be due the morning of the regularly scheduled final.

Journal: Students are expected to maintain a theory journal on six different theorists
assigned by me (Spencer, Durkheim, Marx, Weber, Simmel, and Goffman). There are
two ways that students can choose to satisfy each entry requirement. However, each of
these ways must be used 3 times.
Option 1: Discuss the relevant theorist’s specific work (you may choose any of
our selected readings). Then, utilizing JSTOR, locate at least one journal article that
approaches its study using either that theorist’s approach or a derivative of that approach.
Summarize the article and tell me how the theory was applied within that work. Discuss
what it was about that particular researcher’s work that struck you as Weberian, Marxian,
Durkheimian, etc. You must use APA format to cite the article(s) that you choose to use.
Option 2: Discuss the relevant theorist’s specific work (you may choose any of
our selected readings). Then, identify some social phenomenon and discuss how the
relevant theory/theorist might have approached explaining that phenomena.

All journal entries must be typed, double-spaced, 12 pitch with 1” margins and
maintained in a ½” binder. Cited material must use APA format and a reference page
must be included. See the following URL for help on this -
http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/social_sciences/intext.html.
Journals will be collected twice during the semester, once at my discretion and
another on Nov 10.
Please note that LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Points will be
deducted if these requirements are not met. Length should be 2-3 pages and should not
exceed 3 pages unless otherwise stated. POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR NOT
FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES.**

Discussion Questions : A list of discussion questions will be posted on WebCT in advance

of class each week, starting with Week 4, to guide you through some of the more
important points of each theorist’s work. These questions will be collected randomly, via
WebCT, twice during the semester. I will send out an email via WebCT the day before a
class meeting indicating that you must have your questions turned into me by midnight
the night before class. Each time will count as 5% of your grade.

It will be helpful for you to note the pages on each answer so that you can reference
the theorist’s work during discussion.

Discussion Guide: Each theorist will have assigned student(s) (done the first week of
class) whose responsibilities include briefly presenting the readings for the week and
offering up for debate critical questions and/or analytical connections about the material.
Questions and connections can be about just the readings in general. More impressive
questions and connections will seek to link more than one theorist into student discussion.

MAKE-UP POLICY

Exams : Exams will only be made up according to my discretion and only then, in the
event of a DOCUMENTED illness (only a doctor’s note will suffice) or emergency
(death in the family or military orders). Make-ups must be scheduled by the student
within 24 hours of the original exam date. WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION of the
emergency must be in my hands as of your first return date to class (this means
police reports, hospital/doctor notes, funeral announcement, military orders. I will
not accept pictures or verbal confirmation!). Failure to do this will result in a gr ade of
F for the exam.

Journals : Journals must be turned in on time for each journal check. Late journals that
are late without an EXCUSED, DOCUMENTED reason will not be accepted under any
circumstances and your overall journal grade will be reduced by half.

Discussion Questions : No late discussion questions are permitted. They must be turned
in by midnight the night before class.

Discussion Guide : Because you will choose the week that you want to present and are
therefore aware of this well ahead of time, there will be no discussion guide make-up.

EXTRA CREDIT

Journals: Extra credit can be earned within your journal through creative endeavors.
You may earn up to 4 extra credit points by coming up with interpretations of art, music,
cultural rituals, movies, books, etc that you can apply to a theorist’s work of your choice.
1 point will be applied for each theorist for whom this is successfully completed. If you
choose to do something that entails a piece of art, then you must include a picture of the
work so that I can look for myself. Additionally, lyrics to music must be included. A
one page summation of the creative work and how it is reminiscent to you of the relevant
theorist’s work is required.

Exam Bonuses - There will be bonus questions at the end of each exam.

No other extra credit will be assigned.

POLICIES

Incompletes: Incompletes will not be given.

Posting Grades: Grades will not be posted in any form, nor will they be released via
phone or email. Also, grades will not be released to ANYONE but the actual student. It
is my absolute goal to ensure utter privacy for all students, thus my grade release policy.
Grades will only be released through WebCT with the exception of work that is returned
directly to the student.

Missed Classes: The student is responsible for any and all work missed during an
absence. Please do not assume that my outlines are all that is discussed during class, as
discussion always supplements the outline. There is NO substitute for attendance. Four
or more unexcused absence(s) will affect your attendance/participation grade.

Accessibility: If you have a condition that requires accommodation in this class, please
speak with me after class or in office hours during the first week of class. I will be happy
to make appropriate accommodations provided timely notice is received and the
arrangement is consistent with any recommendations from Disability Services, when
applicable. Disability Services can be reached at 883-2098. The syllabus and other
course materials can be made available in alternative formats.

Academic Ethics/Scholastic Dishonesty: The College may initiate disciplinary

proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related
to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission as one's
own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not
limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of
annotated texts or teacher’s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.

Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without
giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct
quotation. If you have any question about what might be considered plagiarism, ask me
for guidance. A good rule of thumb, however, is, if you have to question if something is
plagiarism, then it probably is.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner
during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying
computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's
own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.

Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic

dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student,
providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate
during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a
classmate to copy answers.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

September 2 Census date (last day to withdraw without a W)

September 22- October 20 WP/WF period
Oct 6 Midterm
November 24-25 Thanksgiving Holiday, campus closed
Nov 29 Take home final due

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE*†

*Subject to change – Any necessary changes will be announced in class.
† Additional, announced readings may be distributed beyond this schedule.
KEY: R – ON RESERVE

Week 1 (Aug 18) Introduction and Syllabus

Week 2 (Aug 22)
Week 3 (Aug 29)
Week 4 (Sept 6)
Week 5 (Sept 13)
Week 6 (Sept 20)
Week 7 (Sept 27)
Week 8 (Oct 4)
OCT 6
Week 9 (Oct 11)
Week 10 (Oct 18)
Week 11 (Oct 25)
Nature and Development of Sociological Theory, Turner
(pp. 1-8), R & Collins and Makowsky (Introduction), R
Nature and Development Continued
Comte, Cours de Philosophie Positive, Chapters 2 – 4,
McDermott Library eBook
Spencer, Principles of Sociology, Chps. 1-6 R
Durkheim, “The Rules of Sociological Method”,
“Sociology – Its Nature and Programme”, “Division of
Labor in Society”, and “Suicide”, in Thompson
Durkheim (cont)
Marx, “Estranged Labour”, “Communist Manifesto”, and
Engels, “The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and
the State”, in Tucker.
MIDTERM
Weber, “Basic Sociological Terms” (pgs. 4 – 28, in
Economy and Society, R), “Bureaucracy” (pp. 196-205,
208-216, 221-235, 240-244) in Gerth & Mills
Weber, “Class, Status, Party”, in Gerth & Mills and “The
Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” (pp. 95-139,
R)
Simmel, “How is Society Possible?”, “The Problem of
 Sociology”, “Conflict”, “The Stranger” in Levine R
Week 12 (Nov 1) Mead, “Mind”, pp. 42-82, & “The Self”, pp135-164 & 173-
178 in Morris.
Week 13 (Nov 8) Goffman, “Introduction” and “Regions and Region
Behavior”
NOV 10 FINALIZED JOURNALS DUE
Week 14 (Nov 15) Garfinkel, Ch. 2 in Studies in Ethnomethodology R
Week 15 (Nov 22) Catch Up, FINAL RELEASED - WEBCT