COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF VERMONT- BURLINGTON SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION SYLLABUS- FALL 2009 SSC-1010: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF COMMUNITY

(3 credits), Monday 3-5:45pm Instructor: Office Hours: Phone: Email: Jean M. Sienkewicz, MSW By appointment only home) 658.6583 cell) 355.1471 jean.sienkewicz@ccv.edu jsienkewicz@burlingtonhousing.org

REQUIRED READING: Bruhn, John G. (2005). The Sociology of Community Connections. New York: Springer. Other readings to be distributed electronically via Blackboard and/or email, or in class. NOTE: Reading assignments complement and often intersect with classroom lectures and discussions. However, sometimes they are in addition to, and will not be covered during, class time. You are expected, on a weekly basis, to read all assigned materials (and write about each in your reading log) regardless of whether or not classroom time will be devoted to discussing them. COURSE DESCRIPTION: Robert Nisbet writes of community that it is the most fundamental and far-reaching of sociologys unit-ideas. However, in a world where the word is used to describe virtually every kind of social networkfrom neighborhoods to campuses, activism communities to virtual communities to the global communitythe meaning of the word has become so stretched as to fundamentally lose its meaning. What is community?? This interdisciplinary course will examine the competing definitions of community, and study, from historical and theoretical perspectives, how this notion has changed over time. It will utilize the insights and tools of sociologists, anthropologists,
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geographers and social scientists to explore the notion of community as a construct, rather than a given, in both Western and non-Western contexts. Special consideration will be given to the interrelationships between and among elements of community such as identity (including culture, gender, race, class, family, sexual orientation, citizenship, religion and values), the physical environment (both natural and developed), globalization, technology and virtual networks, formal and informal institutions, and activism. The course will provide several opportunities for hands-on work in the field, as well as a service-learning component that will require students to engage with a community organization that exemplifies a related objective. CORE COURSE QUESTIONS: The following questions embody the central themes of this course and will be the primary focus of all our readings, in-class discussions and assignments: How do we define community? How has it been defined in the past? How is it evolving, and where is the notion of community going to take us into the future? How are the varied definitions of community similar and/or opposing? How are the multiple communities we inhabit connected to our private lives and identities, and vice versa? What is our responsibility, as students and citizens, for making, maintaining and/or changing our communities? COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the end of the course, a student who does all assigned readings, completes all assigned projects to the best of his/her ability, and participates fully should be able to demonstrate the following objectives: 1. Propose a definition of community that incorporates geographical, historical, social, ecological, and anthropological definitions. 2. Employ qualitative and quantitative approaches to the investigation, description, and interpretation of communities and community activity.
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3. Discuss how foundational sociological theories, such as those of Durkheim, Weber, Marx, Mills, and Parsons can be applied to the study of community. 4. Discuss ethical issues involved in the relationship of ethnographers to the communities they study. 5. Compare features of communities across cultures and time, including rural, urban, electronic, and global communities, and communities based on gender, age, ability, religious affiliation, and ascribed characteristics such as socioeconomic status, homelessness and incarceration. 6. Discuss current community development issues, including community action, community planning, communication, and the relationship between community and individual and family quality of life. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The above course objectives will be addressed through a number of learning activities, including, but not limited to, the following: Textbook and other assigned readings Ongoing reading log Large- and small-group discussions Lecture Small-group exercises and in-class presentations Critical thinking essay/personal paper Reaction/response papers Quizzes/exams Audio and/or video presentations Field trips Guest speakers Service learning participation ATTENDANCE POLICY: Much of the learning in this course happens in the classroom, where exercises, guests, audio-visual presentations, and both impromptu and guided discussions occur. These are learning opportunities separate from the readings, projects, and weekly assignments found in this syllabus, and they cannot be
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made up. Therefore, class attendance is considered to be mandatory as it is tied to your overall learning and academic performance. You are allowed only two excused absences in this class; excused absences are for medical reasons only, and if possible, you should notify your instructor in advance (preferably giving 24 hours notice). If you must miss a class, it is your responsibility to complete and hand in any missed assignments in a timely fashion. Unless you have discussed your situation with your instructor in advance, coming late or leaving early by twenty minutes or more amounts to one-third of an absence. More than two total absences (excused or combined) in a semester will result in an automatic failing grade. However, perfect recorded attendance will increase your final grade (on a 100-point scale) by 2 points. NOTE: Attendance will be based on the number of recorded notations your instructor has at the end of the semester. Attendance will be taken each class via a sign-in sheetit is your responsibility to sign in (in your own handwriting) in order to get credit. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Students will be graded upon attendance (see above); participation; completion of all assignments, including assigned readings and reading log/journal, reaction/ response papers, essays and quizzes/exams; as well as participation in service learning course component. 10% Class participation Participation begins with attendancesee above. Overall participation will be judged by the initiative and involvement you show as a learnerparticularly how well prepared you are for class (Did you do the reading? Did you complete your reading log entry for the day? Are you prepared to participate in discussion?). It includes active listening in class. If you tend towards being quiet, it means challenging yourself to speak regularly during class-time, or if you often speak whenever given the opportunity, challenging yourself to hold back to leave room for others. Doing so accommodates different learning styles in the
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classroom. Participation also means being actively engaged in small- and large-group activities, asking questions and providing both feedback and support to colleagues. Additionally, participation means no side conversations or disruptive behavior, and also no cell phones. Please turn all cell phones off prior to entering the classroom. Accepting cell phone calls (except in emergency situations and/or with prior permission of the instructor) or sending text messages during class time is prohibited. Laptop computers are generally not accepted unless there is a legitimate academic need and your instructor has authorized their use. If you are too tired or too ill to effectively participate in class, it is expected that you will stay home to get appropriate rest. This is in an effort to support your classmates with active listening and participation, and also to help prevent the spread of illness to your peers. See attendance policy above for more information about missing classes. 20% Reading log You will keep a journal or reading log in which you will write regularly in response to assigned text readings. Students will submit one full handwritten page of writing, or the typed equivalent, that includes at least two questions they have about the reading and two personal responses to what theyve read. Entries corresponding to weekly assignments are due the day the material is to be discussed in class; late assignments will not be accepted unless the student has gotten prior permission of the instructor. NOTE: Each missing reading log entry will result in one-half a letter grade subtracted from 20% reading log total. Reading logs will also be used to answer in-class discussion questions posed by the instructor, or for other purposes (TBD) and as such, should be brought to class weekly. 10% Reaction/response papers Throughout the course of the semester, there will be several assigned reaction/response papers that, unless otherwise specified, should be limited to one to two pages in length.
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Students should articulate in writing their response to, analysis of, thoughts and commentary about and/or questions relating to assigned topics, guest speakers, and/or current reading. Late papers will not be accepted unless you discuss your situation in advance with your instructor. NOTE: Since reaction/response papers are most often to be written based on experiential events (field trips, guest speakers, etc.), if you need to miss a class in which a response paper is assigned, you must notify your instructor beforehand (at least 24 hours before class, if last minute); she reserves the right to decide whether a makeup is warranted and to determine an appropriate substitute assignment (if applicable), as well as an alternate due date. 20% Quizzes/Final exam Throughout the course of the semester, there will be numerous scheduled (and potentially unscheduled) quizzes based on assigned reading. There will also be one final exam, which will cover both textbook reading and classroom material. Quizzes and exams may consist of multiple choice, short answer and/or essay questions, and the exam will be takehome. NOTE: If you need to miss a quiz, you must notify your instructor beforehand (at least 24 hours before class, if last minute); she reserves the right to decide when and how a make-up will take place. All quizzes and final exam must be completed in a timely fashion. 20% Community Inquiry/Personal Paper This will be a 3-5 page paper that explores the relationship between historical perspectives on community as discussed in class and the way you experience community in your own life. Choose three communities to which you belong or identify with. They can be communities of location, faith, activism, employment, health and support, virtual, social, educational communities, etc. o Give an overview of each community. How do they
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function? What purposes does each serve, both in your own life and in a larger context? o How would you identify yourself in these communities? How important are they for you? What meaning do they have in your life? Has your role changed over time? o How does your understanding of each of these communities fit (or not) with the historical perspectives weve discussed? Are there similarities or differences, blatant or subtle? Can you see that theres been an evolution from the historical concepts of community to the forms of community you currently experience? o How has your role in and understanding of these communities changed since taking this class? Your paper will be due November 16 and graded based on the following criteria: demonstration of insight and original thinking; thoughtful engagement with and critical thinking about course concepts; and written well (grammatically correct and cited appropriately, if applicable). 20% Participation in Service Learning* Students may choose one of several projects in order to satisfy the service-learning component of the course. o (Winooski-specific, 3-4 students maximum) You may volunteer at two of four scheduled monthly Winooski Community Potlucks. The next one is Tuesday, September 15th, 5:30-7:30pm at the OBrien Community Center in Winooski (October, November and December dates TBA). Separately, you will provide 2-4 hours of community service to the OBrien Community Center (your instructor will help connect you to the appropriate contact person to schedule these hours). Students will be given a form on which have his/her hours documented. o (Winooski-specific, 1-2 students maximum) You may assist with outreach about YMCA programs (and available scholarships) to immigrant and refugee families in the neighborhood of the Ys satellite site in
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Winooski. You will do this by working one-on-one with your instructor to connect with various community organizations that provide services to these families. Additionally, you will complete 2-4 hours of community service for one (or more) of these organizations specific tasks to be determined by the agencies. Students will be given a form on which have his/her hours documented. o (Not Winooski-specific, 6-8 students maximum) You may choose a community-related issue or topic that is of interest to you, or a specific community youre interested in exploring. You will then connect with a local agency or organization whose mission/vision incorporates this issue or topic (your instructor can help you do this), and then perform 8 hours of community service in service of the agency or communitys goals. Use the core course questions to guide your choice of topics: How do we define community? How has it been defined in the past? How is it evolving, and where is the notion of community going to take us into the future? How are the varied definitions of community similar and/or opposing? How are the multiple communities we inhabit connected to our private lives and identities, and vice versa? What is our responsibility, as students and citizens, for making, maintaining and/or changing our communities? Students will be given a form on which have his/her hours documented. There are dual goals for this project: first, that immersion in community service will have some benefit to the community at large and second, that it will teach all of us (yourself included) something that we might not already know, either about the notion of community as a whole or the specific community youve connected with. Expectations are, as above, that students will complete at
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least 8 hours of service total for completion of this project, hand in documentation of hours worked as well as a two- to three-page reflection paper on their experiences for the instructor. Additionally, each student will prepare (either singly or in self-selected pairs) a 10-15 minute (or 20-25 minute if doubled up) in-class presentation. The majority of your service-learning grade will be based on this presentation. It may be as creative as youd like (visual aids, guest speakers, games, etc. are encouraged!) but whatever you envision it should be a) based on a critical examination of your knowledge of community as weve discussed in class, and b) clearly highlight/outline those elements that you consider as most significant for the class to know. Service learning choices (if selecting either of the Winooski-specific options) or topic ideas for the nonWinooski specific option will be due from each student by October 12. Submit 1-2 paragraph synopsis. Final presentations will take place on December 14 (Round 1) and December 21 (Round 2). *NOTE: Failure to participate in integrated service learning activity will result in the loss of one letter grade from overall grade total.

GRADING CRITERIA: You may choose to have your work evaluated by a letter grade (A+ through F) or by a designation of satisfactory or nonsatisfactory (P or NP). You may also choose, at the time of registration, to take a course for no credit, in which case, a grade of AU will be recorded if you complete the course. The letter grade option will be used unless you specifically request the P/NP or AU option. The P/NP request must be made by the start of the third week of the course, September 28, 2009. The grading option (letter grade, N/NP or AU) cannot be changed after that time. Please submit to me in writing during class or by email your request of anything other than a letter grade by, or before, the time indicated above. A Clearly exceptional or outstanding work, includes:
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-Submission of all written assignments, which: o Demonstrate insight and original thinking o Indicate thoughtful engagement with and critical thinking about course concepts and material o Are well-written (grammatically correct, and cited appropriately) -Completion of service learning course component -A grade on quizzes/exam -Consistent participation -Abide by attendance policy B Good to excellent work, includes: -All of the above with less than exemplary performance in one area or assignment C Work meets expectations. Includes: -All of the above with less than exemplary performance in two areas or assignments D -Less than successful completion of stated criteria. Includes: -All of the above with less than exemplary performance in three areas or assignments. F -Failure to meet course objectives and/or failure to meet grading criteria for successful course completion as described in the syllabus. P -Equivalent to a D (+/-) or better but will not count as credit for specific program requirements or competence area requirements. NP -No Pass. Indicates failure to meet course objectives and/or failure to meet grading criteria for successful course completion as described in the syllabus. GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING: 1. If any of the course requirements, expectations, test or due dates are problematic, or if you need to miss a class, you can contact the instructor beforehand (at least 24 hours
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in advance if last minute) to make other possible arrangements. It is the instructors final decision whether alternative arrangements will be allowed. 2. Academic Honesty: CCV has a commitment to honesty and excellence in academic work and expects the same from all students. Academic dishonesty, or cheating, can occur whenever you present as your own work something that you did not do. You can also be guilty of cheating if you help someone else cheat. Being unaware of what constitutes academic dishonesty (such as knowing what plagiarism is) does not absolve a student of the responsibility to be honest in his/her academic work. Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously and may lead to dismissal from the College. As such, it is expected that all of your work will either be original or appropriately cited/referenced where necessary, and created by your own efforts for this class specifically. Refer to CCVs Academic Honesty policy (can be found by clicking the Policies tab on the About CCV page on CCVs websiteor directly at https://europa.ccv.vsc.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-174938_4) for further clarification. 3. If you believe you have a disability requiring accommodations for this class, please call an Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Coordinator at 802-865-4422 to make an appointment. There are specific guidelines for providing support services to students with disabilities, and the ADA Coordinator will work with you to determine the most appropriate accommodations based on your needs. After you receive your accommodations, please contact your instructor as soon as possible so she can work with you to implement any course-specific adjustments in a timely fashion. Refer to CCVs Disabilities Compliance Policy on CCVs website (can be found by clicking the Policies tab on the About CCV page, as above, or accessed directly at https://ganymede.ccv.vsc.edu/bbcswebdav/xid-584032_4). NOTE: It is the students responsibility to seek and secure accommodations prior to the start of any test, project or assignment. Accommodations cannot be provided until the instructor has received documentation from an ADA
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Coordinator. COURSE OUTLINE: NOTE: The outline below is an outline only, and course content (including readings, assignments and due dates) may change during the semester based on the interests of the students and/or the whim of the instructor. Course Pre-Assignment: The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills (1959). As published in D.M. Newmans Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life (7th edition) Reader, pp. 3-7. Newman, D.M. Building Reality: The Social Construction of Knowledge. Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life (7th edition), pp. 52-76. Class 1: September 14 Introductions Ground rules Syllabus/course objectives Defining community Sociological Imagination Social Construction of Knowledge Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 1 (Social Connections) Reading log Subscribe to the Front Porch Forum for your neighborhood (http://www.frontporchforum.com/) Class 2: September 21 Social Construction/Sociological Imagination recap Bruhn, Chapter 1 (Social Connections) Reading log discussion Assignment:
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Bruhn, Chapter 2 (Conceptions of Community: Past and Present) Reading log Study for Quiz #1 Field Trip Participant Release Form Class 3: September 28 P/NP grade designations (if applicable) due to instructor Quiz #1 (Bruhn, Chapter 1; Sociological Imagination; Social Construction) Field Trip Participant release Form due Bruhn, Chapter 2 (Conceptions of Community: Past and Present) Assignment: Newman, pp. 76-90. (Research methods) Chagnon, N., Doing Fieldwork Among the Yanomamo. Abstract: Neighborhood Characteristics: Objective versus Subjective Measurement. City of Winooski, Vermont. Eighty-sixth Annual Report, Fiscal Year July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008. (NOTE: scan, not read, full document) Reading log Be prepared to discuss whats been happening on your neighborhoods Front Porch Forum Class 4: October 5 Winooski visit #1 (NOTE: class meets at 3:00pm at OBrien Community Center, 32 Mallets Bay Avenue, Winooski) Tour of Winooski Community Center Front Porch Forum check-in
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Neighborhood Field Work Observations exercise Neighborhood Field Work Observations discussion Speakers: TBD Assignment: Service learning topic idea (1-2 paragraph synopsis) Reaction/response paper #1 Newman, pp. 76-90. (Research methods) Chagnon, N., Doing Fieldwork Among the Yanomamo. Reading log Class 5: October 12 Service learning topic ideas due Reaction/response paper #1 due Winooski visit debrief Reading log discussion Research methods/ethics activity Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 4 (Fragmented Ties: The Poor and The Homeless) Reading log Class 6: October 19 Bruhn, Chapter 4 (Fragmented Ties: The Poor and The Homeless) Reading log Speaker: TBD Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 8 (Vital Bonds: Social Support, Social Networks and Health) Life After Jail (Alexis Paige Seven Days) Reading log Study for Quiz #2 Class 7: October 26 Quiz #2 (Bruhn, Chapters 2 & 4; Research Methods; Yanomamo) Bruhn, Chapter 8 (Vital Bonds: Social Support, Social Networks and
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Health) Life After Jail (Alexis Paige, Seven Days) Speakers: TBD Reading log discussion Community Inquiry/Personal Paper Assignment (due November 16) Assignment: Reaction/response paper #2 Bruhn, Chapter 6 (Communities of Exclusion and Excluded Communities: Barriers to Neighboring) Reading log Mid-semester self- and class evaluation Be prepared to discuss whats been happening on your neighborhoods Front Porch Forum Class 8: November 2 Reaction/response paper #2 due Mid-semester self- and class evaluation due Winooski visit #2 (NOTE: unless otherwise directed, class will meet at 3:00pm outside Winooski Police Department at 27 W. Allen Street) Front Porch Forum check-in Bruhn, Chapter 6 (Communities of Exclusion and Excluded Communities: Barriers to Neighboring) Reading log discussion Speakers: TBD Assignment: Reaction/response paper #3 Bruhn, Chapter 3 (Common Ties: Immigrant and Ethnic Communities) Reading log Study for Quiz #3 Class 9: November 9
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Reaction/response paper #3 due Quiz #3 (Bruhn, Chapters 6 & 8) Bruhn, Chapter 3 (Common Ties: Immigrant and Ethnic Communities) Reading log discussion Speaker: TBD Check-in: Community Inquiry Personal Paper Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 7 (Connections of Faith: Religion as Community) Reading log Community Inquiry Personal Paper due next week Class 10: November 16 Community Inquiry Personal Paper due Bruhn, Chapter 7 (Connections of Faith: Religion as Community) Reading log discussion Speaker: TBD Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 5 (Communities in Crisis: Reconnecting Frayed Social Ties) Reading log Class 11: November 23 Bruhn, Chapter 5 (Communities in Crisis: Reconnecting Frayed Social Ties) Reading log discussion In-class audio or visual presentation: TBD Assignment: Reaction/response paper #4 Bruhn, Chapter 9 (The Social Internet: Cybercommunities) The Network Community: An Introduction, or Things Aint Wot They Used to Beand They Never Were! (Barry Wellman)
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Reading log Be prepared to discuss whats been happening on your neighborhoods Front Porch Forum Class 12: November 30 Reaction/response paper #4 due Bruhn, Chapter 9 (The Social Internet: Cybercommunities) The Network Community: An Introduction, or Things Aint Wot They Used to Beand They Never Were! (Barry Wellman) Reading log discussion Assignment: Bruhn, Chapter 10 (Solitary Communities: Disconnecting From the Common Good) Loeb, Soul of a Citizen, pp. 1-24. Reading log Study for Quiz #4 Class 13: December 7 Quiz #4 (Bruhn, Chapters 5, 7, 9; Wellmans Network Community) Bruhn, Chapter 10 (Solitary Communities: Disconnecting From the Common Good) Loeb, Soul of a Citizen, pp. 1-24. Reading log discussion Speaker: TBD Assignment: Final presentations Class 14: December 14 Final presentations (Round 1) Assignment:
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Final presentations Final exam (take-home) Class 15: December 21 Last class Final presentations (Round 2) Final Exam Due Wrap-up Evaluations (Blue sheets)

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