REQUIRED TEXTS (to be found at the University Book Store)

Discovery of Society, (6^th edition) by Randall Collins and Michael Makowsky. Boston,

M.A.: McGraw Hill.

Push, by Sapphire

A Child’s Life, by Phoebe Gloeckner

Trauma and Recovery, by Judith Herman

Women, Sex, and Addiction, by Charlotte Kasl

Too Scared to Cry: How Trauma Affects Children and Ultimately Us All, by Lenore Terr

Stigma, by Erving Goffman

ARTICLES (some to be found on-line, others in your course packet).

Loftus Articles and Responses {Click here}

1917 world war one article {Click here}

Rambo-Ronai Articles {Click here}

Trauma Pages {Click here}

Levine Articles {Click here}

Bessel A Van Der Kolk Articles {Click here}

Bruce Perry {Packet}

Selection from Rom Dass {Packet}

A Sociological Conceptualization of Trauma {Packet}

The Berserk Style in American Culture {Packet}

The National Dilemma: Can we Heal Ourselves {Packet}

Cultural Trauma: The Other Face of Social Change {Packet}

Trauma as a sensitizing concept will be explored through a minimum of three dimensions: an individual’s identity, an individual’s neurobiology, and at the collective, socio-cultural level. All three dimensions are dialectically interrelated as each one constitutes and is constituted by the others. The first objective of this course will be to foreground for participants each dimension of trauma through lecture, readings, movies, class exercises, writing, and most importantly, discussion. Because the socio-cultural dimension of many variations on trauma are under investigated, part of the task of this course will be to vision filling in some of those gaps. Fulfilling the second objective of this course is integrative. Participants will consider the interrelations between the three dimensions and view the relationship between the individual and society through the trauma lense. Here, participants will be asked to consider the question: "How much explanatory power does the concept of trauma contribute towards understanding the workings of self, society, social change and social problems." Ultimately, participants will be invited to reconsider the mission of Sociology as a vehicle for cultivating understanding and compassion and for reducing the impact of trauma on individuals and its costs to society.

1. Attend class prepared to discuss the assigned readings.
2. Participate in class exercises.
3. Write an 8-15 page paper exploring one specific area of trauma. Think of this as the "Trauma Paper." Pick something you are interested in. Suggested topics are provided with this Syllabus, but you are not limited to these. Run your topic by me before proceeding. It is amazing the vast scope of topics that trauma encompasses. The papers, at minimum, should explore the following dimensions:

a. A description of the trauma. Include some discussion of consequences to individuals, families, communities, and society, where appropriate. Also include well-known examples of the trauma if they exist.

b. An overview of the general research on the topic in question (multi-disciplinary). If the literature is overwhelming (with some topics it will be) see me about narrowing the scope.

1. A review of the existing research from the sociological perspective (if this body of literature is small, see me about broadening the scope).
2. A review of how neurobiology has been pertinent to this area of research. If nothing has been done in this area, then write a section discussing how a biological perspective could be useful, or not, in the process of considering your particular topic.
3. Some kind of concluding synthesis of how a "Trauma and Society" perspective could contribute to a further development of the understanding of this topic, or how a "Trauma and Society" perspective is already guiding the research on this topic. Close with recommendations for further research.
1. Write 3 statements 1-2 pages each, on your choice of MEDIA that is representative of trauma experience. Think of these as "Trauma Reviews." A list to get you started is provided with this Syllabus. You are welcome to run other suggestions by me, I’ll probably say yes if it is even close. Incorporated into your statements should be:
   1. A reaction to how well the media resource did representing some aspect of trauma, given what you have learned about trauma in class (theory, physiology, lived experience).
   2. Some kind of statement tying individual level experience to the societal level reality (or the reverse, or ideally both).
   3. Your own personal reactions to the piece and/or your evaluation of the quality of media resource in question (is it worth watching, listening to?). Should this movie or music selection be on the Trauma Media Resources list?

   Ideally, these will be eventually posted on line at the web site, with or without your identity, your choice.

   *Additionally, I would like to suggest to the class that we might consider convening a "Trauma Movie Night" every so often for the purpose of having a joint experience that could then be discussed and subsequently written about.

2. Select a Sociological Theorist; could be a classical theorist, a contemporary theorist, a theorist who works with stigma, social problems, deviance, sexism, racism, homophobia, etc. Think of this as the "Theory Paper." Write a 3 to 5 page paper that gives an overview of the theorist’s main ideas and make an argument regarding whether or not the concepts presented describe and/or explain aspects of Trauma. The optional Theory Text could be useful here but in not necessary. I invite you to consider parallels between the structure of the neurobiology of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and patterns at the societal level, if you are comfortable doing so. Be prepared to present these papers in class.

ATTENDANCE

You may have two absences, after which a letter grade will be deducted for each day you are not present. You are responsible for the readings and assignments due on those days and will be responsible for making alternative arrangements in regards to these. On a reading day, for instance, you will be required to write a summary of the reading you have missed and turn it in by the next class you are in attendance.

GRADING

Your grade will be calculated based on the following:

Assignments: Scale:

Trauma Paper 60 pts. A = 100-90 pts.

Theory Paper 25 pts. B = 89-80 pts.

Trauma Review 1 5 pts. C = 79-70 pts.

Trauma Review 2 5 pts. D = 69-65 pts.

Trauma Review 3 5 pts. F = 64 and below

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100 pts. Total

 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week 1 Open class, review course requirements and structure, define terms, and set the tone. Explore the attitude of Judgment vs. Discernment. Watch Memphis Police/PTSD Video.

Week 2 Lived Experience. Read Push, A Child’s Life and articles. Discuss. War vet will speak for second half of class.

Week 3 Trauma, an Overview. Read Trauma and Recovery. Discuss.

Week 4 Neurobiology of Adaptation: Post Traumatic Stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Visit David Baldwin’s Trauma Pages {Click here} Read Perry, Van der Kolk, Levine. View Van der Kolk video.

Week 5 Psychology of Stress and Trauma. False Memory Debates. Loftus and counter arguments articles.

Week 6 Dissociation: Biological and Psychological Components. Readings.

Week 7 Treatment vs. Healing (Guest Speaker Dr. Clifford Heegel, Licensed Psychologist.

 

Week 8 Silence and Society: The relationship between Stigma and Trauma.

The "Stocks of knowledge and the chains of constraint: The role of language in the construction of reality at the individual and societal level "

Read Stigma and Rambo-Ronai articles.

Week 9 Costs of Trauma to Society. Discuss Trauma Reviews. Post Reviews.

Week 10 Addiction, the Individual, and Society. Read Women, Sex and Addiction. Discuss.

Week 11 Review of Sociological Theory in light of the Trauma lense. Read "A Sociological Conception of Trauma," "The Berserk Style in American Culture," "The National Dilemma," and "Cultural Trauma" Articles from Packet. Participants present their Theory Papers. Papers due.

Week 12 Trauma and Society: assembling a theory of Society based on Trauma Management. Participants present Trauma Papers. Papers are due the last day of class.

Week 13 Sociology: a vehicle for compassion. Judgment conceptualized as Bias vs. Discernment conceptualized as a new "Objectivity." Read Rom Dass article. Participants present the remaining Trauma Papers. Papers Due.