SOCIOLOGY 4332
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
Fall 2005
7 PM Tuesday
Sara Horsfall, Ph.D.
243 Poly United Methodist Church
Phone 531-4264
Email: shorsfall@txwes.edu
http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sociology/horsfall/Community.html
Office Hours:
Tues 12-1:30,
3-4:30 PM; Thurs 12-1:30, 3-7 PM
TEXTS: 1) BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY by Robert Chaskin,
Prudence Brown, Sudhir Venkatesh, Avis Vidal, Aldine DeGruyter, 2001.
2) STREETS OF HOPE: THE FALL AND RISE OF AN URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD by Peter Medoff and Holly Sklar, South End Press, Boston, MA, 1994.
3) LEFT BEHIND IN ROSEDALE RACE RELATIONS AND THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS By Scott Cummings. Westview Press, 1998.
Recommended
4) A NEIGHBORHOOD PORTRAIT: POLYTECHNIC HEIGHTS OF
INNER CITY FORT WORTH, edited by Sara Horsfall, Sunbelt Eakin Press, 2002
Some material is available
on the web at http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sociology/horsfall/rose1.html
and http://web.txwesleyan.edu/sociology/horsfall/rose2.html
OBJECTIVES:
This course introduces the student to the study of community, the impact of the
community on individuals and the relationship between individuals as it relates
to an understanding of modern society. The emphasis will be on communities in
lower socio-economic areas. The causes of social change at the community level
will be addressed, as well as the impact of change on social organizations. Of
particular concern is the development of community level organizations and the
relationship of these organizations with government structures. By the
completion of this course the student will recognize the basic theories of
community, understand the problems to human interaction posed by growth in the
industrial world, and appreciate the various solutions offered.
METHODS: The local community surrounding Texas Wesleyan
University will be taken as a model and laboratory for this course. As such,
there will be guest speakers and discussants throughout the course. Students
will also study businesses and institutions in the Polytechnic Heights
community. A public Neighborhood Meeting with members of the City Council and
representatives from city services such as electricity, water, roads,
transportation, health, police and fire departments will give students the
opportunity to interact with local government officials on the issues that are
discussed in the class.
Students should make it a
practice to read the material assigned for the class day and be ready to
discuss the content. A quiz may be given on any class period, so students
should be prepared.
Discussion and questions are
encouraged. Class participation is expected of every student. A free flow of
ideas is essential to a college education. No student should hesitate to
express him/herself for fear of being wrong, etc. All ideas are valuable, and
all contributions are welcome.
Respect is an essential
element of academic discussion and interaction: between students and between
instructor and students. Prejudice, resentment and other hostilities are not a
part of academic behavior. Disagreements can be settled by clarification of the
issues, reference to Texas Wesleyan University guidelines, and amicable
discussion between parties. Agreeing to disagree is an acceptable academic
resolution.
GRADES: Two exams 30% each 60%
Term Paper 20%
Class
participation 10%
Participation
in the Community Mtg 10%
EXAMS will
cover assigned readings AND class lectures and discussion. Make-up examinations
will be given only for officially excused absences (i.e. a written and signed
excuse by a doctor or University official). Anyone caught cheating on a test
will receive a zero for that test.
Final grades will be based
on the following scale - A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=59 and below. A
final grade of A signifies that the student has excelled in this course, going
beyond the expected requirements. A final grade of B signifies that the student
has mastered all the concepts, has a working knowledge of what it means to do
sociological research as demonstrated in tests, the team project and class
discussions. A final grade of C signifies that the student’s understanding of
the subject matter is acceptable. A final grade of D signifies that the student
is familiar with the subject matter, but may not understand or recall some
important ideas. A final grade of F signifies that the student has not mastered
the material of this course.
PROCEDURES: Class
attendance is expected and absences will affect your final grade. Each class
session is equivalent to one week of classes, so no student should expect to
pass the class if they have more than two absences. If for some reason –
legitimate or not - you miss a deadline, or are absent from class but intend to
continue, please notify the instructor as soon as possible.
Students absent for whatever
reason are responsible for all material, including announcements that they
missed.
Anyone guilty of plagiarism
will receive a zero on that assignment. Plagiarism is copying someone else’s
writing and claiming that it is your own. This includes ANY AND ALL material
from the Internet, papers of other students, material from the text or any
other book.
No late papers or
assignments will be accepted.
Students with questions or
complaints about anything having to do with the course are encouraged to make
an appointment with the instructor to discuss the situation. Misunderstanding
and inadvertent human error - on the part of students or instructor – can cause
unnecessary problems. The easiest solution is informal discussion. No concern
is too small to be addressed.
Every attempt is made to judge
and grade all students fairly. Please note, however, that a portion of the
final grade rests on the subjective judgment of the instructor. If you feel
this assessment is in error, you may appeal to the instructor with evidence to
support your reasoning. Further grade appeals must go through the procedure
outlined in the University catalog.
Students
should read the current Texas Wesleyan University Catalog and Student Handbook
to become familiar with University policies. This includes but is not limited
to grade appeal, sexual harassment, student access to records, and others;
policies specified in the current catalog are applicable unless otherwise
stated in this syllabus.
Texas
Wesleyan University adheres to a disability policy which is in keeping with
relevant federal law. The University will provide appropriate accommodation as
determined by the Director of Counseling Center, Dr. Michael Ellison. Students
must notify instructors of any permanent or temporary disabilities and must
provide documentation regarding those disabilities prior to the granting of an
accommodation. For assistance, students should consult with Michael Ellison.
Note: Course syllabi are
intended to provide students with basic information concerning the course. The
syllabus can be viewed as a 'blueprint' for the course; changes in the syllabus
can be made and students will be informed of any substantive changes concerning
examinations, the grading or attendance policies and changes in project
assignments.
CLASS SCHEDULE
August 25: Introduction
to the course: A Look at Two Communities:
Dudley Street Neighborhood in Boston and Polytechnic Heights in Fort
Worth.
August 30: Reading Streets of Hope
Chapters 1,2,3
September 8: Reading Streets
of Hope Chapters 4,5,6
September 15: Reading Streets
of Hope Chapters 7,8,9
September 23: Reading Building
Community Capacity Chapters 1,2
September 30: Reading Building
Community Capacity Chapters 3,4
October 6: Reading Building
Community Capacity Chapters 5,6
October 13: Reading Midterm
October 20: Reading Article
on Polytechnic Heights
October 27: Reading Community
Meeting
November 3: Reading Left
Behind in Rosedale Chapters 1,2
November 10: Reading Left
Behind in Rosedale Chapters 8
November 17: Reading Left
Behind in Rosedale Chapters 9
November 24: Reading Left
Behind in Rosedale Chapters 10,11
December 1: Reading Article
on Polytechnic Heights
December 8: Final
Days to
Remember:
Tuesday, September 13, 12:05 p.m. - Academic
Convocation, Martin Hall
Late Registration August 22-26, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Monday, September 5 - Labor Day – University
Closed
Friday,
October 7 – Fall Break – University Closed
Monday,Tuesday, October 10,11 – Wilson’s Lectures
Tuesday,
November 22 – Last day to
drop a class
Wednesday,
November 23-27 – Thanksgiving
Holiday – University closed from 2 pm 11/23
Friday,
December 16, 7 pm - Graduation