Society, Technology & the Future

Sociology 282
Fall 2016
Monday/Wednesday: 8:30 – 10:20am
May 213

Office: O’Connor 336
Office Hours: Mon/Wed 10:30 – 12:30 or by appointment
Phone: (508) 626-4864
E-mail: isilver@framingham.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

It’s easy to take for granted that we live in a world of 24/7 mobile communication. Yet, this historically recent development is having profound impacts on how we live. Our aim during the semester is to explore social implications of the information technology revolution. Topics include: the forging of virtual identities, effects on the quality of our social relationships; online dating, multitasking; and the dangers technology poses to youth.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

This course will enable you to:

Recognize the powerful roles information technology plays in our society.
• See your own life differently by noticing how it is being shaped by the ways you use this technology.
• Become comfortable with expressing your ideas orally in front of your peers.
• Write with focus, clarity, and brevity.

TEACHING STYLE:

The success of this course hinges on the productive exchange of ideas through discussions, with minimal lecturing. Therefore, it’s crucial that you play an active role in these discussions.

DAILY CLASS ASSIGNMENTS:

There are no books you need to buy for the course! All readings are posted below.

*Please bring assigned material to class. Either print it or access it electronically in class via your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

As a way of facilitating rich discussions, you are to post on Blackboard in advance of most classes. The dates when a reading response is due are listed on the schedule below.

Please post no later than 7am on the due date. I will not give credit for late posts. Your write-up should have two parts:

A 2-3 paragraph critique of the reading, which differs from a summary. Whereas a summary highlights main points in the reading, a critique takes the discussion in a direction of your choosing. It explores themes or issues the reading raised for you. There are several ways you can frame your critique.
— Something you found interesting and why.
— Something you found confusing and why.
— An important topic left unexplored.
— Strengths/weaknesses of a study’s methodology.
— How a concept or idea applies to your own life.
Raise 2 or more questions for our class discussion. These should not be “yes/no” questions but instead “how” or “why” questions, since these generate more discussion.

ATTENDANCE:

I understand there are justifiable reasons for missing a class, but if you miss more than two it will affect your grade. If you have to be absent, please let me know. There is no need to give me a doctor’s note. It is your responsibility to catch up on material you missed.

GRADING AND EVALUATION:

Your final grade will be based on the following:

40% Reading responses
20% Paper 1
20% Paper 2
20% Oral presentation

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

Given the Sociology Department’s commitment to maintaining the highest academic standards, students should be aware of the University’s policies concerning academic honesty, which are stated in the undergraduate catalog: “Integrity is essential to academic life. Consequently, students who enroll at Framingham State University agree to maintain high standards of academic honesty and scholarly practice. They shall be responsible for familiarizing themselves with the published policies and procedures regarding academic honesty.” Infractions include plagiarism, cheating on exams and quizzes, unauthorized collaboration with other students, and submitting work in more than one course for academic credit without prior approval of the instructor. The FSU Catalog defines plagiarism as “claiming as one’s own work the published or unpublished literal or paraphrased work of another.” Penalties for academic dishonesty may include receiving a failing grade for the course, academic suspension, and dismissal from the University.

Wed, September 7^th

Course Introduction

*READ IN CLASS: Teddy Wayne, “Our (Bare) Shelves, Ourselves.” New York Times, December 5, 2015.

Mon, September 12^th

*READ: Stephanie Rosenbloom, “Putting Your Best Cyberface Forward.” New York Times, January 3, 2008.

*READ: Peggy Orenstein, “I Tweet, Therefore I Am.” New York Times Magazine, July 30, 2010.

*READ: Sam Slaughter, “Text Me? Ping Me? Communications Overload in the Digital Age.” New York Times, December 12, 2015.

*READING RESPONSE #1 DUE

Wed, September 14^th

*READ: Alina Tugend, “The Anxiety of the Unanswered E-mail.” New York Times, April 19, 2013.

*READ: V aleriya Safronova, “On Fake Instagram, a Chance to Be Real.” New York Times, November 18, 2015.

*READ: Jeffrey Rosen, “The Web Means the End of Forgetting.” New York Times Magazine, July 19, 2010.