Defines the reflexive dimension of teaching sociology, a dimension which explicitly recognizes that personal experiences and values significantly shape the perspectives transmitted to students. Posits five characteristics of reflexive teaching, identifies sources of resistance to such teaching, discusses how the author includes the reflexive…

Offers a brief history of humanism and five educational principles that are relevant to teaching sociology. Demonstrates the importance of these principles by describing several undergraduate sociology courses and discussing the teaching profession. (Author/BSR)

Outlines major features of humanistic perspective in sociology. States that what is methodologically and/or epistemologically central to the humanist perspective is a critique of excesses of positivism and advocacy of utilization of philosophy and other humanities as sources of information or data in investigation of social reality. Provides…

Based upon the teaching of Mari Sandoz' allegorical novel, CAPITAL CITY, this article identifies the characteristics of novels which provide a sociologically useful humanist perspective. A key characteristic is the extent to which the novel conducts thought experiments, defined as cerebral exercises which explore alternative social futures based…

Argues that instruction in sociology on the college level should work toward the following four intellectual goals: (1) understanding social determinism; (2) relativizing culture; (3) developing a sense of social realism; and (4) instilling skills in critical evaluation. (Author/DB)

Describes how slides of architecture and classical art may be used to help students think sociologically, to understand not only what sociology is, but why it exists. Identifies eight themes on which slides of art and architecture may be used. Among the themes are: culture contact and change; concepts of self; the rise of industrial society;…

Discusses effects on graduate sociology education of trends emphasizing quantitative methods and the positivist tradition at the expense of social theory and interpretive sociology. Argues that failure to develop sociology's interpretive tradition has allowed the style and intellectual creativity of sociological work to suffer. Urges greater…

An integrated sociological learning effort in which students take all their work in one semester from a team of sociology professors is described. The course includes simulation games, a two week intensive human relations lab, extensive field trips, and individualized projects. (Author/DE)

Describes the pedagogical and philosophical reasons for adopting the use of take-home multiple choice exams for introductory sociology courses. Reports students' reactions to the exams and provides a discussion of the grading conflicts which arise due to improved performance. (JDH)

Lecturing to class each meeting is misuse of widely available instructional resources. Describes how to randomly assign a racial and ethnic identity to each student and how to use the community to invigorate an undergraduate race relations class. Concludes that colleges have been too cognitively oriented and that much can be gained by providing…

Describes how humanist sociology informs the teaching and practice of social research in an undergraduate course. Includes a description of student research projects and teaching strategies which support a humanist sociological perspective. (JDH)

Maintains that television network news has the capacity to graphically illuminate on-going events which demand sociological explanation. Shows how segments of network news were incorporated into a humanistic sociology course in order to provide students with clear and concise images of social problems. (JDH)

Provides a series of guidelines for overcoming resistance and problems with cooperative projects in an introductory sociology course. These include coordinating common interests and common free time between team members, requiring allocation of various roles (presider, scribe, coordinator), and ongoing monitoring of the research teams. (MJP)

Articulates an approach to teaching sociology that creates connections between the personal and political lives of the students and the sociological concepts studied. Includes descriptions of class assignments designed to induce alienation and empowerment. Considers pedagogical alternatives to traditional instruction. (MJP)