SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY
Fall 2005
Mark Rubinfeld
Foster 308
Office phone:
832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
E-mail:
Website:
http://people.westminstercollege.edu/faculty/mrubinfeld
Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs.
Course
Description:
This course explores
the modern American family—examining the traditions, roles, functions,
representations, changes, and controversies surrounding the social institution
of the family.
Required Books (Available at College Bookstore):
Cherlin, Andrew J. Public and Private
Families: An Introduction. Fourth Edition. 2005.
Required Articles: (On Reserve)
Bartholet, Elizabeth. “Blood Knots: Adoption, Reproduction, and the Politics of Family.”
Coltrane, Scott and Michele Adams. “Men’s Family Work: Child-Centered Fathering and the Sharing of Domestic Labor.”
Coontz, Stephanie. “The New Fragility of Marriage.”
Coontz, Stephanie.
“What We Really Miss about the 1950s.”
Edin, Kathryn. “Few
Good Men: Why Poor Mothers Stay Single.”
Egan, Jennifer.
“Love in the Time of No Time.”
Galston, William A.
“Divorce American Style.”
Hays,
Lewin, Tamar. “When Richer Weds Poorer, Money Isn’t the Only Difference.”
Pipher, Mary. “Then and Now.”
Popenoe, David. “A
World without Fathers.”
Rodgers, Sussner and
Charles Rodgers. “Business and the Facts of Family Life.”
Silverstein, Louise
B. and Carl F. Auerbach. “Deconstructing the Essential Father.”
Skolnick, Arlene.
“The Life Course Revolution.”
Talbot, Margaret.
“Love American Style.”
Wilkerson, Isabel.
“Angela Whitiker’s Climb.”
Course Objectives:
Procedures and Course
Outline:
This course,
focusing on the modern American family, utilizes a variety of learning tools
including readings, lectures, videotapes, class discussions, field trips, group
exercises, and oral presentations. Weekly readings and assignments appear on
the attached course outline.
Assignments and Grading:
Final grades will be
based on a mid-term (30% of the final grade), a final examination (30% of the
final grade), two papers (each worth 15% of the final grade), and a group
presentation (10% of the final grade). You must complete all of the
course requirements in order to pass this course. Final grades will be based on
the percentage of total points earned: A
(93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C
(73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), and F (below 60).
Exams: The exams include
multiple choice, true-false, and short essay questions that cover information
from the readings, lectures, class discussions, and group presentations.
Two papers: You will have at
least two weeks to complete the two papers, each four-to-six pages long (double
spaced), related to class readings, lectures, and discussions. Late papers will
be accepted up to one week late with a ten-point penalty; after one week, no
late papers will be accepted. (Note: an absence on the day a paper is due
is not a valid reason for missing a deadline. It is your responsibility to find
someone to deliver the paper for you, or to fax or e-mail a copy of the paper
to me on the due date).
Group Presentation: You will
be placed into groups with each group giving a thirty minute presentation on
various aspects of the American family.
Class Participation and
Attendance:
Classroom
discussions are important, adding to the vibrancy, diversity, and relevancy of
the classroom experience. As such, I expect that all students will participate
in classroom discussions. Although this class has no formal attendance policy,
a significant number of questions on the midterm and final will focus on
class lectures and discussions. Furthermore, since I will be weighing class
participation in borderline grading situations, students who regularly attend
class and frequently participate in classroom activities will have an “edge” in
achieving a higher, final grade. Finally, I reserve the option of giving
quizzes, assigning additional homework, or emending this syllabus as the need
arises.
Student-Student and
Student-Faculty Relationship:
All students must be
respectful of other students. This means no talking while other students are
talking or trying to listen. It also means showing up to class on time so as
not to disrupt the class with late arrivals. Once class begins, no chatting, no
reading outside materials, and no sleeping in class. If you must eat, make sure
it is a “quiet” food. Also, turn off your cell phones. In other words, act appropriately
for a college class; if your actions create a distraction, you will be asked to
leave. In accordance with college policies, any acts of cheating or plagiarism
will be penalized to the severest extent. My office hours are listed at the
beginning of this syllabus. At any time, feel free to meet with me to discuss
any matters relevant to the course. If you cannot meet with me during my
scheduled office hours, I am also available by appointment. It is especially
important for you to see me early if you are having difficulties with the
course. Do not wait till the end of the semester when there is little I can do
to help. Finally, feel free to meet with me if you would like to learn more
about sociology, including pursuing it as a major or minor, or incorporating
its application into papers and assignments from your other classes.
Group Presentations
Due to time
constraints, there are various aspects of the family that we will not be able to
fully cover in the course. In order to provide you with an overview of some of
these aspects, we will use group presentations that will: 1) allow us to cover
more material than we could normally cover through lectures and readings, 2)
provide you with a greater variety of viewpoints, and 3) afford you the
opportunity to experience working on a group project that includes public
speaking.
Each group will have 30 minutes
(plus an additional ten minutes for questions and answers) to report on their
topic, with topics to be assigned halfway through the semester. One week prior
to the presentation, each group must submit an outline of its presentation and
what specific topic each individual member will be covering.
Each member of the group must
participate in the oral presentation. All students in the group will receive
the same grade unless the group reports to me that one or more of its members
failed to participate, or work cooperatively, with the bulk of the group
members. It has been my experience that the best presentations are those that
involve the following:
Solid preparation: All group members should be equally
prepared for the presentation. This usually necessitates a clear delineation of
member roles in preparing for and conducting the presentation. The format of
the presentation is up to each group. There are only two limitations: that the
presentation lasts no more than 30 minutes, and that it fully covers the
assigned topic.
Class activity
and/or handouts: Having the
class take an active role in at least part of the presentation (through
handouts, posters, transparencies, games, videos, or any other audio or visual
aids that the group deems useful) often results in better class attention and
discussions. In presenting your material, strive to be informative, engaging,
and creative. Try to think of different ways of involving the class into your
presentation so they stay interested.
Introduction of
the panel members: You can
make the group presentation more personal by introducing yourselves at the
beginning of your presentation. This helps to lessen the “intimidation factor”,
and to create an atmosphere more conducive to audience participation.
Furthermore, try not to forget to establish eye contact with members of the
audience, and to smile from time to time. If you can, also try to avoid reading
from your notes or cue cards.
Careful time
budgeting: Use your time
wisely. Thirty minutes is not very long for a presentation. Although you should
be prepared to use the entire 30 minutes for your presentation, this does not
mean that you should try to cram as much information or activities as possible
into your presentation. It is better to cover two well-developed points about a
topic than to zip through ten confused and disjointed points.
Expectations
about audience participation:
Of course you will do the best you can to encourage participation and
discussion from the class. However, the burden of responsibility is not
entirely yours. The rest of the class is also responsible for ensuring that the
group presentations are an engaging and rewarding experience for everyone
involved. This entails: 1) listening attentively (showing respect for
speakers), 2) taking part in the discussion and/or activity, and 3) preparing
at least one question or comment to share with the class during the question
and answer period.
Grading: As previously mentioned, each member in the
group receives the same grade. The grades for the group presentations will be
based on the following criteria: 1) substance or content, 2) creativity and
resourcefulness (use of materials, exercises, activities, etc.), and 3) form
and style (articulation, length, organization, preparedness, etc.). If the
group is having a problem with one or more of its members (e.g., not coming to
preparatory meetings, showing no interest in the project, not doing his or her
share of the work), first, try to work it out with the member or members. If
the problem persists, however, let me know about it as early as possible. If
the group consensus is that one or more members of the group are not
participating to the satisfaction of the group, the non-participating member or
members will not get credit for the assignment, and receive a zero for their
group presentation grade. This ensures: a) that the group is not penalized for
the lack of preparation of any of its members, and b) that no group member or
members receive credit for the work that others are doing.
Having fun: Education does not always have to be a
chore. In addition to learning new material, this is an opportunity to develop
public speaking skills, gain self-confidence, make new friends, and have some
fun. This is your time to teach and to reach. Go for it!
Week |
Topic |
Assignments |
|
1 |
Introduction to Sociology of
The Family |
No Assignments |
|
2 |
Definitions
and Perspectives (and) The History of the Family
|
Thursday September 8
“The Life Course Revolution,” Arlene Skolnick. |
|
3 |
The History of the Family
(and) Gender and Families |
Tuesday September 13 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 2, pp.
33-73. ---and--- “What We Really Miss About
the 1950s,” Stephanie Coontz Thursday September 15 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 3, pp. 77-107 |
|
4 |
Gender and Families |
Tuesday September 20 Bring to Class Contemporary
Media Examples of Gender Socialization Thursday September 22 “The Mommy Wars:
Ambivalence, Ideological Work, and the Cultural Contradictions of
Motherhood,” Sharon Hayes |
|
5 |
Social Class and Families |
Tuesday September 27
Public and Private
Families, Chapter 4, pp. 109-140 Thursday September 29 “When Richer Weds Poorer,
Money Isn’t the Only Difference,” Tamar Lewin ---and--- “Few Good Men: Why Poor
Mothers Stay Single,” Kathryn Edin |
|
6 |
Social Class and Families
(and) Race, Ethnicity, and Families |
Tuesday October 4 “Angela Whitiker’s Climb,”
Isabel Wilkerson |
|
7 |
Sexuality and Love |
Tuesday October 11
***FIRST PAPER DUE*** Tuesday October 11 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 6, pp. 181-218 Thursday
October 13
“Then and Now,” Mary Pipher |
|
8 |
Sexuality and Love (and)
Cohabitation and Marriage (and) Midterm Review (and) Midterm Exam |
Tuesday October 18
Public and Private Families, Chapter 7, pp. 221-258 ---and--- “Love in the Time of No
Time,” Jennifer Egan ---and-- ---The New Fragility of
Marriage,” Stephanie Coontz Thursday October 20 ***MIDTERM EXAM***
(Covering Chapters 2, 3, 4,
6, 7 in Cherlin, and all of the readings in the Reader through Coontz) |
|
9 |
Work and Families |
Tuesday October 25
Public and Private Families, Chapter 8, pp. 263-289 ---and--- “Men’s Family Work: Child-Centered Fathering and
the Sharing of Domestic Labor,” Scott Coltrane and Michel Adams Thursday October 27 “Business and the Facts of Family
Life,” Sussner Rodgers and Charles Rodgers |
|
10 |
Work and Families (and)
Children and Parents |
Tuesday November 1
Public and Private Families, Chapter 9, pp. 293-328 Thursday November 3 “Blood Knots: Adoption, Reproduction,
and the Politics of Family,” Elizabeth Bartholet ---and--- “A World Without Fathers,”
David Popenoe ---and--- “Deconstructing the
Essential Father,” Louise B. Silverstein and Carl F. Auerbach Thursday November 3 ***Top Three Choices for
Group Presentations Due*** |
|
11 |
Children and Parents (and)
Domestic Violence |
Tuesday November 8
Public and Private Families, Chapter 11, pp. 367-399 |
|
12 |
Domestic Violence (and)
Divorce |
Tuesday November 15
***SECOND PAPER DUE*** Thursday November 17
Public and Private
Families, Chapter 12, pp. 401-433 |
|
13 |
Divorce (and) Thanksgiving
Break |
Tuesday November 22“Divorce American Style,”
William A. Galston ---and--- “Love American Style,”
Margaret Talbot Thursday November 24 Thanksgiving Break—Happy Thanksgiving! |
|
14 |
Social Change and Families
(and) Group Presentation Preparations (and) Group Presentations |
Tuesday November 29
Public and Private
Families, Chapter 15, pp. 496-523 ---and--- Group Presentation Preparations Thursday December 1
Group Presentations |
|
15 |
Group Presentations |
Tuesday December 6
Group
Presentations
Thursday December 8
Group Presentations |
|
16 |
Last Class, Final Exam
Review, Class Wrap-up, and Student Course Evaluations |
Tuesday December 13
Group Presentation Grades
and Feedback, Final Exam Review, and Class Wrap-up ***FINAL EXAM*** (covering
chapters 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, and all of the readings in the Reader from the
second half of the course) is scheduled for Thursday December 15 from
6:00-7:50 p.m.) |