Terminology

As a person who has taken several graduate classes in sociology (major was human development & family science), I feel that one of the biggest problems with upper-level sociology is the over-the-top abstract terminology. Introductory students are overwelmed by concepts such as Ms Morris has used and for many, they instantly shut off. Introduction to Sociology is a national requirement for nursing students...why? because it opens the door to critical thinking and the impact culture has on every facet of our lives and careers. The primary course I teach is life span human development and the textbook we use has broaden its use of sociological concepts throughout its development to the 4th edition. It is a requirement for our agri-business program students...again, why? Diversity and global economics in the work place and agricultural market. Sociology definitely is a need for basic thinking skills, but must beware of overwelming introductory students.

Jody, Adjunct Instructor at community college, at 10:05 am EDT on July 25, 2006

Intro Sociology Is Terrible—But That’s A Shame

(Let me preface by declaring my street cred: I was a four-year undergrad at a large state U in sociology and have been in two grad programs in sociology. I now have taught undergrad sociology in two universities.)

Sociology has a broad contribution to make to general higher education, but as the above comments note, it is often poorly articlated. One reason for this is, I would suggest, is sociology’s reliance on its canon—Marx, Weber, and Durkheim—in its undergraduate courses. Kuhn suggests that this often happens when the paradigm for a particular field isn’t settled, which is definitely true of sociology.

This is a problem for undergraduates, simply, because they don’t care to weed through the abstract, esoteric language each author uses and interpret it through a handful of differnet lenses to massage it into something relevant for contemporary society. The other option—teaching from a secondary text—is even less palatable, because they generally smack of your 7th grade “social studies” text (with apologies to Harvard.)

That it is this way is ridiculous, because sociology is one of the most mind-exercising perspecives available. It’s perhaps the sole discipline within the social sciences that really requires you to step out of conventional economic, psychological, political-scientific, and anthropological wisdom. As such, it ought to be an indispensable tool for teaching kids real reflexivity and critical thinking.

A quick response to the author of the last comment: as a teacher/student at a large, prestigious sociology institution, I agree. (Funny, though, I rarely hear this about economics instructors. Funny...) But I disagree with the conclusion drawn from the over-PC-ness of many intro sociology courses. It’s not that instructors are card-carrying ideologues. It’s that they (we) are usually very poorly trained, underpaid and overworked. Under such conditions, too often one relies on easy, PC answers. It’s hard to work to critically interrogate all of your intellectual categories!

A Sociologist, at 4:25 pm EDT on July 25, 2006

sociology: socialogists type a

Sociology is a lively subject when it is combined with reality: Sociologists of the Arch-type variety use verbage to hide a fear of people-identity. They are one big sociological problem.

G. Pankeythompson, Ph.D, at 6:15 pm EDT on July 25, 2006

Sociology is a GREAT college course

Like most courses in education, the quality of the instructor has a great deal to do with how the material may be received. After teaching sociology for nearly twenty five years I still get excited about what the science of sociology reveals about the world we live in. Personally, I am great consumer of the continuing research by the “Ivory Tower” gang and bring that information forward in my lectures, which is always interesting to my students. In essence, sociology as rule is interesting to a wide range of majors because it explores the real world from different perspectives (we all know that nothing is as it seems).Just because a small number of students may follow that path for their own focus doesn’t mean it is not an important higher education discipline.

Dr. Jim, Soc. Prof, at 4:35 am EDT on July 26, 2006

Reply to Wolf

According to Prof. Wolf: “I don’t believe that Berger and Luckman’s Social Construction of Reality or Berger’s Invitation to Sociology automatically teaches critical thinking. In a way, it does just the opposite — imbue the unsuspecting undergraduate with awe (and sometimes shock) about social institutions.”

This is far from the effect these books had on me and my students. The principle that social institutions are human products—a fundamental emphasis of Berger and Luckmann—greatly demystifies ("debunks") those institutions. Someone who takes Berger seriously gains enormous respect for Toto’s approach to curtains.—HG

Howard Gabennesch, Prof, at 5:00 pm EDT on July 26, 2006