GERN 5670: Social Science Perspectives in Gerontology

Course Description:

The realities of the lives of older adults, viewed from a cross-cultural perspective with a concern for social issues and problems, will be the focus of this course. Ageism, homelessness, poverty, the structure of family, the meaning of community, and the role of government will all be examined. Using the tools of anthropology and sociology, we will explore variations among older adults that emerge from ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, race, nationality, and geographic origin. We will seek an understanding of the meanings that various cultures give to their aging populations and to the social consequences of those meanings .

Course Level Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this class students will:

Demonstrate understanding of the realities of the lives of older adults from a cross cultural perspective.
To apply knowledge from cross-cultural analysis of aging to social and political issues in the U.S.
To demonstrate skills in effective interviewing while developing understanding of the lives of elders.

Prerequisites

It is assumed the student has adequate writing and analytical skills. Also, as for all Internet courses, the student must be disciplined and self-motivated.

Course Materials

Please go to MBS Direct to find the appropriate textbooks for this course.

Please be aware when purchasing your textbooks that the International versions of the text may differ from the Domestic (North American) version required for your course.

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Course Activities

The course will be conducted entirely online. Students are expected to participate in all course activities as assigned by the instructor. Students will complete weekly assignments, participate on a discussion board, complete a literature review, lead and facilitate class discussion, and submit a learning journal at the midpoint and end of the course.

Policy Statements

In addition to being held to the standard University policy statements, each instructor will include policy statements specific to their course. To review the standard University Policies, please see the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures.

This syllabus may be revised at the discretion of the instructor without prior notification or consent of the student.

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