Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | SOC-2010-VO02 - Global Social Problems

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Jonas Hart
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Gilberto Diaz Santos

General Education Requirements

VSCS Social Sciences

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course examines contemporary problems in a global context such as poverty, social inequality, crime, religious and ethnic conflict, resource availability, population pressure and the spread of infectious diseases. Attention will be given to the current state of social institutions and the nature of social change while exploring how social problems are defined and perceived by various groups as matters of public and global concern. This course will integrate many social themes and will critically analyze attempts to resolve problems using the methodologies of social science and a range of theoretical perspectives.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe how social problems are defined and socially constructed, identifying the roles of culture, ideology, technology and the media in influencing the perception of certain social issues and providing these with national, transnational and global significance.
2. Discuss the scope and causes of social problems facing the world today, examining the history and genesis of social divisions, inequality, oppression, and how systems have created and sustained these.
3. Analyze how different power structures influence the way specific problems are construed and addressed and how groups who articulate a particular social problem impact the response and resources that may be allocated to it.
4. Evaluate remedies for social problems considering existing policies and the role of political, environmental, and academic rhetoric, as well as the role of grassroots social movements and international campaigns.
5. Differentiate between functionalist, conflict, feminist and interactionist theories of social behavior and control and how these are employed to interpret social problems.
6. Demonstrate how demographic and statistical research is used to understand and respond to social stressors and change both locally and globally.
7. Create a final project which investigates a significant global social problem, applying the concepts, theories, and methods that social and behavioral scientists employ, including case studies, surveys, and existing data, distinguishing between scientific fact and popular opinion surrounding this issue.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Spring 2024 textbook details will be available on 2023-11-06. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

SOC-2010-VO02 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

1) Reading

As with any college course, the reading is the foundation of our class. You have one text : Sernau's Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability, and I will supplement that with articles posted to Canvas. You will also be required to find your own readings for the week from various media outlets. The reading load is not particularly heavy, so you have plenty of time to complete it in order to participate in our online discussion. You will not be able to pass the class without reading your assignments.

I may also post various reading you might find interesting, but they will not be required reading. If there are particular topics you would like to read more about, I am happy to help you find further reading.

2) Video lectures

I will post short (15-30min) weekly lectures for you to watch. These will help further explain the material. Watch them!

3) Weekly writing assignments

You will write a two page essay (500-600 words, double spaced) each week, addressing the weeks reading.YOU ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE 10 OF THESE. There will be more than 10 assigned, so you are free to choose the 10 you complete. But you cannot complete them after they are due: they will not count!

Writing this much serves a few purposes. First, it is a very good way for me to assess your comprehension of the material. Or, in other words, it is your chance to demonstrate your mastery of the material. Second, it is a weekly training to help you become better writers. Not only is writing is the lifeblood of academia, this is how we communicate in world outside of school as well. If you do not like to write, these small papers will help you become more comfortable, two pages at a time. If you do like to write, all the better! Finally, this is good way for you to put your thoughts down on paper. This will become more important toward the end of the semester when you begin thinking about your final project. Having addressed the course topics continually throughout the semester, you will have built yourself a great resource of knowledge, to which you can return later for reference purposes.

Please refer to the paper-writing rubric in the course syllabus for details on what these should look like.

These papers are to be uploaded to Canvas by MIDNIGHT ON THE TUESDAY OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

4) Online Postings

The second part of your weekly writing consists of posting reflections on the weekly reading and discussing each others posts on Canvas. The point of these will be for you to explore and examine the sociological concepts we encounter in the reading, together: this is the medium through which you interact with your classmates. Your job will be to offer insight, raise questions, and help each other understand the material. Each assignment will have specific instructions for doing so. You will also respond to two of your classmates posts with questions or helpful commentary. You are free to choose to whom you respond, but please try to make sure everyone is responded to. This will allow us to engage each other during the week. These need to be more substantial than I agree! or I don't understand. When responding to your classmates, keep in mind the kinds of things you would find helpful hearing from other people.

You will post in the Forum section of Canvas. I will create the weekly threads to which you will respond. This will keep each weeks discussion organized so that you can more easily refer to them later.

Reading and online posting assignments are to be completed for the week in which they are assigned. You must complete your online postings by Saturday at midnight (11:59PM). You must complete your two responses by Monday at midnight (11:59 AM). This will allow you time to read and complete them throughout the week and for your classmates and me to respond before the next week.

Evaluation Criteria

Weekly posts (10 pts):

Each post (response to the weekly prompt) is worth up to 4 points.

- 1 point for some response (on time)

- 1 point for a response the demonstrates engagement with the material

- 2 point for thorough, thoughtful response

Each reply to a colleague’s post is worth up to 3 points (x2 = 6)

- 1 point for some response (on time)

- 1 point for a response the demonstrates engagement with your classmate’s post

- 1 point for thoughtful response

Papers (25pts each):

These will be graded according the rubrics attached to the syllabus.

Exams:

There will be mid-term and final exam

Final Project:

There is a final essay project. Detail provided during the semester.

Posts: 25%

Papers: 25%

Exams: 25%

Project: 25%

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Because this an asynchronous course, your participation is also an indication of your attendance. If you do not complete your assignments, you are not in class. But more importantly, your participation (specifically in the online postings) contributes to the learning experience of you classmates. You all help each other learn, and your participation is required for that to happen.

Missing & Late Work Policy

If you know you will be unable to complete you work on time, please let me know. Life happens, and we have to adjust. But otherwise, you are expected to complete your work per the deadlines on the syllabus.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity