Social Problems
ferry@tenebrae.org
Syllabus
Delaware County Community College
Fall 2008
Course Description:
This will be a class studying social problems, change and transformation.
We will examine the emergence of concept of civil society, societies and
human society. We will study the ways in which a pattern of associating
comes to be seen as problematic, and attempts are made to transform these
patterns - war, child labor, homelessness, pollution, family violence,
urban and organized crime and high-tech terror, etc.
We will research the intended and unforeseen consequences of social changes, e.g., the internet and pedophile, national standards for schooling and the rise of "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders", increasing health care yielding increasing disabilities. There will be an emphasis on the velocity and range of social change in an era of technological innovation and global marketing.
Course Objectives
Acquire a capacity to view common events and recognize social patterns
and processes within them.
Appreciate the distinction between personal situation, psychology and
troubles, and social issues, social facts, cultural dynamics and forces.
Develop a deeper understanding of a particular social problem through
scholarly research, classroom presentation and building a literature review,
and the writing of a research paper.
This course studies contemporary social problems from theoretical and practical perspectives. Field study brings students into contact with both public and private agencies and institutions. Special projects are required.
Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:
Apply the sociological perspective to the field of social problems.
Describe the origin development, and society's possible treatment of at least two contemporary and three traditional social problems.
Required Readings:
Social Problems in a Diverse Society, 4th edition, author
Diana Kendall, Al lyn and Baker Publishers.
Used and new copies are available in bookstore. Also check
on line at amazon.com, bn.com, varsity.com, for the best prices on the
text.
Other necessary readings will be available in library, or on the
course web site.
Student requirements
1. Readings Each week there will be readings in the text
that will cover subject areas that will be the focus areas of class discussion.
Each week there will be readings of the social philosophers and social
scientists that made seminal contributions to our understanding of those
topics under discussion.
2. Class Discussions - Students will need to prepare for class discussions by having assigned readings prior to class, and contribute to developing our understanding of the social problems under examination.
3. Class Presentations Each student/research team will lead one class in discussion of his/her research area. Student will present their work-in-progress: classmates will offer ideas, assistance, sources, leads and constructive critiques
4. Social research projects and papers: Each student will be required to present two papers during the term; the first will be a work-in-progress, and a final, completed, scholarly paper. The final paper will have the same subject as the work in progress and will be the completion of it.
5. A mid-term exam and a final exam: Demonstrate an acquaintance with variety of social problems explored in class and with the major analyses of those problems. Exams will be graded according to knowledge of the ideas and thoughts in our assigned readings and class discussions, logical thinking, clear writing expression, persuasiveness of argument, and evidence of reading and study.