Sociology Department

2600 Rue College

Sherbrooke, Quebec
J1M 1Z7

Political Sociology in the Digital Era

SOC 315 – Winter 2016

Date, time, & location:

Thursdays @ 7-10pm (NIC 314)

Professor: Jennifer Fraser, PhD

Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-5pm
Office: Cormier 203 (in the Dobson-Lagassé Entrepreneurship Centre on Harrold Drive)
Email: jfraser@ubishops.ca

Calendar Description:
This course examines the state and policy making in Canadian and global contexts, from a
sociological perspective. Marxist, feminist and traditional theories are examined.

Method of Instruction:
Readings, lectures, class discussions, videos, and podcasts.

Course Texts:
Bibliographic citations for required readings and links to websites, videos, and podcasts will be
posted on Moodle (https://moodle.ubishops.ca/).

Course Objectives:
 To promote understanding of evolving socio-political processes that influenced the
emergence and entrenchment, as well as continuing evolution, of “the state”;
 To assess the impact of the “information age” on contemporary socio-political contexts
and within substantive public policy areas; and,
 To consider the relationship between the state and various “communities” throughout
history and in different geographic and cultural contexts.

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 COURSE EVALUATION

Class participation 10%

Students will be expected to contribute thoughtfully and substantively to class discussions and
participate fully in other in-class activities.

In-class presentation (beginning Thursday, January 14, 2016) 15%

Students will be responsible for leading a 30 minute discussion on one week’s required readings.
See separate guidelines.

Critical research paper (due Tuesday, March 15, 2016) 35%

Students will be responsible for writing a 15 page critical and contextualized analysis, based on
theoretical and empirical evidence, of the influence technology has on the relationship between
the state and society. See separate guidelines.

Final exam (TBD, during examination period) 40%

The final exam will be comprised of multiple-choice and short answer questions. It will be
cumulative in that all material presented and covered in lectures, as well as material from the
required readings throughout the semester, will be open for inclusion. The final exam will be
held during the fall undergraduate examination period (Sunday, November 29 to Saturday,
December 12, 2015). Students are responsible for confirming the date and time of the exam once
the schedule is posted and before committing to any personal engagements (e.g., travel).

*Unforeseen circumstances may arise that require changes to be made to course requirements,
evaluation weights, required readings, assignment due dates, exam dates, and/or other aspects of
the course. Students will be notified in class and via Moodle of any changes as soon as possible
if this occurs.

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 COURSE POLICIES

Students must abide by Bishop’s Code of Student Conduct, the Charter of Student Rights and
Responsibilities, and the Guide to Academic Honesty. For more detailed information on these
issues, please refer to the University Regulations and the Academic Calendar.

Students may use electronic devices to take lecture notes or for other class-related purposes. The
personal use of electronic devices during class is distracting, disruptive, and therefore prohibited.

If any student is intentionally disruptive, aggressive, and/or disrespectful, they will be asked to
leave the classroom. Please respect other students’ views and allow fellow students to engage in
a respectful and stimulating discussion. The use of discriminatory language will not be tolerated.

Assignments are due in-class on the date specified. Late assignments will be deducted 5% each
working day late, to a maximum of 10 working days late or a 50% grade deduction. Always keep
an electronic copy of your assignments.

Grades will be posted on Moodle. Graded assignments will be released in-class or during office
hours. Exams will not be returned, but students may consult their graded exams during office
hours.

Re-grading requests must be made within 10 days of receiving the graded assignment.

There will be no penalty for work missed due to a justifiable reason (e.g., medical emergency,
religious observance, compassionate reasons). Accommodations will be made on a case-by-case
basis; thus, it is imperative to communicate with me as soon as possible to discuss your options.

Students registered with Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services should notify me as
soon as possible as to what accommodations they will require throughout the semester.

Questions and/or concerns are best and more quickly resolved in-person, either before/after class
or during office hours. If you must email me, be sure to indicate to what course you are
referring. Responses will generally be sent within a 24-hour period, though do not expect a
response for questions easily answered by the syllabus or Google.

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 HELPFUL RESOURCES ON CAMPUS

 John Bassett Memorial Library

 The Writing Centre (@ the Library)
 Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services
 Career and Leadership Development
 Dean of Student Affairs
 Campus Security Department
 Health Services
 Counselling Services
 Policy on harassment & procedures for sexual harassment & sexual assault
 University Ombuds Office
 Student Representatives Council

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 COURSE SCHEDULE

Students are expected to attend all classes and consult/engage with the required course material
before the lecture. Lectures will complement and build upon, rather than reiterate, the readings.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get lecture notes from a classmate.

WEEK 1 (January 7, 2016) – Introduction to Political Sociology

Readings:
Betelho, A. (2014). Political sociology: State-society relations. Current Sociology, 62(6), 868-
885.

WEEK 2 (January 14, 2016) – Emergence and Entrenchment of the Nation-State

Readings:
El-Anis, I. (2011). (Dis)integration and the emergence of the state system in the Middle East.
Journal of Global Analysis, 2(2), 9-28.

Sözen, A. (2002). Emergence of nation states and problematic political concepts in four ‘waves’:
From the French revolution to the end of the cold war. METU Studies in Development, 29(1-2),
159-173.

WEEK 3 (January 21, 2016) – Technology from Industrialization to the Information Age

Readings:
Hess, D.J. (2011). Bourdieu and science and technology studies: Toward a reflexive sociology.
Minerva: A Review of Science, Learning and Policy, 49(3), 333-348.

Kline, R.R. (2006). Cybernetics, management science, and technology policy: The emergence of
“information technology” as a keyword, 1948-1985. Technology and Culture, 47(3), 513-535.

WEEK 4 (January 28, 2016) – From Traditional to Social Media

Readings:
Meraz, S. (2011). The fight for ‘how to think’: Traditional media, social networks, and issue
interpretation. Journalism, 12(1), 107-127.

Peng, T. & Zhu, J.J.H. (2011). A game of win-win or win-lose? Revisiting the internet’s
influence on sociability and use of traditional media. New Media & Society, 13(4), 568-586.

WEEK 5 (February 4, 2016) – CLASS CANCELLED

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WEEK 6 (February 11, 2016) – Social Control & the Regulatory State

Readings:
Gandy, O.H. (1989). The surveillance society: Information technology and bureaucratic social
control. Journal of Communication, 39(3), 61-76.

McDonnell, O. & Allison, J. (2006). From biopolitics to bioethics: Church, state, medicine and
assisted reproductive technology in Ireland. Sociology of Health & Illness, 28(6), 817-837.

WEEK 7 (February 18, 2016) – Law and Public Policy-Making

Readings:
Chandler, J. (2007). The autonomy of technology: Do courts control technology or do they just
legitimize its social acceptance? Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 27(5), 339-348.

Hoppe, T. (2013). Controlling sex in the name of “public health”: Social control and Michigan
HIV law. Social Problems, 60(1), 27-49.

WEEK 8 (February 25, 2016) – Work and Labour Politics

Readings:
Gregg, M. (2007). Freedom to work: The impact of wireless on labour politics. Media
International Australia, 125, 57-70.

Yeates, N. (2005). A global political economy of care. Social Policy & Society, 4(2), 227-234.

***Reading Week – February 29 – March 4, 2016***

WEEK 9 (March 10, 2016) – Social Movements

Readings:
Borrero, J.D., Yousafzai, S.Y., Uzma, J., & Page, K.L. (2014). Expressive participation in
internet social movements: Testing the moderating effect of technology readiness and sex on
student SNS use. Computers in Human Behavior, 30, 39-49.

Walder, A.G. (2009). Political sociology and social movements. Annual Review of Sociology, 35,
393-412.

WEEK 10 (March 17, 2016) – “Communities” vs. the State

Readings:
Chomsky, N. (2011). The responsibility of intellectuals, redux: Using privilege to challenge the
state. Boston Review, 36(5), 40-48.

Mallapragada, M. (2014). Rethinking Desi: Race, class, and online activism of South Asian
immigrants in the United States. Television & New Media, 15(7), 664-678.

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WEEK 11 (March 24, 2016) – Globalization of “Western” Values & Practices

Readings:
Drori, G.S. (2010). Globalization and technology divides: Bifurcation of policy between the
‘digital divide’ and the ‘innovation divide’. Sociological Inquiry, 80(1), 63-91.

Pieterse, J.N. (2002). Globalization, kitsch and conflict: Technologies of work, war and politics.
Review of International Political Economy, 9(1), 1-36.

WEEK 12 (March 31, 2016) – Post-Capitalism & Post-Democracy?

Readings:
Carroll, W.K. & Sapinski, J.P. (2013). Embedding post-capitalist alternatives? The global
network of alternative knowledge production and mobilization. Journal of World-Systems
Research, 19(2), 211-240.

Zakaria, F. (1999). The challenges of American hegemony: Then and now. International
Journal, 54(1), 9-27.