Christine L Williams

Course Description

 This course is an in-depth analysis of ethnographic research methods in sociology. The goals of this course are: (1) to examine the theory and epistemology of ethnographic methods, (2) to explore the strengths and limitations of ethnographic research methods; (3) to familiarize students with classic and contemporary ethnographies; and (4) to develop skills to design and conduct ethnographic research.

 Course Requirements

 Students are required to attend class, complete all reading assignments on time, participate in class discussion, and lead one class discussion.  Course grades will be based on the following:

 1. Attendance, participation, and presentation (10%).

 2. Assignments (15%). These assignments require students to practice field observations, interviews, and other ethnographic techniques.

3. Group Presentation (25%).All students will participate in a student-directed group project.  You will be required to conduct fieldwork and qualitative interviews in collaboration with a group of fellow students.  Each group will make a formal presentation to the class, discussing the methodological and practical issues they confronted in designing a study, gathering data, and analyzing results.

4. A final 10-15 page proposal (50%).The final paper requires students to design their own qualitative research study, but not carry it out. 

 Course Readings:  TBA

Descriptions:

This course is intended for graduate students in sociology, or (with instructor’s approval) for those with significant background in sociological and feminist theory. 

 The goals of this course are (1) to familiarize students with the major theoretical perspectives in the sociology of gender and sexuality; (2) to provide a forum for discussion of recently published works in the sociology of gender and sexuality; and (3) to provide students with the background to contribute to research in the sociology of gender and sexuality. 

 The course begins with an overview of feminist and queer theories used in the sociology of gender and sexuality.  All of these theories are in agreement that sexuality and gender are social constructions (and not innate drives or predispositions), but they make different claims about the relationship between gender and sexuality, the meaning of sexual identity, and the origins of sexual desire.   After this theoretical introduction, we turn to new research in the field.  Readings will include recent studies of work, family, social movements, and state politics. 

 Requirements:

 Students are required to attend all classes, read the assigned books and articles, participate in class discussion, and lead the class discussion on at least one occasion.  Course grades will be based on class attendance, participation, and leadership (20%), and two take-home examinations (40% each). These exams require students to write 10-15 page essays that reflect on and analyze the readings and the class discussion; they do not require extra reading outside of class.  Students have the option to write their own exam question, with my approval.

 Description

 This course is an introduction to the sociological study of gender in U.S. society. From the moment of birth, boys and girls are treated differently. Gender structures the experiences of people in all major social institutions, including the family, the workplace, and schools. We will explore how gender impacts our lives and life chances. The central themes of the course are historical changes in gender beliefs and practices; socialization practices that reproduce gender identities; how race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality shape the experience of gender; and the relationship between gender, power, and social inequality. 

Required Texts (subject to change) 

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You’re a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007. 

Kristen Schilt, Just one of the guys?, University of Chicago Press, 2010. 

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006. 

Mary Erdmans and Timothy Black, On Becoming a Teen Mom, Univ. of California Press, 2015. 

Sharmila Rudrappa, Discounted Life, NYU Press, 2015. 

Course Requirements 

You must have junior standing to take this class. Students are required to attend all lectures and complete all reading assignments on time. 

Grading Policy 

Your grade in this class is based on your written work, including three in-class exams and 4-5 homework assignments. You will be evaluated based on both your mastery of the material and the quality of your writing. The homework assignments require you to write 2-page essays. Essay questions will be distributed in class and posted on Canvas one week before they are due at the beginning of class. No late assignments will be accepted. 

Computer Policy 

Computer use is not permitted in this class. You may not text, email, or take calls during class

Course Description

 This is the required second-semester theory class for graduate students in sociology.  The goals of the course are:  (1) to review the dominant theoretical perspectives in sociology; (2) to identify important debates in contemporary theory; (3) to familiarize students with several key figures whose theoretical work frames current empirical research in the discipline.  We begin the course by critically examining the notion of a theoretical “canon.”  Morris’ book on W.E.B. DuBois explains how and why certain topics and figures became central to American sociology, and exposes how the social inequalities of race, class, and gender have shaped the definition and preoccupations of sociological theory.  Using the insights from this book, we then discuss the theories and theorists who have achieved hegemonic status in the field.  In the final portion of the class, we return to the discussion of marginalized perspectives in social theory, including feminist theory, queer theory, and public sociology.

Descripton:

This course is an introduction to the sociological study of gender in U.S. society.  The central themes of the course are: historical changes in gender beliefs and practices; socialization practices that reproduce gender identities; how race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality shape the experience of gender; and the relationship between gender, power, and social inequality. 

Reading: 

Students are required to attend all lectures and complete all reading assignments on time.  The course requires reading approximately 75-100 pages per week.

Grading:

Grades are based on 3 essay examinations and 4-5 written homework assignments.  Computers are not permitted in this class. 

C

Descripton:

This course is an introduction to the sociological study of gender in U.S. society.  The central themes of the course are: historical changes in gender beliefs and practices; socialization practices that reproduce gender identities; how race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality shape the experience of gender; and the relationship between gender, power, and social inequality. 

Reading: 

Students are required to attend all lectures and complete all reading assignments on time.  The course requires reading approximately 75-100 pages per week.

Grading:

Grades are based on 3 essay examinations and 4-5 written homework assignments.  Computers are not permitted in this class. 

Description                                                

The goal of this course is to familiarize students with contemporary debates in sociological theory today.  We begin with a critical analysis of the “canon” by examining the legacy of W.E.B. Dubois.  This analysis will frame our discussion of the major theoretical paradigms in the discipline, including functionalism, symbolic interactionism, rational choice, critical theory, postmodernism, and feminist and queer theory.  Among the theorists whose works we will consider are: Pierre Bourdieu, Patricia Hill Collins, Michel Foucault, Erving Goffman, Arlie Hochschild, and James Jasper.

Course Requirements

Students are required to attend all classes and to lead discussions.  Course grades will be based on participation and attendance (10%), class presentation (10%), and two take-home examinations (40% each). 

Required Readings

 Aldon Morris, The Scholar Denied: W.E.B. Du Bois and the birth of modern sociology.  University of California Press, 2015.

James Jasper, Getting Your Way: Strategic Dilemmas in the Real World.  Chicago, 2006.

Judith Butler, Jurgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West, The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere. Columbia University Press, 2011.

Articles and Chapters available on-line.

Description: 

This course is an introduction to the sociological study of gender in U.S. society.  From the moment of birth, boys and girls are treated differently.  Gender structures the experiences of men and women in all major social institutions, including the family, the workplace, and schools.  We will explore how gender impacts everyone’s lives and life chances.  The central themes of the course are historical changes in gender beliefs and practices; socialization practices that reproduce gender identities; how race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality shape the experience of gender; and the relationship between gender, power, and social inequality.  The goals of the course are:

• To understand the sociological perspective as it relates to gender.  What are gender stereotypes?  How do social institutions, including schools, the mass media, families, and work organizations, treat men and women?  You should be able to discuss how the social environment influences the behavior and experiences of men and women.

• To understand how gender is related to other forms of social inequality.  How do men and women from different racial/ethnic groups, social class positions, and sexual orientations, experience gender inequality?  You should be able to discuss hegemonic, marginalized, and alternative definitions of masculinity and femininity.

• To understand how and why gender norms change over time.  Why are behaviors that were considered “masculine” at one time now considered “feminine”?  What role do social movements (including feminism) play in changing society’s expectations of appropriate behavior for men and women?  How has globalization altered relationships between men and women?

• To develop a deeper appreciation of how your own experiences, views, choices, and opportunities have been shaped by gender.

This course carries the UGS flag for Cultural Diversity in the United States, which means that it is “designed to increase your familiarity with the variety and richness of the American cultural experience. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one U.S. cultural group that has experienced persistent marginalization.”

 Required Texts

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You’re a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007.

Kristen Schilt, Just one of the guys?, University of Chicago Press, 2010.

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006.

Sinikka Elliott, Not My Kid. NYU Press, 2012.

Carolina Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas. ILR Press, 2008.

FILM:  The Education of Shelby Knox (DVD).

Course Requirements

 You must have completed at least 60 hours (junior standing) to take this class.  Students who do not meet this prerequisite will be dropped from the course.

 Students are required to attend all lectures and complete all reading assignments on time.  You are encouraged to participate in class discussion and to attend office hours regularly. 

 I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.  Before course accommodations will be made, you may be required to provide documentation to the Office of the Dean of Students, Services for Students with Disabilities.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this class is based on your written work, including three in-class essays and 4-5 homework assignments.  You will be evaluated based on both your mastery of the material and the quality of your writing.  Make-up examinations will be given only to those absent for university-approved reasons. The homework assignments require you to write 2-page essays.   Essay questions will be distributed in class and posted on Blackboard one week before they are due at the beginning of class.  No late assignments will be accepted.

            Exam 1                        30%

            Exam 2                        30%

            Exam 3                        20%

            Periodic Homework Assignments 20% (4-5% each)

This seminar is designed to help students understand of the nature and causes of gender stratification in industrial societies. In this seminar we examine both theoretical and empirical issues regarding gender inequality in the labor market. Topics to be discussed include changes in female labor force participation, gender segregation in the workplace, gender gaps in earnings and promotions, as well as gender differences in career processes. Because many articles we will read involve statistical analyses, students are expected to be able to read and understand quantitative sociological research at the level of SOC385L or the equivalent. While a large proportion of the readings are based on research in the United States, international comparisons of women’s economic roles also constitute an important part of this seminar. In particular, we address how social institutions that vary from one country to another shape men’s and women’s economic opportunities and thus the degree of gender inequality in the society. Students are expected to attend class regularly and read the assigned readings prior to the class period during which we will discuss the material. Active participation in class discussions is also required. 

This graduate seminar is designed to provide a forum for discussion of recently published books in the sociology of gender and sexuality.  It assumes a graduate-level understanding of sociology and feminist theory.  Readings are organized thematically around the major social institutions, i.e., family, work, religion, politics.  Instructor permission required.

Description:

This course examines the social and cultural construction of gender, focusing on women and men in U.S. society.  We will explore how gender is experienced by different groups of men and women, with a focus on race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationality.  The course begins with description of current gender stereotypes in popular culture, and differences in the socialization and education of girls and boys.  Next we will examine gender differences in the workplace, exploring the reasons for the persistent gap in pay between employed men and women.  The third part of the course examines women’s changing relationship to the home and work, including changes in the meanings of marriage and motherhood, with a focus on the lives of impoverished women.  This section also reviews public policy responses to women’s poverty.  The final part of the course examines the impact of globalization on men and women around the world.

Texts:

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You’re a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007.

Kristen Schilt, Just one of the guys?, University of Chicago Press, 2010.

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006.

Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, Promises I can keep, Univ. of California Press, 2005.

Carolina Bank?Mu.oz, Transnational Tortillas: Race, Gender, and Shop?Floor Politics in Mexico

and the United States. ILR Press, 2008.

The Education of Shelby Knox (DVD).

Grading and Requirement:

Grades in the class will be based on three examinations and four homework assignments. The

first two exams are worth 30 percent, and the third is worth 20 percent of the final grade. All

examinations will have an essay format (Blue Books are required). Make?up examinations will

be given only to those absent for university?approved reasons. The final 20 percent of the grade

is based on written homework assignments. The assignments require students to write 2?page

essays. Essay questions will be distributed in class and posted on Blackboard. They will be due

the following class period. No late assignments will be accepted. Evaluations (letter grades) are based on mastery of the material and quality of the writing.

This course examines the social construction of gender inequality, paying special attention to how divisions by race, class, and sexuality contribute to (and occasionally undercut) men’s power and privilege over women.  We will also focus on moments of resistance and change in gender arrangements. 

The course is intended for graduate students in sociology, and assumes a graduate-level understanding of sociological theory and methods.  Course readings include classic and contemporary works in theory and research on the sociology of gender.  The course is designed to assist graduate students who are preparing to take the comprehensive examination in gender. 

Description:

This course examines the social and cultural construction of gender, focusing on women and men in U.S. society.  We will explore how gender is experienced by different groups of men and women, with a focus on race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationality.  The course begins with description of current gender stereotypes in popular culture, and differences in the socialization and education of girls and boys.  Next we will examine gender differences in the workplace, exploring the reasons for the persistent gap in pay between employed men and women.  The third part of the course examines women’s changing relationship to the home and work, including changes in the meanings of marriage and motherhood, with a focus on the lives of impoverished women.  This section also reviews public policy responses to women’s poverty.  The final part of the course examines the impact of globalization on men and women around the world.

Texts:

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You’re a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007.

Kristen Schilt, Just one of the guys?, University of Chicago Press, 2010.

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006.

Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, Promises I can keep, Univ. of California Press, 2005.

Carolina Bank?Mu.oz, Transnational Tortillas: Race, Gender, and Shop?Floor Politics in Mexico

and the United States. ILR Press, 2008.

The Education of Shelby Knox (DVD).

Grading and Requirement:

Grades in the class will be based on three examinations and four homework assignments. The

first two exams are worth 30 percent, and the third is worth 20 percent of the final grade. All

examinations will have an essay format (Blue Books are required). Make?up examinations will

be given only to those absent for university?approved reasons. The final 20 percent of the grade

is based on written homework assignments. The assignments require students to write 2?page

essays. Essay questions will be distributed in class and posted on Blackboard. They will be due

the following class period. No late assignments will be accepted. Evaluations (letter grades) are based on mastery of the material and quality of the writing.

Course Description

This course is an in-depth analysis of qualitative research methodologies in sociology.  The goals of this course are (1) to examine the philosophy and epistemology of qualitative methods, (2) to familiarize students with the range of qualitative research methods, including ethnography, in-depth interviewing, focus groups, and qualitative content analysis, (3) to explore the strengths and limitations of these methods in contrast to quantitative methods, and (4) to develop the skills to design a qualitative research project; gather, record, and analyze qualitative data; and publish qualitative research.

 Course Requirements

This course is restricted to graduate students in sociology, and to those with significant background in social science research (instructor permission required for non-sociologists).  Students are required to attend class, complete all reading assignments on time, participate in class discussion, and lead one class discussion.  Course grades will be based on the following:

1.  Attendance, participation, and presentation (10%).

2.  Assignments (15%).  Students are required to complete three homework assignments.  All students are required to complete assignment #1, plus two additional assignments, depending on interest and research focus.

3.  Group Presentation (25%).  All students will participate in a student-directed group project.  You will be required to conduct fieldwork and qualitative interviews in collaboration with a group of fellow students.  Each group will make a formal presentation to the class, discussing the methodological and practical issues they confronted in designing a study, gathering data, and analyzing results.

 4.   A final 10-15 page paper (50%).  The final paper requires you to design your own qualitative research study, but not carry it out.  Your project will be evaluated on how well you justify your study, both theoretically and methodologically.  You may use your group project experience as the basis of your paper, or you can use the paper as a draft of your proposal for your Master’s thesis or Doctoral dissertation, or the methods chapter in your thesis or dissertation.

 Late papers will be penalized one full grade for every class day missed.

 Required Books

TBA

Emerson et al., Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes (Chicago, 1995).

Articles available on Blackboard, or through the library catalog

Description:

This course examines the social and cultural construction of gender, focusing on women and men in U.S. society.  We will explore how gender is experienced by different groups of men and women, with a focus on race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationality.  The course begins with description of current gender stereotypes in popular culture, and differences in the socialization and education of girls and boys.  Next we will examine gender differences in the workplace, exploring the reasons for the persistent gap in pay between employed men and women.  The third part of the course examines women’s changing relationship to the home and work, including changes in the meanings of marriage and motherhood, with a focus on the lives of impoverished women.  This section also reviews public policy responses to women’s poverty.  The final part of the course examines the impact of globalization on men and women around the world. 

Required Texts:

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You're a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007.

Christine Williams, Still a Man's World, Univ. of California Press, 1995.

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006.

Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, Promises I can keep, Univ. of California Press, 2005.

Carolina Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas:  Race, Gender, and Shop-Floor Politics in Mexico and the United States. ILR Press, 2008.

This course offers an overview of sociological theory and research on gender and sexuality.  The first part focuses on the history of sociological theory on gender and sexuality, followed by a discussion of classic works on the subject.  The second half of the class will concentrate on new works and current debates.  Among the topics we discuss are:  gay and lesbian families; (trans)gender in the workplace; transnational sex work.

Students are expected to have a basic background in sociology and/or feminist theory prior to taking this class.  Enrollment is limited to sociology graduate students.  Others must request special written permission from the instructor to enroll in the class.

Description:

This course examines the social and cultural construction of gender, focusing on women and men in U.S. society.  We will explore how gender is experienced by different groups of men and women, with a focus on race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationality.  The course begins with description of current gender stereotypes in popular culture, and differences in the socialization and education of girls and boys.  Next we will examine gender differences in the workplace, exploring the reasons for the persistent gap in pay between employed men and women.  The third part of the course examines women’s changing relationship to the home and work, including changes in the meanings of marriage and motherhood, with a focus on the lives of impoverished women.  This section also reviews public policy responses to women’s poverty.  The final part of the course examines the impact of globalization on men and women around the world. 

Required Texts:

C.J. Pascoe, Dude, You're a Fag, Univ. of California Press, 2007.

Christine Williams, Still a Man's World, Univ. of California Press, 1995.

Susan Thistle, From Marriage to the Market, Univ. of California Press, 2006.

Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas, Promises I can keep, Univ. of California Press, 2005.

Carolina Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas:  Race, Gender, and Shop-Floor Politics in Mexico and the United States. ILR Press, 2008.

C

Labor and Labor Movements

Sociology 359 (46610)

Fall 2009

Professor C. Williams

Burdine 526

Office hours Thurs 3:30-5:30 and by appointment

232-6321

In the United States, our economic system of capitalism is often at odds with our political system of democracy.  Workers frequently must fight their employers for basic rights in the workplace.  But is conflict between capitalists and labor inevitable?  Is democratic capitalism possible?  What are the roles of the state, social movements, and labor unions in promoting democracy in the workplace? 

This course explores the evolving relationship between capitalism and democracy, starting with an overview of the major sociological theories of work.  Next we turn to an analysis of globalization, and its consequences for democracy and social inequality for workers around the world.   The third section of the course focuses on how the social inequalities of race, class, and gender are reproduced in various types of workplaces (low wage and professional).  The course ends with an analysis of workplace democracy and the role of the labor movement in promoting (and sometimes undermining) equality, job security, and rights for workers.

Required Texts:

Amy S. Wharton, Working in America, third edition.  McGraw Hill, 2006.

Carolina Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas: Race, Gender, and Shop-Floor Politics in Mexico and the United States. ILR Press, 2008.

Robert Reich, Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life. Knopf, 2007.

Christine Williams, Inside Toyland: Working, Shopping, and Social Inequality, University of California Press, 2006.

Course Requirements:

You must have completed at least 60 hours (junior standing) to take this class.  Students who do not meet this prerequisite will be dropped from the course.

Students are required to attend all class meetings and complete all reading assignments on time.  You are assigned to read approximately 100-150 pages per week.  Many of the readings for the class are difficult so you should not underestimate the amount of time necessary to finish your assignments.

Grades in the class will be based on three in-class examinations.  All exams consist of essay questions. (Please bring a blue book to exams.)  Evaluations are based on the mastery of the material and the quality of the writing.  The first two exams are worth 30 percent, and the third is worth 20 percent.  Make-up examinations will be given only with prior notice to those absent for university-approved reasons. 

The remaining 20 percent of the grade will be based on periodic written assignments.  These assignments will not be announced in advance:  You must be present in class the day of the assignment to receive it.  They will be due the following class period.

Academic misconduct of any sort will not be tolerated.  Any student found guilty of plagiarism or any other kind of cheating will receive an F in the course.

I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability.  Before course accommodations will be made, you may be required to provide documentation to the Office of the Dean of Students, Services for Students with Disabilities.

Weekly Topics and Readings:

August 27:  Introduction to the course

I.  Theories of Work

September 1:  Marxist theory

            Read:  Marx, “Alienated Labor” (Wharton #4)

Hochschild, “The Managed Heart” (Wharton #8)

Bonacich & Appelbaum, “Behind the Label” (Wharton #22)

September 3:  Theories of Rationalization

            Read:  Weber, “Bureaucracy” (Wharton #5)

Taylor, “Fundamentals of Scientific Management” (Wharton #6)

Braverman, “The Division of Labor” (Wharton #7)

September 8:  Theories of Carework

            Read:  Crittendon, “How Mothers’ Work…” (Wharton #2)

                        Hondagneu-Sotelo, “Maid in L.A.” (Wharton #23)

England & Folbre, “Capitalism & the Erosion…” (Wharton #38)

Hays, “Flat Broke with Children” (Wharton #36)

II.              Transformation of Work

September 10:  Restructuring and Downsizing

            Read:  Powell, “The Capitalist Firm…” (Wharton #9)

                        Smith, “Structural Unemployment…” (Wharton #10)

September 15:  Computers and New Technology

Read:  Zuboff, “In the age…” (Wharton #11)

Head, “On the digital assembly line” (Wharton #12)

Buchanan, “Lives on the line” (Wharton #28)

Presser, “Toward a 24 hour economy” (Wharton #35)

September 17:  Worker Participation and Autonomy

            Read:  Smith, “Employee Involvement” (Wharton #14)

                        Leidner, “Over the Counter” (Wharton #27)

III.            Globalization

September 22-24:  Globalization, the State, and Immigration Policy

Read:  Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas, pp. 1-95.

September 29-October 1:  Global Manufacturing and the Labor Process

Read:  Bank-Muñoz, Transnational Tortillas, pp. 96-175.

October 6:  First examination

IV.            Workplace Inequality

October 8-13:  Income Inequality

            Read:  Firebaugh, “The New Geography” (Wharton #15)

                        Wilson, “Jobless Poverty” (Wharton #16)

                        Cotter et al., “Gender Inequality” (Wharton #17)

October 15:  Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Workplace

            Read:  Henson & Rogers “My Marcia…” (Wharton #18)

                        Dellinger & Williams, “The Locker Room…” (Wharton #19)

                        Moss & Tilly, “Stories Employers Tell” (Wharton #20)

October 20-22:  Inequality in low wage work—social organization

            Read:  Williams, Inside Toyland, pp. 1-91

October 27-29:  Inequality in low wage work—interactions

            Read:  Williams, Inside Toyland, pp. 92-212

November 3-5:  Inequality in Professional and Managerial work

            Read:  Pierce, “Rambo Litigators” (Wharton #30)

                        Jackall, “Social Structure of Managerial Work (Wharton #31)

                        Collins, “Blacks on the Bubble” (Wharton #32)

                        Garey, “Motherhood on the Night Shift” (Wharton #41)

November 10:  Second examination

V.  Democratic Capitalism

November 12-17:  Supercapitalism and the Decline of Democracy

            Read:  Reich, Supercapitalism, pp. 1-130.

November 19-24:  The Politics of Supercapitalism

            Read:  Reich, Supercapitalism, pp. 131-225.

November 26:  Thanksgiving holiday (no class)

December 1:  Review

December 3:  Third examination

SUPERVISED TEACHING IN SOCIOLOGY (SOC 398T)
Fall 2009
Class location: Burdine 214
Class hours: Monday 3-6pm

Instructors

Professor Gloria González-López
Office:  Burdine 464
Office Hours: Wednesdays 11:00 - 1:00 and by appointment
Gloria@austin.utexas.edu

Professor Christine Williams
Office: Burdine 526
Office hours:  Thursdays 3:30-5:30 and by appointment
232-6321
cwilliams@austin.utexas.edu

Course Description

This seminar is a requirement for graduate students who are employed as teaching assistants and assistant instructors in the sociology department.  Its goal is to prepare students for the professional rewards and challenges of a career in academia.

The first portion of the course will address professionalization issues, dedicated to discussing the broader career issues that sociology professors face.  This seminar will discuss topics, issues, and concerns Ph.D. students face as part of their academic and professional training, including but not limited to their actual experiences in graduate school to publishing and getting a job as a professional sociologist.

The second portion of the course is focused on teaching preparation.  This part of the course will prepare the students to develop a teaching portfolio.  It will address teaching philosophy, designing a course syllabus, teaching strategies and techniques, student assessment, and student interactions.  

Readings

Required readings are listed on this syllabus.  They are available from the web, the Library, or Blackboard (BB).  Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard throughout the semester.

Students are required to purchase a DVD to record their practice teaching.


Course Requirements

This class is offered for credit/no credit only (i.e., no letter grades).  Students are required to attend all class meetings, to participate in class discussion, and to complete all readings, activities, and assignments on the dates they are due.  Written assignments must be 12-point font with 1 inch margins. Students who do not fulfill all of these requirements in a satisfactory manner will receive “no credit.”  

Courses like this traditionally involve a significant exchange of personal information in both class discussion and with instructors. You can be assured that we will keep all information in confidence. Please note that confidentiality and respect are expected from students.

Class Schedule and Reading Assignments

August 31:  Introduction to the course

Readings (BB):
“Teaching Assistant Policies”
 “What To Do When You Suspect a Student is in a Serious Mental Health Crisis”

Activity:
Teaching Assistants are required to meet with their course instructors and fill out the “Faculty-TA Contract” (BB)

September 7:  Labor Day (no class)

PART I:  PROFESSIONALIZATION (Professor Gloria González-López)

September 14: The First Year: Life in Graduate School

Topics:  Well-being, balance, negotiating graduate school; Mental health; Race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality

Activity:
Students are required to go on line and take the UT Austin Sexual Harassment Module, and read Sexual Harassment related websites (i.e., Transcript of Sexual Harassment, UT policies on Sexual Harassment, Dean of Students, and VP for Institutional Relations and Legal Affairs). The Internet address on these issues: http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/ethics/harassment.html

Assignment (due Thursday, September 17):
Read “Professional Socialization in Sociology: Reflections of a Racial Pioneer” (BB), identify the three most relevant issues and concerns this essays provokes in you at this point in your professional and academic training, and write a 2-page essay to discuss these personal reflections. Incorporate the readings in the essay.

Speaker: UT Counseling & Mental Health Center representative

September 21:  Second Year: Courses & Mentoring

Topics:  Relationships with mentors & Professional Networking; Thesis Supervision: Identifying a topic, developing MA thesis / Dissertation topic; Attending academic presentations on campus.

Speaker: Sheldon Ekland-Olson

Activity:
Students are required to meet with a professor in our department and interview her/him (for about 15-20 minutes) to discuss the following: (1) three most rewarding lessons they learned as students from their own mentors; (2) based on their experience, three DOs and three DON’Ts in a mentoring relationship; and, (3) their words of wisdom for a new generation of sociologists as they develop a mentoring relationship.

Assignment (due Thursday, September 24):  
Read “Mentoring Graduate Students: Going Beyond the Formal Role Structure,” and write a 2-page essay describing an exemplary mentoring relationship.  Incorporate your interview and your own college experience in the essay.

Allan Schnaiberg, “Mentoring Graduate Students: Going Beyond the Formal Role Structure,” The American Sociologist, Summer 2005, 36(2): 28-42.

September 28: Third - Fourth Year: Professional Transitions

Topics:  Finish coursework; Expanding professional networks (within the department & the profession); Entering professional community; Submitting articles and responding to reviews (ethics of authorship); Presenting at professional conferences; Preparing for Comps

Speakers: Evelyn Porter & Kim Huyser

Activity:
Students are required to establish contact and meet with a Ph.D. candidate in our department in order to conduct an interview (for about 15-20 minutes) about (1) her/his experience before and after their comprehensive exams; (2) recommendations for a successful completion of this academic requirement.  

Assignment:
Come to our October 5 class prepared to discuss some of the challenges of the exam process and ideas for advance preparation.

October 5:  Fourth Year: Becoming a Ph.D. Candidate

Topics:  Research Question, Proposal preparation; Expanding professional networks; Working with committee members; Preparing and maintaining a CV; Ethics

Speakers: Hortencia Jimenez & Chuck Stokes

Activity:
Students are required to talk with fellow students, mentors, and faculty members about participation in professional meetings and association (e.g., what associations to participate in, when and how to present papers, developing professional networks, etc.).

Assignment:
Prepare a version of your CV. Recommended websites:
UT Austin - https://www.utexas.edu/research/eureka/resources/vitae/index.php
UC Riverside - http://careers.ucr.edu/Graduates/cv.htm

Recommended websites on Professional Ethics:
IRB (The Institutional Review Board regulations and provisions at UT Austin: http:www.utexas.edu/research/rsc/humanresearch/
The ASA Ethics Code: http://asanet.org/page.ww?section=Ethics&name=Ethics

October 12: Fifth Year: Completing Your Dissertation

Topics:  Successful Writing; Funding, Dissertation Fellowships

Speakers: Corinne Reczek & Megan Reid

Due today: Come to class with (1) 2 copies of your CV; and, (2) your notes on conversations on professional meetings and associations.

Assignment:
Contact professional sociologists who are at different kinds of institutions (i.e., research universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, etc.) and gather information about the range of possible job opportunities for professional sociologists.


Activity (paper due on Thursday October 15):
Write a 3-page essay reflecting on (1) your true passion; (2) what you see yourself doing as a professional sociologist; and, (3) what challenges and opportunities you see yourself facing in this department and our profession as part of this process. In this essay, include information from conversations with sociologists at different kinds of professional institutions.

October 19:  Graduation and Beyond

Topics:  Academic job searching: ASA job bank; Interviewing for a job; Life as a junior professor; tenure; Professional opportunities beyond academia; Publishing Book vs. Articles;  Reviewing articles

Speakers: Cati Connell & Jeremy Uecker

Due today:
Read “The Identity Career of the Graduate Student: Professional Socialization to Academic Sociology,” and prepare and bring (1) your notes exploring the most relevant issues and concerns this article provokes in you; and, (2) a copy of the 3-page paper you submitted on October 15. Please read “Important readings” and incorporate your reflections when / if appropriate.

Patricia A. Adler & Peter Adler, 2005, “The Identity Career of the Graduate Student: Professional Socialization to Academic Sociology,” The American Sociologist, 36(2): 11-27.

ASA Research Brief: The Best Time to Have a Baby: Institutional Resources and Family Strategies Among Early Career Sociologists (BB)

PART II:  ORGANIZED TEACHING (Professor Christine Williams)

October 26:  Your teaching philosophy

Readings:
bell hooks, “Confronting Class in the Classroom.” Chapter 12 of Teaching to Transgress. New York: Routledge, 1994. (BB)
Paolo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, chapter 2. (Orig. pub. 1970.) (BB)
http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2003/janfeb/features/teachers.html
http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/nfrg/09_03_what_best_college.htm
http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/nfrg/09_05_characteristics_effective.htm
http://www.vcu.edu/cte/resources/nfrg/09_02_guide_quick_starters.htm
Teaching at Stanford, pp. 3-7 (http://ctl.stanford.edu/handbook.pdf)

Activity:
Students are required to meet with their mentors and interview them (for about 10-15 minutes) about their teaching philosophy.  

Assignment (due Thursday, October 29):  
Write a 2-page essay describing an exemplary college course and professor.  Incorporate the readings and your interview in the essay.

November 2:  Designing a course

Readings:
http://www.csbsju.edu/les/pastevents/syllabi.htm
Teaching at Stanford, pp. 7-20 (http://ctl.stanford.edu/handbook.pdf)

Activity:
Collect sample syllabi on your course topic from the department, your own college experience, the websites of other universities, and the home pages of scholars whose work you admire.

Assignment (due Thursday, November 5):  
Submit an original syllabus for an undergraduate course you would like to teach.

Guest speaker:   Professor Michael Young, associate chair.

November 9:   Teaching Strategies

Readings:
http://www.idea.ksu.edu/resources/Papers.html #24
http://www.idea.ksu.edu/resources/Papers.html #14
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer/teaching/LargeClasses.html
Teaching at Stanford, pp. 21-38 (http://ctl.stanford.edu/handbook.pdf)

Activity:
Attend an undergraduate course, with the instructor’s permission.  Do not pick the course you are currently TA-ing.

Assignment (due Thursday, November 12):
Turn in a written evaluation of the class you observed using the teaching evaluation guide, available on BB.




November 16:   Instructional Technique

Activity:  
Students will be assigned to one of three groups.  Each group will sign up for a one-hour session with the DIIA in which each group member will deliver a ten-minute lecture on a sociological topic from their model course.  Presentations will be recorded in front of your group and the professor, and evaluated using a peer review form.  Students will meet one-on-one with Mark Decker from DIIA for a debriefing on their teaching techniques.

Assignment (due Thursday, November 19):
Write a 2 page essay that details the insights you gained from viewing and discussing the recording of your teaching and that of your peers.

Guest presentation by Mario Guerra, DIIA, “Power-Point in the Classroom.”

November 23:    Student Assessment

Readings:
http://www.idea.ksu.edu/resources/Papers.html, #16, #17
Teaching at Stanford, pp. 40-48 (http://ctl.stanford.edu/handbook.pdf)

Activity:
Collect examinations from others who teach your model course.  Identify good and bad questions from the exams you collected.  

Assignment (due Thursday, November 26):  
Submit an examination for your model course.  This can be composed of either multiple choice questions or essay questions (or both).  Include an answer key.

November 30:    Interactions with Students

Readings:
A. Miller & B. Lucal, “The Pedagogy of (in)visibility: Two accounts of teaching about sex, gender, and sexuality” Teaching Sociology 37:3 (July 2009): 257-68.
C. Albers, “Teaching: From Disappointment to Ecstasy” Teaching Sociology 37:3 (July 2009): 269-82.
S. Kleinman & M. Copp, “Denying Social Harm: Students’ Resistance to Lessons about Inequality” Teaching Sociology 37:3 (July 2009): 283-93.
D. Rodriguez, “The Usual Suspect: Negotiating White Student Resistance and Teacher Authority in a Predominantly White Classroom” Cultural Studies <=> Critical Methodologies 9 (2009): 483-508.
Teaching at Stanford, pp. 49-58 (http://ctl.stanford.edu/handbook.pdf)

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