Sociology 322: Social Theory
Fall 2004. 10-10:50 MWF
17
Newcomb Hall
Professor
Kevin F.
Gotham
Sociology: 220 Newcomb Hall
Office Hours: 4-5:00, MF, and by appointment
Phone: 862-3004
Email:
kgotham@tulane.edu
Course Description
Sociology
322 is designed as an introductory survey of social theory. The
majority
of the course will focus on “classical” or modern social theory, in
particular, the pioneering work of Karl Marx (1818-1883), Max Weber
(1864-1920), Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), Georg Simmel (1858-1918), and
others.
We focus on these four theorists because they represent four different
approaches to understanding the transition from traditional to modern
society,
the nature of urbanization and industrialization, capitalism and social
organization, democracy and individuality, and the dynamics of culture
and
social change. We will examine the theories of Marx, Weber,
Durkheim, and
Simmel not just as intellectual history, but as sources of unique and
powerful
systems of thought that continue to have a major impact on our
understanding of
the contemporary world. We will read original writings by these
theorists
in an effort to grasp concretely how they understood and explained the
dramatic
societal changes affecting
<>
The objectives of this course are to present an overview of sociological theory in the historical context of its development, illustrate the links between theory and research, and foster a critical understanding of society. This means developing the ability to approach the social world in a deeper and more systematic way, using empirical evidence and logical assumptions in order to answer questions of sociological interest. Social theory is the backbone of the sociology discipline and all major substantive questions of sociological interest are directly related to theory. We will examine different meanings and definitions of theory, how theories are evaluated, and how we can build on past and existing theories to build new ones to investigate society. We will also seek to understand how theories are shaped by the historical context in which they are produced.
<>
Required
Chapters from Ritzer, George, and Douglas J. Goodman. 2004. Sociological Theory. Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill Company. On electronic library reserve.
Antonio,
Robert J. 2003. Marx and
Modernity: Key
Gerth,
H. H., and C. Wright Mills (editors
and translators). 1972. From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology.
Robert
Bellah. 1973. Emile Durkheim: On Morality and Society.
Online
articles by Georg Simmel (see Week 10 , p. 7 of this syllabus).
Course Expectations and Requirements
<>This course will generally follow a
lecture format.
The purpose of lectures is to provide necessary background material
(e.g.,
historical, biographical, and conceptual), exegesis of the original
texts, as
well as commentary and critique.
Everyone
is encouraged to participate through open discussion and questions,
including
sharing thoughts and ideas, observations, and assessments during class
time.
Thoughtful and active participation means attending class regularly and
being
prepared to discuss the assigned subject matter. In line with
that, I ask
you to be mindful that education is not a process whereby a professor
dumps a
bunch of information into the heads of passive receivers
(students).
Learning is a collaborative process whereby information and knowledge
is to be
shared between the professor and students. Please do not be
worried about
asking “dumb questions.” If you are confused, chances are
there are numerous other people who are also befuddled and will welcome
your
efforts at clarification.
I require students to attend all classes and will take roll at the
beginning of
each class period. Be aware that just because I do not take
attendance
does not mean that I have overlooked absent students. Four or
more
unexcused absences will result in the lowering of your final grade by
one
letter grade. An unexcused absence is missing class without
the
professor’s permission or without presenting a valid excuse within
twenty-four hours. All students are required to attend all
classes unless
they are ill or prevented from attending by exceptional circumstances.
Preparedness, attendance, and participation are expected and will have
a
bearing on final grades. Be on time to class and do not bring
your
cell phones. Anybody who has ever spoken in front of a group knows
that it
can be very confusing for a speaker when people wander in and out or
when
phones ring. I always try to treat students with courtesy and
respect. It makes life easier for all of us when you reciprocate.
Your grade for this course will be determined by your performance on two (2) tests, two (2) papers (6-10 pages each), attendance, and my evaluation of your participation in class. Each of the two tests will contain a combination of fill-in-the-blank and short-answer questions, and two or more essay questions. Each exam will be worth 50 points. There will be no true/false questions. In each of the two (6-10) page papers, you may be asked to compare and contrast the way in which two different theories explain a given phenomenon. You may also be asked to connect the work of one or more classical theorist to some current event(s). Another typical assignment could be to consider the strengths and weaknesses of a contemporary theory (neo-Marxian theory, feminist theory, etc.) in relation to a major concern of the classical theorists. All papers are to be typed, double-spaced, with one inch margins, and page numbers in the top right hand corner. You will have one week to write each paper. Papers will be graded on a scale of A, A-, B+, B, B-,C+, C, C-, D+, D, and D-. One letter grade will be deducted for each day the paper is late. You are to hand in a disk copy and two hard copies of each paper. One hard copy is to be turned in with a “Social Theory Paper Evaluation” (see last page of syllabus) stapled to the back of the paper.
<>Finally, ten percent of your grade will be
based on
my evaluation of your participation in class and six group discussions
where
each group will do a textual analysis of a major chapter or
series of
chapters, and turn in an outline at the end of class. A textual
analysis
explains what the author’s main points are, how they are connected, and
offers a critique of the author’s argument. The class will be divided
into 6-7 groups composed of 5-6 people. The membership of these groups
will be
in alphabetical order and will remain the same throughout the
semester.
On the specified Fridays, we will break into groups and each group will
analyze
the readings. Everyone is required to read the assigned
chapter(s) before
we meet on Fridays and break into groups (I would recommend that each
student put
together a brief outline on the chapter(s) before meeting on
Fridays).
Each group will discuss the reading, asking questions about the text,
and
identify the main points. At the end of the Friday discussion
each group
will turn in a written outline that provides a brief summary, critical
analysis, and evaluation of the chapter(s) using the following format:
1. Summary. Provide a brief summary outline of what the author
is
saying. Identify the central questions, main points, and core
arguments. Rather than analyzing all the ideas that the author
presents,
you should focus in depth on one or two significant aspects of the
text.
Keep in mind that the summaries are not as easy as they seem. A
good
summary of a chapter requires an awareness and knowledge of the
author’s
style of thinking, not just the particular facts that are presented to
support
an argument.
2.
Analysis. Analysis involves going beyond what the author
says. It
means examining relationships between evidence and conclusions, between
concepts in the text, and relationships between concepts in the work
being
analyzed and other texts. Moreover, analysis means identifying
and
clearly explaining the devices the author uses to convince the reader
that he
or she is correct. These devices can include logical reasoning
(i.e.,
if/then statements), anecdotes (stories used to illustrate a point),
appeals to
authority, controlled study, and rhetorical virtuosity (skill at using
language: big scientific words, humor, satire, irony, or
nostalgia). What
is important is that you understand what the author is doing, to be
able to
analyze the devices the author is using.
3. Evaluation. How well does the author answer his or her question and verify that answer? This is the realm of criticism and it assumes that you cannot really judge a text until you comprehend what the author is doing and how he or she does it. Evaluation involves answering the following questions:
A. What is the argument of the text?
B. What are the implicit assumptions of the author’s argument? Identifying and evaluating an author’s assumptions are two intellectual skills most often demanded in social theory courses. All authors make assumptions about the way the world works.
C. What are the conclusions and implications of the author’s work? How do they connect with other readings?
D. Is the craftsmanship of the writing sound? Do the parts fit into a whole? Is the prose understandable? Do the ideas flow smoothly from one to another?
Mastering the skill of textual analysis will help you write better papers and, more important, help you evaluate more clearly all books and articles you encounter in your academic career and beyond. Each unexcused absence for the Friday discussions will result in the lowering of your participation grade by one letter grade. On the last day of class you will fill out a confidential evaluation of each member in your group. This evaluation will ask you to evaluate the intellectual contribution, courteousness, and respectfulness of each member of your group.
All
grades, paper assignments, study questions and other important
information
about the class will be posted on the Blackboard Learning System ((http://http://blackboard.tulane.edu).
Course Grades
<>Test #1 (Sept.
17)
22.5% of final grade.
Paper #1 (due on Oct.
15)
22.5% of final grade
Paper #2 (due on Nov.
12)
22.5% of final grade
Test #2 (Dec.
9)
22.5% of final grade
Class Participation and Friday Discussion Outline (6)
10% of final grade.
All students are required to abide by the Tulane University Honor
Code.
This means that “the presence of a student’s name on any work
submitted in completion of an academic assignment is considered to be
an
assurance that the work and ideas are the result of the student’s own
intellectual effort, stated in her or his own words, and produced
independently, unless clear and explicit acknowledgment of the sources
for the
work and ideas is included. This principle applies to papers,
tests,
homework assignments, artistic productions, laboratory reports,
computer
programs, and other assignments” (Tulane University Undergraduate
Catalog
2003-2005, p. 16).
TENTATIVE COURSE
SCHEDULE
Week 1: Introduction and Background.
8/25 (Wednesday) and 8/27 (Friday)
“A Historical Sketch of Sociological Theory: The Early Years.” Chapter 1 in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman. On electronic library reserve.
“Sociological
Metatheorizing and a Metatheoretical Schema for Analyzing Sociological
Theory.” Appendix in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and
Douglas J. Goodman. On electronic library reserve.
Week 2-4: Karl Marx.
8/30 (Monday). Introduction to Karl Max.
C “Karl Marx.” Chapter 2 in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman. On electronic library reserve.
C
“Introduction: Marx and Modernity.” Pp. 1-50 in Marx and
Modernity: Key Readings and Commentary. Edited by Robert J.
Antonio. 2003.
Blackwell Publishing.
9/1 (Wednesday) - 9/3 (Friday). Marx’s Theory of History.
Robert
J. Antonio Marx and Modernity: Key
Part 1. Marx’s Vision of History: Historical Materialism. (Pp. 51-73).
Part 2. The Juggernaut of Capitalist Modernity (pp. 75-100).
L9/6. 9/8 (Wednesday). Labor Theory of Value, Commodities, and the General Formula for Capital.
Robert
J. Antonio Marx and Modernity: Key
Part 3. Marx’s Labor Theory of Value (pp. 101-30)
Part 4. From Manufacture to Modern Industry (pp. 131-52).
9/10 (Friday). Negative Consequences of Capitalism
Robert
J. Antonio Marx and Modernity: Key
C Part 5. “Downside of Capitalist Growth.” Pp. 153-174.
C
Group Discussion #1.
9/13 (Monday) - 9/15 (Wednesday). Globalization, Colonization, and the International Division of Labor
Robert
J. Antonio Marx and Modernity: Key
C Part 6. “Globalization and Colonialism.” pp. 175-194.
C Part 7. “New Society Rising in the Old.” pp. 195-212.
C
Part 8. “Revolutionary Proletariat and the Vicissitudes of History”
pp. 213-248.
9/17 Friday. Exam #1.
Week 5-7: Max Weber
9/20 (Monday). Introduction to Max Weber.
C “Max Weber.” Chapter 4 in Sociological Theory. On electronic library reserve.
C
Gerth and Mills. From Max Weber. “Introduction” (pp. 1- 77).
9/22 (Wednesday). Religion and the Rise of Modern Western Capitalism.
Gerth
and Mills. From Max Weber
Chapter XI (pp. 267-301). “Social Psychology of the World Religions .”
Chapter XII (pp. 302-322). “Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism.”
Chapter XIII (pp. 323-362). “Religious Rejections of the World and Their Directions.”
9/24
(Friday). YOM KIPPUR. NO CLASS
9/27 (Monday) - 9/29 (Wednesday) Class, Status, and Party.
Gerth and Mills. From Max Weber.
Chapter VII (pp. 180-195). “Class, Status, and Party.”
Chapter XVI. “India: The
Brahman and the Castes.” Read only pp. 405-409 on “Caste and Status
Group.”
10/1 (Friday ). Domination, Legitimacy, and Authority.
Gerth and Mills. From Max Weber.
Chapter IX (pp. 245-252). “Sociology of Charismatic Authority.”
Chapter X (read only pp. 253, 262-64) in “Meaning of Discipline.”
Group
Discussion #2.
10/4 (Monday), 10/6 (Wednesday), 10/8 (Friday). Rationalization and Bureaucracy.
Gerth and Mills. From Max Weber.
Chapter IV (pp. 77-128). “Politics as a Vocation.”
Chapter VIII (pp. 196-44). Excerpts from “Bureaucracy”
Group Discussion #3 on Friday, 10/8.
Hand
out first theory paper topic on Friday, 10/8. Papers due Friday,
10/15
(in class).
Week 8-9: Emile Durkheim.
10/11
(Monday). Introduction to Emile Durkheim.
“Emile Durkheim.” Chapter 3 in Sociological Theory. On electronic library reserve.
Robert
Bellah. “Introduction.” Emile Durkheim: On Morality and Society.
10/13 (Wednesday). What is Sociology?
Robert Bellah. Emile Durkheim: On Morality and Society.
Chapter
1 (pp. 3-22). “Sociology in
• Chapter 3 (pp. 34-42). ”Principles of 1789 and Sociology.”
Chapter 4 (pp. 43-57). “Individualism and the Intellectuals.”
10/15 (Friday) - 10/18 (Monday). Social Solidarity, the Division of Labor, and Anomie.
Robert Bellah. Emile Durkheim: On Morality and Society.
Chapter 6 (pp. 63-85). “Progressive Preponderance of Organic Solidarity.”
Chapter 7 (pp. 86-113). “Organic Solidarity and Contractual Solidarity.”
Chapter 8 (pp. 114-33). “Division of Labor in Society.”
Chapter
9 (134-146). “Division of Labor in Society: Conclusion.”
10/20 (Wednesday) - 10/22 (Friday). Sociology of Religion.
Robert Bellah. Emile Durkheim: On Morality and Society.
Chapter 10 (pp. 149-166) “The Dualism of Human Nature and Its Social Conditions.”
Chapter 11 (pp. 167-186). “Origin of the Idea of the Totemic Principle or Mana.”
Chapter 12 (pp. 187-224). “Elementary Forms of Religious Life.”
Group
Discussion #4 on 10/22 (Friday).
Week 10: Georg Simmel
10/25 (Monday). Introduction to Georg Simmel.
C
“Georg Simmel. Chapter 5 in Sociological Theory. On
electronic library reserve.
10/27 (Wednesday) What is Sociology? On the web:
C “How is Society Possible?” http://socserv2.socsci.mcmaster.ca/~econ/ugcm/3ll3/simmel/society
C “The Adventurer.”
http://www.joyoflife.org.il/adventure.shtml
C “The Stranger.”
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dweinste/intro/stranger.htm
10/29 (Friday). The Metropolis, Culture, and Modernity. On the web:
C
“Metropolis and Mental Life.”
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dweinste/intro/simmel_M&ML.htm
Week 11: Symbolic Interactionism
11/1 (Monday) - 11/3 (Wednesday).
“A Historical Sketch of Sociological Theory: The Later Years.” Chapter 2 in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman. On electronic library reserve.
“Symbolic Interactionism” in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman.
Guest
Lecturer: Michele Adams.
11/5 (Friday)
Group Discussion #5.
Hand
out Second Theory paper topic. Paper due November 12 (Friday).
Week 12: Feminist Theories
11/8 (Monday) - 11/10 (Wednesday).
“Early Women Sociologists and Classical Sociological Theory: 1830-1930.” By Patricia Madoo Lingerman and Jill Niebrugge. Chapter 9 in Modern Sociological Theory by George Ritzer. On electronic library reserve.
“Contemporary Feminist Theory.” Chapter 13 in Sociological Theory by George Ritzer and Douglas J. Goodman. On electronic library reserve.
Guest
Lecturer: Mimi Shippers.
11/12 (Friday).
Second
Theory Paper due.
Week 13: Contemporary Neo-Marxian Theories.
11/15 (Monday).
C “Varieties of Neo-Marxian Theory.” Chapter 8 in Sociological Theory. On electronic library reserve.
C
Guest Lecturer:
11/17 (Wednesday) - 11/19 (Friday).
Robert J. Antonio. Marx and Modernity.
John Cassidy. “Return of Karl Marx.” Chapter 41.
Jeremy Rifkin. “The Connected and Disconnected.” Chapter 42.
Thomas Frank. “The Architecture of a New Consensus.” Chapter 43.
William Julius Wilson. “Societal Changes and Vulnerable Neighborhoods.” Chapter 44.
Mike
Davis. “Fortress
Saskia
Sassen. “
William Greider. “‘These Satanic Mills’” Chapter 47.
John Gray. “From the Great Tansformation to the Global Free Market.” Chapter 48.
Group Discussion #6 on Friday, 11/19.
Week 14-15: Contemporary Theories of Modernity
11/22 (Monday).
C
“Contemporary Theories of Modernity.” Chapter 16 in Sociological
Theory. On electronic library reserve.
11/24
(Wednesday) - 11/25 (Friday). THANKSGIVING BREAK.
11/29 (Monday) - 12/1 (Wednesday).
C
“Contemporary Theories of Modernity.” Chapter 16 in Sociological
Theory. On electronic library reserve.
12/3
(Friday). Summary, Review, Evaluations. All students will
fill out
two in-class evaluations: (1) a course evaluation, and (2) a
confidential
evaluation of each member in your group. The confidential
evaluation will
ask you to rate the performance of yourself and the other group
members.
12/9
(Thursday).