Dr. Brad Tripp
Office: Kinard 339
Office Phone: EXT 4602
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11-3;
and by appointment
E-mail:
trippb@winthrop.edu
Web Site:
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/trippb/
CRN: 23158
3 Credit Hours
SPRING 2013
KIN 315
Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays 10:00-10:50
The goal of this course is to offer a brief overview of a variety of
important issues in the study of families.
While we will examine international trends and data on many issues, this
course will focus mainly on issues within American families.
This course will present students with a broad view of families, and I
will frequently ask students to temporarily set aside their own experiences with
family so that they can begin to understand the diversity that composes modern
families. However, your own
experiences with families will be important as well.
Since we all have families, this will act as a point of departure for us
all, so that we can at least start out the semester with something in common
with our fellow classmates, and the professor as well.
Another goal is to examine the many ways in which people create, define,
and maintain their family. While the
word family often conjures up a picture of the mother and father with their two
kids, family will take on a broader meaning in this class.
Along with the nuclear family, we will look at fictive kin, cohabiting
couples, childless couples, and gay and lesbian families, just to name a few.
The core goal of this class is for students to develop a sociological
understanding of modern relationships, along with an understanding of the
socio-historical changes in family and interpersonal relationships.
Issues such as power, conflict, disclosure, as well as personal and
sexual bonds will help us to explore the social terrain of modern relationships.
As I stated earlier, we all have families, and therefore we all have
something to contribute to each and every class discussion.
I encourage students to ask questions and to bring up questions relevant
to the material at hand.
1)
Examine how all parts of our everyday lives are socially
constructed, including relationships and families.
2)
Reveal the effects
of gender on our conceptions of daily life.
3)
Stress that there
are many shapes and forms of families.
Students will be encouraged to look at how each group works, without
placing different values on specific types of families.
4)
Demonstrate how
all families are embedded in a larger social, political, economic, and historic
context that affects how families are formed, maintained, and understood.
SOCL 305 AND UNIVERSITY LEVEL
COMPETENCIES ADDRESSED IN THE TOUCHSTONE PROGRAM
SOCL 305 helps students make progress towards the following University Level
Competencies:
Competency 1: Winthrop
graduates think critically and solve problems.
Winthrop University
graduates reason logically, evaluate and use evidence, and solve problems.
They seek out and assess relevant information from multiple viewpoints to form
well-reasoned conclusions. Winthrop graduates consider the full context
and consequences of their decisions and continually reexamine their own critical
thinking process, including the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments.
In SOCL 305 students will be asked to examine various materials related
to the lived experiences of diverse relationship and family forms.
Through lecture, discussion, homework assignments, class projects, and
tests students will explore and critically assess diverse lived experiences.
Competency 2: Winthrop
graduates are personally and socially responsible.
Winthrop University
graduates value integrity, perceive moral dimensions, and achieve excellence.
They take seriously the perspectives of others, practice ethical reasoning, and
reflect on experiences. Winthrop graduates have a sense of responsibility
to the broader community and contribute to the greater good.
In SOCL 305 we will discuss diverse lived experiences.
Students will be responsible for discussing topics that may yield broad
opinions; students will discuss these ideas in a respectful and appreciative
manner with one another.
Competency 3: Winthrop
graduates understand the interconnected nature of the world and the time in
which they live.
Winthrop University
graduates comprehend the historical, social, and global contexts of their
disciplines and their lives. They also recognize how their chosen area of study
is inextricably linked to other fields. Winthrop graduates collaborate
with members of diverse academic, professional, and cultural communities as
informed and engaged citizens.
One of the core goals of SOCL 305 is to display the diverse lived
experiences of American families and relationships.
Students will learn about the historical, religious, and sociological
origins of family forms and relationships.
Cherlin, Andrew J. (2010).
Public and Private and Families.
Sixth Edition. New York, NY: McGraw
Hill.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
EXAMS:
There will be three exams: Two non-cumulative exams based on class lecture, and
class discussions, along with a cumulative final exam.
The exams in this course will consist of multiple choice, matching, and
essay questions based on the readings and lecture material. Approximately 50% of
the test questions will come from the lecture material, so students will need to
keep up with the readings and attend class in order to do well on the exams.
All exams are property of this course.
Students are not permitted to remove exams from the classroom.
Taking an exam out of the class, along with cheating or copying during a
test will result in an “F.”
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS/HOMEWORK:
Each in-class assignment will be valued at 10 points per activity.
The dates of these activities are not scheduled for specific dates, and
should act as an incentive to attend class (Hints of important days to attend
may be given at the instructor’s discretion).
In-class activities can only be made up if the instructor excuses the
absence. However, only 50 of the
in-class points are figured into the total points needed for the calculation of
grades. Therefore, students that are
in class for all the assignments have the opportunity to earn 10 extra credit
points.
TERM PAPER:
Students will also be responsible for a research project.
This project will be a report between 4 and 5 pages (double spaced).
This section of the course will allow you to look into aspects of family
sociology that interest you. I will
help to direct you in a project that we will develop together.
This project will take place in four stages.
First, you need to look through the text book and find an issue that
interests you. This issue will act
as a starting point for your project.
Second, students will meet with me during the 3rd week of
classes (1/28-2/1). During this
meeting you will need to bring me a list of three different ways in which you
could branch out into a research project.
We will discuss the ways in which you can move forward with your project.
Third, students will send me an email by 5PM on FEBRUARY 8TH
with a final version of their research question.
Finally, the project will be due on the final day of classes (4/22).
All late papers (not turned in at the beginning of class) will be marked
down 10 points per day late.
GRADING POLICIES:
I expect students to take the exams on the dates scheduled and during the
allotted time period. Make-up exams
are available under dire circumstances (EX: student is hospitalized.)
If you will not be at the exam during it’s scheduled time
you must notify me in advance, we
will then determine an appropriate course of action.
I reserve the right to give a make-up exam that is different from the
original exam.
All dates given, and material covered can
be changed at the instructor’s discretion, therefore it is your job to keep
informed via attendance, and getting make up material from friends in class.
Take pride in your own work
and personal preparation for exams.
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class. Any student caught
cheating on exams or plagiarizing their paper will receive a final course grade
of “F.”
GRADING
Test 1 = 100
pts
Test 2 = 100
pts
Test 3 = 100
pts
Research
Project = 50 pts
In-Class
Assignments = 50 pts (60 possible)
Total Points = 400
Grade
Points
A
400 - 360
B+
359 - 348
B
349 - 320
C+
319 - 308
C
307 - 280
D+
279 - 268
D
267 - 240
F
239 and Below
COURSE
SCHEDULE
1/7: INTRODUCTION & DISCUSSION OF RESEARCH PAPER
1/9-1/14:
THE SCIENCE OF MARRIAGES AND THE FAMILIES
·
CH 1: Public and
Private Families
1/16-1/23: INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIOLOGY OF
FAMILIES AND THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN FAMILIES
·
CH 2: The History
of the Family
·
HOMEWORK: GENDER
AND THE MEDIA (DUE 1/23)
1/21: NO CLASSES – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/23-1/28: GENDER, SEX, AND SOCIETY
·
CH 3: Gender and
Families
·
HOMEWORK: ON-LINE
RELATIONSHIPS (DUE 1/28)
1/30-2/6: MODERN RELATIONSHIPS
2/8: TEST 1
2/11-2/15: COMMITTED RELATIONSHIPS
·
CH 7: Cohabitation
and Marriage
·
IN-CLASS: VALUE OF
A HOUSEWIFE
2/18-2/20: SEXUALITY
·
CH6: Sexualities
2/22-2/25: COMMUNICATION IN RELATIONSHIPS
2/27-3/6: RACE AND FAMILIES
·
Ch 5: Race,
Ethnicity, and Families
3/8-3/18: FAMILY VIOLENCE
·
CH 11: Domestic
Violence
3/11-3/15: SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES
3/20: TEST 2
3/22-3/27: PREGNANCY AND CHILDBEARING
·
CH 9: Children and
Parents
·
IN-CLASS: Ethics
with ART’s
3/29-4/3: DIVORCES
·
CH 12: Divorce
4/5-4/12: LIFE AFTER DIVORCE
·
CH13: Stepfamilies
4/15-4/22: FAMILY ECONOMICS
·
CH 8: Work and
Families
·
RESEARCH PAPER DUE (4/22)
FINAL EXAM: FRIDAY, APRIL 26TH, 8 AM
Students with Disabilities
Winthrop University is dedicated to providing access to education.
If you have a disability and require specific accommodations to complete
this course, contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 803-323-3290.
Once you have your official notice of accommodations from the Office of
Disability Services, please inform me as early as possible in the semester.
Phone and Texting Policy
There will be absolutely no
usage of phones or mp3 players in this class.
If your phone rings, do not answer it.
Everyone forgets every now and then so, first time offenders will not be
penalized. Multiple time offenders
will be asked to leave the class.
Students who answer phone calls will be asked to leave class for the day.
Likewise, students caught texting during class will also be asked to
leave. If a person is caught texting
a second time they will have 10 points taken off of their
FINAL GRADE. Failure to comply
with these regulations will result in failure in the class.
Should you have a personal/family emergency and need your phone to remain
active, talk with me before class and we will come to an arrangement.
Student code of conduct
As noted in the Student
Conduct Code: “Responsibility for
good conduct rests with students as adult individuals.” Additionally my
attendance policy is the same as is listed in the student handbook.
Both the attendance policy and the policy on student academic misconduct
are outlined in the “Student Conduct Code Academic Misconduct Policy” in the
online Student Handbook:
http://www2.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs/handbook/StudentHandbook.pdf
Attendance Policy
The attendance policy is for
this class is the same as the University policy: If a student’s absences in a
course total 25 percent or more of the class meetings for the course, the
student will receive a grade of N if the student withdraws from the course
before the withdrawal deadline; after that date, unless warranted by documented
extenuating circumstances as described in the previous section, a grade of F or
U shall be assigned.
http://www.winthrop.edu/majors/default.aspx?id=9242&ekmensel=db97ad6c_546_548_9242_1
Winthrop’s Academic Success Center
Winthrop’s Academic Success Center is a free resource for all undergraduate
students seeking to perform their best academically. The ASC offers a
variety of personalized and structured resources that help students achieve
academic excellence, such as tutoring, academic skill development (test taking
strategies, time management counseling, and study techniques), group and
individual study spaces, and academic coaching. The ASC is located on the
first floor of Dinkins, Suite 106. Please contact the ASC at 803-323-3929
or
success@winthrop.edu. For more information on ASC services,
please visit
www.winthrop.edu/success.
The Office of Victims Assistance
Syllabus Statement
The Office of Victims
Assistance (OVA) provides direct services to survivors of sexual assault,
domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking as well as campus-wide
educational programming to prevent these crimes from occurring. The staff
provides counseling services and assists with obtaining sexual assault forensic
exams, STI testing/treatment, pregnancy prevention, housing options, legal
prosecution, and access to other support services including assistance with
class or course problems resulting from victimization (i.e. missed classes,
trouble concentrating or completing assignments). The OVA is located in 204
Crawford and can be reached at (803) 323-2206. In the case of an
after-hours emergency, please call Campus Police at (803)323-3333, or the local
rape crisis center, Safe Passage, at their 24-hour hotline, (803)329-2800.
For more information please
visit:
http://www2.winthrop.edu/victimsassistance/Default.htm