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Sociology Course Descriptions

Introductory Courses:

 

110 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

The course provides an overview of the principal concepts that have informed sociological thought and theory. Class readings, discussions, and assignments also explore substantive issues that have served as longstanding concerns of sociological inquiry. Every year. (4 credits)

 

115 ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

This course provides students with critical perspectives on social problems in the US and other societies. Poverty, racism, sexism, crime, and homelessness will be among some of the issues discussed. One of the objectives of this course will be to examine the construction of social problems, especially as they relate to the social problems industry—the conglomerate of professions and industries with vested interests in the formulations and prescriptions surrounding these issues. Every year. (4 credits)

 

175 SOCIOLINGUISTICS (Same as Linguistics 175)

Sociolinguistics is the study of the linguistic diversity. Language and culture are so closely tied that it is nearly impossible to discuss language variation without also understanding its relation to culture, and diversity in language often stands as a symbol of ethnic and social diversity. This course introduces students to the overwhelming amount of linguistic diversity in the United States and elsewhere, while at the same time making them aware of the cultural prejudices inherent in our attitude towards people who speak differently from us. The class involves analysis and discussion of the readings, setting the stage for exploration assignments, allowing students to do their own research on linguistic diversity. Two years in every three. Next offered Fall 2007. (4 credits.)

 

180 SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE

When sociologists look at culture they look at things like people's leisure activities, consumption patterns, style, membership in subcultural groups, and the arts. A common thread throughout most of these studies of culture is how social class and culture intersect. For example, how do people's class backgrounds influence their forms of cultural expression in terms of their leisure activities, their beliefs, their personal style, or whom they want to hang out with? This course will explore these issues, focusing on class as a common theme. Specific topics include: the role of artists and people's development of aesthetic taste in the arts; social forces that push us towards conformity or towards individualism; subcultural groups; and how people make distinctions between themselves and those who they describe as "other." Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

190 CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR/SOCIAL CONTROL

The use of imprisonment as a form of criminal punishment is only about as old at the United States. By 2003, nearly 7 million people in the United States were under correctional supervision. How should we understand the growth of this form of criminal punishment? In what ways is it similar to other methods to react to and to attempt to control unwanted behavior? What are the social impacts of these formal institutions of social control? What insights can a sociological approach offer on these questions? In this course, we examine these developments in the processes and organization of social control, with particular attention to how formal institutions of social control compare to informal social control. We study and evaluate sociological theories of criminal behavior to understand how social forces influence levels of crimes. We examine recent policies and their connections to inequality along with the processes that lead to criminalization, to determine if there is a political nature to crime control. Finally, we compare the development of formal, bureaucratic systems of social control and informal methods of social control, paying attention to the social and political implications of these developments. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

Intermediate Courses:

 

210 SOCIOLOGY OF SEXUALITY

What is social about sexuality? Sexuality and its components (desire, pleasure, love, the body) is something more than a personal or individual characteristic. It is socially constructed. Sexuality has been configured during different historical time periods as sin, as a means of fostering alliances between powerful families, as perversion, as a means to pleasure, as a symbol of love, and as personal identity. These different sexual configurations are connected with larger social-historical trends such as the development of capitalism, the use of rationalized technologies, and the expansion of scientific-medical discourse. In this course, we explore how sexuality has been constructed through history. We examine how categories shape our understanding of sexuality such as male/female, heterosexual/homosexual/queer. We also will address issues such as child sexuality, prostitution, images of sexual minorities in the media and heteronormativity. Every year. (4 credits)

 

220 SOCIOLOGY OF RACE/ETHNICITY

This course explores historical and contemporary perspectives on racial and ethnic groups in American society, including African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, European Americans, and Americans of Middle Eastern descent. The goal is to develop an understanding of socio-historical forces that have shaped the lives of racial and ethnic groups in America. Every year. (4 credits)

 

240 IMAGES OF WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST

This class explores women's lives in the Middle East. Issues such as the role of women in Islam and the Middle East, their portrayal in the West, nationalism, feminism, and power and patriarchy will be emphasized. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

269 SCIENCE AND SOCIAL INQUIRY

This course examines and applies some of the methods of social science research by covering three main sets of topics: the broad methodological questions posed by philosophy of social science, the manners in which social scientists develop research design to generate relevant evidence, and methods with which social scientists analyze data. For both the research design and analysis sections, we will concentrate on quantitative research, learning how to use statistical software. Every year. (4 credits)

 

270 INTERPRETIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH

This class introduces students to the methodologies and analytic techniques of fieldwork and ethnography: participant observation, interviewing, and the use of documents. Students will read exemplary, book-length studies and will conduct an extensive field research for their final project. Every year. (4 credits)

 

272 SOCIAL THEORIES (Same as Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies 272)

This course provides an overview of the key concepts and theories that have informed sociological perspectives on the complex and varied dimensions of human sociability. Class readings, discussions, and assignments explore the contributions of classical and contemporary sociologists to ongoing debates over the origins and nature of the great transformation: the transition from feudal, agrarian societies to modern, industrialized ones governed by emergent nation-states. The course also examines contemporary revisions and extensions of classical theories accompanying the reconstruction of the political, economic, and cultural landscapes of modern societies in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Further, the course surveys recent trends in theoretical scholarship devoted to understanding important social issues of contemporary relevance. Prerequisite: one 100-level course in sociology, Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies 110: Text and Power, or permission of the instructor. Every year. (4 credits)

 

275 COMPARATIVE-HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY (same as Political Science 250)

The course introduces students to principles of cross-national and cross-cultural analysis. The class begins with a survey of the basic methodological orientations that distinguish various modes of analysis in the social sciences. The lectures and discussions in this section provide a general introduction to the logic of causal analysis, explore the relative strengths and weaknesses of differing methodological approaches to understanding social phenomena, and specifically, consider in greater detail the distinctive blend of theoretical, methodological, and empirical concerns that inform comparative-historical social science. The substantive topics of the course include: the Social Origins of the Modern State; the Sociology of Democracy and Authoritarianism; the Sociology of Revolution; and The Rise of the Welfare State. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

285 ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY (same as American Studies 285)

This course introduces the basic issues and problems that shape the Asian American experience. The main learning objectives are: to identify and dismantle stereotypes about Asian Americans; to create a common vocabulary for describing the Asian American experience; to explore the historical and sociological foundations of Asian American community and identity; and to cultivate an appreciation of various theoretical approaches to race and ethnicity. No prerequisites. Spring semester. (4 credits)

 

290 ISLAM AND THE WEST

How can we best understand the complexities of the present U.S. "War on Terrorism"? Should it be understood as a clash between two different cultural systems, one modern and democratic and the other feudal and fanatic? Or, is the violence systemic, taking a variety of forms in different parts of the globe? What role does power and inequality on a global scale have to do with it? These and many other questions will be dealt with in this course. We will trace the conflict historically to assess moments of violence and tensions and other periods of calm and symbioses. Finally, we will analyze how modernity transformed the relationship between Islam and the West, Jew and Arab, male and female, and nation/race and identity. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

Advanced Sociology Courses:

 

301 LANGUAGE AND ALIENATION (Same as Linguistics 301)

We are living in the midst of an "irony epidemic," where two of the most frequently used expressions in current American English are "like" and "whatever." Both of these are literally advertisements that words are not the real thing (at best, they are "like" it), and that they don't matter (since "whatever" you say is equally a matter of indifference). This course takes as its point of departure the sarcasm and irony in spoken American English, and proceeds to an investigation of how the peculiar message of sarcasm ("I don't mean this") is conveyed in other languages, and in the media. Not surprisingly, the study of cheap talk connects intimately with aspects of pop culture. More surprising, however, is the idea that the cheapness of talk is not only a currently recognized property of our language, but that it might serve to define the very essence of human language in general and offer insights into the origins and nature of our ability to speak at all. Prerequisite: one course in linguistics. Two years in every three. (4 credits)

 

310 LAW AND SOCIETY

Law is omnipresent in contemporary social life. How should we understand this development and its consequences? How does law operate to the advantage or disadvantage of various members of society? Can law be the source of significant social change? This course examines the development of a formal, legal system and the ways in which such a system connects to other parts of society. We begin by focusing on individual experiences and understandings of law and what these tell us about how law fits into the larger social order. We then evaluate explanations about the connections between social and legal development. We also consider how the "law in action" operates by examining empirical studies of legal institutions and the limits and potential of law as a source for social change. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

320 IMAGES OF ASIANS AND ASIAN AMERICANS

The class studies the representations of Asian and Asian Americans in the U.S. The course concentrates on both classic and more contemporary feature films and written works. We will examine issues of ethnicity and national identity within larger political, economic and historical contexts. Issues of racism, gender, and interracial dynamics as social constructs will be explored. Readings, discussions and screenings emphasize the creation of new images, the representation of new groups, and the perpetuation of stereotypes as they relate to larger, international events. Prerequisite: an introductory sociology course, or permission of the instructor. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

335 FAMILY BONDS

This class focuses on the relationship between families and larger social institutions, including governments, economic institutions, and labor markets. This course also explores how various societal forces shape relationships within contemporary American families, as well as considering other historical forms and understandings of the family. Every year. (4 credits)

 

350 PUBLIC LIFE

What holds a community together? What tears it apart? How can people create social change through policies or political actions that ensure more stable, pleasant and democratic communities? These are the questions around which this course centers. We explore people's social ties and ask whether society is in a state of decline in terms of people forming significant social bonds with networks of people. In the second part of the course we look at our local urban community and explore what policies and principles of urban planning aid community building and what instead encourages isolation and social atomization. In the final part of the class we focus on movements for social change that have tried to achieve more democratic communities and civic participation. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

370 POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

What is the nature of power within society and how does it relate to the development of nation-states? This course explores the development and operation of nation-states in social context, examining how civil society and state practices are related to one another. We evaluate theories about the distribution and operation of power by examining the ways in which political decisions are made. We consider the changing nature of citizenship and how we should understand national citizenship given the development of international standards of human rights. We also pose questions about democracy: Under what conditions is democracy likely? What are the influences on democratic participation? What are democratic practices? Prerequisite: Sociology 110 or equivalent. Alternate years. (4 credits)

 

480 SENIOR SEMINAR

This senior seminar serves as the capstone experience for sociology majors. This class provides students with an opportunity to develop a synthetic understanding of their sociology course work and to conduct prospective research that may culminate in honors projects. Every year. (4 credits)

 

614 INDEPENDENT PROJECT

Students may explore sociological topics not covered in regular course offerings or pursue more advanced study of topics represented in the department curriculum through an independent project. Permission of a supervising faculty member is required. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

624 INTERNSHIP

Internships allow students to participate in an off-campus learning experience. Students may engage in internships in a variety of settings that match their academic goals, including nonprofit organizations, government, and business. Permission of a faculty sponsor and an on-site supervisor are required. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

634 PRECEPTORSHIP

Preceptors may assist faculty members organize and teach courses with an emphasis on leading discussion groups, preparing study sessions, and individual tutoring. Permission of a faculty sponsor is required. Every semester. (4 credits)

 

644 HONORS INDEPENDENT

The honors independent study is an option reserved for students participating in the honors program. Students may receive this course credit for pursuing research devoted to their honors project. Permission of a supervising faculty member is required. Every semester. (4 credits)

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