This article examines the issues surrounding the Terri Schiavo case and the "right to die."
1. When is a person still considered a person, by society?
2. How would you describe the position of Americans concerning the case of Terri Schiavo?
3. Which questions does society have to consider when deciding whether or not a person has "the right to die"http://4
Assignment is due Wed Feb 25
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Reading Assignment # 3
End of the Affair
By John Leo
Posted 4/3/05
Some final notes on the Terri Schiavo case. The behavior of conservatives: Uneven and sometimes awful, with lots of vituperation and extreme charges. (Jeb Bush does not remind me of Pontius Pilate; I don't think it's fair to circulate rumors that Michael Schiavo was a wife-beater.) Worse were the revolutionary suggestions that the courts be ignored or defied, perhaps by sending in the National Guard to reconnect the tube. This is "by any means necessary" rhetoric of the radical left, this time let loose by angry conservatives. Where does this rhetoric lead?
The behavior of liberals: Mystifying. While conservative opinion was severely splintered, liberal opinion seemed monolithic: Let her die. Liberals usually rally to the side of vulnerable people, but not in this case. Democrats talked abstractly about procedures and rules, a reversal of familiar roles. I do not understand why liberal friends defined the issue almost solely in terms of government intruding into family matters. Liberals are famously willing to enter family affairs to defend individual rights, opposing parental-consent laws, for example. Why not here? Nonintervention is morally suspect when there is strong reason to wonder whether the decision-maker in the family has the helpless person's best interests at heart.
A few liberals broke ranks--10 members of the black caucus, for instance, plus Sen. Tom Harkin and Ralph Nader, who called the case "court-imposed homicide." But such voices were rare. My suspicion is that liberal opinion was guided by smoldering resentment toward President Bush and the rising contempt for religion in general and conservative Christians in particular. We seem headed for much more conflict between religious and secular Americans.
The behavior of the news media: Terrible. "Pro-life" columnist Nat Hentoff of the Village Voice called it "the worst case of liberal media bias I've seen yet." Many stories and headlines were politically loaded. Small example of large disdain: On air, a CBS correspondent called the Florida rallies a "religious roadshow," a term unlikely to have been applied to Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights demonstrations or any other rallies meeting CBS's approval. More important, it was hard to find news that Michael Schiavo had provided no therapy or rehabilitation for his wife since 1994 and even blocked the use of antibiotics when Terri developed a urinary infection. And the big national newspapers claimed as a fact that Michael Schiavo's long-delayed recollection of Terri's wish to die, supported only by hearsay from Michael's brother and a sister-in-law, met the standard for "clear and convincing evidence" of consent. It did nothing of the sort, particularly with two of Terri's friends testifying the opposite. The media covered the intervention by Congress as narrowly political and unwarranted. They largely fudged the debates over whether Terri Schiavo was indeed in a persistent vegetative state and whether tube-feeding meant that Schiavo was on life support. In the Nancy Cruzan case, the Supreme Court said that tube-feeding is life support, but some ethicists and disability leaders strongly dispute that position.
Unsettled questions. Public opinion: Polls showed very strong opposition to the Republican intervention, but the likelihood is that those polled weren't primarily concerned with Terri Schiavo or Republican overreaching, if that's what it was. They were thinking about themselves and how to avoid being in Terri Schiavo's predicament. Many, too, have pulled the plug on family members and don't want these wrenching decisions second-guessed by the courts or the public.
If this is correct, it means the country has yet to make up its mind on the issue of personhood and whether it is moral and just to remove tube-supplied food and water from people with grave cognitive disabilities. The following candid exchange occurred on Court TV last month in a conversation between author Wesley Smith and bioethicist Bill Allen. Smith: "Bill, do you think Terri is a person?" Allen: "No, I do not. I think having awareness is an essential criterion for personhood." Fetuses, babies, and Alzheimer's patients are only minimally aware and might not fit this definition of personhood, and so would have no claim on our protections. Smith points out that other bioethicists narrow protection further, requiring rationality, the capacity to experience desire, or the ability to value one's own existence. Tighter definitions of personhood expand the number of humans who can be killed without blame or harvested for their organs while still alive. On Court TV, Allen argued that the family could have removed Terri's organs while she was alive, "just as we allow people to say what they want done with their assets." This issue has been hiding behind the Terri Schiavo case for years. Soon it will be out in the open.
Written Assignment # 2
Read Assignment #2 and answer these questions
1. Is there an effort to abolish the significance of Christmas as a religious holiday in America?
2. Is the government or the people becoming more intolerant of Christmas?
3. Is recognition of the Christmas season a violation of the seperation of church and state?
4. How does this reflect changin attitudes toward religion in American society?
This is due Tue Feb 24
1. Is there an effort to abolish the significance of Christmas as a religious holiday in America?
2. Is the government or the people becoming more intolerant of Christmas?
3. Is recognition of the Christmas season a violation of the seperation of church and state?
4. How does this reflect changin attitudes toward religion in American society?
This is due Tue Feb 24
Reading Assignment #2
December 19, 2004 by John Leo
THE ‘C-WORD’ IS MAKING A COMEBACK
• File: Religion, Political Correctness, Free Speech, Language
This column's far-flung staff has just visited two of the big anti-Christmas stores here in New York. First stop was Macy's, where the formerly famous feast day has pretty much been obliterated. No reference to Christmas on the main floor. But high up in the store's nosebleed section (ninth floor, furniture), shoppers may notice "Holiday Lane," a collection of generically decorated Christmas trees and a few gift items.
The forbidden C-word is hard to find, though sharp-eyed column staffers noticed it twice, in little corners labeled "A Country Christmas" and "A Traditional Christmas." Sadly, some minor Torquemada of the Macy's Christmas disposal unit will probably lose his job for failing to rip down these backward signs. Not to worry, though. There is nothing religious in this area. No carols. No music at all. Just those two small indications of what holiday might be occurring along Holiday Lane.
Hanukkah is suffering the same fate as Christmas. Two years ago, the store had a huge Hanukkah banner and display. Now a few menorahs are for sale in a tiny unmarked area, well outside "Holiday Lane."
The purge of Christmas is also in full bloom over at Bloomingdale's, which, like Macy's is owned by Federated Department Stores. A minuscule Christmas section is tucked away on the fifth floor. "Any Christmas music?" I asked a clerk, as a sad Billie Holiday song filled the air (just the thing for holiday lanes). "Oh, it goes in cycles," the clerk said. "Just wait." Sure enough, a few minutes later, right after "Let It Snow," "The Christmas Song" came on, or as it is generally known, "Religion-Free Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Secular Fire."
I heard no carols, though, and saw no "Merry Christmas" banners. Just a few trinkets and two table-top, fake evergreen trees decorated with tiny people holding Bloomingdale's shopping bags.
Federated apparently ignores Christmas because it doesn't want to offend anyone, though at least 80 percent of Americans say they are Christian, and 95 percent observe Christmas in some way. Presumably if American were 95 percent Druid, the canny business people at Federated would obliterate major Druid holidays and tick off as many Druid shoppers as possible. Then they would refer to this process as "inclusion."
The folks at Federated are victims of the campaign to make people feel uncomfortable about Christmas, not just the religious feast but all the secular trappings, and even mention of the word "Christmas" in conversation. Some public schools have been banning "Silent Night" and other carols from school concerts, though no court has ever ruled that these songs cannot be sung. In West Bend, Wis., the joint school district announced that students could not distribute religious Christmas cards. No law or court has ever ruled this way. The school district backed down when Liberty Counsel, a religious liberties group, threatened to sue.
In Plano, Texas, a school district is trying to prohibit red-and-green sweaters at "winter break" parties. A judge has issued a restraining order. The anti-Christmas lobby keeps implying that schools can't teach about Christmas and that creches can't be placed on public property. Not so, as long as the teaching purpose is educational, and the creche is part of a broad seasonal display.
Santa Claus, the famously secular figure, is in hot water because he was originally based on St. Nicholas. Horrors. Then let's ban the word "Goodbye," which evolved from "God be with you." At some schools, PC people argue that even "Jingle Bells" is a church-state violation.
Harold Johnson, attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation said, "Administrators who try to make their schools Christmas-free zones are either constitutional illiterates or cowards in the face of PC bullies, or pushing personal agendas that have no grounding in the law." Sounds right to me.
Jill Stewart, a California-based columnist, says her state's "intolerance toward Christmas is just another reason why Californians and residents of other blue states are viewed by the heartland crowd as hostile, godless types who can't stand regular folks." Stewart is not religious, but to protest the anti-Christmas campaign, she will skip saying "Happy Holidays" at Christmas parties this year and just wish everybody "Merry Christmas."
Defiance of the PC police may be catching on. In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the state "holiday tree" would be called a Christmas tree while he is in office.
In Winnipeg, Canada, last year, columnist Tom Brodbeck wrote that he was surprised and pleased that the musical event at his daughter's school is a Christmas concert, not a "winter celebration" or an "international celebration of the holidays." It wasn't a "sunny solstice" or "decorous December" concert either, just a euphemism-free Christmas event. He thinks the word "Christmas" is slowly creeping back into the public vocabulary. "It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas again," he said. Let's wish.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/22/time-for-a-separation-of-church-and-sports/?icid=mainmaindl1link1http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/22/time-for-a-separation-of-church-and-sports/
THE ‘C-WORD’ IS MAKING A COMEBACK
• File: Religion, Political Correctness, Free Speech, Language
This column's far-flung staff has just visited two of the big anti-Christmas stores here in New York. First stop was Macy's, where the formerly famous feast day has pretty much been obliterated. No reference to Christmas on the main floor. But high up in the store's nosebleed section (ninth floor, furniture), shoppers may notice "Holiday Lane," a collection of generically decorated Christmas trees and a few gift items.
The forbidden C-word is hard to find, though sharp-eyed column staffers noticed it twice, in little corners labeled "A Country Christmas" and "A Traditional Christmas." Sadly, some minor Torquemada of the Macy's Christmas disposal unit will probably lose his job for failing to rip down these backward signs. Not to worry, though. There is nothing religious in this area. No carols. No music at all. Just those two small indications of what holiday might be occurring along Holiday Lane.
Hanukkah is suffering the same fate as Christmas. Two years ago, the store had a huge Hanukkah banner and display. Now a few menorahs are for sale in a tiny unmarked area, well outside "Holiday Lane."
The purge of Christmas is also in full bloom over at Bloomingdale's, which, like Macy's is owned by Federated Department Stores. A minuscule Christmas section is tucked away on the fifth floor. "Any Christmas music?" I asked a clerk, as a sad Billie Holiday song filled the air (just the thing for holiday lanes). "Oh, it goes in cycles," the clerk said. "Just wait." Sure enough, a few minutes later, right after "Let It Snow," "The Christmas Song" came on, or as it is generally known, "Religion-Free Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Secular Fire."
I heard no carols, though, and saw no "Merry Christmas" banners. Just a few trinkets and two table-top, fake evergreen trees decorated with tiny people holding Bloomingdale's shopping bags.
Federated apparently ignores Christmas because it doesn't want to offend anyone, though at least 80 percent of Americans say they are Christian, and 95 percent observe Christmas in some way. Presumably if American were 95 percent Druid, the canny business people at Federated would obliterate major Druid holidays and tick off as many Druid shoppers as possible. Then they would refer to this process as "inclusion."
The folks at Federated are victims of the campaign to make people feel uncomfortable about Christmas, not just the religious feast but all the secular trappings, and even mention of the word "Christmas" in conversation. Some public schools have been banning "Silent Night" and other carols from school concerts, though no court has ever ruled that these songs cannot be sung. In West Bend, Wis., the joint school district announced that students could not distribute religious Christmas cards. No law or court has ever ruled this way. The school district backed down when Liberty Counsel, a religious liberties group, threatened to sue.
In Plano, Texas, a school district is trying to prohibit red-and-green sweaters at "winter break" parties. A judge has issued a restraining order. The anti-Christmas lobby keeps implying that schools can't teach about Christmas and that creches can't be placed on public property. Not so, as long as the teaching purpose is educational, and the creche is part of a broad seasonal display.
Santa Claus, the famously secular figure, is in hot water because he was originally based on St. Nicholas. Horrors. Then let's ban the word "Goodbye," which evolved from "God be with you." At some schools, PC people argue that even "Jingle Bells" is a church-state violation.
Harold Johnson, attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation said, "Administrators who try to make their schools Christmas-free zones are either constitutional illiterates or cowards in the face of PC bullies, or pushing personal agendas that have no grounding in the law." Sounds right to me.
Jill Stewart, a California-based columnist, says her state's "intolerance toward Christmas is just another reason why Californians and residents of other blue states are viewed by the heartland crowd as hostile, godless types who can't stand regular folks." Stewart is not religious, but to protest the anti-Christmas campaign, she will skip saying "Happy Holidays" at Christmas parties this year and just wish everybody "Merry Christmas."
Defiance of the PC police may be catching on. In California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said the state "holiday tree" would be called a Christmas tree while he is in office.
In Winnipeg, Canada, last year, columnist Tom Brodbeck wrote that he was surprised and pleased that the musical event at his daughter's school is a Christmas concert, not a "winter celebration" or an "international celebration of the holidays." It wasn't a "sunny solstice" or "decorous December" concert either, just a euphemism-free Christmas event. He thinks the word "Christmas" is slowly creeping back into the public vocabulary. "It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas again," he said. Let's wish.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/22/time-for-a-separation-of-church-and-sports/?icid=mainmaindl1link1http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/22/time-for-a-separation-of-church-and-sports/
Written Assignment # 1
After reading assignment #1 answer these questions, I will collect the answers in class.
1. Should parents have the right to opt out of having their children exposed to ideas in school that they consider immoral?
2. Is the stance taken by some parents interfering with a school's responsibility to promote tolerance and respect?
Made sure you label this Assignment #1
This is due Thursday Feb 12
1. Should parents have the right to opt out of having their children exposed to ideas in school that they consider immoral?
2. Is the stance taken by some parents interfering with a school's responsibility to promote tolerance and respect?
Made sure you label this Assignment #1
This is due Thursday Feb 12
Monday, February 9, 2009
Reading Assignment #1
October 10, 2005 by John Leo
The Parent Trap•
Diversity Book Bag -http://estabrook.lexingtonma.org/Diversity/diversitybookbags.html
David and Tonia Parker of Lexington, Mass., saw a red flag when their son came home from kindergarten last January with a "diversity book bag" that included Who ' s in a Family, a book promoting acceptance of gay marriage. The Parkers thought it was their right, as parents, to decide when and how to introduce their son to the issue of homosexuality. The Parkers believed the public school, Estabrook, is right to be teaching tolerance of gays but wrong in raising the subject in kindergarten and then indoctrinating 5-year-olds on gay marriage. Tonia Parker says gay parents are allowed to come into class and read their material to a captive audience of the very young.
The Parkers did not attack the "diversity book bag" program. They requested notification of any future school discussions of homosexuality so they could have their son opt out. They pointed to a state law defending the opt-out right of parents. The school argued that the law pertained to sex education, not discussion of family forms. In a series of E-mails, the school agreed to a meeting, where the Parkers thought an accommodation would be offered. When the school took a hard-nosed stance instead, David Parker refused to leave school property. He was arrested, led off to jail in handcuffs, then allowed out on bail. His trial for trespassing has been delayed for months. A restraining order, still in effect, bans him from the school and its grounds. He cannot attend meetings of the school committee or pick up his son after class. He cannot even vote, since the school is his voting site. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said the school is on sound legal ground (no surprise there), arguing that "public education would grind to a halt if parents had the right to demand classes tailored to each child based on the parent's moral views."
Occasionally, the school and its anti-bias committee, with strong gay membership, have argued that the book bag program merely acknowledged the plain fact of same-sex marriages. But the committee's website was more candid, stating that the book bags are intended "to build an atmosphere of tolerance and respect" for "family structure diversity." The site says children "have the option to bring home a diversity book bag," and the school says it gave ample notice to parents. But Tonia Parker says she carefully files every notice and never received one on the book bag. The school said the book bag was on display at back-to-school night. Tonia Parker says she attended that event but was never told about the bag. Brian Camenker, head of the pro-family group Article 8 Alliance, which opposes gay marriage, says the diversity bag was there but in an inconspicuous place with no indication of what was in it. Another couple, the Parkers say, knew about the book bag and told the school not to send it, but their child was sent home with it anyway. That family has since left Lexington.
" Left-wing town. " The strongly liberal Boston Globe offered some questionable reporting on the controversy. In one report last May, it blandly referred to Who ' s in a Family as "a book that depicts a same-sex couple." Another report quoted a smug educational bureaucrat comparing the Parkers' argument to that of a parent who wanted James and the Giant Peach removed from a school. But the dispute isn't about censorship, oversensitive parents, or even gay marriage. The Parkers have made no antigay statements and have kept their argument tightly focused on parental rights to allow their children to opt out on issues of sexuality and lessons that implicitly approve gay marriage. Parker refuses to plea-bargain on trespassing until the school lifts its restraining order. The Parkers have assembled a strong legal team to handle the criminal case and a civil suit they plan to file against the school system.
Camenker, who wrote the state opt-out law 10 years ago, says there is no doubt that Paul Ash, Lexington superintendent of schools, has misconstrued it. Even if the law didn't exist, he says, it's mind-boggling that the school would trample parental rights by denying a simple opt-out. Lexington is "an incredibly left-wing town" strongly opposed to the Parkers, he says, but in the rest of the state, maybe 80 to 90 percent of the people who know about the case support the Parkers.
One problem is that gay activists tend to blur the line between tolerance, which the vast majority of Americans favor, and approval of homosexuality, which meets significantly greater resistance. This happens often as lessons of approval are smuggled into anti-bias programs. Another problem is an older one: Public school systems often view parents not as allies but as annoying obstacles to be overcome. In this case, as the Parkers' argument goes national, the obstacles stand a darned good chance of winning.
The Parent Trap•
Diversity Book Bag -http://estabrook.lexingtonma.org/Diversity/diversitybookbags.html
David and Tonia Parker of Lexington, Mass., saw a red flag when their son came home from kindergarten last January with a "diversity book bag" that included Who ' s in a Family, a book promoting acceptance of gay marriage. The Parkers thought it was their right, as parents, to decide when and how to introduce their son to the issue of homosexuality. The Parkers believed the public school, Estabrook, is right to be teaching tolerance of gays but wrong in raising the subject in kindergarten and then indoctrinating 5-year-olds on gay marriage. Tonia Parker says gay parents are allowed to come into class and read their material to a captive audience of the very young.
The Parkers did not attack the "diversity book bag" program. They requested notification of any future school discussions of homosexuality so they could have their son opt out. They pointed to a state law defending the opt-out right of parents. The school argued that the law pertained to sex education, not discussion of family forms. In a series of E-mails, the school agreed to a meeting, where the Parkers thought an accommodation would be offered. When the school took a hard-nosed stance instead, David Parker refused to leave school property. He was arrested, led off to jail in handcuffs, then allowed out on bail. His trial for trespassing has been delayed for months. A restraining order, still in effect, bans him from the school and its grounds. He cannot attend meetings of the school committee or pick up his son after class. He cannot even vote, since the school is his voting site. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said the school is on sound legal ground (no surprise there), arguing that "public education would grind to a halt if parents had the right to demand classes tailored to each child based on the parent's moral views."
Occasionally, the school and its anti-bias committee, with strong gay membership, have argued that the book bag program merely acknowledged the plain fact of same-sex marriages. But the committee's website was more candid, stating that the book bags are intended "to build an atmosphere of tolerance and respect" for "family structure diversity." The site says children "have the option to bring home a diversity book bag," and the school says it gave ample notice to parents. But Tonia Parker says she carefully files every notice and never received one on the book bag. The school said the book bag was on display at back-to-school night. Tonia Parker says she attended that event but was never told about the bag. Brian Camenker, head of the pro-family group Article 8 Alliance, which opposes gay marriage, says the diversity bag was there but in an inconspicuous place with no indication of what was in it. Another couple, the Parkers say, knew about the book bag and told the school not to send it, but their child was sent home with it anyway. That family has since left Lexington.
" Left-wing town. " The strongly liberal Boston Globe offered some questionable reporting on the controversy. In one report last May, it blandly referred to Who ' s in a Family as "a book that depicts a same-sex couple." Another report quoted a smug educational bureaucrat comparing the Parkers' argument to that of a parent who wanted James and the Giant Peach removed from a school. But the dispute isn't about censorship, oversensitive parents, or even gay marriage. The Parkers have made no antigay statements and have kept their argument tightly focused on parental rights to allow their children to opt out on issues of sexuality and lessons that implicitly approve gay marriage. Parker refuses to plea-bargain on trespassing until the school lifts its restraining order. The Parkers have assembled a strong legal team to handle the criminal case and a civil suit they plan to file against the school system.
Camenker, who wrote the state opt-out law 10 years ago, says there is no doubt that Paul Ash, Lexington superintendent of schools, has misconstrued it. Even if the law didn't exist, he says, it's mind-boggling that the school would trample parental rights by denying a simple opt-out. Lexington is "an incredibly left-wing town" strongly opposed to the Parkers, he says, but in the rest of the state, maybe 80 to 90 percent of the people who know about the case support the Parkers.
One problem is that gay activists tend to blur the line between tolerance, which the vast majority of Americans favor, and approval of homosexuality, which meets significantly greater resistance. This happens often as lessons of approval are smuggled into anti-bias programs. Another problem is an older one: Public school systems often view parents not as allies but as annoying obstacles to be overcome. In this case, as the Parkers' argument goes national, the obstacles stand a darned good chance of winning.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Paper Requirements
PAPER REQUIREMENTS*
You must first come to an understanding with your instructor about what topic you will research in this paper. Your instructor has to approve your topic. Do not start researching your paper until this understanding has been reached. All main section titles are to be centered. Sub-titles within each section are to be flush left. Your paper should be typed or computer generated. If you do not have access to a typewriter or computer then you need to talk to your instructor. Your paper should be between 4 to 6 pages of text and should be double-spaced. All important information or factual statements must be in-text referenced. A minimum of two references is required; this requirement does not include encyclopedias or internet sources.
The draft paper will not account for any part of your final grade, but will give the instructor additional interaction with you in helping guide your work. If drafts are not turned in on the scheduled dates, they will not be accepted. The final paper will account for 10% of your final grade.
Your paper should research an appropriate sociological topic by an application of one the three major schools of sociology or theoretical perspectives of sociology. A complete paper will document the subject's social history, it present character, its scope of affect and/or effect, and the seriousness of its impact upon society. The use of the sociological imagination and the quality of the application of the chosen sociological perspective in your work will determine the paper grade.
Title page:
This page consists of your name and the title of your paper, centered on a single sheet.
Introduction:
The introduction of this paper tells the reader what topic you will be discussing and why you chose this subject (personal experience, a major topic, realistically being able to research it, etc.). This section introduces your specific interests within the subject matter and how you intended to explore it. You should also explain why this subject matter is considered to be a sociological topic and its importance in the field. This section should be no more than one (1) page.
Review of literature:
In this section you are to review and discuss your sources (newspapers, interviews, texts, journal articles, magazine articles, government documents, etc.). You should explain any statistical data you used and review any qualitative data applied within the subject you chose. Explain in sufficient detail how these sources related to the topic examined and what the authors of the cited research did and what they found. The works cited should support your interests identified in the introduction. The information presented should be of a scholarly nature and reflect an application of the sociological imagination, not ungeneralizable points, hyperbolic rhetoric, and personal opinions. This section should not be more than four (4) pages.
NOTE: In the review of literature you should be accomplishing three things. First, you will describe the subject you have selected to do your report from a perspective consistent with the sociological imagination. Second, you will clearly and in a detailed manner define and describe the theoretical perspective (functionalism, conflict theory or interactionism). and apply that theory perspective to explore your subject further. Finally, you will approach this entire project from the unbiased and value-free position of a social scientist.
Conclusion:
In this section of the paper you will present your conclusions about the topic based on the information you presented in the paper's literature review. You will present what aspects of this information supported and contradicted your selected perspective. You should also suggest any changes in your approach that you feel could make it more insightful and any future research you think would be helpful. This section should be no more than one (1) page long.
References:
The reference section of this paper will be your last page and will have the title centered and at the top of the page. You will cite every reference you used in your paper under MLA, ASA, or APA format. The text of your paper should be no longer than eight pages. Your outline, draft, and paper are required to be typed and double-spaced. You must have at least two references other than magazines, encyclopedias, or internet sources.
Additional Requirements:
You will be expected to clearly define issues discussed in class and apply them in guiding the exploration of your paper's subject. This is the key aspect of your paper. The paper should illustrate your understandings of the course concepts and apply them as they relate to the subject matter of your report.
You must first come to an understanding with your instructor about what topic you will research in this paper. Your instructor has to approve your topic. Do not start researching your paper until this understanding has been reached. All main section titles are to be centered. Sub-titles within each section are to be flush left. Your paper should be typed or computer generated. If you do not have access to a typewriter or computer then you need to talk to your instructor. Your paper should be between 4 to 6 pages of text and should be double-spaced. All important information or factual statements must be in-text referenced. A minimum of two references is required; this requirement does not include encyclopedias or internet sources.
The draft paper will not account for any part of your final grade, but will give the instructor additional interaction with you in helping guide your work. If drafts are not turned in on the scheduled dates, they will not be accepted. The final paper will account for 10% of your final grade.
Your paper should research an appropriate sociological topic by an application of one the three major schools of sociology or theoretical perspectives of sociology. A complete paper will document the subject's social history, it present character, its scope of affect and/or effect, and the seriousness of its impact upon society. The use of the sociological imagination and the quality of the application of the chosen sociological perspective in your work will determine the paper grade.
Title page:
This page consists of your name and the title of your paper, centered on a single sheet.
Introduction:
The introduction of this paper tells the reader what topic you will be discussing and why you chose this subject (personal experience, a major topic, realistically being able to research it, etc.). This section introduces your specific interests within the subject matter and how you intended to explore it. You should also explain why this subject matter is considered to be a sociological topic and its importance in the field. This section should be no more than one (1) page.
Review of literature:
In this section you are to review and discuss your sources (newspapers, interviews, texts, journal articles, magazine articles, government documents, etc.). You should explain any statistical data you used and review any qualitative data applied within the subject you chose. Explain in sufficient detail how these sources related to the topic examined and what the authors of the cited research did and what they found. The works cited should support your interests identified in the introduction. The information presented should be of a scholarly nature and reflect an application of the sociological imagination, not ungeneralizable points, hyperbolic rhetoric, and personal opinions. This section should not be more than four (4) pages.
NOTE: In the review of literature you should be accomplishing three things. First, you will describe the subject you have selected to do your report from a perspective consistent with the sociological imagination. Second, you will clearly and in a detailed manner define and describe the theoretical perspective (functionalism, conflict theory or interactionism). and apply that theory perspective to explore your subject further. Finally, you will approach this entire project from the unbiased and value-free position of a social scientist.
Conclusion:
In this section of the paper you will present your conclusions about the topic based on the information you presented in the paper's literature review. You will present what aspects of this information supported and contradicted your selected perspective. You should also suggest any changes in your approach that you feel could make it more insightful and any future research you think would be helpful. This section should be no more than one (1) page long.
References:
The reference section of this paper will be your last page and will have the title centered and at the top of the page. You will cite every reference you used in your paper under MLA, ASA, or APA format. The text of your paper should be no longer than eight pages. Your outline, draft, and paper are required to be typed and double-spaced. You must have at least two references other than magazines, encyclopedias, or internet sources.
Additional Requirements:
You will be expected to clearly define issues discussed in class and apply them in guiding the exploration of your paper's subject. This is the key aspect of your paper. The paper should illustrate your understandings of the course concepts and apply them as they relate to the subject matter of your report.
Course Syllabus
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE: BSS 1
Spring 10
TITLE: Introduction to Sociology
CREDIT HOURS: 03
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Chris Walters
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 718 420-2110
EMAIL: mrwaltersprhs@yahoo.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an overview of sociology as a scientific discipline. It helps students understand the sociological perspective of human behavior. The course will begin by defining the field of sociology and will discuss the similarities and differences between sociology and other approaches in understanding human behavior. Throughout the semester, students will learn the core concepts of sociology, sociological theories, the major areas of sociological inquiry, and more importantly, will develop the analytical and critical thinking skills in understanding the sociological world. The focus of the course stresses the basic principles of the scientific approach in doing sociology. The process of scientific research and its application to sociological inquiry will be substantially discussed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course emphasizes the understanding of the scientific approach in studying society. It is aimed to strengthen students’ critical thinking skills. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the fundamental goals of sociology as a science and explain the application of the scientific method in the study of structural and institutional forces that shape the values and influences of the behavior of individuals.
2. Apply major sociological theories in the analysis of social issues and phenomena.
3. Describe major social institutions and explain their impact on social and individual behavior.
4. Understand the dynamic forces leading to social change and the impact of social change on individual behavior.
5. Develop the sociological perspective in understanding human interaction, social groups and organizations explain how human society is organized culturally and structurally.
6. Explain deviance from sociological perspective and understand different means of social control of deviant behavior.
7. Analyze issues of social inequity from both a national perspective and global perspective, define social stratification, understand Its variety in forms and content, explain its existence by sociological theories.
8. Learn and be able to use basic sociological concepts.
9. Use sociological perspective in analyzing popular press materials and current social issues.
ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS:*
There will be two (2) tests during the semester and a final exam. Students must take the final exam. These tests and the exam will consist of multiple-choice questions and essays. Students are required to take all scheduled tests and examinations within the time frame scheduled. The instructor is not required to provide make-up tests or exams for students. Make-up tests or exams are not considered unless the student presents a written excuse from a formal authority such as the police, a judge, a wrecker service, a funeral director, a hospital, a commanding officer, or a doctor. Notes from parents, friends, coaches, or spouses are not acceptable- the excuse must originate from a formal authority.
GRADE CALCULATION*
The Mid Term Exam is 20% of your grade. The final exam is mandatory and cannot be dropped. The final exam will count 20% of the student's final grade. Students are also required to participate in class discussion. Class participation & Attendance measure of the course will constitutes 10% of the student's final grade. H.W. Assignments count for 20% of your final grade. The paper will count the most - 30% of your final grade. Your goal is to demonstrate your understanding of sociology by applying it- not by simply relating to the material through your own life experiences but developing a wider scope of understanding about the nature of society and how that nature directs shared patterns of behavior among the population. You are expected to be in class as scheduled otherwise you will be dropped from the course for failing to meet course attendance requirements. If you fail to adequately complete more than 25% of the course’s task work you will be dropped from the course for failing to meet course attendance requirements. It is the students responsibility to ensure that all work is given to the instructor in a timely fashion.
Classroom participation & Attendance..........10%
Home Work Assignments................................20%
Mid Term Exam...............................................20%
Paper..................................................................30%
Final Exam.........................................................20%
For students who need special accommodations for class, tests, or the final exam documentation regarding a specific disability from the Instructional Support Office is required for accommodation arrangements. When informed, the instructor will make necessary accommodation arrangements for students. Confidentiality for the information received will be maintained.
The burden for staying on schedule falls upon the student. If you cannot hand in assignments physically - emailing the material will be sufficient. Do not send material as attachments- paste the tasks directly into the body of the email.
Mid Term - Thursday April 2
Final Exam - Part I Wednesday May 27
Part II Thursday May 28
COURSE: BSS 1
Spring 10
TITLE: Introduction to Sociology
CREDIT HOURS: 03
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Chris Walters
TELEPHONE NUMBER: 718 420-2110
EMAIL: mrwaltersprhs@yahoo.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an overview of sociology as a scientific discipline. It helps students understand the sociological perspective of human behavior. The course will begin by defining the field of sociology and will discuss the similarities and differences between sociology and other approaches in understanding human behavior. Throughout the semester, students will learn the core concepts of sociology, sociological theories, the major areas of sociological inquiry, and more importantly, will develop the analytical and critical thinking skills in understanding the sociological world. The focus of the course stresses the basic principles of the scientific approach in doing sociology. The process of scientific research and its application to sociological inquiry will be substantially discussed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course emphasizes the understanding of the scientific approach in studying society. It is aimed to strengthen students’ critical thinking skills. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the fundamental goals of sociology as a science and explain the application of the scientific method in the study of structural and institutional forces that shape the values and influences of the behavior of individuals.
2. Apply major sociological theories in the analysis of social issues and phenomena.
3. Describe major social institutions and explain their impact on social and individual behavior.
4. Understand the dynamic forces leading to social change and the impact of social change on individual behavior.
5. Develop the sociological perspective in understanding human interaction, social groups and organizations explain how human society is organized culturally and structurally.
6. Explain deviance from sociological perspective and understand different means of social control of deviant behavior.
7. Analyze issues of social inequity from both a national perspective and global perspective, define social stratification, understand Its variety in forms and content, explain its existence by sociological theories.
8. Learn and be able to use basic sociological concepts.
9. Use sociological perspective in analyzing popular press materials and current social issues.
ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS:*
There will be two (2) tests during the semester and a final exam. Students must take the final exam. These tests and the exam will consist of multiple-choice questions and essays. Students are required to take all scheduled tests and examinations within the time frame scheduled. The instructor is not required to provide make-up tests or exams for students. Make-up tests or exams are not considered unless the student presents a written excuse from a formal authority such as the police, a judge, a wrecker service, a funeral director, a hospital, a commanding officer, or a doctor. Notes from parents, friends, coaches, or spouses are not acceptable- the excuse must originate from a formal authority.
GRADE CALCULATION*
The Mid Term Exam is 20% of your grade. The final exam is mandatory and cannot be dropped. The final exam will count 20% of the student's final grade. Students are also required to participate in class discussion. Class participation & Attendance measure of the course will constitutes 10% of the student's final grade. H.W. Assignments count for 20% of your final grade. The paper will count the most - 30% of your final grade. Your goal is to demonstrate your understanding of sociology by applying it- not by simply relating to the material through your own life experiences but developing a wider scope of understanding about the nature of society and how that nature directs shared patterns of behavior among the population. You are expected to be in class as scheduled otherwise you will be dropped from the course for failing to meet course attendance requirements. If you fail to adequately complete more than 25% of the course’s task work you will be dropped from the course for failing to meet course attendance requirements. It is the students responsibility to ensure that all work is given to the instructor in a timely fashion.
Classroom participation & Attendance..........10%
Home Work Assignments................................20%
Mid Term Exam...............................................20%
Paper..................................................................30%
Final Exam.........................................................20%
For students who need special accommodations for class, tests, or the final exam documentation regarding a specific disability from the Instructional Support Office is required for accommodation arrangements. When informed, the instructor will make necessary accommodation arrangements for students. Confidentiality for the information received will be maintained.
The burden for staying on schedule falls upon the student. If you cannot hand in assignments physically - emailing the material will be sufficient. Do not send material as attachments- paste the tasks directly into the body of the email.
Mid Term - Thursday April 2
Final Exam - Part I Wednesday May 27
Part II Thursday May 28
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)