SOCI 410B-001 - University of British Columbia
SOCI 410B-001 - University of British Columbia
SOCI 410B-001 - University of British Columbia
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THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Sociology<br />
<strong>SOCI</strong>OLOGY <strong>410B</strong><br />
Special Studies in Canadian Society: Comparing Canada and the United States<br />
Year: 2011-2012, Term 2, January to April 2012<br />
Lecture Times: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.<br />
Lecture Room: ANSO 207<br />
Instructor Contact Information<br />
Instructor: Edward Grabb<br />
Office: ANSO Building, Room 1320<br />
Office Hours: Wednesdays 1p.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment<br />
E-mail: grabb@interchange.ubc.ca<br />
Telephone: 604-822-2837<br />
Course Description<br />
This course explores theory and research on the origins and development <strong>of</strong> Canada and the<br />
United States as distinct societies. It begins by reviewing key theoretical perspectives, and then<br />
assesses important historical events that have shaped the two nations and peoples. The rest <strong>of</strong> the<br />
course compares Canada and the United States in the present day, with a central focus on<br />
dominant values and institutions, prevailing attitudes and behaviours, and major social structures.<br />
The two countries will be compared on such topics as religion and morality, criminal behaviour,<br />
ethnic tolerance and inclusion, political action, voluntary behaviour, and economic activity.<br />
Another key concern will be with internal distinctions in the two countries, especially between<br />
the French and English in Canada and between the northern and southern populations <strong>of</strong> the<br />
United States. The importance <strong>of</strong> these internal distinctions for understanding the similarities and<br />
differences between the two nations is a major theme in the course.<br />
Readings<br />
The main text is Edward Grabb and James Curtis, Regions Apart: The Four Societies <strong>of</strong><br />
Canada and the United States (Oxford <strong>University</strong> Press, 2010). It is available in the UBC book<br />
store. Access to some additional reading materials will be made available online and through<br />
class handouts. These additional readings will add, on average, about 25 pages per week to the<br />
total reading load for the class. Other information not provided in readings will be included in<br />
lectures. For this reason and others, regular classroom attendance is essential for doing well in<br />
the course.<br />
Term Tests and Final Examination<br />
There are three term tests and one final examination. Each term test is worth 20% <strong>of</strong> the course<br />
grade. Each test will be one hour in length and will be given in class time in ANSO 207. The<br />
tests are set for the following three Fridays: January 20, February 10, and March 9. The final<br />
examination, which will be two hours in length, accounts for the remaining 40% <strong>of</strong> the course<br />
grade. It will take place during the final examination period in April. The term tests and final<br />
examination will include true-false, short answer, multiple choice, and essay questions.
Edward Grabb <strong>SOCI</strong>OLOGY <strong>410B</strong> Winter, 2012<br />
Tentative Schedule<br />
Week/Date: Topic Text Readings<br />
1. January 4,6 Introduction Chapter 1<br />
2. January 9,11,13 Previous Historical and Theoretical Perspectives Chapter 2<br />
3. January 16,18 An Alternative Perspective Chapter 3<br />
***January 20 Term Test #1***<br />
4. January 23,25,27 Historical Myths and Historical Evidence Chapter 4<br />
5. January 30,February 1,3 Historical Evidence (continued) Chapter 5, begin Chapter 6<br />
6. February 6,8 Historical Evidence (completed) finish Chapter 6<br />
***February 10 Term Test #2***<br />
7. February 13,15,17 Contemporary Comparisons: Religion and Morality Chapter 7<br />
February 20 to 24 ------------------- Study Week --------------------------------<br />
8. February 27,29,March 2 Crime and the Law Chapter 8<br />
9. March 5,7 Social Inclusion and Tolerance toward Minorities Chapter 9<br />
***March 9 Term Test #3***<br />
10. March 12,14,16 Political Attitudes and Political Action Chapter 10<br />
11. March 19,21,23 Voluntary Association Involvement Chapter 11<br />
12. March 26,28,30 Looking to the Future Chapter 12<br />
13. April 2,4 Summary, Overview<br />
Note: Please be advised that the schedule is subject to minor modifications, depending on how<br />
the course progresses throughout the term. A list <strong>of</strong> additional online readings will also be<br />
provided at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the course.
Week 1 (January 4, 6): Introduction Chapter 1 —<br />
Week 2 (January 9, 11, 13): Introduction, Begin Historical Perspectives<br />
(1) Ferguson 1997 (2*), “America is Sexy” 1-9<br />
(2) Grabb and Curtis, Chapters 1 and 2<br />
Week 3 (January 16, 18, 20): Historical Perspectives (continued), Begin Historical Evidence<br />
(3) Grabb and Curtis, Chapters 3 and 4 —<br />
Week 4 (January 23, 25, 27): Historical Evidence (continued)<br />
(4) Grabb and Curtis, Chapters 5 and 6 —<br />
Week 5 (January 30, February 1, 3): Religion, Moral Issues, Family and Sexual Values<br />
(5) Lipset 1996 (2*), “Secular and Religious Sectarianism” 11-16<br />
(6) Adams 2003a (1*), on Religion and Moralism 17-19<br />
(7) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 7, pp. 136-153 only<br />
Week 6 (February 6, 8, 10): Crime and the Law<br />
(8) Ouimet 1999 (2*), “Crime in Canada and the United States” 25-35<br />
(9) Simpson 2000b (2*), “Crime” 37-46<br />
(10) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 7, pp. 153-165<br />
Week 7 (February 13, 15, 17): **MID-TERM TEST**<br />
------------ STUDY WEEK February 20 to February 24 -----------------<br />
Week 8 (February 27, 29, March 1): Individualism, Collectivism, and the State<br />
(11) Bothwell 1992 (1*), “More than Kin, and Less than Kind” 63-67<br />
(12) Olsen 2002 (2*), “Culture, Values, and Ideology” 55-61<br />
(13) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 8<br />
Week 9 (March 5, 7, 9): Social Inclusion, Ethnic and Racial Tolerance<br />
(14) Simpson 2000a (2*), “Race, Ethnicity” 47-54<br />
(15) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 9<br />
E.G. Grabb Sociology 484G Winter, 2008<br />
Detailed Schedule <strong>of</strong> Readings (continued)<br />
Course Package Pages:<br />
Week 10 (March 12, 14, 16): Political Attitudes and Political Action
(16) Adams 2003b (1*), on Politics and Government 21-24<br />
(17) Martinez 2000 (2*), “Turning Out or Tuning Out?” 69-77<br />
(18) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 10<br />
Week 11 (March 19, 21, 23): Voluntary Involvement and Activity<br />
(19) Hwang et al. 2005 (2*), “Why Get Involved?” 79-100<br />
(20) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 11<br />
Week 12 (March 26, 28, 30): Looking to the Future<br />
(21) Boucher 2004 (1*), “Canada-US Values” 101-106<br />
(22) Laxer 2003 (2*), “Good Fences” 107-114<br />
(23) Rifkin 2005 (2*), “Continentalism <strong>of</strong> a Different Stripe” 115-119<br />
(24) Grabb and Curtis, Chapter 12<br />
Week 13 (April 2, 4): Overview and Summary<br />
E.G. Grabb Sociology 484G Winter,<br />
2008<br />
Books on Reserve for Book Review Essay<br />
1. S.M. Lipset, American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword. E169.1.L647 1996<br />
2. Keith Banting et al., Degrees <strong>of</strong> Freedom: Canada and the United States in a Changing<br />
World. HN103.5.D43 1997<br />
3. Jeffrey Reitz and Raymond Breton, The Illusion <strong>of</strong> Difference: Realities <strong>of</strong> Ethnicity in<br />
Canada and the United States. F1035.A1R45 1994<br />
4. Richard Gwyn, Nationalism Without Walls: The Unbearable Lightness <strong>of</strong> Being Canadian.<br />
F1034.2.G98 1995<br />
5. Will Ferguson, Why I Hate Canadians. F1026.F47 1997<br />
6. Jeffrey Simpson. 2000. Star-Spangled Canadians: Canadians Living the American Dream.<br />
Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. E184.C256 2000<br />
7. Michael Adams. 2003. Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada, and the Myth <strong>of</strong> Converging<br />
Values. Toronto: Penguin Canada. FC249.A33 2003<br />
8. James Laxer. 2003. The Border: Canada, the U.S., and Dispatches from the 49 th Parallel.<br />
Toronto: Doubleday Canada. FC76.L39 2003
9. Gregg Olsen. 2002. The Politics <strong>of</strong> the Welfare State: Canada, Sweden, and the United States.<br />
Don Mills: Oxford <strong>University</strong> Press. HB846.O48 2002<br />
10. Maude Barlow. 2005. Too Close for Comfort. Canada’s Future Within Fortress North<br />
America. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. FC249.B368 2005<br />
11. John N. McDougall. 2006. Drifting Together. The Political Economy <strong>of</strong> Canada-US<br />
Relations. Peterborough: Broadview Press. FC249.M38 2006<br />
E. G. Grabb List <strong>of</strong> Readings for Sociology 484G Winter, 2008<br />
1. Will Ferguson. 1997. Chapter 11 (pp. 96-113 out <strong>of</strong> 220 pages) in Why I Hate Canadians. Vancouver:<br />
Douglas and McIntyre. Chapter title: “America is sexy.” ISBN: 1-55054-600-7<br />
2. S.M. Lipset. 1996. Excerpt from Chapter 2 (pp. 60-71 out <strong>of</strong> 352 pages) in American Exceptionalism.<br />
New York and London: W.W. Norton. Chapter title: “Ideology, politics, and deviance.”<br />
ISBN: 0-393-03725-8<br />
3. Michael Adams. 2003a. Excerpt from Chapter 1 (pp. 40-45 out <strong>of</strong> 223 pages), in Fire and Ice.<br />
Toronto: Penguin Canada. ISBN: 0-14-301422-6<br />
4. Michael Adams. 2003b. Excerpt from Chapter 4 (pp. 110-116 out <strong>of</strong> 223 pages), in Fire and Ice.<br />
Toronto: Penguin Canada. ISBN: 0-14-301422-6<br />
5. Marc Ouimet. 1999. “Crime in Canada and the United States: a comparative analysis.” Canadian<br />
Review <strong>of</strong> Sociology and Anthropology 36, 3 (August): pp. 389-408. Journal <strong>of</strong> the Canadian Sociology<br />
and Anthropology Association.<br />
6. Jeffrey Simpson. 2000a. Chapter 5 (pp. 95-113 out <strong>of</strong> 391 pages), in Star-Spangled Canadians:<br />
Canadians Living the American Dream. Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. Chapter 5 title: “Crime.”<br />
ISBN: 0-00-255767-3<br />
7. Jeffrey Simpson. 2000b Chapter 4 (pp. 80-94 out <strong>of</strong> 391 pages), in Star-Spangled Canadians:<br />
Canadians Living the American Dream. Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. Chapter 4 title: “Race,<br />
Ethnicity.” ISBN: 0-00-255767-3<br />
8. Gregg Olsen. 2002. Chapter 5 (pp. 104-116) out <strong>of</strong> 258 pages), in The Politics <strong>of</strong> the Welfare State.<br />
Don Mills: Oxford <strong>University</strong> Press. ISBN: 0-19-541600-7<br />
9. Robert Bothwell. 1992. Chapter 24 (pp. 285-293 out <strong>of</strong> 328 pages), in Stephen J. Randall, H. Konrad,<br />
and S. Silverman (eds.), North America Without Borders? (Total pages in edited volume: 328). Calgary:<br />
<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Calgary Press. Chapter 24 title: “More than kin, and less than kind: the political cultures <strong>of</strong><br />
Canada and the United States.” ISBN: 1-895176-18-2<br />
10. Michael Martinez. 2000. Chapter 9 (pp. 211-227 out <strong>of</strong> 400 pages), in David M. Thomas (ed.),
Canada and the United States: Differences that Count (second edition). Peterborough: Broadview Press.<br />
ISBN: 1-55111-252-3<br />
11. Monica Hwang, Edward Grabb, and James Curtis. 2005. “Why get involved? Comparing the reasons<br />
for voluntary-association activity among Americans and Canadians.”<br />
12. Christian Boucher. 2004. “Canada-US values: distinct, inevitably carbon copy, or narcissism <strong>of</strong> small<br />
differences?” Horizons 7, 1 (June): 42-47.<br />
13. James Laxer. 2003. Chapter 13 (pp. 314-328 out <strong>of</strong> 387 pages), in The Border. Toronto: Doubleday<br />
Canada. ISBN: 0-385-65981-4<br />
14. Jeremy Rifkin. 2005. “Continentalism <strong>of</strong> a different stripe.” The Walrus (March): 37-41. Published by<br />
The Walrus Magazine Inc. 19 Duncan St., Suite 101 Toronto, Ontario M5H 3H1