Course Description
An analysis of the cultural, social class, economic, and ethnic features of the American South, and investigation of the historical and contemporary forces which shape the unique character of the southern United States.
Athena Title
Sociology of American South
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in SOCI 3900
Non-Traditional Format
This version of the course will be taught as writing intensive, which means that the course will include substantial and ongoing writing assignments that a) relate clearly to course learning; b) teach the communication values of a discipline. For example, its practices of argument, evidence, credibility, and format; and c) prepare students for further writing in their academic work, in graduate school, and in professional life. The written assignments may include high-and low-stakes writing assignments, resulting in a significant and diverse body of written work (the equivalent of 6000 words or 25 pages of formal and informal writing distributed over the course of the semester). The instructor (and/or the teaching assistant assigned to the course) will be closely involved in student writing, providing opportunities for feedback and substantive revision. (This is an example of the range and kinds of writing assignments.)
Prerequisite
SOCI 1101 or SOCI 1101H or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objective of this course is for students to learn the complex interplay of historical forces and contemporary events which have created a unique culture in the American South. The course will utilize readings from historical and contemporary sources, both non-fiction and fiction. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of historical social, economic, and demographic trends and how they affected the South. The writing assignments will be of three types. Students will be asked to prepare position papers on several topics related to the sociology of Southern life and support their positions with empirical evidence. Students will be asked to summarize an area of research literature. Finally, the major writing project will be a detailed summary of interviews conducted on the general topic of "seeking community in a fragmented world."
Topical Outline
I. The South as a Social Construction 1. Southern Distinctiveness a. Southern Identity i. Music, Food, and Language 2. How Many "Souths" Are There? II. Historical Shaping of the South 1. The Legacy of Slavery 2. Southern Class and Caste Structure 3. Racial Etiquette in the South 4. Mythology of the "Tara" South 5. Growing Up Segregated III.Social Change and Discontent 1. The Early Civil Rights Movement 2. The Labor Movement 3. The Modern Civil Rights Movement IV. Off the Farm And Into the Factory 1. Industrialization and Decline of Agriculture 2. Poverty in the South V. The New Immigrants: Latinos and Asians VI. Will There Be A Distinctive South in 50 Years?