Great Issues in Social Science
Allen Horstman

HSP 154 - CRN 4310
10:10am – 11:00am Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Observatory

The great issue examined is why people believe what they believe. Why do people accept an idea that other people do not? Everyday examples would be creationism, abortion rights, gambling. The model constructed is that people's willingness to accept an idea, often deeming it "Truth", is usually closely related to their circumstances, such as gender, race, social class and ethnic background. The first effort involves teenage mothers and connections with poverty. Then we move to the work of Max Weber who focused this issue on the connections of Protestantism in the 16-18 th centuries and the spread of capitalism (are Protestants more capitalistic, do capitalists find Protestantism attractive for some reason). Studies of groups based upon race, gender, social class, ethnic background precede an examination of the abortion issue (not whether pro-life or pro-choice is right or true, but why members of certain groups--racial, gender, social class, etc.--are more likely to be found on one or the other side). Along the way, we look at the uses of statistics in social science, stages of personality development, and even an insightful use of Plato's myth of the cave.

Requirements:
5 short papers
bi-weekly response journal
classroom participation (quizzes if participation is weak)