“Family as a social institution. Historical changes in families; paid and unpaid work; marriage and partnering; divorce, remarriage and blended families; parenting; violence; economic issues; law and social policy; race/ethnicity, sexuality and age” (Univ of Mich). “Family development. Diversity of family form and organization in relation to personality, class, race, and gender” (MSU). “We examine how and why American families have changed and explore the consequences of these changes. Aspects of family life considered include premarital sex, mate choice, marriage relations, work and family, gender roles, childrearing, family violence, divorce, and intergenerational relations” (Harvard).

ARCHIVE: [2011 Syllabus]

Summer Semester 5/14/2012 - 6/28/2012 [more info: http://schedule.msu.edu and here]
Time/Credits: online // 3 credits // High speed internet access required
Sec 730

Instructor: John Girdwood, MSA
Office: Home // Phone: 1-77-Girdwood (1-774-473-9663)
Email: girdwoo1@msu.edu // Office Hours: by appointment

*Syllabus patterned after: SOC 820 – Contemporary Sociological Research on the Family; Dr. Zhenmei Zhang*

Description:

  • This undergraduate seminar will introduce students to some of the key debates and topics regarding family and society.
  • Students will increase their ability to critically analyze work in this field.
  • The instructor hopes to inspire students’ own family-related research.
  • The course materials draw on a variety of perspectives including:
    • theoretical,
    • historical, and
    • methodological perspectives.
  • Class periods are structured to examine topics such as union formation and dissolution, relationship quality, childbearing, parenthood, work and family issues, and inter-generational transfers.

Reading Material:

  • Edin, Kathryn and Maria Kefalas. 2005. Promises I can keep: Why poor women put motherhood before marriage. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • McAdoo, H. P. (2007). Black families. SAGE.
  • Selected articles available on electronic journal sites like JSTOR and accessible through the MSU Library – http://er.lib.msu.edu/

Overview:

  • This course is organized as a seminar. The instructor may provide overviews and/or supplemental material during lectures.
  • Together, we will conduct a discourse resulting from:
    • student preparations,
    • guided discussion, and
    • exchanges focused on the readings.
  • Students:
    • will attend each class (“virtually” if appropriate) and read all of the assigned material thoroughly and critically and before the class meeting
    • will adhere to all MSU policies and will NOT plagiarize – refer to the student manual – http://www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/default.pdf
  • Reading critically means being able to describe the content of an assigned piece and also evaluating the logic of its arguments, the adequacy of its methods, its implications, and its relation to other course material.
  • Students are strongly encouraged to contribute to the discussion both their insights and/or questions from the readings.

There are four major tasks to be accomplished:

  • 15% – Preparation of the reading for class presentation and discussion
    • During weekly meetings, each student will be assigned major responsibility for portions of the readings that we will discuss as a class.
    • Every discussion leader should prepare a 20 minutes presentation for the assigned readings, accomplishing two things in their presentation:
      • an overview of the “big questions” and related theories in the reading;
      • key issues related to data, measurement, and methods.
    • For each segment, 20 minutes will be devoted to presentation and 10 minutes to Q&A/discussion.
    • The instructor will be available throughout the week to discuss via email reading strategies and preparing for these presentations.
    • Grades will be based on class participation (handout, presentation, and discussion).
    • After the presentation, the whole class will discuss additional questions of the readings.
    • During the discussion or near the end of it I will present supplementary material to add breadth and depth to coverage of the topic.
  • 15% – Three short essays
    • The students need to submit 3 short essays of their critique of the reading/material (2-3 pages) during the whole semester.
    • These essays will be graded.
  • 20% – Midterm exam
    • The exam is a “take-home exam” (or online, if appropriate).
    • This midterm will consist of a set of 3-4 essay questions based on the course reading and lecture materials.
    • You will select two questions and write your responses that show your ability to understand and use the material.
  • 50% – Research proposal and presentation
    • Research proposal should follow these general guidelines:
      • research problem is specified,
      • the literature review identifies key knowledge gaps,
      • hypotheses are stated,
      • the data are described, and
      • the analyses are outlined
    • Length: 8-10 double spaced pages
    • Format: APA style and format; check out – http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
    • We will work through the paper process together using the following deadlines:
      • Topic & data source, if relevant, due
      • Introduction and literature review due
      • Presentation of draft paper/proposal due
      • Final version of full paper/proposal due

Class Plan:

  • Monday. (2012, May 14) Class begins; All of the following are DUE DATES
  • Monday. (2012, May 21)
    • Topic: Childbearing
    • Class Survey Link: HERE
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 1 – Before we had a baby…
    • Read: (McAdoo) Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization by Niara Sudarkasa
    • Write: Journal entry 1 of 2 (discussion board) – “After we had a syllabus…”
    • Discuss: Course description, materials, overview, expectations, requirements
  • Wednesday. (2012, May 23)
    • Topic: Childbearing
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 2 – When I got pregnant…
    • Write: Essay 1 of 3 – “Describe the content of the material so far”
    • Read: (McAdoo) Conceptualization and Research of African American Family Life in the United States: Some Thoughts by Jualynne Elizabeth Dodson
    • Discuss: Students will present a portion of (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) chapters 1 & 2 and (McAdoo) Sudarkasa & Dodson
  • Monday. (2012, May 28)
    • Topic: The “American Dream”
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 3 – How does the dream die?
    • Read: (McAdoo) African American Family Life: An Instrument of Culture by Wade W. Nobles
    • Write: Journal entry 2 of 2 - Research proposal – Topic & data source (if relevant)
    • Discuss: Students will present their intended topic for the research proposal & data source (if relevant) to the class
  • Wednesday. (2012, May 30)
    • Topic: Union formation
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 4 – What marriage means
    • Write: Essay 2 of 3 – “Describe the content of the material so far”
    • Read: (McAdoo) The Significant Other: Type and Mode of Influence in the Lives of Black Families by Wilhelmina Manns
    • Discuss: Students will present a portion of (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) chapters 3 & 4 and (McAdoo) Nobles & Manns
  • Monday. (2012, June 04)
    • Topic: Union formation
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 5 – Labor of love
    • Read: (McAdoo) In Search of Love and Commitment: Dealing With the Challenging Odds of Finding Romance by Audrey B. Champman
    • Write: Research proposal – Introduction and literature review (draft)
    • Discuss: How to develop and construct an amazing research proposal
  • Wednesday. (2012, June 06)
    • Topic: Parenthood & Family Wealth
    • Watch: Parenthood (1989) & The One Percent (2006)
    • Write: Research proposal – Introduction and literature review (revision)
    • Discuss: Compare and contrast – Parenthood (1989) and (Edin & Kefalas, 2005); Review – The One Percent
  • Monday. (2012, June 11)
    • Topic: Parenthood
    • Read: (Edin & Kefalas, 2005) Chapter 6 – How motherhood changed my life
    • Read: (McAdoo) African American Female-Headed Households: Some Neglected Dimensions by Niara Sudarkasa
    • Write: Essay 3 of 3 – “Describe the content of the material so far”
    • Discuss: Instructor will hand back / return each student’s “Research proposal – Introduction and literature review”
  • Wednesday. (2012, June 13)
    • Write: Midterm due
  • Friday. (2012, June 15) One full month of class point; Last date at which Essays 1 through 3 will be accepted for any grade
  • Monday. (2012, June 18)
    • TBD
  • Wednesday. (2012, June 20)
    • TBD
  • Friday. (2012, June 22)
    • Read: Hertz, R. (2006). Talking About “Doing” Family. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68(4), 796.
    • Discuss: “What’s Rosanna Hertz saying in her critique?” and “Define the key terms of the Rosanna Hertz article”
  • Monday. (2012, June 25)
    • HAND IN: Research – Final version of full paper/proposal due
    • Discuss: Plans for the future