MILLSAPS COLLEGE
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
SOAN 2130: Marriage & Family Professor: Ming Tsui
Spring, 2003 Office S-H 342
TTH 10 Tel: 974-1388 (office)
Office hours: TTH. 1-3 or by appointment 944-0795 (home)
SYLLABUS
Back to TopThis course investigates the systems of dating, marriage, and family systems in the United States and other societies. It examines social and cultural factors such as tradition, social norms and values, kinship systems, division of labor, women's status as well as the influence of economic and political systems on dating, mate-selection, marriage, and family institutions in different societies.
The course objectives include:
1.Investigate the marriage and family systems across cultures and the relationship between social structure and family systems.
2.Examine, from a comparative and historical perspective, the social and cultural factors that influence the courtship, marital, and family institutions in different societies.
3.Develop in students the ability to analyze the current family relations theoretically and critically.
4.Evaluate research in scientific journals and popular press to enhance overall understanding of what is happening to the family in America.
1.Cherlin, Andrew. 2002. Public and Private Families: An Introduction, (3rd ed.) Boston: McGraw-Hill.
2. Cherlin, Andrew. 2001. Public and Private Families: A Reader, (2nd ed.) Boston:McGraw-Hill.
3. A collection of articles from other sources will be handed out in class.
Methods:
This class will be conducted through a combination of lectures and group and class discussions. Students in this class are expected to participate actively in class discussions. To successfully carry out these tasks, regular class attendance is essential. It is your responsibility to read the assigned material and answer the inter-teaching preparation-guide questions before class. Your quiz and class participation grades depend on your careful reading of these materials. We will have 6 in-class quizzes during the semester. Tardiness is disruptive and will therefore count against your class participation grade. Two un-excused absences will lower your grade by one full letter grade.
The short papers and the family analysis project report are expected to be turned in by 5pm on the due date. Late papers will not be accepted. Extension will only be granted under extreme circumstances such as hospitalization and the instructor’s approach is required.
Writing:
Writing includes 2 short papers (4-5 pages) and a family analysis project. These different writing activities will be used to assess and evaluate your learning, but more importantly they are used as a process for thinking and learning about the ideas we read about in the texts, and as a way to develop or sharpen our analytical skills. These papers are suitable for authorization by instructor for submission to the writing portlolio.
For short paper, I firmly believe that the best way to write is to edit, the opposite of sitting down with the intent to starting from scratch and composing finished text. This means to write quickly at the outset, with relatively little concern about grammar, sequencing, and the like, then come back and use the editing features of the word processor to help your paper evolve. A series of half-hour sessions, spread out over time, can result in a good paper, one constructed without experiencing the aversiveness students so often encounter in writing.
Quizzes =40%
(Quizzes will be graded according to the following: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, 59 or below=F)
Family analysis projects =10%
Short papers =40%
Group discussion/participation =10%
SCHEDULE
Jan. 14 Introduction and Overview of the Class
Jan. 16 Public and Private Families
Read: Cherlin/Text, Chapter 1, Pp. 1-28; Cherlin/Reader: reading 1-1; “The way we live now” (handout)
Jan. 21 Public and Private Families (continued)
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 1, Pp. 28-37; Cherlin/Reader: 1-2
Jan. 23 The History of the Family
Movie: Strange Relations
Jan. 28 The History of the Family
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 2, Pp. 39-62
Jan. 30 The History of the Family (continued)
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 2, Pp. 62-75; Cherlin/reader: 2-1 and 2-2
Feb. 4-6 Gender and Families: Socialization of Gender
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 3, pp. 76-95; Cherlin/Reader: 3-1
Movie: Pre-School in Japan.
Feb. 11-13 Gender and Families: Gender role and work
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 3, pp. 95-108; Cherlin/Reader: 3-2; “Brief lives;” “Have a child, and experience the wage gap”; “Report on black America finds a college gender gap,” “The only child and educational opportunity for girls in urban China” (handouts)
****First short paper assigned, due Feb. 20
Feb. 18 Social Class and Families: family structures and poverty
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 4, pp. 111-127; “Changes in welfare bring improvement for families”; “Study of welfare families warn of problem for schoolchildren” (handouts)
Feb. 20 Social Class and Families: class difference in family life
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 4, pp. 127-139; Cherlin/reader: 4-1
****First short paper due Feb. 20
Feb. 25 Race, Ethnicity, and Families
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 5
Feb. 27-Mar.4 Race, Ethnicity, and Families (continued)
Read: Cherlin/reader: 5-1 and 5-2
Mar. 6 The Family, the State, and Social Policy
Read: Cherlin/text: Chapter 6
March 8-16 Mid-semester holidays
Mar. 18-20 Sexuality and Love
Read: Cherlin/text: Chapter 7; Cherlin/reader: 7-1, 7-2
Mini-project: what we want in a mate? Mate-selection criteria and personal ads
****Second paper assigned, due Mar. 27
Mar. 25-27 Paths to Family Formation
Read: Cherlin/text: Chapter 8; Cherlin/reader: 8-1
Mini-project: who marries whom? Wedding announcements and social class.
***Second short paper due, Mar. 27
****Family analysis project assigned, ready for class presentation on Apr. 15-17
Apr. 1-3 Work and Families
Read: Cherlin/text: Chapter 9
Movie: Hillary’s Class
Apr. 8-10 Children and Parents
Read: Cherlin/Text: Chapter 10
Apr. 15-17 Class presentation of family analysis project, written report on the project due Apr. 19.
Apr. 22-24 Divorce
Read: Cherlin/text: Chapter 13
Cherlin/reader: 12-1 and 12-2
Movie: How China deals with divorce