SOCL 258: Drugs & Society

Daily 10:10-12:10, HECO 126

Summer Session 2, 2007

Instructor:  Dr. Alex Thomas

Office:  416 Fitzelle

Office Hours: by appointment

Phone:  (607) 436-2149

                      

Email:  thomasa@oneonta.edu

Website: http://webserver1.oneonta.edu/faculty/thomasa/

 

WARNING

This course deals with drugs, the use of drugs, and the subculture of drug use.  Some may consider the material offensive.  Your continued enrollment in this class indicated your acknowledgement to be exposed to this material.

 

Under no circumstances should the material discussed in class be understood as condoning the use or abuse of illegal substances.

 

Course Description & Objectives

Perhaps no issue has become so politically charged as that of drug use and abuse.  Beyond the news magazines and the campaign speeches, however, there lies the reality of drugs and society.  Thus, the aim of this course is to examine the realities, myths, and policies that arise from and influence drug use in American society.

 

By the end of this course, you will be familiar with the major drugs of choice in the United States and how American culture relates to drug use.

 

Course Format & Policies

 

1.       You are expected to attend all classes and read all assigned materials.  You may expect to be tested on all assigned reading whether discussed in class or not.  Similarly, materials discussed in class but not in the assigned reading should also be expected on exams.

 

  1. In the event that you miss an exam, you have one opportunity to take a make-up exam at a mutually agreeable time.  The exam may not be the same exam given to the rest of the class.  Exams must be made-up within one week of the exam date.

 

  1. Assignments are considered due at the beginning of class.  Late assignments are lowered a grade for every class period late.  Missing a class and turning in an assignment later the same day is still late.  Similarly, exam times are the beginning of class.

 

  1. Always save a copy of any work submitted for your own records.

 

Grading

Assignment

Lectures and Reading

Percent of Grade

Date Due

Exam 1

TEXT 1-4; 7; classwork

30

July 20

Paper

See Attached

30

July 31

Final Exam

Entire Course

35

August 3

Attendance & Participation

 

5

Ongoing

 

Required Reading

Goode, Erich.  2005.  Drugs in American Society.  6th Edition (or 7th Edition).  New York:  McGraw-Hill.

.

Course Schedule

 

Date:

Read:

Covers:

July 9

TEXT 1

Drugs: A Sociological Perspective

July 10

TEXT 2

Drugs: A Pharmacological Perspective

July 11

TEXT 3

Theories of Drug Use

July 12

 

 

July 13

 

 

July 16

TEXT 4

Historical Context of Drugs

July 17

 

 

July 18

 

 

July 19

TEXT 7

Historical Trends in Consumption

July 20

EXAM 1

TEXT CHAPTERS 1-4; Ch. 7; ALL classwork

July 23

TEXT 8

Legal Drugs

July 24

 

 

July 25

TEXT 9

Marijuana & Hallucinogens

July 26

 

 

July 27

TEXT 10

Stimulants

July 30

 

                                 

July 31

TEXT 11

Narcotics                         ***PAPER DUE***

Aug 1

 

 

Aug 2

TEXT 12, 13

Drugs and Crime

Aug 3

FINAL EXAM

Comprehensive

 

Research Paper

Pick a specific drug commonly used in the United States.  Research your topic and write a 6 to 8 page paper that addresses the following issues:

1)       What are the objective effects of the drug?

2)       How do most members of society perceive the drug?

3)       How do societal norms influence individuals taking the drug?

4)       What types of policies, if any, should be implemented to control the drug?

 

The paper should include relevant statistics and at least three references from a scholarly journal.  You may not use the popular press (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television, etc.) as a reference.  You should only use the internet websites listed on the Center for Social Science Research website (below) as references or available through the Milne Library website.  Otherwise, check with me.

 

You must NOT utilize any reference without proper citations.  To do so is plagiarism.  Plagiarism will be treated in accordance with college policy, and will result in a minimum of a zero (0) on the paper.

 

http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/ssr/

 

Due Date: July 31, 2007 in class

Summary: 6 to 8 pages, typed, double spaced, reasonable font, stapled