Sociology
of Deviant Behavior
Assignments,
Readings, and Course Schedule
WS 2008-Robert Keel, Instructor
Please
note:
- All students are expected
to attend the Monday class sessions. Students may attend class face-to-face
(live in the classroom), live via the Collaborate
internet connection, or by reviewing the archived
class sessions each week. See "Attendance"
in the syllabus for more information.
- All
tests are available for scheduling appointments at the OTC: https://tomsawyer.umsl.edu/webapps/weboffice/OTC/user/login.cfm.
Please see the listings below for the specific days and times when each
test is available for taking.
- Read
the assigned text material as early as you can (certainly have it read prior
to class on the day it is listed). Review the associated online
lecture notes (prior to coming to class--section 001or attending/reviewing
a Wimba session (sections 001 and 002). The notes (linked
below) work best when viewed online. They are web documents with links you
can explore for additional information, and to seek further clarification,
on selected topics. Use these notes and your assigned readings to develop
critical analyses and questions for discussion both in class and via the
online discussion forums. There are a variety of resources in the class
MyGateway site's "Course Documents" and "External Links"
folders to assist you with your self-study.
- Please
be sure to use the "Practice Quizzes" found in the "Assignments"
area. You will also find a variety of other study tools in the site. The
"Course Documents" area contains study guides, test study tips,
and other utilities to help you prepare for the quizzes and exams. Plus,
in the "Assignments" area you will find folders containing the
required quizzes and tests.
Readings,
Discussions, and Assignments:
Course Schedule and Reading Assignments:
Class
Sessions: Mondays 3:00-5:30 PM in 411 Clark (all Collaborate Sessions)
Part 1: What is Deviance?
Week of January
14: Introduction
and overview: What is Deviance? The
Reflexivity of Deviance and Social Control. Essentialism and Constructionism:
Defining Deviance.
Week of
January 21: Martin
Luther King Holiday, No class. Review MyGateway site, and get started on assignments--reading
and group project.
- Goode: Chapters 1-3.
Pontell: 1-32 and 112-126.
- Lecture notes: What
is Deviance?, Defining Deviance.
- Discuss (online)
sociological concerns surrounding the definition of device. Distinguish
deviance from crime, social problems, and other concepts.
Due Sunday, January
27, 2008
- Syllabus
quiz: due by Sunday,
January 27, 2008 (end of day: Unless
otherwise posted, assignments are due by the end of the day listed: 11:59
PM (23:59). Students who submit work past a due date are subject to penalties,
point deductions, or not having their work accepted for grading.
(25 points)
- Introductory
message due by Sunday,
January 27, 2008
(end of day) (5 points)
Week of January
28: Explaining Deviance: Devils and Other Causes.
- Goode: Chapters 1-3.
Pontell: 1-32 and 112-126.
- Lecture Notes: What
is Deviance?, Defining Deviance,
Theories of Deviance: Demonic and Classical.
- Discuss (online/in
class) early theories of deviant behavior with a special focus on
classical theory. What is its relationship to modern Rational Choice and Deterrence
theories? What issues and problems are involved in these depictions of rational
human action? In what areas are these approaches most helpful?
- Virtual handout: "Rational
Choice/Deterrence Theory" available via the class home page or web
site.
- Quiz 1 to be
completed prior to Test 1 (quiz one covers all assigned material and class
discussions through 1/28).
- Group
Project topics due.
Week of February
4: Theories of Deviance: Positivism--Biology and Psychology
Week of February
11: Early Theories and Sociology.
- Goode: Chapters 1-3.
Pontell: 1-32 and 112-126.
- Lecture notes: Social
Theories: Structure and Process. Durkheim and Anomie
(and this).
- Discuss (online
and in-class): Review the nature, problems, and issues that surround
biological and psychological approaches to understanding deviant behavior.
What are the central sociological concerns with these individualistic approaches?
How do sociological approaches differ?
- Quiz 2 (covers
material and class discussion after quiz 1 and chapters 1 and 2 in Goode's
text)) to be completed prior to Test 1.
- Group
Project Part 1 Due end of day (11:59 PM)
Test
1: Test
1 will be available for taking beginning 2/11/08. It is due by Sunday, February
17, 2008 by 11:59 PM.
Part 2: Sociological
Theories of Deviance.
Week of February 18:
The Functionalist Perspective: Deviance and Normal, yet Sometimes Dysfunctional.
Week of February
25: Subcultural Theories and Learning to be deviant: How vs. Why.
Week of March
3: Group Day--no regular class. Continue to read and review, participate
in your groups in in the class blog and wiki.
Week of March
10: Interactionism and Labeling: Deviance as as social process.
- Goode: Chapter 4. Pontell:
71-106, 127-144, 273-310, 360-378, and 447-472.
- Lecture notes: Theories
of Deviance and The Social Context: Labeling and Ethnomethodology
- Discuss (online
and in-class): Develop a focus on Labeling Theory—what are its
key components? What are the historical foundations for this approach? Discuss
the shift away from causation that is inherent in interactionist approaches
to deviance.
- Virtual Handout: "Ethnomethodology
and Deviance."
- Quiz 3 (covers
material and class discussion after quiz 2) to be completed prior to Test
2 (covers functionalist theories, subcultural approaches, and learning theories).
- Group
Project Part 2 Due end of day (11:59 PM)
Week of March
17: Deviance and Social Conflict: Radical Criminology and Cultural
Conflict.
Test
2 : Test
2 will be available for taking beginning 3/17/08. It is due by Sunday, March
23, 2008 by 11:59 PM.
Week of March 24:
No Class Spring Break
Part 3: Forms and
Types of Deviance.
Week of March 31:
Why is getting high so bad? Drug and alcohol use in the USA.
- Goode: Chapters 8.
Pontell: 227-254..
- Lecture notes: Drug
and Alcohol Use, those from Sociology 2180: (http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/180/ads.html).
- Discuss (online
and in-class): What is a drug and what is deviant about drug use?
Discuss drug use and abuse. Focus on what you find to be key issues surrounding
the emergence of the deviant status of specific types of drug use.
- Quiz 5
(covers
material and class discussion after quiz 4) to
be completed prior to taking Test 3
Week
of April 7: Crime and Violence in the USA.
- Goode: Chapters
6, 7, and 9.
Pontell: 336-446.
- Lecture notes:
Violence. Economic
Crimes and White Collar Crime.
- Discuss
(online and in-class): What constitutes violence? Are
we a violent society? Do Subcultural or learning theories shed
any light on violence in American society? What's the difference
between a deviant organization and organizational deviance?
- Quiz
6 (covers
material and class discussion after quiz 5) to
be completed prior to taking Test 3
Group Presentations: All Group projects are Due by April
14, 2008 at 3:00 PM
Week
of April 14: Sexual Deviance- Who is doing what to whom?
- Goode: Chapter 10.
Pontell: 255-335.
- Lecture notes: Heterosexual
Deviance, Homosexuality as Deviance
- Discuss (online
and in-class): What constitutes sexual deviance, and why? Do conflict/feminist
theories shed any light on sexual deviance?
Week of April 21:
Mental Disorder and Cognitive Deviance: Can you
be sane in an insane world?
- Goode: Chapters 11 and
12. Pontell:
447-482.
- Lecture notes: Mental
Disorder and Cognitive Deviance
- Discuss (online
and in-class): How are designations of mental disorder made? Develop
an focus on the labeling approach to understanding mental disorder. What constitutes
a deviant belief?.
- Quiz 7
(cognitive deviance and sexual deviance) to be completed prior to taking Test
3 .
Week of April 28:
Physical Characteristics- Looking right, or don't
look at all.
- Goode: Chapter 13.
- Lecture notes: Physical
Characteristics as Deviance.
- Discuss (online
and in-class): What is the "ideal" body? What makes physical
differences so important?
- Quiz 8
(mental disorder and physical characteristics as deviance) to be completed
prior to taking Test 3
Discussion
Forums (for credit) close on Friday, May 2, 2008 at 5:00 PM (if
you haven't completed your participation requirement by now, it is way too
late!)
Test
3 : Test
3 will be available for taking beginning April 29. It is due by Thursday,
May 8, 2007 by 11:59 PM.
NOTE:
11:59
PM
on Thursday,
May 8, 2008 is the deadline for having all work completed.
Tests:
You may take each test two (2) times and I will use your high score as your
final test score. Tests can be taken from any location
with internet access. They are carefully timed. Tests 1 and 2 have 50 questions
and you will have 75 minutes to complete each attempt. If you go over time,
your score on that attempt will not be counted. Test 3 has 75 questions and
you will have 90 minutes to complete each attempt. If you go over time your
score on that attempt will not count. You can review your work and receive
feedback on tests and quizzes by clicking on your score in the grade book
in MyGateway. Please
be sure to use the "Practice Quizzes" found in the "Assignments"
area to help you prepare for the test. The "Course Documents" area
contains study guides, test study tips, and other utilities to help you prepare
for the quizzes and exams.
URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/200/200assign.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel: rok@umsl.edu
Last Updated:
Saturday, February 2, 2013 1:16 PM