PPA 1123560: Introduction to Sociology

ISTANBUL MEDIPOL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
FALL 2021

Assoc. Prof. Sema Akboğa Demir

sakboga@medipol.edu.tr
North Campus C330

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course aims to introduce main concepts, theories, research methods, and
discussions in sociology. It focuses on social institutions such as economy, politics, and
culture as well as on interactions between them. Besides, this course examines social,
economic, and political processes producing ethnic, gender, and economic problems.
Some of the topics will be supported by presenting and discussing the data of related
sociological research.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Your course grade will be computed as follows:

Midterm: 40%
Students are responsible from the topics covered in class as well as readings.

Final: 60%
Students are responsible from the topics covered in class as well as readings.

REQUIRED READING
Giddens, Anthony and Sutton, Philip W. 2015. Sociology. Cambridge: Polity.

Below are links to information about two different editions of the book. Both links point
to different versions of the same book. There are very small differences (1-2 pages)
between them in terms of the pages of the chapters. You can read any version you want.
However, the pages in the syllabus are listed according to the 7th edition.

7TH EDITION: https://www.amazon.com/Sociology-Philip-Sutton-Anthony-

Giddens/dp/074565293X/ref=sr_1_9?
dchild=1&keywords=giddens+sociology+7th+edition&qid=1601693514&sr=8-9

8TH EDITION: https://www.amazon.com/Sociology-Philip-Sutton-Anthony-

Giddens/dp/0745696686/ref=sr_1_1?
dchild=1&keywords=giddens+sociology+8th+edition&qid=1601693453&sr=8-1
COURSE SCHEDULE

Week 1: October 4
Introduction

Week 2: October 11
Understanding Sociology: What is Sociology? (1-29)

Week 3: October 18
Social Structure and Social Interaction, Socialization

Week 4: October 25
Social Structure and Social Interaction, Socialization
Movie: Dalga

Week 5: November 1
Sociological Theories (67-107)

Week 6: November 8
Research Methods in Sociology (30-66)

Week 7: November 15
State and Society (967-988) (994-1012)

Week 8: November 22
MIDTERM

Week 9: November 29
Economy and Society (247-259) (267-275)
Movie: Modern Times

Week 10: December 6

Gender and Society (621-627) (639-643) (651-659)

Week 11: December 13

Ethnicity and Society (671-700)
Movie: Iki Dil Bir Bavul

Week 12: December 20

Family and Society (379-391) (414-432)

Week 13: December 27

Religion and Society (716-736) (754-763)

Week 14: January 3

Media and Society (764-805)

Week 15: January 10

General overview of the course