Mon Nov 16 – Office Hours

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A 1:00 p.m. meeting may cause me to miss my 2:00 p.m. Office Hours on Monday, November 16.

I will certainly be there at 3:00 p.m.   If you know that you need to see me on Monday, we can also arrange to meet at 7:30 a.m. (before class).

 

 

Essay Questions: Your Vote

Exam 3 was the first time I tried the method of handing out the Essay Questions ahead of time.   I don’t know yet how the results pan out from a grading point of view.  From the perspective of studying for the exam, what did you think? Poll results are anonymous.

EXAM 4 STUDY SESSION

The Exam 4 study session will take place in Tower 3414 and will start at 6pm.  Come prepared since we will be going over the three essays that were given out to you in class.  Hope to see everyone there!

Learning Objectives – Chapter 10 – Raising Children

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1. What is meant by the “transnational family”?
2. What are current trends in childrearing found in both industrial and nonindustrial societies?
   What similarities and differences do you see between industrial and nonindustrial socieities?
3. What is meant by socialization and what are the primary agents of socialization?
4. What are the most prominent theories in child development and socialization?
   Be able to compare and contrast the theories with each other?
5. What are the most common parenting styles?
   Be able to identify the characteristics of children raised by particular parenting styles.
   Be able to name and explain the two dimensions that define the parenting styles.
6. What are the similarities and differences between mothering and fathering?
   What are the similarities and differences between mothering as an identity and as  an activity?  Fathering as activity and identity?

Chapter 9 – Learning Objectives

Following are the Learning Objectives for Chapter 9 in the textbook:

1.      What is meant by “pronatalism”?

2.      What are current population trends in the United States and worldwide?

3.      How have fertility rates fluctuated historically in the United States?

4.      What are the rewards and costs associated with having children?

5.      What are the most common motivations and results of choosing to remain childfree?  Of choosing to adopt a child?

6.      What is meant by the social construction of childbirth?

7.      What are the most significant benefits and challenges in the transition to parenthood?

Learning Objectives – Chapter 8

Marriage License from 1883
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The Learning Objectives for Chapter 8 of the textbook

1. Define a social institution and give several examples.
2. Explain why the family is a social institution and what purposes it serves for society.
3. Define the term “cultural universal” and explain why marriage is one.
4. Describe the current practice of marriage, and how it has changed over time.  Relate the practice of marriage in earlier times to other aspects of that time period.
5. Describe how marriage is lived and experienced in cultures other than the U.S.
6. List and explain the benefits of marriage.  For each benefit, how is it affected by gender? by race/ethnicity? by social class?
7. Explain the difference between marital stability and marital quality.
8. Describe the factors that contribute to marital stability. How are they affected by social class, by race/ethnicity, by gender.
9. Describe the factors that contribute to marital quality. How are they affected by social class, by race/ethnicity, by gender.
10. What is the “marriage movement?”

Runner-Up Essay

7. Compare and contrast the rewards and costs of children.

     The costs of children may fall under 2 categories: direct financial costs and opportunity costs.  Direct financial costs include out-of-pocket expenses, such as food or clothing.  Opportunity costs are lost opportunities for income by working less or not at all because of children.  Children have many needs, and therefore are very expensive.  Some expenses include housing, food, transportation, clothing, healthcare, and schooling.  The rewards of children are more difficult to measure, and mostly fall under emotional feelings such as love, joy, and purpose.  Another benefit to having a child is having someone to take care of you as you age, whether it be taking care of you by themselves, or placing you in a nursing home.  Children also help parents expand their horizons socially.  

Runner-Up Essay

6. Compare and contrast population growth in developed and developing countries.  What is China doing to curb population growth?  What have been the consequences of their program?

     In developed countries around the world, fewer babies are being born.  Developed countries replacement rate is not being fulfilled.  On average people are having 1.2-1.7 kids when the number needed to replace the population is 2.1.

    In developing countries, populations are continuing to grow.  Enough children are being born to replace their parents.

    China has adopted a “one-child” policy in order to reduce their population.  While this policy has been successful, the number of girls in the country has dropped significantly.  Many girls have been abandoned or even killed.  This happens because boys are more valued than girls.  In order to reduce the problem the value of girls needs to be restored.

Runner-Up Essay

6. Compare and contrast population growth in developed and developing countries.  What is China doing to curb population growth?  What have been the consequences of their program?

     In general, developed countries tend to have a much lower fertility rate than developing countries.  This is because family planning is less common in developing countries and children can offer their parents some security.

     In China, in order to slow the population’s growth, the government has a policy of one child per family, with a few exceptions.  One major consequence of this policy is female children are often unwanted and abandoned or even killed in China.  Also, if a family has more than one child, the other children aren’t eligible for lots of social benefits.  Finally, there is the consequence of a very unbalanced male to female ratio in China.

Runner-Up Essay

2. How has/is the institution of marriage changing?

    Marriage has changed greatly over the past centuries from colonial times up until now.  In colonial times marriage was mainly for economic purposes and personal survival.  The husband and wife were seen as “one” though the husband made all the decisions of the household.  Wives did not have much say in anything.  Nowadays marriage is more a sign of prestige rather than conformity.  Oftentimes it now comes after a job, career, savings, children.  This means that people are now marrying later in life at ages of 25 for women compared to 21 in 1970 and 27 for men compared to 23 in 1970.

     Many households are now dual career households and the growth of suburbs have disconnected couples from community.

     There is also more racial and ethnic marriages and now marriage is debated for gay and lesbian couples.  This shows that marriage is always changing.

Winning Essay

1. Compare and contrast two different patterns of courtship and mate selection from among those presented in Seccombe’s textbook.  Be specific about the similarities and differences in the two patterns.

     Two patterns of courtship and mate selection that were presented in our textbook are arranged marriages and relatively free mate selection.  Both processes have good and bad points, but they also have many similarities and differences.

     Arranged marriage is the prominent form of mate selection in India.  Families focus on finding a mate that can financially support their spouse, who has close family ties, and who have compatible zodiac signs.  Many Indian girls know at a very young age the person their parents have picked for them to marry.  Indian mate selection is not focused on love, it focuses on the ties the families can make.

     Free mate selection occurs in many countries but none more than in the US.  Courtship is focused on having fun, and connecting with someone with the same likes and dislikes or with someone you have a “spark” with.  Family may have some influence on who you choose, like suggesting to marry inside your religion.  Marriages in the US are mostly based on love.

P3 (All topics)

The goals of Assignment P3:

• To study the process of family formation: how people meet and come together
• To consider differences across culture or subculture, including across time
• To apply the criteria of scientific observation
• To link the concepts (theories) and findings (facts) from the textbook with observed data

Assignment P3 has two components: observation and analysis

1. Observation phase gathers data about couples coming together to form a family from one of several sources
   • Watching the movie “Arranged” about two women in modern America whose tradition involves arranged marriage
   • Interviewing one or both members of each of two couples who either got married or started a family at least 25 years apart, or
     are two generations in the same family. This could be you or a sibling (if you have started a family) + your parents, or your parents
     and grandparents, or a couple you know in their 20s and another couple you know (unrelated) in their 50s or older.  The greater the difference in ages, the more likely you are to see differences. The couples should be of the same race/ethnic background.
   • Interviewing one or both members of each of two couples of similar age but different ethnic or racial backgrounds. Here it is important that the couples be very similar in age so that you only see the effect of race/ethnicity not time.
   • Interviewing one or both members of each of two couples with children about the impact of having children on their relationship to each other, on their work patterns and aspirations, and about the process of raising children
   • Interviewing one or both members of a gay/lesbian couple in a committed relationship or who are raising children together and of a heterosexual couple who are in a committed relationship or who are raising together.
   • Take notes during your interview or the movie, which are the data that you analyze for your paper. The notes are not your paper.
2. Analysis phase:  Making comparisons, observing patterns or theme
   • The things that people said are their perspectives – but they are not the sociological perspective.  For instance, if a couple from a culture different from yours says, “Culture makes no difference” but your data show that, as the book described, they had married at a later age and placed more emphasis on individualism than the other couple you interviewed, your analysis would show that differences exist, but members of various cultures may be unaware of those differences.
   • Look for information in the Seccombe text about the features that distinguish the couples from each other: the time frame when the marriage/family was started, race/ethnicity, social class, gender orientation of couple – and see whether the stated fact is observed in your data.
3. Writing phase:  Present the results of your study in a 2 page paper
   • Briefly (2-3 sentences, 1/2 page or less) describe the structure of the families whose members you interviewed, and the trait that distinguishes them (e.g., which social class, which ethnicity).  (15 points)
   • Describe two patterns or comparisons between the couples that are linked to information from the Seccombe text. Each comparison should take at least one paragraphs, and should have at least two citations to the Seccombe text book.  (30 points each)
   • Conclude with a paragraph in which you describe how you used the methods of social science in your interviewing and in your analysis.  Your paragraph should include at least two citations of the earlier portion of the Seccombe text on methods and theory.  (15 points)
   • Your paper should be well-written, without spelling or grammatical errors, double-spaced, with a title page, and stapled.  Papers that are not stapled will not be accepted.  (10 points)

Due Date:  Friday, November 13

U.S. 30th in Global Infant Mortality

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I thought you might be interested in this news report, out today:

U.S. 30th in Global Infant Mortality – ABC News.

Using 2005 data:

“Too many U.S. babies are born too soon each year and don’t live to celebrate their first birthday. This finding underscores the importance of supporting research to help us learn what causes preterm birth and how we can help give all babies a healthy start in life,” said Dr. Alan Fleischman, medical director for the March of Dimes.

“One in 8 births in the United States were born preterm, compared with 1 in 18 births in Ireland and Finland,” added the report, available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db23.htm.

“If the United States had Sweden’s distribution of births by gestational age, nearly 8,000 infant deaths would be averted each year and the U.S. infant mortality rate would be one-third lower.”

Office Hours, week of November 2

Image by Edith OSB via Flickr

My schedule has been changed for next week because of several meetings that were scheduled.

Here are the revised Walk-In Office Hours:

• Monday Nov 2:  none, classes not in session
• Tuesday Nov 3:  9:30-10:30 a.m. in Tower 3652
• Wednesday Nov 4:  1:30-2:30 p.m. in Tower 3652
• Thursday Nov 5: 9:30-10:30 a.m. in Tower 3652
  (this is the regular time)
• Friday Nov 6: 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Tower 3652
  (this is the regular time)

Extra Credit #3

Here are Extra Credit opportunities that I know about:

• Tues 27 Oct: Crossing the Line Video (about protests at the School of the Americas)  featuring Susan Sarandon, Martin Sheen and several CSS students at 7:00 in Tower 3150.
• Thurs 5 Nov:  “The U.S. and the Muslim World: A New Beginning?” Dr. Fawaz Gerges, Chair of Middle Eastern Politics & International Relations, Sarah Lawrence College 7 p.m. in the Mitchell Auditorium
• Wed 11 Nov: Diversity Panel, 5:30-7 p.m., Intercultural Center
• Thurs 12 Nov: “American Muslims: The Next Generation” Kashif Saroya, Islamic Resource Group of Twin Cities 7 pm Somers Main Lounge

Instructions for getting Extra Credit are available in the tab up above.

Office Hours this week

My Office Hours this week have some changes:

• Tuesday 27 October: 1-1:45 pm in Tower 3652

• Wednesday 28 October 1:00-2:00 in Tower 3652

Vote on the P2 Assignment

This is the first time I have used this type of PowerPoint assignment in this class.

Please VOTE on the 4 poll-questions to help me decide whether to continue to use this assignment.

The poll questions are entirely anonymous. You can see how others have voted (percentages).

If there were things you particularly liked about this assignment, suggestions for improving it, or ideas for similar assignments in the future, please write a comment in the comments section below.  (Click on the word “Comment”)  Comments are not anonymous, but they don’t affect your grade.

Exam 2 Study Session

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Exam 2 Study Session will take place this Thursday, October 22 at 6:00pm in room Tower 3410.  It will last for about an hour or a little bit more.  Please bring any questions about the objectives and we’ll try to get through them all.  Hope to see everyone there!!

“Risk factors” for poverty

Gordon-Kahl image of US Class Structure

Kaitlyn asked what the phrase “risk factors” for poverty means in the study guide – does it mean the causes or the consequences of poverty?   It’s a good question, so I thought I would post an answer.

Risk factors refers to a status or social location in which the risk of being poor is higher.

• We know that people are likely to have the same social class as their parents, so being the son or daughter of a poor person is risk factor for poverty
• Poverty is more common in some regions of the country (which ones???) so living in those regions might make poverty more likely
• Certain types of jobs either lack benefits or wages large enough to prevent poverty, so working in those jobs (which ones???) would be a risk factor for poverty
• The culture of poverty approach combines individual factors with structural ones to say that a person may grow up withvalues and patterns of behavior which increase the chance of a falling into poverty.

“Risk factor” means you might become poor. “Consequence” means what sorts of other problems occur as a result of being poor.

Academic Honesty vs Cheating

Live the values:  Cor et Anima

To those who have not cheated: First, I  apologize to the majority of students in the class who have not cheated.  I commend you for your honest behavior: it  is a credit to you. That is what we expect of students at a college like St. Scholastica.

I am grateful to the students who reported the cheating to me.  If others  are aware of cheating, but did not know what to do about it – I would be happy to hear from you.

Cheating Reports: I received multiple reliable reports of cheating on the quizzes.  Some reports indicate those who cheated with sufficient accuracy that I may be able to identify them.

Faculty are expected to apply penalties for cheating, and to report all instances of academic dishonesty to the  Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Penalties:  The CSS Academic Honesty Policy, which is found in the Student Handbook states the consequences for  cheating:

• The minimum penalty by the faculty member is failure of the quiz, test, or assignment.
• The maximum penalty by the faculty member is failure in the course.
• Departments have the right to deny admission to a  major or to dismiss any student who has engaged in academic dishonesty.
• The Vice President for Academic Affairs may exclude students from extracurricular activities because of academic dishonesty.
• The Vice President for Academic Affairs may expel a student for academic dishonesty.
• These penalties can be applied even on the first offense.

These are serious consequences.   It is just not worth it for a few points on a quiz!

Violators: If you have engaged in cheating, your best course of action is to come to see me, admit the action, and work out a plan with me so that I can be sure of your honesty moving forward.  I will not pursue penalties for past cheating for anyone who comes to see me about the problem.

Class Quizzes:   I am consulting with other faculty members to consider appropriate courses of action to take with regard to future quizzes and Friday’s exam in this class.  I will keep you informed about new policies.

Related articles by Zemanta

• A honest kid who was given an Empire. (imperfectaction.com)
• The Root Of Honesty (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• Can You Be Truly Honest? (lifehack.org)

Extra Credit Opportunities

• Monday, Oct 19 – “What Do Protestants Think About …Marriage?” Pastor Kathy Nelson, United Church of Christ, with response by Fr. Dale Nau.  7:00 PM, Somers Main Lounge
• Tuesday, Oct. 20 -  “We’re Better Off Than We Think We Are” - Michael Cox.  7:30 PM, Mitchell Auditorium.  (Peace and Justice lecture series)
• Wednesday, Oct. 21 - Undergraduate Student Research Poster Session - Somers Main Lounge, 4-6 PM.   Choose ONE student’s research, speak with that student about how he or she chose their topic and carried it out.  Ask them to explain why participating in research is important to their college career.
• The Laramie Project - if you see this presentation, you can use it as an Extra Credit opportunity

If you become aware of a talk or documentary film or play that has sociological comment, be sure to ask if this could be used for Extra Credit.

What are the requirements to get Extra Credit? Click on the “Extra Credit Info” tab up above and you’ll find all the information you need.

Learning Objectives – Chapter 7

These are the learning objectives for Chapter 7 – some of the narrative questions on the next exam will be based on these.

1.      How do patterns of mate selection and courtship vary around the world?

2.      What are some sex/gender differences in loving?

3.      What is meant by sexual orientation and what are Americans’ attitudes toward gays and lesbians?

4.      How is sexual behavior influenced by scripts?

5.      How are sexually transmitted diseases affecting the American population as well as other populations today?

6.      What are the current trends in cohabitation?

Scripts – Parallel, Modified, etc

Someone wrote to ask about the language of scripts. This summarizes the discussion in class.

Sexual scripts guide sexual behavior; gender scripts tend to guide gender relationships.

A traditional or complementary script prescribes that there is some work that is appropriate for men, usually paid work outside the home (if any) or the heavier, riskier, or more distant work on a farm.  Other work is prescribed for women, often work inside the home, childcare, cooking, making clothing and other necessities for the home.

A parallel script – which is rarely found in any society – prescribes identical roles for men and women.  Both of them do paid work. Both of them do the same kinds of work in the home – child care, cooking, cleaning.  Their lives are parallel.

A modified parallel script – common in some developed nations – prescribes primary responsibility for earning an income to men, with some work in the home, and primary responsibility for the home to the woman, who also contributes to the income.  If the woman works full time and has much of the responsibility for the home, you see the second shift phenomenon that the textboook describes.

A modified complementary script is more likely to occur in developing countries that used to have very traditional roles – a woman may do most of her work in the home, but have do some income-producing activity. For instance, she might make tortillas that she sells in the market one a week, or raise sell some of the eggs from the chickens on the family farm, while the man in the household may grow the primary cash crop or work for a wage.

Jethro and the Clampetts

From 1963: for those who want to understand “You can’t marry Jethro without getting the Clampetts” from Friday’s class.  This is a 5-minute section from an episode in which the Clampetts were trying to learn the cultured ways of the rest of Beverly Hills.

Race PowerPoint and Video

From class on Friday 10 October.