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Soc 1020 Social Problems












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This Page is for Sociology 1020: Social Problems


























REQUIRED READING: Social Problems Vantage Points

Instructor:  Dwight L Adams
Office: South Campus N324A
Office Hours: 1 hour after class and by appointment
Phone: 801 957-3456
Mail: SCC
E-mail: dwightladams@msn.com (best)

Dwight.adams@slcc.edu


Link for accessing some course materials: www.collegestudy.org


Required Text:  John J. Macionis, Social Problems, 4th edition (2010)


Required Readings:  As this is an interdisciplinary course and the text is written by a sociologist. Additional readings may be assigned that are written by political scientists and those in the field of communication as well assignments from Video on Demand. 


Course Description:  Social, political and economic aspects of specific problems in modern societies including famine, population, ecological disasters, war and terrorism, poverty, race/ethnic and gender inequality, family, crime, health and illness.

General Education Statement:  This course fulfills the interdisciplinary requirement for the General Education Program at Salt Lake Community College.  It is designed not only to teach the information and skills required by the discipline, but also to develop vital workplace skills and to teach strategies and skills that can be used for life-long learning.  General Education courses teach basic skills as well as broaden a student’s knowledge of a wide range of subjects.  Education is much more than the acquisition of facts: it is being able to use information in meaningful ways in order to enrich one’s life.

While the subject of each course is important and useful, we become truly educated through making connections of such varied information with the different methods of organizing human experience that are practiced by different disciplines.  Therefore, this course, when combined with other General Education courses, will enable you to develop broader perspectives and deeper understandings of your community and the world, as well as challenge previously held assumptions about the world and its inhabitants.

General Education ePortfolio   NEW

Each student in General Education courses at SLCC will maintain a General Education ePortfolio. Instructors in every Gen Ed course will ask you to put at least one assignment from the course into your ePortfolio, and accompany it with reflective writing.  It is a requirement in this class for you to add to your ePortfolio.  

Your ePortfolio will allow you to include your educational goals, describe your extracurricular activities, and post your resume.  When you finish your time at SLCC, your ePortfolio will then be a multi-media showcase of your educational experience.  

For detailed information including a Student ePortfolio Handbook, video tutorials for each ePortfolio platform, classes, locations and times of free workshops and other in-person help, visit www.slcc.edu/gened/eportfolio.


FOR THIS CLASS, the signature assignment for your ePortfolio is as follows:

At least 2 weeks before the end of the semester, load the following into your ePortfolio and give the URL to your instructor so he may check it:


1 – Upload 3 pictures of people holding some sort of event that illustrates a social problem. Add a caption to the picture stating what the picture represents using a sociological construct You must have one picture for Conflict, one for Functionalism, and one for Symbolic Interactionalism.


2- Next write a reflection (about 2 type written pages double spaced) of what you have learned in social problems that has a practical meaning for you. You might want to use one of your essays from tests in this class --adding further reflection on what you have learned.


Remember: you may want a future employer or university to see this work, so do an excellent job – you will use it to show how competent you have become in sociology.


Learning Outcomes: In this course we will use the sociological perspective to better understand current social problems.  We will examine sociological theory and research that can help us understand the causes of these social problems.  We shall explore how social issues are dealt with in the media, politically, and by other social institutions in society.  We will pose possible solutions to these problems in the context of current political dynamics.

Course Requirements:


You are required to take class notes each time we meet. That will be a part of your participation grade.


Exams:  There will be four exams, covering four to five chapters each.    They will include material from the text and from lectures and other class activities such as videos and class discussion.

Exams will be about ½ multiple choice and ½ essay. Some will be in class, some will be take-home. In either event, you are expected to do your own work. That means you do not check answers with anyone else or do anything like it.


Media Reports:  You are expected to do print media reports during the semester, out of seventeen topics we cover.  You will need to find an article in the print media  – or their web presence --  which you think relates to the social problems we discuss.  Bring in a copy of the article.  In written form, show how it relates to course material.  How does the article reflect the political process?  We will discuss in class what you have found in the media.


Rationale:  You need to pay attention to what is happening in the social and political world around us and connect that to what we are studying in this course.  The media reports are designed to help you do that.  As a class we need to be able to discuss these social issues with current and local information you bring to our class.

Note that many of the social issues we deal with take place in a political environment in which social problems are defined and arguments are made about the causes and possible solutions of  these defined social problems. The media is the lens through which we examine this political process.  In addition, the media not only reflects social reality, but is involved in actively constructing what we define as social problems, and thus is especially useful to study.


Appropriate Sources: 

      1.  Newspapers such as the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, or New York Times

      2.  Newsmagazines such as Newsweek, Time, U.S. News and World Report Week

Your media reports should include:

       1.  List your source: the author, title, date and the following

      List the magazine or newspaper, including page number

      Internet address, if you took it off the internet

2.  In a 2+ page report, connect this material from the media to the concepts, theories, social research, possible solutions, and other material from the chapter.  Your grade will be based on the appropriateness of your source (including the reliability of the source and how well it relates to the topic) and on how well you relate your material to the course.

Six quality print media reports would be full credit; you choose which ones you want to do.  Please type, spell-check and proof-read. You are to turn in at least 1 report every 2 weeks (on the even weeks).

  • Late assignments will still get ½ credit, but only for 1 week.  No credit will be given after that. No more than 2 assignments can be turned in during any 1 week period.

Video on Demand: 

Six Video on Demand quality reports would be full credit. For each video, turn in a 2+ page report which connects this material to the concepts, theories, social research, possible solutions, and other material from the related chapter.  To be on time, submit 1 report every 2 weeks (on the odd weeks).

  • Late assignments will still get ½ credit, but only for 1 week.  No credit will be given after that. No more than 2 assignments can be turned in during any 1 week period.

Sign into SLCC "MyPage"
Click on "Library"
You will then see "elie" - click on "Library Resources"
Click on "Films on Demand"

1-       Black Death in Dixie: Racism and the Death Penalty in the United States
26 Minutes

2-       Down . . . But Not Out! A Look at Situational Poverty
56 Minutes

3-       Who Owns America? Economic Crisis in the United States
58 Minutes

4-       Borderless: The Lives of Undocumented Workers
27 Minutes

5-       Born with a Wooden Spoon: Welcome to Poverty U.S.A.
60 Minutes

6-       Cyberbullying: Cruel Intentions
41 Minutes

7-       Missing Women: Female-Selective Abortion and Infanticide
54 Minutes

8-       Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
30 Minutes

9-       The Poisoned Dream: The Love Canal Nightmare
48 Minutes

10-   Unequal Education
40 Minutes


Class Attendance, Participation, and Skills Tests:

First of all, you cannot participate if you do not attend class.  A roll will be sent around each class period. You may sign it only if you have attended the entire class period (being more than 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early counts as being absent). You are allowed 4 missed class periods (for illness and the like) before it will adversely affect your final grade.


Second, in this class you will be required to participate in class discussion.  You are expected to be prepared to discuss the material that has been assigned and this will factor into your participation grade.

Skills Tests: As a part of your attendance/participation grade, we will have a few skills tests (practical applications) along the way. One of these will be the ePortfolio Signature Project.


Tentative Lecture and Assignment Schedule:

We will cover 1 1/2 chapters per week during the semester. You should have read the relevant chapter by the time we discuss it in class.


We will have an exam for each 4-5 chapters (midterm #1 will have 5 chapters, the others 4 chapters). Of the first 3 exams, I usually drop the lowest score. The in-class Final cannot be dropped.





Either do the Final Paper or the Final Test - not both. Click HERE for the Final Test

Click on the Study Guides to see old tests.

To receive an "A" for the course, you are encouraged to do the Final Paper instead of the Final Test.

Click HERE for a good example of a student Final Paper

THE FINAL IS REQUIRED OF ALL STUDENTS AND IS AN IN CLASS, CLOSED NOTE, CLOSED BOOK TIMED EXAM. It can NOT be dropped and may be comprehensive in nature.  If you do the Term Paper, you do NOT need to do the Final.
Details on the Final Paper (instead of the Final exam)


1- The first half of the writing should introduce and clearly define the social problem. PERSONAL PROBLEMS WILL NOT RECIEVED ANY CREDIT (like giving a single case example).


2- The last half of the paper MUST contain YOUR SOLUTIONS to the named social problem. The solutions must be based upon reasonable expectations and you must show where the money would come from, etc. Use the sources in your bibliography to check on what solutions have already been tried.


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Grading:  
Exams (3 will be used) 30 points each 90 points

Media Reports (5)  10 points each     50 points

Video on Demand (5) 10 points each 50 points

Participation/Skills tests/ePortfolio      40 points

                                               ----------------

                                                       230 points


How to Figure Out Your Grade:  Your grade is based on the number of points you earn. To calculate your grade at any point in time, simply calculate your percentage by dividing your total points by the total points possible at the time you are doing your calculation. 


 "A" .......top of the class...........about 95% 

 "A-"........superior achievement..about 90%

 "B+"...substantial achievement..about 87%   

 "B".....substantial achievement..about 83%

 "B-"....substantial achievement...about 80% 

 "C+".....standard performance....about 77%

 "C"......standard performance....about 73%

 "C-".....standard performance....about 70%

 "D+"..substandard performance..about 67%  

 "D"...substandard performance...about 63%

 "D-"....marginal achievement....about 60% 

 "E"..unsatisfactory performance..59.9% and below (FAILING GRADE). 
      
 "I"   Incomplete: The student must have at least 80% of the course finished and a good reason why the rest of the course is not going to be finished on time (Example: serious car accident). Procrastination is not a good reason.

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The learning outcomes of this course match the college-wide learning outcomes established by Salt Lake Community College in the following ways:

SLCC Learning Outcome #1:  Upon successful completion of any program, students should acquire substantive knowledge in the discipline of their choice sufficient for further study, and/or demonstrate competencies required by employers to be hired and succeed in the workplace. 


SOC 1020 Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate their understanding of key concepts, theories, events and personalities relating to the nations current social problems.  Perspectives, concepts, and theories will be drawn from sociology and other relevant disciplines including political science and communication.

SLCC Learning Outcome #2:   Upon successful completion of any program, students should be able to communicate effectively.


SOC 1020 Learning Outcome:  Students will effectively communicate orally and in writing about the key concepts and theories from the perspective of sociologists, political scientists, and those who study the media.

 SLCC Learning Outcome #3:  Upon successful completion of any program, students should develop quantitative literacies necessary for their chosen field of study.


SOC 1020 Learning Outcome:  By the end of this course, students should be able to use and interpret information represented as data, graphs and tables to analyze social problems, public policy and/or the historical development of programs designed to help solve social problems.

SLCC Learning Objective #4:  Upon successful completion of any program at SLCC, students should be able to think critically.


SOC 1020 Learning Outcome:  Students will demonstrate critical thinking ability as they consider and discuss varying claims about social problems, varying solutions to social problems, and how this plays out through political processes and through the media.  Students will compare and contrast the approaches of the disciplines of sociology, political science and communication in analyzing social problems – noting similarities as well as differences.

SLCC Learning Objective #5:  Upon successful completion of any program at SLCC, students should have developed the knowledge and skills to be civically engaged, and/or to work with others in a professional and constructive manner.

SOC 1020 Learning Outcome:  Students will have the knowledge and skills to become engaged in volunteer work or other efforts that bring the student closer to social and political issues of social problems in America today.


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Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: 
Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring accommodations or services under ADA, must contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at (801) 957-4659.  The DRC determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations and services for the college.  Please contact the DRC at the Student Center, Suite 244, Taylorsville Redwood Campus, 4600 So. Redwood Rd, 84123.  Phone: (801) 957-4659, TTY: 957-4646, Fax 957-4947 or by email:  linda.bennett@slcc.edu.


Student Code of Conduct:  The student is expected to follow the SLCC Student Code of Conduct found at http:///www.slcc.edu/policies/docs/stdtcode.pdf



"Forms of Academic Dishonesty include, but are not limited to the following:

"Cheating: Presenting others' work as one's own or assisting another student to do so...also occurs when a student violates the conditions governing an examination"

"Misrepresentation:submitting someone else's work as one's own."

Misrepresenting class attendance: signing the role for someone else or stand in for oneself in circumstances where one's attendance and/or performance is required...

"Out-of Class Work: Collaborating on or aiding out-of-class work... receiving unauthorized outside help on take-home exams...consulting with others about homework...copying anothers homework."

"Plagiarism: ...acquiring by purchase or otherwise a part or the whole of a piece of work which is represented as one's own." 

Click the start botton above for the Live presentation of Race and Ethnicity 1 hour lecture
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Make up Credit if you missed something- a vdeio you were not assigned to do

Videos on Demand for Social Problems

sign into SLCC "MyPage"
Click on "Library"
You will then see "elie" - click on "Library Resources"
Click on "Films on Demand"


 SLCC Soc Problems


       

Dishonorable Killings: Punishing the Innocent
26 Minutes
The horrific practice of honor killing still prevails in many Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries-and, as this film demonstrates, it is wielded not only against rape victims but also to punish women for simple romantic attachments. Going deep into tribal communities in rural Turkey, the video presents villagers who describe and condone honor killings that have occurred locally. Most chilling is a conversation with a man who murdered his own sister for the family's honor. The documentary also profiles potential victims of honor killing forced into hiding, often as a result of gossip and innuendo among neighbors, as well as critics of the ancient, brutal custom. (Portions in other languages with English subtitles, 26 minutes)

 


       

Homelessness: The "Housing First" Approach
23 Minutes
By 2015, homelessness may be a thing of the past in Portland, Oregon. Taking a "housing first" stance, Portland has reversed the cause-and-effect approach to urban renewal by first securing homes for its homeless residents and then helping them solve the problems that made them homeless to begin with. In this program, Victoria, British Columbia, applies Portland's public policy to its own homeless population. Can the comprehensive and collaborative Portland model be transplanted to this once-quaint seaside city and restore the dignity and stability of its dispossessed? (23 minutes)

 

 


       

Teens Hooked on Porn
57 Minutes
Whether they live in America, Britain, or elsewhere, most teenage boys have been exposed to some form of pornography. But the Internet has radically escalated that exposure-to the point at which many adolescents are addicted. This program follows the stories of teenage porn addicts as they struggle with the issues that drive their behavior-although not all are open to soul-searching. Darryl, age 17, doesn't think he has a problem, but 16-year-old Malcolm has recognized his addiction and has begun seeing a therapist. Colin, age 14 and a devout Christian, needs help too but is unsure about approaching his pastor. All of their stories are tied together by issues of anger, aggression, and inhibition, and raise questions about the role of parents. A BBCW Production. (57 minutes)

 


       

Hooked: America on Meth
11 Minutes
A rising number of American children under the age of 18 are experimenting with methamphetamines. In Montana, meth addiction has become the No. 1 drug problem. This ABC News program reports on the Montana Meth Project, an organization undertaking an aggressive plan to "unsell" meth-with an ad campaign designed to frighten Montana's youth into avoiding the drug. Highlighting the campaign's gritty imagery and language involving prison, rape, and prostitution, the report includes information on the project's financing, how the ads play out in Montana's teen demographic, and the need for long-term antidrug programs. (11 minutes)

 


       

Female Circumcision: Human Rites
40 Minutes
This program documents the ritual of female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, practiced among some African groups; explores its roots in myth; and discusses movements under way to ban the practice. Interviews with anti-circumcision activists, including medical personnel, describe the health ramifications, including hemorrhage, infection, and painful sex. Victims discuss both the physical and emotional pain of circumcision, and both males and females discuss why they support or reject circumcision as a valid cultural practice. Graphic scenes of an actual female circumcision are shown. (40 minutes)


       

Was Malthus Right? Population and Resources in the 21st Century
27 Minutes
The dire prediction by controversial economist Thomas Malthus that the world's expanding population would swiftly outrun its food supply has not come to fruition-yet. In this program, demographer Paul Demeny, of the Population Council; Walter Reid, of the World Resources Institute; and Max Singer, co-founder of the Hudson Institute, join Ben Wattenberg, of the American Enterprise Institute, in debating issues such as the powerful influence of technology in refuting Malthus' theory, population projections for the 21st century, and the very real economic and physical aspects of resource depletion. (27 minutes)


       

Rights and Responsibilities
26 Minutes
In a society that is so economically, racially, and culturally diverse, how hard should people pursue individual and group rights? Does humanity's modern obsession with rights create a self-obsessed world preoccupied by victimhood? Archbishop Rowan Williams thinks so, and worries that rights groups become static whenever civil liberties are obtained. Filmed at Lambeth Palace, this multifaceted program examines the conflicting ideals between group rights and the Anglican church as Williams argues his point to controversial civil rights lawyer Imran Khan, and to philosopher Jonathan Ree. (26 minutes)



























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