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The basic concepts and principles of major sociological perspectives. Attention is given to how these perspectives have been developed and used by social scientists to explain social phenomena. Recommended as an introduction to the discipline. (Fulfills social sciences requirement.).

The basic concepts and principles of major sociological perspectives. Attention is given to how these perspectives have been developed and used by social scientists to explain social phenomena.

Recommended as an introduction to the discipline. Students will explore the way sociological concepts and theories explain social phenomena by engaging in quantitative reasoning exercises analyzing social science data. SO 101F fulfills the fundamental quantitative reasoning requirement (FQR).

A critical analysis of race, racism, and racial justice in the United States, as set in a global, historical context defined by power. In addition to traditional modes of teaching-learning, students use intergroup dialogue and collaborative group work to explore and communicate how race is constructed, experienced, reproduced, and transformed within hierarchical systems of domination and subordination. Topics include racial identity development and the ways individuals internalize and ‘live race’ in relation to other identities (e.g., gender, sexuality, disability and class); historical mechanisms of racialization, through which bodies, groups, practices, and space are ‘raced’; institutional dimensions of race, racialization, and racial inequality (e.g., in law, education, popular culture); and practices for resisting racism and pursuing racial justice—in groups and organizations, across society more broadly, and within one’s embodied experience.

Prerequisites: , and either IG 201, or

Note(s): Fulfills Cultural Diversity requirement; fulfills Bridge Experience requirement.

An exploration of social, political, and economic forces that influence contemporary mass media. Students will examine a range of social scientific methods that have been used to document the nature of media content and understand how it is produced. Topics include the consequences of concentration in media ownership, the dynamic relationship between producers and consumers of media, and the study of class, race, and gender inequalities in media content.

Prerequisites: , or

Examination of methods employed in the investigation of sociological problems. This course analyzes the research process as an integral whole including political and ethical issues in conducting research. Topics include conceptualization, measurement approaches, design of surveys, and methods of interviewing and observation. Students design studies using various methodological techniques.

Prerequisites: or by permission of instructor.   

Note(s): Letter grade only.  

Examination of quantitative analysis in the social research process. This course involves the study and application of statistics for solving problems in the social sciences. Students use computers as tools for social research as they analyze sociological data sets. 

Prerequisites: QR1 or placement at the AQR level or completion of an FQR course and two courses in SO, EC, PS, PL, AN and/or SW, or permission of the instructor.   

Note(s): Letter grade only. Fulfills QR2 requirement; fulfills Applied QR requirement.

An introduction to the sociology of deviance. This course examines sociological theory and evidence that explain deviant and/or nonconforming behavior in society. Attention is given to forms of deviance that generate conflicts over values or between groups in society and to the mechanisms of social control that increase conformity to social norms.

Prerequisites: and one additional sociology course.

An exploration of the role of sports as a social institution, challenging the perception of sports as mere entertainment. Students will apply sociological theories to analyze sports as a form of recreation, an element of popular culture, and an industry with complex labor dynamics. Special emphasis is placed on stratification within sports based on race, class, gender identity, sexuality, nationality, and disability. The course also incorporates current empirical research, allowing students to critically assess the transformative potential and limitations of sports in society. Prerequisites: and one additional sociology course.  

Analysis of the philosophical foundations, central principles, and historical development of sociological theory from its origins in late-nineteenth-century Europe to the present. The course critically examines the sociological theories of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, and Mead and their relationship to a number of more contemporary social theories.

Prerequisites: and one additional sociology course.   

Note(s): Letter grade only. 

Analysis of the body in contemporary social life. What do bodies tell us about ourselves, about others?  How do we feel in and about our bodies? Using sociological theory and qualitative research methodologies, students explore these questions by examining how the body is constructed and manipulated within social interactions and relationships. Bodily adornment practices (e.g., hairstyle choice, tattooing, exercise routines), bodily (dis)ability, and the medicalization of the body are among the topics examined.

Prerequisites: and one additional sociology course. 

A survey of immigration to the U.S. since 1880 paying special attention to theories and evidence of adaptation and incorporation among immigrants and their U.S. born children. Students will analyze interview and survey data to assess the extent and pace of incorporation within and across generations of immigrants who have arrived in recent decades--mostly from Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Ultimately, students will draw conclusions about whether and how recent immigrant incorporation has shifted or reified existing racial boundaries in the U.S.

Prerequisites: and one additional sociology course.   

Note(s): Fulfills Bridge Experience requirement.  

Visual and oral presentations of sociological research. Students revise empirical research projects and develop effective presentations of findings for both professional and nonprofessional audiences. Emphasis is on developing effective posters and oral presentations of social scientific research findings. Students present their research in public settings on or off campus. The course meets a total of 14 hours, with most sessions early in the semester.

Prerequisites: .