Instructor: Morten G. Ender, Assistant
Professor
Required Texts Moskos, C. C. and Frank R. Wood (Eds.). (1988). The Military: More than Just a Job?. Washington, DC: Pergamon-Brassey's, 1988. MW Segal, D. R. (1989). Recruiting for Uncle Sam: Citizenship and Military Manpower. Lawrence: KS: University Press of Kansas, 1989. DS1 Segal, D.R. (1993). Organizational Designs of the Future U.S. Army. Alexandria, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute of the Behavioral Sciences. DS2 Segal, M.W. and Harris, J.J. (1993). What We Know About Army Families.
Alexandria VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social
Sciences (Contract No. DAAL03-86-D-0001). SH
Caplow, T. and Hicks, L. (1995). Systems of Peace and War. Lanham, MD: University of America Press, Inc. Enloe, C. (1993). The Morning After: Sexual Politics at the End of the Cold War. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Kellner, D. (1992). The Persian Gulf TV War. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Scott, W.J. and Stanley, S.C. (1994). Gays and Lesbians in the Military: Issues, Concerns, and Contrasts. NY: Aldine de Gruyter. Segal, D.R. and Segal, M.W. (1995). Peacekeepers and their Wives. Greenwood Press. Smith, W.J. (1980). Army Brat: A Memoir. NY: Persea. Course Goals Welcome to the study of Military Sociology. This course guide should assist you in the organization of your efforts toward successful completion of this course. Careful study of its contents will enable you to organize this field of study better. In this course, we will examine the military as a social institution. With the help of sociological concepts, theories, and methods, we will analyze both the internal organization and practices of the armed forces and the relationships between the military and other social institutions. To understand the military and its place in society, it is necessary to consider the historical forces that have shaped the present. Thus, we will examine past events and policies as well as current ones. And while our primary focus is on the American military and its relationship to American society, we also investigate the armed forces of other societies. Thus, you should complete this course with a sense of some of the alternative ways that societies organize and relate to their military institutions. As a 300-level course, this course is designed to provide a forum for analysis of a specific set of ideas that contribute to our understanding of the military from a sociological perspective. This course is also cross-listed under the Peace Studies program and focuses on issues of peace, war, and social justice. Since this is primarily a discussion course and in order for classroom time to be meaningful, you must always be prepared to participate in classroom discussions. The specific course goals that we seek to accomplish in this course are to: 1. Describe and synthesize sociological concepts, principles, and theories used in the study of the military; 2. Apply the scientific method to the study of the military from a sociological perspective; 3. Explain the military as a social institution in the United States and in other nations; 4. Analyze and discuss contemporary military issues, situations, and problems using a sociological perspective; 5. Evaluate sociological research findings related to concepts used in the sociology of the military. 6. Demonstrate the ability to communicate all of the above effectively, both orally and in writing. These course goals represent what I expect you to be able to do upon successful completion of this course. Complete understanding of the course goals is critically important because they are the criteria by which you will be evaluated. Our major goal in this course will be to provide the intellectual background so that given an existing situation, trend, or program related to the military, you as an informed citizen can: 1. ANALYZE it, using sociological theories and concepts, in terms of the reciprocal relationship between the military and society. 2. DISCUSS the strengths and weaknesses of sociological theories and concepts with regard to understanding the situation, trend, or program. 3. PREDICT, using sociological theories and concepts, the organizational and societal consequences of a major change in organizational policy. Accommodating Students with Disabilities If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations with me, please contact me as soon as possible. Scholastic (Dis)Honesty Do not cheat, plagiarize or collude in our course. Cheating on an examination, plagiarizing on written manuscripts, and/or collusion on any class related activities or assignments are strong grounds for failure. Please read pages 48-49 in the Undergraduate Catalog '95-96. Evaluation and Grading The evaluation and grading of student work in this course is based on
the assumption that learning is most effective as well as most enjoyable
when students are evaluated against a known objective standard rather than
against one another. In putting this philosophy into action, the largest
part of the process has already been accomplished. This course guide contains
the learning activities for which you are responsible. I provide the resources
and experiences; you assume the responsibility for learning the
material.
Grades will be based upon the following: 1) Mid-Term Examination: This in-class essay examination will evaluate the degree to which you have achieved the course goals (from readings and discussion) for the first part of the term. 2) Book Review: Choose one book from the option list. Reviews will be three to four typed, double spaced pages. An outline is attached. Group presentations are expected and graded. 3) Term Paper & Class Presentation: You will be responsible for defining a research question in military sociology, conducting the library research, and preparing both a proposal and a final written report. Additional information and guidance is provided in Section 3. 4) Course Participation: Your participation in class will be evaluated for demonstration of achievement of course goals, contributing to the course in a positive way, and three to five minute papers. Throughout the course you will be provided with a variety of opportunities, beyond regular class discussions, to participate in, and contribute to, the class. These include peer reviews of term papers proposals and term paper drafts.
Summary of the Grading System:
An A paper is exciting to read, accommodates itself well to the intended question or outline, and the evidence is well detailed and used persuasively. The reasoning is thoughtful and the essay may even exhibit unusual insight and precision. The organization of all writing assignments gives the reader a sense of the necessary flow of the argument or explanation or description. Paragraphs are fully developed and follow naturally from what precedes them; the conclusions reinforce the reader's confidence in the writer's control of the argument. Finally, the prose is clear, apt, and occasionally memorable without being overburdensome. The paper contains few errors, none of which undermines the overall effectiveness of the paper. Grades are lowered from not meeting the above standards. The final grade will be curved. I strongly recommend no make-up examinations or an incomplete. However, special arrangements can be accommodated under specific circumstances upon presentation of a letter from a physician or clergyman attesting to the fact that the student was ill, that there had been a recent death in the student's immediate family, or that the student was under quarantine, or certification that the student was involved in a University of North Dakota activity at the University's request. Military operation deployments on the day of the examinations are excused with orders from the commanding officer. Please read the University Attendance Policy and Procedure in the Undergraduate Catalog '95-96. [image 12 goes here]
Section 2: COURSE SCHEDULE AND CLASS ASSIGNMENTS ****************************************************************************** Take careful note of the following: * You should prepare in this way for every class during the semester. Lesson Module One
Introduction to the Sociology of the Military Module Objectives: Upon completion
of this module you should be able to :
*DESCRIBE how sociologists approach the study of the military. *DESCRIBE the landmark sociological research and theory on the American military. *ANALYZE the ways in which the American armed forces have changed since these works were published. *IDENTIFY contemporary military issues
that sociologists study.
Period 3 Charles C. Moskos and Frank R. Wood, "Introduction." Pp. 3-14 in MW.
Period 5 David R. Segal, "Social Trends and the Citizen-Soldier." Chapter 1 in DS1. Lesson Module Two The Sociology of American Military Forces Module Objectives: Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
*COMPARE and CONTRAST the branches of the American armed forces with regard to issues of sociological relevance. *COMPARE and CONTRAST the officer
corps and the enlisted forces of the American military with regard to issues
of sociological relevance.
Period 8 Frank R. Wood, "At the Cutting Edge of Institutional and Occupational Trends: The U.S. Air Force Officer Corps." Pp. 27-38 in MW. Lesson Module Three
Comparative Perspectives on Armed Forces Module Objectives: Upon completion
of this module you should be able to:
*COMPARE and CONTRAST the social organization of their armed forces with our own. *DISCUSS the positive and negative consequences, for the military and for the society, of alternative methods of raising and maintaining military forces.
Lesson Module Four The Military and Other Social Institutions Module Objectives: Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
Period 14 Mady Wechsler Segal, "The Military and the Family as Greedy Institutions." Pp. 79-97 in MW. Period 15 Mady Wechsler Segal and Jesse J. Harris, "What We Know About Army Families." Period 16 The Military Life-style: Children of the Cold War (TBA) Period 17 Organizational Responses to Death in the Military (TBA) Period 18-19 Book Reviews Due
Lesson Module Five Diversity and the Military: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation
Module Objectives: Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
*COMPARE and CONTRAST the integration experiences of the U.S. forces with those of other nations. *ANALYZE, DISCUSS, and EVALUATE the
policy issues of women in combat and homosexuals in the military.
Period 22 Patricia M. Shields, "Sex Roles in the Military." Pp. 99-113 in MW. Period 23 Term Paper Proposals Final Due Date (also any time before this period) Period 24 Sandra Carson Stanley and Mady Wechsler Segal, Women in the Armed Forces." Pp. 181-187 (ON RESERVE) . Period 26 Tentative: Class debate on homosexuals in the military. Lesson Module Six
Soldiering on the Information Superhighway Module Objectives: Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
READINGS:
Period 29 Larry W. Applewhite and David R. Segal (1990). Telephone use by peacekeeping troops in the Sinai. Armed Forces and Society, 17, 117-126. Period 30 Morten G. Ender (1995). E(V)-mail to Somalia: New communication media between home and war front. (TBA) Armed Forces and National Purpose
Module Objectives: Upon completion of this module you should be able to:
*EVALUATE the organization of modern military
forces and the motivations of military personnel in terms of their appropriateness
for missions they are likely to confront.
Period 34 David R. Segal, "Five Phases of United Nations Peacekeeping." Pp. 273-280 (ON RESERVE). Period 35 In class debate on the utilization of U.S. military personnel for United Nations peacekeeping missions or Operations Other Than War (OOTW). Be prepared with arguments and evidence on all sides of the issue. Period 36 3/4 Term Examination Period 37+ Student Presentations & Term Papers Due SECTION 3: TERM PAPER PROPOSAL AND TERM PAPER (Keep a copy for yourself of all written work you hand in.) The term paper is to be a review of the research literature on some area within military sociology. Your goal is to summarize the literature on the topic (what the crucial issues are, what the research evidence tells us, what is known and what is not, etc.). In your term paper you will SUMMARIZE, SYNTHESIZE, ANALYZE, and EVALUATE the available literature on your chosen topic, Be sure to focus your literature review on research and writing in books by social scientists, scholarly journals, governmental research reports, and papers delivered at professional meetings. Use primary sources that you have read; avoid secondary references. The emphasis should be on empirical research (and theoretical explanations). You may use some official military publications without empirical research results where appropriate, but do not use them as substitutes for research reports. Minimize use of newspapers and popular magazines; use them where necessary for up to date factual information not available in other sources. If you need help in selecting a paper topic and/or in deciding how to approach a topic, please feel free to talk to me about your interests. I am happy to discuss your interests, give you relevant references, etc. Do not, however use me as a substitute for your own literature search. You should try to develop a basic bibliography BEFORE you seek my help. Some broad topics are:
2. Institutional and occupational changes in the military 3. The sociology of the accession or promotion system 4. The sociology of veterans 5. Military cohesion 6. Military families 7. Race, gender, or sexual orientation in the military 8. Social stratification and the military 9. Socialization within the military 10. Application of a contemporary or classical sociological theory to the military 11. The relationship between the military institution and another social institution (legal, religious, political, economic, the media, etc.) 12. The sociology of peacekeeping operations (or operation other than war) 13. The sociology of war 14. Popular music and war 15. Popular films and war 16. The sociology of the military of any nation other than the United States 17. The concept of war 18. Cyber-warfare 19. The sociology of simulated war 20. Military elites 21. Military Sociology related journals You will have to narrow the topic to something manageable. For example, if the major area that interests you is "military families", what it is you want to investigate about military families (e.g., children in military families, spouses, single parents in the military, effects of separation on military families, etc.)? Note that your project must go beyond the required course material. The basic curriculum should be where you start on your project, not where you finish it. If you write on a topic covered by the required readings and do not go beyond these readings, you will fail on the paper. If you do not even use the required readings as a starting point, you will fail on the paper, and are likely to fail the course. One of the major goals of this assignment is for you to develop the skills to do such a social scientific literature search. The search is expected to take time and effort and require you to learn techniques you do not already possess. (So don't get frustrated if it takes time and isn't immediately successful!) You may also include analysis of empirical data in your paper, of relevant data are available to you and you can complete the analysis in time. (This is not a requirement for the paper.) There is no minimum or maximum length for the paper. However, 20 pages (typed, double-spaced) is reasonable and I expect that most papers will be in the range of 15 to 25 pages. This assignment is difficult to complete in less than 10 pages and more than 30 is too long (without some special reason). The term paper and proposal must be written in a scholarly way. They are not informal pieces of writing. You must integrate the approaches and information you get from a variety of sources. A term paper should contain your own ideas and synthesis of others' ideas; it must not be merely a string of quotes. Please pay very careful attention to
the requirements for academic honesty. Any direct quotes from a
source must be enclosed in quotes. A paraphrase from a published source
must also identify the source. Changing only a few words is not
acceptable as a paraphrase; either use your own words, paraphrase substantially,
or use a direct quote properly indicated. You must write this
paper; using someone else's work without credit is plagiarism. If you have
any questions about what is permitted, ask!
Term Paper Proposal You must do library research prior to writing the proposal. Determine what studies have been done in this area and what the findings were. You must formulate a research question that you will attempt to answer through the review of the relevant literature. I will not accept a term paper for which I have not approved a proposal, and the evaluation of the proposal will be included in your term paper grade. Read the entire term paper assignment before attempting the proposal. The proposal should be typed (double spaced with at least 1" margins). The format for the proposal (with point values shown for each component) is:
c. Project Design and Execution: In this section you will describe how you plan to find the literature relevant to your topic. This will include what you have already done and what you plan to do. Be specific-describe which indexes and what topic headings you have used (or plan to use). (10 points) d. Annotated Bibliography: Provide an initial annotated bibliography consisting of at least 10 sources that will provide you with information relevant to your paper. An annotated bibliography includes, for each source, a full bibliographical reference and a short summary of the content (1-5 sentences). The format for the citations in the bibliography should be that used in American Sociological Association journals, such as The American Sociological Review or The Journal of Political and Military Sociology. (25 points) The term paper should contain the
following elements:
1. Abstract (15 points). This is a brief (one page maximum) statement about:
How did you proceed? What were the main findings? Include the major results and conclusions. 2. Statement of the problem (20 points).
What questions remain unanswered? What future research needs to be done to answer these questions? Be specific (you must say more than that further research is needed). 6. Citations in the Text and Bibliography (15 points). Your report should contain citations in the text (where appropriate) and a bibliography at the end with full references. The citations and references should show evidence that you have reviewed relevant professional literature dealing with the subject. The format for the citations in the text and the bibliography should be that used in American Sociological Association journals, such as The American Sociological Review or Social Psychology Quarterly). Please pay very careful attention to the requirements for academic honesty; if you have any questions about what is permitted, ask! Your paper should communicate well - with clarity, organization, correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, neatness, etc. (Inadequate proofreading can result in loss of all these points needlessly! You are allowed to have someone else proofread you paper and you can correct it before you hand it in.) The paper must be typed, double-spaced, with large enough margins for comments (at least 1"), and be readable (no light dot matrix copies, please). Number the pages. I will not grade papers that have not been proofread, and I will fail papers that do not communicate effectively.
Military Sociology - SOC309
BOOK REVIEW DUE DATE: On or Before Monday, February 26, 1996 POINTS: 250 (25%) LENGTH: 3-5 typed, double spaced pages LATE PAPERS: Minus 5 points following each
class after the due date (including due date).
For this paper, read and review your book of choice and write a review based on the outline provided below. OUTLINE I. Title Page and Identification: Include an imaginative title that captures your reader. Include your identification information including Name, NAID #, Course Title, and Date. II. Introduction:
b. Describe your major point?
b. Describe major thrust/point/theory of the book?
2. What is a theoretical weakness of the book? (what is weakness of the focus)?
2. What is the methodological weakness? V. Conclusion:
b. How does the book fit into military sociology |
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