This course introduces the student to sociological theories of social inequality. It is thus a foundation for many other courses in sociology. We will focus primarily on class, status, and power, with some attention to the state, gender, race, and culture. The course is organized around the study of selected authors - Marx, Weber, Gramsci, Poulantzas, Carchedi, Durkheim, Parsons, Davis and Moore, Dahrendorf, and Wright, - and their critiques in terms of gender and race. Selected books and articles on their writings will be used. In addition, the instructor's notes are available in a variety of formats. These take the form of passive documents in wordperfect and ASCII formats, and live interactive documents on the world wide web.
You are a privileged student. You are being offered the opportunity of taking one of the most advanced courses on campus in instructional technique. It is a course of the future being offered now in 1996. This course will utilize the full range of pedagogical techniques. We will meet once in a traditional classroom setting, twice in a computer lab for full tutorials, and the other times virtually at the regularly scheduled time. In addition, we will carry on discussions with one anther at other times through computer-mediated communications.
The course is based on the view that students can learn much more by actively interacting with the instructor and other students than passively sitting in lectures writing notes from the instructor's daily speeches delivered from a podium. An effective pedagogical technique is problem based learning. The student tackles a problem or set of questions, and uses course readings and materials as a resource. The computer is an effective tool for implementing this philosophy. Communications will occur both at set times and at irregular intervals throughout the term. This will occur by electronic mail, on-line chats on LearnLink, and the World Wide Web on the Internet.
We will meet face to face as a formal class only three times during the term. All our other classes and meetings will occur virtually via computer-mediated communications.
If at any time during the term, the entire class or a group of students want to meet in person with me, that can be arranged. Just let me know ahead of time so that I can make the proper arrangements.
Due to the special nature of this course, we will be holding your hand as much as possible. The instructor and a teaching assistant will be available by phone and e-mail, and in person, to assist you in coping with the technology as well as the content of the course. I will be on standby twice a week outside regular class times. You can phone me at my office if you need help.
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Anytime you get lost, click on this icon and it will take you back to home, or the starting page for this course. |
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Clicking on this icon will take you to the course's concept map which depicts graphically the logical structure of the course, and from where you can jump to anywhere in the course. |
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Clicking on this icon will take you back to the top of the unit in which you happen to be located. |
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Clicking on this icon will take you back to the top of the sub-theme of the unit in which you are currently located. |
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Clicking on this icon will take you to the previous page in a linear sequence of pages. |
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Clicking on this icon will take you to the next page in a linear sequence of pages. |
Students may choose to link with this course from home by way of computer and modem access. This will give you unrestricted access to the network. Please note that if you plan to do much of your computer course work from the labs rather than from an off-campus connection, the following restrictions exist this year in all C.I.S. labs. The reason for these restrictions is the sharp increase in recent years in student demand for computer lab access, and the inability of McMaster to build new facilities to accommodate that demand in the context of further cuts to the University budget by the Ontario Provincial Government.
Students are responsible for the weekly readings assigned, and must be prepared to discuss them on LearnLink. (for times, see the Schedule by clicking HERE. The philosophy behind the requirements below is collaborative learning based on problem-solving. This takes the form of exchanges among students themselves and with the instructor. The course is divided into overlapping three-week units. The instructor will post questions on each weekly topic, which can be accessed by clicking on the keyword "Questions" under each week's topics in this course outline. As well, a copy will be posted on LearnLink.
In a three week unit:
How all this will work is outlined in the weekly schedule. To see it, click HERE again.
There is also the requirement of participating in the weekly electronic discussions.
There will be one final examination.
The distribution of the grades is as follows:
Hopefully this course will be a unique learning experience. Students will have a chance to develop their skills in using the the World Wide Web, and First Class Client running off the LearnLink server in the Department of Biology. Students can learn from one another (as well as from the instructor and the course materials). One philosophy of this course is a rejection of the traditional lecture in which the instructor talks and presents for two or three hours per week, with the student passively taking notes, acting as receptacles into which is pour information and knowledge. Instead, this course demands much greater active participation by students around a set of problems and questions (problem-based learning). The electronic communications networks made available through this course are an idea mechanism for implementing this philosophy.
(1) comprehension of the material;
(2) critical argument about main propositions under each week's topics;
(3) ability to synthesize a great amount of material under several central arguments; this is especially critical in requirement # 3 on concept mapping;
(4) ability to organize the material in a coherent fashion;
(5) clarity of argument and writing style.
All work posted late on LearnLink past due deadlines will be deducted 1% per day off the weighted grade for the particular requirement. Where another student is forced to wait for your material in order to complete their assignment (the critiques), they will be awarded the marks you lose.
No exam or test can be given the last week prior to the formal examination period. In the fall: Thursday, November 28 - Thursday, December 5.
The staff in the Department of Sociology DO NOT DATE STAMP ASSIGNMENTS.
Tom Bottomore, Classes in Modern Society. Second Edition. London: Routledge, 1991.
Edward G. Grabb, Theories of Social Inequality: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives. 3rd ed. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1996.
Students are expected to read and be prepared to discuss the articles and books and the world wide web materials listed in each week of the course. Discussions will be based on weekly questions and the student assignments.
Notes to most of the readings have been placed on the world wide web. Please follow pointers to the materials.
Many of the notes to the readings have been placed under this course on LearnLink. These are either in wordperfect 6.1 or ASCII format. Please note that such formats are non-interactive. At the present time hypertext cannot be used on the documents. This means that you cannot jump from a keyword in one document to a section in another document. For this reason, the logical relations among course documents are best viewed on the world wide web.
Most of the non-web readings have been placed on reserve in the Undergraduate Reading Room of Mills Library.
For students who plan to conduct this course from a computer off-campus, arrangements will be made to provide you with a single diskette with the First Class Client self-installing software which you need to connect to the LearnLink server at McMaster. Distribution will be either through the bookstore, or in class. Watch for an announcment. For more information, click HERE.
"Please refer to the STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC ETHICS and the SENATE RESOLUTIONS ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY as found in the SENATE POLICY STATEMENTS distributed at registration and available in the Senate Office".