Sociology Courses | January 25, 2006

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Sociology of Violence

Grissom is rather abrupt, and launches into a lecture defining hate crime before the students can even sign in.




He then passes out a handout entitled The seven-stage hate model: the psychopathology of hate groups from The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.

"As you can see, the model is as follows..."

Stage 1: The Haters Gather
Stage 2: The Hate Group Defines Itself
Stage 3: The Hate Group Disparages the Target
Stage 4: The Hate Group Taunts the Target
Stage 5: The Hate Group Attacks the Target Without Weapons
Stage 6: The Hate Group Attacks the Target with Weapons
Stage 7: The Hate Group Destroys the Target

"I'd like you to name one group in which you've seen this behavior, at least through Stage Four, and describe how they fit the model in an essay before you go.

You will be graded."

Grissom then points to a stack of large books on a table by the door. "Crimes of Hate : Selected Readings, for your homework. Select to do all the readings. It's only 408 pages."

---

Sociology of the Paranormal

Grissom wheels in a TV unit, and addresses the class.

"While you are watching the film, I want you to think about why people perpetuate hoaxes. By the end of class, I want a proposal from each of you on my desk for a hoax of your own design. You'll receive extra credit if your proposal involves the paranormal, although that's not required at this time.

Also, those of you that have elected to finally pass in your last homework assignment would be advised to leave it on my desk as well."

He then screens most of the NOVA special The Boldest Hoax.

"Before you go, take this vocabulary sheet. Have all the terms, A-Z, memorized by Monday. You can go."

Comments

Re: After Class: 1/25

[psi16.livejournal.com]

Lyta peers around the edge of the doorframe. Seeing the professor at his desk, she enters. She is careful to maintain her distance a bit, sensing just from his body language that he's in quite a mood today. "Dr. Grissom?"

[And a slow response is okay if needed. I'm still at work, so my own will be slow.]

Re: After Class: 1/25

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"Ms. Alexander."

He looks up from his work, addressing her with the same flat, business-like tone he used in class, although his cold manner doesn't seem to be directed at any student in particular, and certainly not Lyta.

Of course, it's still blatantly unnecessary and confusing.

"Come in. Can I help you with something?

Re: After Class: 1/25

[psi16.livejournal.com]

"I wanted to stop by...See if there was any work you had for me to do, anything you needed help with." She gave a rueful smile. "I signed on as an assistant, and I think I might not have earned the title yet."

Re: After Class: 1/25

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"Why don't you have a seat?" he says, standing up to clear some journals from a visitor's chair in front of his desk.

"At this point in the semester, I don't have a lot of work for you to do, as quizzes, essays, and exams are only beginning now. However, I will need your assistance later on, facilitating class as well as a field trip. If you'd like to explore something specifically, we could come up with an arrangement."

Re: After Class: 1/25

[psi16.livejournal.com]

Lyta lowers herself into the seat, her attention focused on Grissom. "I don't know that there's anything specific I want to explore... The class itself is doing a fair job, letting me look at things, I guess, from the other side."

She wants to add "the normal side," but she knows normal is such a relative term. Especially here.