Transcript BA116IU Introduction to Social Sciences Semester Autumn/1

School of Business Administration
IU – VNU HCMC
BA116IU
Introduction to Social Sciences
Instructor:
Dr. Truong Thi Kim Chuyen
USSH – VNU HCMC
[email protected]
Course Description
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Seeking to foster an understanding and
appreciation of the social sciences
There are many kinds of social sciences,
including anthropology, psychology,
sociology, economics, political science,
geography, ect..
Contents
1. Overview of the Social Sciences
2. Research Methods in the Social
Sciences
3. Social Interaction and Social Network
4. Groups and Organizations
5. Stratification by Gender and Age
6. Population, Urbanization and Health
7. Government, the Economy, and the
Environment
Course Textbooks
Everyone will be required to read the course textbook:
 Perry, J. and Perry, E. (2005), Contemporary
Society: An Introduction to Social Science, 11th
edition, London, Allyn and Bacon
 Richard T. Schaefer (2006), Sociology A Brief
Introduction, 6th ed., McGraw Hill.
Other Required Material(s):
 McAdams, T., Neslund, N. and Kristopher, N. (2004)
Business and Society, 7th Edition, Irwin Press
 You will also be asked to read several articles that I
will provide.
Course Objectives
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This course has several objectives:
Explain several reasons for studying the social sciences.
Describe the methods used by social scientists to conduct
research
Identify and discuss key issues involved in debates about
social change in areas such as: group and organization,
gender, social interaction and network (structure), family,
inequality, population and the environment, etc.
Develop critical thinking skills as course topics are
discussed and debated.
Improve writing skills through essays and in-class writing
assignments.
Course Grading
100 points
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Participation, In-class Quizzes
and Home Assignments:
Mid term Exam:
Final Exam:
30
30
40
Participation
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Participation is valued at 10 points. Among other
things, participation involves reading material to be
discussed in class beforehand, active engagement
in class discussions (listening and speaking),
asking relevant questions, and good faith efforts to
grapple with course material. Earning a high
participation grade, of course, will require you to
attend class regularly.
The In-class Quizzes, and Assignments will be
worth 20 points. You may do the assignments
either as an individual or as a group.
More information, including a list of possible topics,
will be provided in a separate handout.
Mid-term and Final Exams
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Mid-term and final exams will be worth 30
points and 40 points.
You will do with two sections of multiple
choice and a short essay to express your
own point of view on some selected topics
critically and originally.
Class Schedule
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Dates
Topics
Week 1, Overview of the Social Sciences
and Sociology
Week 2, Research Methods in the Soc. Sci.
and Sociology
Readings
Perry, Ch.1,
Schaefer, Ch.1, pp. 1-26
Perry, Ch.1,
Schaefer, Ch.2, pp. 26-52
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Week 3, Social Interaction and Social Network Schaefer, Ch.5, pp. 102-27
Week 4, Groups and Organizations
Schaefer, Ch.6, pp. 128-49
Perry, Ch.4,
Week 5, Groups and Organizations (cont’d.)
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Week 6, Mid-term exam
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Class Schedule
Dates
Topics
Readings
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Week 7,
Stratification by Gender and Age
Schaefer, Ch.11, pp. 270-298
Perry, Ch.7, 8, 9
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Week 8,
Stratification by
Gender and Age (cont’d)
Schaefer, Ch.11, pp. 270-98
Perry, Ch.7, 8, 9
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Week 9,
Population, Communities and Health
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Week 10,
Population, Communities and (cont’d)
Schaefer, Ch.15, pp. 388-422
Perry, Ch.11,
Schaefer, Ch.5, pp. 102-127
Perry, Ch.10,
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Week 11,
Government, the Economy,
and the Environment
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Week 12
Final exam
Schaefer, Ch.14, pp. 359-87
Perry, Ch.14 and 17,
Fields of Social Sciences
ANTHROPOLOGY
Making sense of cultural difference
What will you get from studying
anthropology?
Understand ways of being human
Study how we, other societies and communities make
sense of our lives.
Be taught in gender and ethnic relations, sports studies,
indigenous issues, children’s worlds, sustainable living,
refugees and human rights
Apply your knowledge and skills to real world challenges
such as world poverty, ethnic conflict, environmental
insecurity, and global change
Anthropology will help you to
Think
critically and creatively
Present
oral and written arguments
Undertake
Work
independent research
with others in Anthropology and other Social
Science disciplines
What do anthropology
graduates do?
* work as anthropologists in government, private
enterprises, NGOs, education and as independent
consultants
* work in many other professions where you use your
anthropological knowledge and skills
* work locally, nationally and internationally
* add other skills – and find work in other professions
where anthropology is useful (heritage, resource
development, public relations, marketing, urban planning,
health care, education
Why Study History?
Know the past,
understand the present
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How have empires affected the present day
world?
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What was Indonesia like before tourists
discovered Bali?
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What’s really happening between Israel and
Palestine?
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Why has Australia been involved in so many
wars overseas – including Iraq?
What will I learn?
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Knowledge: answers to these questions –
and lots more;
important communication and analytical skills
that transfer to the workplace;
An informed understanding of the present
day;
How to participate in a discussion group
That history is fun!
Where will it lead me?
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Researcher in business, public service,
universities, as consultant
History + anthropology = museums
History + politics = political adviser, public
service, researcher
History + media = journalism
History +Dip. Ed. = high school teaching
Geography
is everywhere
At Curtin Geography means
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Environmental Management
Urban, Rural and Regional Development
and Planning
Natural Resource Management
Tourism, Sport and Recreation
International Development Studies
At Curtin, Geography fits with
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Other Social Science majors (e.g. International
Relations, Anthropology)
Business majors (e.g. International Business,
Tourism Management)
Double degrees with Journalism, Commerce,
Environmental Biology, GIS, Agribusiness and
more
Professional graduate programmes in Urban
and Regional Planning, Business, Education
and many more
Geography takes you to
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The city – urban and environmental planning,
social and economic policy, consulting,
community development, sports development
The country – regional development, natural
resource management, tourism
The world – aid and international
development, consulting, diplomacy
La Conches 1995
landslides.usgs.gov
news.bbc.co.uk
landslides.usgs.gov
Coastal erosion hazard – metropolitan Perth Quinns Beach, May
2002
POLITICAL SCIENCE
AND
INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
WHY POLITICS?
WHY INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?
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Understand how the world works
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Understand Australia’s place in its Region
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Understand where the world is headed
WHAT WILL IT LEAD TO?
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Security and Intelligence Analysis
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A Life in Politics
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Government and the Private Sector
UNDERSTAND
THIS
IT’S YOUR WORLD
SOCIOLOGY
The Study of Society, Social
Organisation and Social Change
It’s a Rapidly Changing World
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Many kinds of work that seem secure now
will be redundant in twenty years, but
Governments and Big Business will always
need people who can:
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think critically
research
communicate
and build specialist skills on to them.
Sociology builds those skills
How?
Through studies in
 Demography
 Gender
 Health and Illness
 Human Rights
 the Media
 Organisations
 Technology and Work
 And much more
Social
Sciences
and
Careers