Welcome To Sociology 3222 Sociology of Religion Professor: Dr. Richard Pitt (r.pitt@vanderbilt.edu) Teaching Assistant: Rachel Skaggs (rachel.skaggs@vanderbilt.edu)

http://majorsmatter.net/religion

Books We’ll Read

A = 579 to 600 A- = 540 to 578 B’s = 480 to 539 C’s = 420 to 399 Only way to go back up is get extra credit point from town meeting evals and weekly posts to the blog A = 579 to 600 A- = 540 to 578 B’s = 480 to 539 C’s = 420 to 399 D’s = 370 to 349 F’s = 0 to 299 Grade Scale

Average Grades In This Class Reading Quizzes (100) Course Blog (100) Town Meeting (100) Field Notes (100) Ethnographic Paper (100) Examination (100) 73 points 87 points 81 points 90 points 89 points 510 points ( the same as an 85% ) Grade? B 510 + 25 extra points = 535 points (Grade? B+)

Course Blog Register for the course blog by clicking login. On next screen, click on <Register> under the white box. Type in a username and your email address. We will send you a link to set your password. Click on that link and change your password to something YOU CAN REMEMBER! Course Blog

Performance Evaluation What Is A Town Meeting? Performance Evaluation Did they know what they were talking about? How persuasive their argument was How much their argument reflected broad knowledge of the topic How well they stayed in character How much time spent on the preparation for meeting

Why Do People Kill Themselves? Suicide Rates The National Institute Of Mental Health (2009) says: “The number one risk factor for suicide is depression and other mental disorders. More than 90% of people who die by suicide have these risk factors” 15-24 year olds % Suicide White Men 18% Black Men 12% Latino Men Asian Men 7% Native Men 33% 15-24 year olds % Suicide White Women 4% Black Women 2% Latino Women 3% Asian Women Native Women 10% CLEARLY something else is going on here. Older White men commit suicide at the highest rates of any population group. Widowhood, illness, and social isolation are common risk factors. Living alone and being single increases suicide risk. Divorced and separated people are more likely than married ones to commit suicide. Religion seems to protect people against suicide. This works for both people who are “spiritual” but don’t go to church much and for those who attend services. There are 1100 suicides (and 24k attempts) on college campuses every year and it is the SECOND LEADING CAUSE of death (after accidents). Suicides more prevalent in elite schools. More seniors than freshmen and more graduate students than undergrads. Duh. Why Do People Kill Themselves? Data from US Dept of Health and Human Services

Two Kinds Of Suicide Affected By Social Integration Emile Durkheim 1897 EGOISTIC Society Is Too Weak Two Kinds Of Suicide Affected By Social Integration ALTRUISTIC Society Is Too Strong