DEPARTMENT

OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

School of Social Sciences, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University
Second Semester, AY 2014-2015

Course Number: SA 21 (MWF K202)
Title: Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology
Lecturer: Aileen E. del Rosario-Rondilla, MA Cand.
Consultation Schedule: Monday, 1000-1200H, DSA. An email to set an appointment is also welcome.
Email: Myanthropologyteacher@gmail.com
Contact Details: 0932-713-0288 (Kindly indicate nickname and section when sending a message)

I. Course Description (Official CHED Approved Description):

The course introduces the students to the core concepts and precepts developed within the academic fields of sociology
and anthropology. It aims to show how the three major forces culture, structure, and social institutions shape human
behavior, and how humans interacting as individuals reproduce and transform these same social forces. Further, the
course place special emphasis as well as illustrate the applications of sociological and anthropological perspectives on the
study of Philippine society and meaningfully on student everyday life.

II. Course Objectives:

During the semester, students should be able to:
1. Develop a working knowledge of the analytical approaches, methods, key concepts, fields of interests, subject
matters, and applications of sociology and anthropology;
2. Demonstrate the ability to use the perspectives of sociology and anthropology thru the exercises and activities
in class;
3. Gain a profound sensitivity and appreciation of the ways society and culture get revealed thru the theories and
concepts learned;
4. Integrate the perspectives of anthropology and sociology in the conduct of future practices in the students
specific area of concentration and in making meaningful changes to society.


III. Main Readings:

The course draws readings from different resources. However, we shall use Conrad Philipp Kottaks, 2011, Anthropology:
Appreciating Human Diversity (2011), and John Macionis, 2012, Sociology, as key texts. Additional references are indicated
in the column per topic. Materials marked with ** are optional. The reading list will be revised as needed. Key texts are
available at the library. Other readings not found in the library can be accessed via the FB group.

IV. Course Outline and Time Frame

Topics/
Discussion Guide

Date

Readings/References/
Case study

Activities

A. Sociology and Anthropology: Making Sense of the Social World

Introduction to the course
! What is the subject all
about?
! How can it be useful in
everyday life?

W1
Nov 10, 12, 14

Discussion of course
outline, requirements,
and assignments

Exercise 1: Using the
Sociological Imagination

! Kottak, Ch. 1 pp. 2-23

! Macionis, Ch. 1, pp. 1-22
! Mills, C.W. Ch. 1 The Promise.
The Sociological Imagination.

! Lavenda, Robert H and Emily Shultz.

An Anthropological Perspective.
In Core Concepts in Anthropology,
pp.2-3.
McCurdy, David W. 2009. Using

W2
Nov 17, 19, 21

Explaining the Social World

(Theoretical Perspectives)
! What is the role of
theory/model in sensing the
social world?
! What models/theories can
we use?
! What are the strenghts and
weaknesses of each?

Perceiving the Social World

W3
(Research Methods in the Social Nov 24, 26, 28
Sciences)

! What methods, tools, and
techniques can I use to make
sense of human life?
! How do I put my
observations together?
! How can I make use of
narratives, models,
illustrations, and graphs to
communicate my
understanding?

Anthropology. In James Spradley

and David McCurdy, eds.
Conformity and Conflict: Readings
in Cultural Anthropology, pp. 415-
427.**
Omohundro, John T. 2009. Career
Advice for Anthropology
Graduates. In James Spradley and
David McCurdy, eds. Conformity
and Conflict: Readings in Cultural
Anthropology, pp. 415-427.**

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 1: Strengths
and weaknesses of each
theoretical approach;
Provide examples of
research topic where
each is more useful or
appropriate

! Macionis, Ch. 1, pp. 1-22

! OpenStax ,Theoretical Perspectives,

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 2: Agar article









Quiz 1

! Kottak, Ch,13: Methods and

pp. 17 - 21

!
!

Theories in Anthropology, pp.282-

291
Agar, Michael. An Ethnography by
Any Other Name
Case studies of ethnographies used
in the business setting

B. Culture and Society: What shapes our being human

Culture and Society
! What is culture?
! In what ways does culture
influence an individual?

Socialization, Gender
Socialization, and Identity
Formation
! How do we learn who we
are?
! What defines our identity?
How do we communicate
who we think we are to

W4
Dec 1, 3, 5

W5
Dec 8, 9, 10

Lecture-discussion

Guest Speaker


Exercise 2: Describing an
aspect of a social world

! Kottak, Ch.2: Culture, pp. 24-44

! Tan, Mike. 2008. Introduction:

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 3: Doing
Gender, Doing Surgery

! Macionis, Ch.5: Socialization, pp

Deconstructing Health and Illness.

In Usog, Kulam, Pasma. QC: UP
Press.
Jalandoni, Pinky. 2015. Indigenous
treatment/healing modalities in
Pavia, Ilo-ilo.
100-120
Robbins, Richard H. 1997. Cultural
Construction of Identity? In
Cultural Anthropology: A Problem-
based Approach.
Cassell, Joan. 1997. Doing Gender,
Doing Surgery: Women Surgeons

others?

in a Mans Profession. In Human

organizaiton.

Deviance, Power, and Social

Control

W6
Dec 15, 17, 19

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 4: The
Aswang

Quiz 2

! Macionis, Ch.9: Deviance, pp 100-

120

! Pertierra, Raul. 1995. The

Aswang, In Philippine Localitiess

and Global Perspectives.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
C. Social Stratification and Control: Same but different
Social Stratification
Gender Inequality

W7
Jan 5, 7, 9

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 5: Gender
article (TBD)

! Ferraro, Gary. 2001. Ch.13 Social

!
!

Race and Ethnicity

Class and Inequality

W8
Jan 12, 14, 16

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 6: Skid Row

Exercise 3: Becoming a
member of a social
group

Quiz 3

Stratification. In Cultural
Anthropology: An Applied
Perspective
Ferraro, Gary. 2001. Ch.11 Sex and
Gender. In Cultural Anthropology:
An Applied Perspective
McCurdy, David W. and James
Spradley. 2009. Ch.6 Identity,
Roles, and Groups, pp.210-214.**

! Kottak, Ch.15 Ethnicity and Race,

pp 334-359

! Macionis, Ch. 11 Social Class, pp

!

244-266
Guevarra, Jr. 2008. Skid Row:
Filipinos, Race and the Social
Construction of Space in San Diego.
In Journal of San Diego History Vol.
54(1):26-38.

D. Social Institutions: Unbinding ties

Social Institutions
! What are institutions? What
functions do institutions play
in society?

Family and Intimate
Relationships
! How are families formed?
! How do we go about
understanding the family as
an institution?
! What is the relevance of
understanding the family?

W9
Jan 19, 21, 23

Economy

W10
Jan 26, 28, 30

Lecture-discussion

Exercise 4: Making a
genealogy chart


Reporting 7: Mobile
Phone Parenting

! Macionis, Ch.18: Families, pp

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 8: Fast Food
Nation (Film Review)

! Macionis, Ch.15: Economy, pp

!
!

418-439.
Miller, Daniel and Mirca Madinou.
2011: Mobile Phone Parenting:
Reconfiguring relationships
between Filipina migrant mothers
and their left-behind children

100-120
Kottak, Ch.16 Making, pp. 362-
387
Case Study: Conceptualizing a
chinese fast food restaurant
(Understanding the demand-side)

Religion

W11
Feb 2, 4, 6

Quiz 4

! Kottak, Ch.21 Religion, pp 492-

515

! Case Study: Promoting a spiritual

practice as an enterprise (Pranic
Healing and Arhatic Yoga)

E. Social Change: Moving Somewhere

Culture Change
! What is culture change?
! What are the mechanisms of
change?
! How do we analyze and
explain change?

W13
Feb 9, 11, 13

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 9: TBD

! TBD

Globalization and Culture

! What is globalization?
! How does globalization
affects us and our identities?

W14
Feb 16, 18, 20

Lecture-discussion

Reporting 10: Zialcita 1
Reporting 11: Zialcita 2

! Eriksen, Thomas Hylland. 1995.

Agency Structure and Change

! What are the potentials for
individuals to enact change?

W15
Feb 23, 25, 27

! Giddents, Anthony. Theory of

Structuration

! Bourdieu: Forms of Capital; Habitus

!

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

W16 & W17

Mar 2, 4, 6
Mar 9, 11, 20

Ch.18 The Local and Global. In

Small Places, Larger Issues, pp 278
295
Zialcita, Fernando. 2005. An
Identity under Question and
More Original than What We
Think. In Authentic Though not
Exotic.

and Fields.
Rondilla, AdR. 2015. On Corporeal
Capital and Social Mobility Among
Department Store Salesladies.
Thesis

V. Requirements and Grading System:
1. Class Participation: Class attendance is strongly encouraged.
2. Exercises and Reflection Papers: Expect at least 4 exercises/reflection papers regarding the different topics
and lessons learned.
3. Quizzes: Objective and essay type items will be given to test your understanding of concepts and theories
discussed in class. Questions will be based on the readings, classroom discussions, and exercises. Four
quizzes are scheduled. Each quiz will consist of 20-25 items.
4. Group project. The class will be divided into groups consisting of 3 to 4 members max. Ideally, each group
should have members who have the same interest or similar areas of practice (or course). Each group selects
a topic for an ethnographic investigation. The group submits two outputs in relation to this project. The first
output is a one to two page proposal presenting the topic, research objectives, methods, and theory. The
concept paper must be submitted and approved. The ethnographic report serve as the final output of the
group. The report should be 8 10 pages maximum. It should include diagrams and illustrations to
encourage students to think in terms of visual models in describing a social phenomenon. The research will
be presented in class. Points will be given for the reporting.

Class participation:
Exercises/Reflection Papers:
Quizzes:
Ethnography Project:

10%
40%
20%
30%

TOTAL

100%

The course uses the standard Ateneo grading scales: A = 92 100, B+ = 87 91, B = 83 86, C+ 79 82, C = 75 78, D = 70
78, and F = <70.

Grading Essays
Letter Grade
Description
A
Focused, well-organized, well-contextualized, and answers the questions why,
how, so what, and what if substantively. Insights of the students are most
important. The why forces you to clarify and contextualize your answers into a
specific framework which reveals which area of the wide range of answers you
are placing your point of view. Meanwhile, the so what demands that you
think further from your thesis and discuss the implications, and possibly counter-
arguments/responses to the point you are trying to make. And the what if
makes you think about the possible responses to the insight you are sharing so
you could further strengthen the point you make.
B+
Way above average but points need solidfying. Good attempts in contextualizing
and discussing the implications, but was not able to address essential aspects
that might prove your argument out of context. Simply put, it answers the why
but not so much on the so what and what if
B
Above average. This means you have expressed good insights but was not able
to substantiate it properly. The insights remain at the motherhood statement
category.
C+
Average. Answers are predictable and there is no added insight to what could be
expected from the line of questioning for the paper. Most analysis comes from
giving examples to illustrate a point.
C
There are aspects of the insights that are not clear. The logical flow skips a node
or two. There might also be slight contradictions to the different points made or
misrepresentation of the theories being cited.
D
Very minimal contextualization. Hanging or even contradicting arguments.
Blatant misrepresentation of theories being cited. (And this grade includes the
obviously crammed papers.)
F
Avoid getting an F!


VI. Classroom Policies

Consideration towards the learning of others is highly encouraged. Please participate meaningfully in the discussions and
activties of the class in order to stimulate rich exchange of knowledge, ideas, and experiences. Should one feel the urge to
share something in relation to the topic at hand kindly do so to everyone and refrain from having noisy converations with
your seatmates. In addition please set your cellphone in silent mode, as an expression of your respect to your classmates
and teacher.