SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY
Fall 2006
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.”
Rubinfeld, Mark.
“The Matter of the Children.”
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:
Class attendance,
discussion, and participation are significant components of the classroom
experience. As such, any student who misses eight or more classes will not be
able to get a grade higher than a “B” for this class; any student who misses
twelve or more classes will not be able to get a grade higher than a “C” for
this class. Although there is no formal attendance policy for students who miss
seven or less classes, do know that 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 discussions 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
|
Tuesday August 29
“The Life Course
Revolution,” Arlene Skolnick Thursday August 31 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 2, pp.
33-73. |
|
3 |
The History of the Family
(and) Gender and Families |
Tuesday September 5 “What
We Really Miss About the 1950s,” Stephanie Coontz Thursday September 7 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 3, pp. 77-107 |
|
4 |
Gender and Families (and)
Social Class and Families |
Tuesday September 12 “The Mommy Wars:
Ambivalence, Ideological Work, and the Cultural Contradictions of
Motherhood,” Sharon Hayes Thursday September 14 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 4, pp. 109-140 |
|
5 |
Social Class and Families |
Tuesday September 19 “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 (and) Sexuality and Love |
Tuesday September 26 “Angela Whitiker’s Climb,”
Isabel Wilkerson Thursday September 28 Public and Private
Families, Chapter 6, pp. 181-218 Thursday September 28 *** FIRST PAPER DUE*** |
|
7 |
Sexuality and Love (and)
Cohabitation and Marriage |
Tuesday October 3 “Then and Now,” Mary Pipher ---and--- “Love in the Time of No
Time,” Jennifer Egan Thursday October 5 Public and Private Families, Chapter 7, pp. 221-258 |
|
8 |
Cohabitation and Marriage
(and) Midterm Review (and) Midterm Exam |
Tuesday October 10
“The New Fragility of
Marriage,” Stephanie Coontz Thursday October 12 ***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 17
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 19 “Business and the Facts of
Family Life,” Sussner Rodgers and Charles Rodgers Thursday October 19 ***Top Three Choices for Group
Presentations*** |
|
10 |
Children and Parents |
Tuesday October 24
Public and Private Families, Chapter 9, pp. 293-328 Thursday October 26 “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 |
|
11 |
Domestic Violence |
Tuesday October 31
Public and Private Families, Chapter 11, pp. 367-399 |
|
12 |
Divorce |
Tuesday November 7
Public and Private
Families, Chapter 12, pp. 401-433 Thursday November 9 “Divorce American Style,”
William A. Galston ---and--- “Love American Style,”
Margaret Talbot ---and--- “The Matter of the
Children,” Mark Rubinfeld |
|
13 |
Divorce (and) Group
Presentation Preparations (and) Class Dinner |
Thursday November 16 ***Class Dinner*** |
|
14 |
Group Presentations |
Tuesday November 21
Group Presentations Thursday December 23
HAPPY THANKSGIVING |
|
15 |
Group Presentations (and) Last
Class, Final Exam Review, Class Wrap-up, and Student Course Evaluations |
Tuesday November 28
Group
Presentations
Thursday November 30
Group Presentations ---and--- 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 7 from |