Link to jeanne's birdie calendar. Theory, Soc. 355-01, Syllabus, Spring 2001

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Sociology 355-01 Syllabus
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Modern Social Theories

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Created: December 24, 2000
Latest Update: January 29, 2001
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25595 SOC 355 01 Modern Soc Theories 4.0 TTh 11:30 - 12:45 pm SBS A204 J Curran
25597 SOC 355A 01 Modern Soc Theories 0.0 TTh 1:00 - 1:50 pm SBS A204 J Curran 11 64 Co-req: 25595 SOC 355

Jeanne Curran, Ph.D., Esq.
Professor of Sociology
Member, California State Bar
Office: SBS B 336
Soc. 355-01: Modern Social Theories
Classroom: SBS A 204
Registration Numbers: 25595 AND 25597
Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 - 12:45 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday, 1 - 1:50 p.m.
Office Hours: T 4-5:15, W 5:30-6:45, Th 4-5:15 p.m. and by appointment.
Phone: (310) 243-3831
E-mail: jeannecurran@habermas.org
Website: http://www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas

  1. Overview of Course:

    Modern Social Theories: This course is designed to give you an overview of social theory, with an emphasis on "modern," which is one of those words we argue about a lot today. Fellman's Rambo and the Dalai Lama is a very readable book to which most of us can relate. His concept of our need to begin to shift away from adversarialism and competitiveness towards mutuality, in the interest of saving the earth's and our own resources for survival, will provide a touchstone for our varied readings. Farganis' readings and the Internet will guide us through discussions of the many social theorists whose ideas you will need and want to recognize.

  2. Texts: Required

    • Fellman, Gordon. Rambo and the Dalai Lama. State University of New York Press. 1998. ISBN: 0-7914-3784-1 (pbk.)
      Ordered at campus bookstore.
    • Farganis, James. Readings in Social Theory: The Classic Tradition to Post-Modernism. McGraw Hill. 2000. ISBN: 0-07-230060-4 (pbk.) Ordered at campus bookstore.

  3. Internet Sites: Ability to access required.

    • Course Site: Dear Habermas

      • Dear Habermas
        jeanne's site. Contains syllabi, instructions, vocabulary and concept index, lecture notes, self-test quizzes, discussion questions, and a broad set of reviews and essays on the issues that you will need to consult for quality work in the class. Active attempt to provide you with sources that range from liberal to conservative, in keeping with our effort to teach critical thinking. Online.

    • Theory Sites You Should Recognize
      • SociologyOnline
      • Sociologists Excerpts online.
      • Ben Austin's Sociology Corner
      • Dead Sociologists' Society

      • Liberal "Left" Perspective Sites

        • The Red Feather Institute
          TR Young's Site. Aimed more directly at graduate students, but covers much of the same material we do. Excellent source for study, and very supportive in learning to cope with dominant discourse. At minimum, you should be acquainted with its offerings. Radical left perspective. Online.

        • Progressive Sociologists Network
          The best site I know of for keeping abreast of general occurrences in those issues which most interest me. Messages posted by advanced students and professors, and activists. Archive permits me to link you directly to the messages. Very useful. Site reflects a left, progressive viewpoint. Online.

      • Conservative "Right" Perspective Sites

        • The Heritage Foundation Conservative Think-Tank. Good starting place for conservative "right" views on issues. Online.

        • Policy Review Published by the Heritage Foundation. Many articles available free. "Policy Review is the preeminent conservative publication for new and serious thinking and writing about the issues of our day." Conservative perspective. Online.

        • Townhall Forum Conservative News and Information. Has an Issues Library link that may be of help to you. Conservative perspective. Online.

  • Required Materials and Resources:

    • A pocket dictionary you can keep with you. $5 variety. Available at bookstore. We really use them.
    • An e-mail address (Available through school at Computer Services, SMC I122 or SMC J113, x. 3702.) you must provide to jeanne by e-mail.
    • Internet access. Access is available through the computing labs on campus. Or visit a friend and share with them. Many of our students do.
    • A journal to record your study and learning. Because the journal and the responsibility for keeping records of your learning are your responsibility, the form of the journal, notebook, scraps of paper, whatever, is up to you. I will not collect them, or ask to look at them. But I will insist upon specificity in response to my question of what you have studied and learned, and most of us forget if we don't have notes to refer to.

  • Grades and Grading:

    We have worked very hard over the last three years to offer you as much choice in possible in both choice of reading, interactive projects, and a broad range of measures for learning. To access information on grades and grading go to:

  • Statement on Plagiarism:

    Don't do it. Give credit to those whose ideas and words you use. Cooperation and sharing in this class will earn you a better grade. Adversarialism is not a part of our teaching. We believe that learning flowers in an environment that permits mutuality to flourish.

  • Learning Objectives and Measurement:

    Students will:

    • Learn to recognize both names and theories from classical theory.
    • Learn to recognize both names and theories from modern re-interpretations of classical theorists and from new schools of theory.
    • Learn to recognize the underlying philosophical assumptions of theories, so that one has a relatively clear idea of liberal and conservative positions, and how they relate to political movements.
    • Learn to recognize the interdependency of roles of individual agency, structural context, and the media in our lived reality.
    • Learn to engage in academic discourse.

    All objectives shall be measured by the grading standards and by the measurements for grading set out above.