Professor Linda Markowitz sociology
| Industry and Society |
Industry and Society: Sociology 338 Industry and Society: Sociology 338
Please check out my website: Dr. Linda Markowitz Course Objectives: Thus, the first objective of class is to understand how something as basic as work is socially constructed. Why do people organize work the way they do and who does this organization benefit? We will pay special emphasis to paid work. If you are not a paid worker now, chances are that you will be very soon. Today, the world of paid work is rapidly changing. New work organizations are emerging which emphasize participation. We will ask ourselves why these new participatory work places are emerging and try to understand their relationship to a global economy. Are workers benefitting from these workplaces? Why or why not? Thus, the second objective of class is to analyze the changing workplace and its affect on workers. Since the organization of work is not inevitable but constructed by people, workers have a stake in the emerging workplace. How can workers help define the workplace? Statement of Professionalism My role as professor is to help you evaluate and critically examine information and logic. To complete my job, students must come prepared for class. Preparation entails taking effort to read and think about the material outside of class. My role is not to ensure your workload does not impinge on other obligations or activities. Plagiarism — If you plagiarize on any of the papers, you will receive no points for the assignment in question. Furthermore, I may pursue further action depending on the egregiousness of the case. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please look at my website. If you still do not understand, ask me. I don’t mind entertaining any questions! Reading materials:
Course Requirements: A) TESTS: There will be two tests which will consist of multiple choice (mc), short essay (se) and long essay (le). The two tests will be worth 21% each (42 % total). Failure to take tests --- Any one who does not contact me in person or by phone (thus leaving a message for me in the department will not do) about missing the test before theday of the scheduled test will not be able to do a make-up, and will receive a 0 for the grade. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP FOR THE LAST TEST. B) Quizzes: Whenever there is a Perrucci and Perrucci or Blackboard reading assigned, you will have a 10 question multiple choice quiz. You can drop your lowest score. The quizzes will be the first 10 minutes of class. They will promptly begin and promptly end. Thus, if you are late, you will miss the quiz. Quizzes cannot be made up. There will be a total of four quizzes that will count toward our final grade. Each quiz is worth 4 points each (total 16%) 2) Homework- Please, feel free to turn in drafts of your paper prior to submitting it for a grade. The learning process is greatly aided with feedback! However, in order to ensure I have time to read the draft, you must submit it to me at least 48 hours BEFORE the paper is due. A) Long Paper Assignments: There will be two individual paper assignments. Each paper is worth 10% of your grade (a total of 20%). The directions for the paper and their due date appear at the end of the syllabus. Note that you must email the papers to me: lmarkow@siue.edu B) Short Homework Assignment: There will also be two short written- assignments to be discussed in-house that require a minimum of two pages of writing before class day. These assignments will require some work outside class so that you can talk in your groups about your findings and present them to the class. Each assignment is worth 5% of your grade (10% total). A description of the content in the papers appears on the day they are due (see reading and assignment schedule below). Please note that if your paper is shorter than two full pages, you will be deducted a commensurate number of points on your paper. If you are absent for one short homework assignment, add another page to the assignment and deduct 10 points from your grade. If you are absent for two in-house assignments, add two pages to the assignment and deduct 20 points from grade. C) Application Day: I understand that people have busy schedules. HOWEVER, in general, I do expect that students will complete the readings assigned. Readings are particularly important when we do APPLICATION DAY. On those four days, we will have discussions that require your full participation. I will hand out sheets on the day we have discussion that the groups will work on together. One person from the group will type up the group’s answers and hand them into the class. If you wish to type up your own responses, rather than have your grade rest upon the group’s, you may do so. (Four Application days at 3% each, with a total of 12 percent). If you are absent on Application Day, you will receive a 0 for the assignment. You cannot make the grade up. 3) Professionalism Grade – I will be evaluating students on their level of professionalism in the classroom. The criteria appear at the following address: www.siue.edu/~lmarkow/teachinginformation/professionalismgradesheet.html
Academic Dishonesty
IMPORTANT DATES:
Reading and Assignment Schedule Introduction to the Sociology of Work:
January 20th APPLICATION DAY: Global Warming. How is this a sociological issue? Evolution of Work Studying the World of Work Work and Family: Separate Spheres? Stratification and Capitalist societies February 22 and 24th Work as Emotional Fulfillment? March 3 TEST ONE! SPRING BREAK MARCH 8th and 10th The Problematic Nature of Work in the U.S. March 17th Chapter 4 March 22nd Short-Written assignment: IN-CLASS Discussion: Bring in a two-page typed page describing three of the following concepts that exist in your workplace: Tokenism, sexual harassment, networking, statistical discrimination, gender-race typing of jobs, gender/race discrimination, homosocial reproduction, job sex/race segregation, etc.. First, define each concept you are applying without plagiarizing. Next, after you write the definition of the concept, give evidence that it exists in your workplace. Use more than just one incident when relevant. This paper should be written in an essay format The Great Technology Debate Labor History and Unions
Participation and Technology: Determinism or Socially constructed? Marginal Workers April14th VIDEO: NO LOGO and
Global Work Consuming and Consumerism May 6th FINAL 10-11:40 All papers must be EMAILED to me: lmarkow@siue.edu. No hard copies will be accepted. Ten points will be deducted each class period in which your paper is late. PAPERS MUST BE AT LEAST 1000 words long (excluding name and title, etc).
Homework Description: In each of the following assignments you must sociologically analyze. What is sociological analysis?--- Sociological analysis is applying sociological concepts to interpret data that one has gathered through evidence. PAPERS Interview a worker who has primary responsibility for the work at home for a family (including children and/or partner with children). This person can have a paid job as well as a non-paid job. However, you cannot choose someone who shares responsibility equally in the home, only someone who has primary responsibility of the home. What type of work is involved to complete the caretaking of the home? To do this assignment you must unpack people’s perception of gender. Thus, the first thing to uncover is: 1) What does gender ideology and gender identity (read articles assigned for chapter 5) have to do with the gender strategies in the house. “What roles do you think a woman/man should take in the house.” “What do you think it means to be a mother?” 2) What is the person’s family background (the gender strategies in their childhood home) and how did that contribute to present division of labor. “What did your mother do in the household when you were a child.” “How did you feel about that?” “What about your father.” “How did you feel about that?” 3) What is the division of labor in the house in current household. Why? “Who is responsible for cooking (or cleaning or bathing kids or ..........)” “What made you decide to divide tasks that way?” ALSO: Does the person engage in “invisible work?” Explain how. “When do you plan for the meals and shopping.” “Does anyone notice how much work you do?” “How do you feel about that?” Remember, the person you are interviewing has probably never heard of these concepts, so instead of asking, “What is your gender identity.” Ask, “What does it mean for you to be a mother?” Instead of asking, “What is your gender ideology?” Ask, “In your opinion, what’s a woman’s role in the household.” BE SURE TO USE THE CONCEPTS FROM ARTICLES ASSIGNED FOR THE CHAPTER When you write the assignment up, make sure you write it in essay form rather than a question/answer format. If you write the paper in question-answer format, your grade will suffer dramatically. Further, ONLY DISCUSS CONCEPTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO YOUR INTERVIEWEE. DO NOT STICK CONCEPTS IN THAT ARE IRRELEVANT AND SAY, “this person has no family myth.” ALSO, YOUR JOB IS NOT TO MERELY DESCRIBE WHAT THE PERSON DOES, BUT ANALYZE WHY THE PERSON DOES IT USING SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS. Thus, if a couple decided the woman should stay home from paid work, how did they come to this decision and why. Ask yourself, does the couple have any family myths? What is their gender ideology? Gender strategy?
Assignment 2: Making Your Workplace More Participatory 1) In this paper, pretend that your organization has just received a new boss or CEO. The boss has called you into her office and tells you of her plan to make the workplace more participatory. She asks you to come up with concrete suggestions on how to do this. You must now write a report about how to make the workplace more participatory. In order to do so, you must first analyze the place that you are presently working. If you are not presently working, then choose a previously place of work. Think about the following questions. Answer the ones that are applicable to your workplace (except include all bold sections): a) First, describe the business. What does it produce or sell? How large is the organization? Is it a small business, an oligopoly? d) How could your workplace be organized differently to solicit participation by the workforce. How would the four organizational characteristics have to change. Remember, under centralization, include open information, open communication and shared decision-making. Would power, technology and skill have to be changed to allow workers more voice? (Do not say that your workplace could NOT be made more participatory). REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT WRITING ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THE WORKPLACE. RATHER, YOUR FOCUS IS HOW TO MAKE IT MORE PARTICIPATORY. THUS, ANY CHANGE YOU SUGGEST SHOULD INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW IT DOES. Remember to explain in detail how the changes would be implemented at your workplace! (In other words, don’t just say “we need more communication between workers and managers.” Rather explain how to institute more communication). Also, remember to write about HOW shared decision-making would look. Only write what decisions should be made as they relate to how the process should look.
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