SOCIOLOGY OF
DEVIANCE
Course: SOC 406 Sect: 001 Spring Semester 2009
Course Time: Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 am – 11:15 am
Course Location: Lecture Hall, Room 321
Instructor: William McGuigan, Ph.D.
Phone: (724)
983-29
e-mail: wmm11@psu.edu
Home page: http://www.personal.psu.edu/wmm11
Office: Sharon Hall,
Room 309D
Course Description: This course provides an introduction to the theories and research concerning deviant behaviors and lifestyles viewed as significant departures from a group’s normative expectations.
1. Students will be introduced to the classic sociological theories of deviance.
2.
Students will acquire a better understanding of the
sociological construction of deviance.
3.
Students will learn how deviance is time and place
specific and subject to constant reinterpretation.
4. Students will be exposed to recent and classical research on deviant behaviors
5. Students will relate course material and concepts to real life situations, practical applications, and current issues.
Goode, E., & Vail, D. A. (2008). Extreme Deviance.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
Additional readings will
be on reserve in the library.
This course covers
topics that some students may find offensive. It is not a required course and should
only be taken by students who have an interest in the sociology of deviance.
Students are expected to be adult and objective enough to discuss sensitive and
offensive material in an academic and non-threatening manner. Nonetheless, the
topics covered in this class may cause discomfort for some students.
Topic summaries. 100 points
For each of the 11 topics
covered in this course you must answer an assigned essay question. These should
be approximately one typed page, typed in Times New Roman, 12 font, double
spaced. First, type the question at the top of the page. Then type your answer
using complete sentences. The essay questions are due at the end of class and
are worth 10 points each. I will use your best 10 of the 11 topic summaries.
*NOTE: Chapter questions turned in late will only be accepted up to one week after the due date and will be penalized 5 points for being late.
Random in-class assignments. 50 points
There will be between 5 - 10 “in-class assignments” that will be worth a total of 50 points. These assignments will occur on random days so attendance is crucial to getting full points. There will be no make-up for random in-class assignments that were missed, for any reason.
Two Examinations. 100 points (50 points each)
Two non-cumulative in-class examinations will be given during the semester on material covered in lectures, class discussions, videos, and the required readings. If you know that you cannot be present on the date of the exam you must make arrangements to take the exam at an earlier date. There will be no late or make-up exams given after the scheduled exam date.
Final Paper. 50
points
A short paper (approximately
3 pages of text) on one of the topics covered in this course. Your paper should
include new information on the topic that was not presented in the class
(expanding on a topic, recent new twists, local cases). This does not have to
be an APA style paper, but a cover page and reference page (of some sort) are
expected.
GRADES
|
Assignment |
Points
|
11 Topic
summaries (best 10, 10 points each)
|
100 |
Random
in-class assignments
|
50 |
Two exams (50
points each)
|
100 |
Final paper
|
50 |
|
Total… |
300 |
Percentage of total
points possible:
94 – 100 A 90 – 93 A- 87 – 89 B+ 84 – 86 B 80 – 83 B-
77 – 79 C+ 70 – 76 C 60 – 69 D < 60 F
Attendance/Participation. Regular attendance and meaningful, cooperative participation in class
discussions are required to pass this class. You will be expected to
attend all classes and to arrive on time.
If you find it impossible to do so, please discuss this with your
professor. Students may receive a lower
grade if several classes are missed. If for any reason you are having a problem
with the course, please take it upon yourself to contact your professor.
Disability Statement
Penn
State is committed to providing access to a quality education for all students,
including those with documented disabilities. If a student has a disability and
wishes an accommodation for a course, it is the student's responsibility to
obtain a University letter confirming the disability and suggesting appropriate
accommodation. This letter can be requested from the Campus Disability Contact
Liaison. The contact at Shenango is Dr. Jane Williams, Director of Student and
Enrollment Services in SH201. Students are encouraged to request accommodation
early in the semester so that, once identified, reasonable accommodation can be
implemented in a timely manner.
Academic Integrity
Academic
integrity is defined as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest,
and responsible manner and is a basic guiding principle for all academic
activity at The Pennsylvania State University. Academic dishonesty includes,
but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabrication of
information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others,
submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the
instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Penalties
for academic dishonesty are outlined in Policies and Rules: A Handbook for
Students, and may lead to disciplinary sanctions including a failing grade for
the course.
Date |
Topics |
Assignments
|
|
|
Jan. |
|
Introduction Sociological
Theories of Deviance (overview) |
|
|
|
|
Finish
Sociological Theories of Deviance (Video:
Naked States) |
Read pages ix – xxiii |
|
|
|
Sexual
Deviance: Pedophiles and Child Molesters (Video:
Is there incest among the Amish?) |
Read pages 139 – 172 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Redefining
Prostitution as “Work”: COYOTE (Video:
Unbound) |
Read library reserve (Coyote) Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
Feb. |
|
Engaging
in Deviant Sexual Practices (Video:
Being Drawn into the World of Porn) |
Read pages 201 – 225 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Being
Hugely Obese |
Read pages 67 - 100 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Anorexia
& Bulimia as Deviant Identities |
Read library reserve (Anorexia) Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Review
for Exam 1 |
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
Exam
1 |
|
|
March |
|
Tiny
Dopers: Case Study of Deviant
Socialization |
Read library reserve (Tiny Dopers) Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
Extreme
Tattooing |
Read pages 1 – 32 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Believing
in White Supremacy Video:
Blood in the Face |
Read pages 101 – 137 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
April |
|
Finish
White Supremacy Thrills
& Skills: Sociological Analysis of Poaching |
Read library reserve (Thrills & Skills) Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Believing you were Kidnapped by
Extraterrestrials |
Read pages 33 – 64 Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Earth
First: Extremes to Save the Environment |
Read pages 173 – 200
Topic summary due in class Thursday |
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
Presentation? |
|
|
|
|
Review
for Exam 2 |
|
|
|
|
Exam
2 Final
paper due in my office by 5pm |
|