| The
overarching aim of the sociology curriculum is to cultivate a well-developed
sociological imagination—"the quality of mind
essential to grasp the interplay of individual and society, of biography
and history, of self and the world" as C. Wright Mills termed
it. The enduring value of a sociological imagination is to help
students situate their own lives in broader social contexts and
to understand the dynamic interplay of the political, economic,
and cultural forces that constitute social life.
Sociology is the systemic study of social life. Systemic
refers to theoretically and methodologically informed observation
and interpretation of social phenomena. Sociological perspectives
play a vital role in fostering theoretical and methodological sophistication
in keeping with the highest aims of the liberal arts tradition,
the hallmark of which is a spirit of open-minded inquiry, a tolerance
and respect for disparate ways of observing and understanding.
Sociological insight is synonymous with theoretical pluralism.
The inherent complexities of social life cannot be wholly captured
in any one theoretical stance, even as much as any one perspective
may generate lasting, important insights into various social processes.
Training in sociological theory cultivates in students the skills
to draw upon diverse perspectives to make informed judgments and
interpretations of the broader world around them and to strive for
more comprehensive, synthetic understandings of social life.
The sociology curriculum places a premium on methodological fluency
and dexterity. Students are expected to demonstrate facility with
diverse approaches to collecting and evaluating evidence that substantiates
knowledge claims and to develop an understanding of the descriptive,
interpretive, and explanatory strengths, and limitations, of differing
methodological orientations. These skills are highly relevant to
professional vocations that require an aptitude for critical, analytical,
and logical thinking and the ability to use information and communication
resources effectively.
The substantive foci of the sociology curriculum parallel
the College's mission to advance internationalism, multiculturalism,
and service to society/civic engagement.
The department's emphasis on comparative sociology offers
a distinctive contribution to the study of internationalism. The
sociology curriculum promotes an understanding of cultures and societies
outside the United States, provides instruction in the principles
of cross-national and cross-cultural analysis, and examines social
processes that operate on an international or global scale.
The study of social identities and communities is a fundamental
concern of sociology, and the exploration of these social contexts
is a pivotal contribution of the sociology curriculum to the multicultural
objectives of a Macalester education. The experience of communal
life spans relationships embedded in intimate primary groups, kinship
in racial and ethnic lineages, office-holding in large formal organizations,
membership in voluntary associations and collective movements, and
compulsory citizenship in city, state, and national publics, to
name but a few manifestations of human sociability. The practices
and ideas lodged in social collectivities provide the context in
which humans forge and re-forge their sense of self. The sociology
department offers a range of courses that survey the varied, complex
dimensions of social life from vantage points that reveal processes
of identity formation and communal organization.
Public sociology is sociology invested in raising the
quality of civic deliberation and revitalizing the public sphere.
These aims find diverse expression in the curriculum: the study
of contemporary social problems, charting the historical transformation
of social policies, and explorations of social processes that underpin
a vibrant democracy. The sociology curriculum also affords opportunities
to students for developing ties with urban-based community organizations
that enrich their academic experience and provide a foundation for
ongoing civic engagement.
Graduates of the sociology program pursue diverse careers in public
service, the nonprofit sector, and business. The sociology curriculum
endeavors to cultivate intellectual competencies relevant to a broad
spectrum of post-graduate training and professional vocations.
The sociology department participates in the following programs:
American studies, humanities and media and cultural studies, international
studies, legal studies, political science, religious studies, urban
studies, and women's, gender, and sexuality studies. For details
concerning these programs, consult the appropriate descriptions
elsewhere in this catalog.
General Distribution Requirement:
All sociology courses count toward the social science distribution
requirement.
Diversity Requirement
Sociology courses that fulfill the domestic diversity requirement
are 175 (Sociolinguistics), 220 (Sociology of Race/Ethnicity),
and 285 (Asian American Community and Identity). Sociology courses
that fulfill the international diversity requirement are 240 (Images
of Women in the Middle East) and 290 (Islam and the West).
Major Concentration
A sociology major is planned in consultation with a member of
the sociology department faculty and must include at least nine
courses. The five course requisites for the major concentration
are as follows:
(1) Introduction to Sociology (110)
(2) Science and Social Inquiry (269)
(3) Social Theories (272)
(4) Interpretive Sociology (270) or Comparative-Historical Sociology
(Topics course)
(5) Senior Seminar (480)
The successful completion of these five requisites and four electives
courses satisfies the requirements for a major concentration.
Students may apply a maximum of 4 credits from study abroad programs
toward fulfilling the course requirements of the major concentration.
Students may apply a maximum of 4 credits from a faculty supervised
internship (624) toward fulfilling the course requirements for
the major concentration.
Minor Concentration
A minor in sociology requires the successful completion of five
courses in the discipline. Students are obliged to prepare and
register a minor plan in consultation with a faculty member in
the department.
Honors Program
The sociology department participates in the Honors Program.
Eligibility requirements, application procedures, and academic
guidelines for honors projects are available either from the departmental
office or the Dean of Academic Programs.
Topics Courses
194, 294, 394, 494
Topics courses explore subjects of general interest to faculty
and students that supplement the department's regular course offerings,
to be announced in advance of registration. (4 credits)
<back to top>
|
