SOCIOLOGY 4396; SECTION 002

SOCIOLOGY OF THE AGING SOCIETY AND PUBLIC POLICY

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM

LOCATION; SOM 2.102

The Course Instructor:

PHILIP K. ARMOUR, PH.D.,

Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Policy
The School of Economics, Political, and Policy Sciences
Mail Station GR 3.1
The University of Texas at Dallas
Box 830688
Richardson, TX 75083-0688

OFFICE: GR 3.822; TELEPHONE: 972-883-2734

EMAIL: pkarmour@utdallas.edu

OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursday, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm in GR 3.822;

appointments also can also be made by emailing Dr. Armour or by calling at 972-883-2734

THE COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

This course examines the demographic, medical, social, psychological, economic, and political
forces that shape the aging individuals, social groups, of societies, specifically, those of the
United States. Of course, these intertwined forces are operating on a world-wide basis, and
affect all nation states, so the results of our consideration of America will have universal
implications. While students may believe that “growing old” is an individual, biologically-based
process that has implications only for the family of the aging person, in fact, the opportunity for
the majority of persons to attain life spans that stretch into the ages of sixty, seventy, and the
years beyond is a fairly recent phenomenon and has wide-spread implications. The “aging” of
humanity, coupled with the growth of every more intensive, natural resource-depleting economic
activity, are the chief forces in the destruction of the environment of the planet Earth,
humankind's only homeland in the universe. Therefore, a study of the aging society is of
tremendous importance, and this course is a small beginning in that undertaking for the student.

COURSE EXAMINATION REQUIRMENTS:

Students will be assessed for their mastery of the readings, the lectures, and the class discussions
by one take-home, essay-type, mid-term examination and a take-home, essay-type final.
Questions for these two examinations will be distributed to students well in advance of their due
date so as to allow for discussion of the questions’ objectives and students’ performance
requirements. Examinations will consist of defining concepts and terms as well as answering
questions that require students to demonstrate that they have in fact been diligent in their not just
their reading, class attendance and note taking, but also thorough-going in their critical thinking.
COURSE ATTENDENCE and FINAL GRADE CALULATION:

Class attendance will be taken for each class. In calculating the final grade, the mid-term
examination will be worth 35% of the final grade, the final examination will be worth 55% of the
final grade, and 10% of the final grade will be based on class attendance as recorded on each day
of class.

NOTE TAKING AND THE USE OF LAP-TOP COMPUTERS:

Students are encouraged to take notes of each class session, as well as take notes based on the
readings. Whether using the "olde fashioned pen and paper" or lap-top computers to take notes,
this process is probably the most important way students can incorporate the course material and
make it their own. Students may use lap top, or olde fashioned tap recorders, to record the
lectures and discussions, but students MAY NOT use lap-tops computers to play games, read
email, talk on cell phones, or access internet websites during class periods. The professor will,
from time to time, stroll about the class room to insure that students are complying with these
rules.

COURSE TEXTBOOKS:

"SOCIAL FORCES OF AGING: An Introduction to Social Gerontology" by Robert C. Atchley

and Amanda S. Barusch. Tenth Edition.
( Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004).

"ECOMONICS OF AGING" by James H. Schluz. Seventh Edition

(Auburn House, 2001).

DATES OF CLASS TOPICS and READINGS ASSIGNMENTS:

January 8 and 15: The Scope of Social Gerontology

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 1

January 15 and 17: The Demography of Aging

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 2

January 22 and 24: The Physical and Psychological Dimensions of Aging

 Atchley and Barusch, Chapters 5 and 6

January 29 and 31: The Social Aspects of Aging

Atchley and Barusch, Chapters 7 and 8

February 5 and 7: Life Style, Social Services, and Housing

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 4 (pp. 353-364), Chapter 10, and Chapter 15

February 12: and 14: Social Relations and Death, Dying, Bereavement, and Widhood

Atchely and Barusch, Chapters 11 and 12

February 19: MID-TERM EXAMINATION DUE in CLASS or in GR 3.822 at 9:30 AM

February 19 and 21: Economic Status of the Aged

Schulz, Chapter 1

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 13 (pp. 339-53); Chapter 17 (pp. 450-461);

Chapter 18

February 26 and 28: Retirement: To Retire to Not to Retire, That Is the Question.

Schulz, Chapter 2

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 17 (pp. 453-461)

March 4 and 6: Retirement Planning

Schulz, Chapter 3

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 9

March 11 and 13: SPRING BREAK

March 18 and 20: Social Security: OASDHI, the Drug Benefit, and SSI

Schulz, Chapters 4, 5, and 7

March 25 and 27: Health Services, Disability Care, and Financial Issues

Schulz, Chapter 6

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 14

April 1 and 3: Social, Economic, and Political Inequality

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 18

Schulz, Chapter 17 (pp. 459-472)

April 15 and 17: The Politics of Aging and Public Policies by and for the Aged

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 19

April 22 and 24: Intergenerational Social, Economic, and Political Conflicts

Schulz, Chapter 8

Atchley and Barusch, Chapter 20

May 5th: TAKE-HOME FINAL EXAMAINTIONS DUE in GR 3.822 AT 12 NOON

Addenda: UTD Guidelines on Academic Dishonesty, for Disabled Students, for

Religious Holidays and other matters