Sociology of Families is the Independent Study equivalent of Sociology 220 offered at the University of Kansas.
In this course you will learn how to examine the social institution of “the family” using the “sociological perspective.” This sociological perspective challenges your views and perceptions of the family, requiring you to critically examine the perceptions of the family throughout our history as well as those portrayed in the mass media, academic and popular writings, and public policy. We examine the historical transformation of the family, the diverse and changing aspects of the family, and the impact of social change and social problems on the families of America. Most importantly, we examine how our society and economic system impacts families differently. Along with a text, you will read portions of relevant books and articles to further examine issues and various “taken-for-granted” assumptions concerning the family experience.
The family is a cherished institution about which many of us have strong feelings and opinions. Throughout this course, I challenge you to broaden your understanding of the family through the readings and written work. While I am sure that you may not personally agree with all the authors, you must understand their arguments. You are more than welcome to critique the readings (there are some readings I hope you will critique); however, you must attempt to do so using a sociological perspective. Finally, a warning: there is a goodly amount of reading for this course, but I have, I think, chosen interesting and provocative material.
Text:
Baca Zinn, Maxine, and D. Stanley Eitzen. 2005. Diversity in Families, 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
This text is available from the Kansas Union Bookstore.
E-readings:
In addition to the assigned readings from the text, Diversity in Families, each lesson includes required online readings—articles and chapters from books. Instructions for how to access these readings are provided in the e-readings section of the course.
