Catalog 2011 - 2012

An introduction to the basic concepts used in the analysis of societies and human group behavior through consideration of the scientific method in: sociology, culture and society, social stratification and human groupings, social change, and collective behavior.

An analysis of contemporary social problems related to urbanization and industrialization. Includes poverty, community disorganization and conflict, and social deviance such as crime, mental disorders, and substance abuse.

An analysis of gendered patterns of verbal and nonverbal communication including theories that explain sex difference in social interaction and the implications for male-female relationships.

A study of the social forces which shape aging in the United States with special emphasis on the effects of gender, class and ethnicity on the life chances of the elderly.

(Same as ENG 207.1) This course investigates the sociological and metaphorical implications of such diseases as plague, cholera, TB, cancer, polio, Ebola, and AIDS. Drawing on sociological texts as well as poetry, fiction, and memoir, it examines the history of diseases along with socially and mythically constructed responses to them. Authors may include Sontag, Ehrenreich and English, Mann, Garcia Marquez, and Monette.

A study of the life chances of children around the world, including social policies in the areas of family, education, and health care, with an emphasis on regional, ethnic, class, and gender differences affecting children's lives.

A study in the sociology of food, including historical and cross-cultural perspectives on eating and how political economies shape worldwide food distribution.

A survey course focusing on social problems of contemporary Canadian society, including concerns such as health care, immigration, cultural diversity, provincial issues, and environmental policy. Using a comparative approach, the course emphasizes U.S./Canadian relations and Canada's role in international affairs.

Prerequisites: One course in sociology

Readings in a specific area of sociology, requiring a formal paper summarizing the study. See independent study guidelines.

Prerequisites: SOC-100 or permission

A cross-cultural analysis of the status and well being of women in developed and developing nations in areas such as education, work, marriage, family, civil rights, health and longevity including national and international policies affecting women's lives.

An introduction to the study of gender as a basic organizing principle in primarily industrial societies. Includes theories of gender development, sex and gender differences, gender socialization, inequalities in productive and reproductive spheres, and prospects for change.

A study of the photographic observation as a method of sociological investigation, including analysis and criticism of documentary photography and the historical uses of visual imagery.

This course focuses on types of mass hysteria known as witch hunts, including the persecution of women as witches in the early modern era, the 20th century Red Scare and 1950s McCarthyism, and the WWII internment of Japanese Americans. It also considers possible emergent witch hunts such as gay bashing, the satanic scare, and the war on drugs.

A study of the history of the family and family systems in primarily industrial societies. Includes romantic love and mate selection, marriage and parenting, family dysfunction, and the criteria for marital success.

A study of the social influences on human development and important concepts and debates regarding socialization and life cycle development. Includes theories of socialization, the role of family, school, peers and the media as agents of socialization.

A general survey of crime in the United States. Includes theories of crime and delinquency, societal responses to crime, and the social organization of correctional agencies. Includes field trips to local corrections institutions.

An examination of the processes by which people become differentiated from one another and arranged in graded strata based on social class, race, ethnicity, and gender with varying degrees of wealth, power, and prestige. Attention will be given to classical and modern theories explaining the causes and consequences of stratification, as well as to changes in social inequality over time.

A study of the historical and contemporary organized attempts to cause or prevent social change with an emphasis on social movement theories and literature.

An investigation of ethnic groups, minorities, and race in plural societies, ethnic relations in historical perspective and in the United States, theories about ethnic conflict, prejudice and discrimination, and future scenarios for multiethnic societies.

A study of the history and development of theories of society and group behavior. Classical and contemporary sociological theories emphasized.

Prerequisites: SOC-100 or ATH-101

(Same at ATH 490) An introduction to the methods of qualitative field research and data analysis. Student s will formulate and carry out an independent research project and formally present the results.

Prereq.: Permission. Intensive reading or field research in a specific area of sociology, requiring a formal paper summarizing the study. See independent study guidelines.

Prereq.: Permission. Supervised work or research in a social service agency with approval of department. A term paper or formal report is required. Reading assignments may be required. See internship guidelines.