1. Professor Erik Olin Wright 8112D Social Sciences Thursdays, 2-4
SOCIOLOGY 125
AMERICAN SOCIETY:
how it really works
Professor Erik Olin Wright
Open Office Hours:
8112D Social Sciences Thursdays, 2-4
Podcasts:

2. CLASSROOM RULES Turn off cell phones No texting No email
No internet surfing

3. Socio-cultural Bike Tour of Madison
Fourteenth Annual
Sociology Department
Socio-cultural Bike Tour of Madison
lead by
Professor Erik Olin Wright
Saturday, September 8
(Rain date: Sunday, 9th)
10:00 a.m. sharp
Meet in the parking lot behind Budget Bicycle
1230 Regent Street

4. LECTURE 1. PERSPECTIVES & VALUES
Tuesday, September 3, 2012
 LECTURE 1. PERSPECTIVES & VALUES
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THREE OVERARCHING QUESTIONS:
What kind of society is this?
How does it really work?
In what ways does it need changing?
3. THE VALUES & PERSPECTIVE BEHIND THE COURSE
3.1 Five core values
  Freedom   Prosperity Efficiency Fairness Democracy
3.2 Four Kinds of Disagreements
What is meant by each of these values.
Actual performance of our institutions.
Relative priority of different values
How much things could really be improved.
3.3 Where I stand

5. 4.THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY
4.1 Pivotal Idea: rules govern actions
4.2 Six Basic Sociological Ideas about Social Rules
1. Rules are enforced
2. Rules come in many diverse forms
3. Rules are not neutral – winners & losers
4. Rules are backed by power
5. Rules are often inconsistent
6. Rules change over time