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Psychology 49.311A

Social Problems

Course Outline
Fall Term, 1998

Calendar Description
An analysis of one or more social problems from the point of view of social psychology. The problems studied vary from year to year and may include war and peace, prejudice and discrimination, gender roles, politics and social change, leisure and quality of working life. Prerequisite: 49.210*
Lectures and seminars three hours a week.

Instructor Information
Instructor:Timothy A. Pychyl
Office:A825 Loeb
Phone:520-2600 ext 1403
E-mail:tpychyl@ccs.carleton.ca
Web site: http://www.carleton.ca/~tpychyl/49311
Office hours:Wednesday 3-4:30 p.m. or by appointment

Teaching Assistant: To Be Announced

Class Information
Location:B146 Loeb
Schedule:September 11, 1998 - December 4, 1998.
No class Friday, October 9, 1998 - Classes canceled for University Day

Day Time
Tuesday 11:30-11:00
Friday 13:00-14:30

Required Text: Nelson, E. D., & Fleras, A. (1998). SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN CANADA: Issues and
Challenges. Scarborough: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon Canada.

I chose this text because it is one of the few texts that address the Canadian context (Nelson is at the University of Waterloo), and because it is a current edition. A common approach in almost all of the texts available is a sociological, as opposed to a psychological, perspective. This is inevitable in some respects as the disciplines differ more in their unit of analysis (i.e., group vs. individual respectively) than in their subject matter. In any case, we will be adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, and your library research and supplementary reading (for group projects) will focus more on the psychological literature.

In addition to the text, you will read a variety of journal articles, book chapters and popular media as background material for your weekly assignments and group work (see Evaluation).