Syllabus
Soc 3053 Cultural Ecology

Required Texts:

Sanderson, Stephen K. and Arthur Alderson. 2005. World Societies: The Evolution of Human Social Life. Boston: Pearson Education.

Diamond, Jared.  1998.  Guns, Germs, and Steel.  New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Elwell, Frank W.  2006. "Sanderson's Evolutionary Materialism." To be distributed in class.

Articles of Note

Catalog Description:
An examination of how humans have used the various aspects of the social structure to adapt to the physical environment. Current ecological theories will be utilized to examine social evolution from hunting and gathering to industrial societies. Prerequisites: Nine hours of social science credit.

Purpose:
This course centers on macro-level social theory. Using a comparative historical analysis we will examine the relations of sociocultural systems to their environment; the relations of the various parts of a society to one another; and the stability and evolution of society through time. I hope that students will be struck by the beauty of the sociocultural world.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 //www.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/Theorists/Harris/present/CULT1/index.htm">Cultural Materialism Hunting & Gathering pt. 1 Hunting & Gathering pt. 2 An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 ty.rsu.edu/~felwell/presentations/ecopres/neolith/index.htm">Neolithic Revolution

  Unit 2 Evolution:

	Sociocultural Evolution
	Simple Horticultural
An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science.	To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences.	Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.
Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case.	To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences.	Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 --> Pastoral Societies Advanced Horticultural  Agrarian SocietiesInstd book review. An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 td> Evolution of the Family Industrial Revolution

  Unit 3 Industrialism:

	Instd book review.
An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science.	To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences.	Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.
Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case.	To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences.	Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 "arial,arial,helvetica">Sociocultural Materialism Infrastructure Agriculture An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 ww.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/presentations/ecopres/IECON/index.htm">Economy State Family Instd book review. An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 e=Arial>Division of Labor Ecology The Tragedy of the Commons

Study Guides:
On the links below I will provide you with possible essay questions for each of the three Unit Exams.  In making up the exams I will draw your essay questions from these pooInstd book review. An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 ls.  I recommend that you use these questions as the basis for group study. It would be worth your time and energy to fully address these questions in writing well before the examination. 

In answering an essay question for this class, integrate material from Lenski, Diamond, Sanderson, instructor presentations, other readings, class presentations, discussions, and other courses as much as possible. In answering essay questions your goal is to demonstrate that you have read, listened to, dealt with, understood and integrated the material into your own thinking; use quotes sparingly. For further information on essays please see the following: Writing in Response to an Essay Question.  

Unit 1: Possible Essay Questions

Unit 2: Possible Essay Questions

Unit 3: Possible Essay Questions

Grading:
All exams will be graded in accordance with the standards explained on the Instd book review. An understanding of the historical/comparative method as the basis of sociological/anthropological science. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review. Demonstrate the ability for inductive and deductive reasoning, that is reasoning from the specific to a general perspective as well as from a general perspective to a specific case. To equip students with the academic skills necessary to successfully address increasingly complex, multidisciplinary problems in the social sciences. Essay exams, class discussions, and book review.

Make-up Policy:
The student must have a valid excuse for missing an exam. Arrangements must be made to take the make-up at the end of the semester.

Attendance:
Both physical and mental attendance must be regular. Students should be alert, enter into class dialogue when appropriate, and respectful of the opinions of others. Excessive absences (or any serious lapse of classroom etiquette) will be reflected in the student's final grade.

Academic Integrity:
Students are responsible for reading the policy. By signing your name to a paper, test, quiz, or other assignment, you are indicating that the work is yours and yours alone.

Book Review:
The book review will consist of a 10 href="http://www.faculty.rsu.edu/~felwell/Ecology/Grading.htm">Grading Page. These are very real standards, they are precisely the types of questions I ask of written work.