SOC 101, Introduction to General Sociology

Rubinson, TTh 8:30-9:45, Max: 60 (staggered for preregistration purposes)

Content: This course is designed to provide a general survey of the field of sociology; but more importantly to provide a way to think about and understand the social world and our place in it.

Particulars: Course requirements are three exams and several short written assignments.

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SOC 101, Introduction to General Sociology

Scott, MWF 10:40-11:30, Max: 60 (staggered for pre-registration purposes)

Content: The objective of this course is to provide you with a general survey of the field of sociology and, more importantly, to provide you with a way to think about and understand the social world and your place within it. We will address questions such as: Do the situations we are in have an important effect on our behavior? How do we develop a self? How does class background affect individuals? Why are people unequal in society? Major sociological concepts will be examined and illustrated with a wide variety of classic as well as recent empirical studies. Some of the topics we'll look at include: the influence of society on love; social definitions of deviant behavior; socialization to work roles; and causes and consequences of social inequality (race and ethnic relations; gender relations).

Particulars: Two exams and three written assignments

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SOC 101, Introduction to General Sociology

Gentry, TTh 1-2:15, Max: 60 (staggered for preregistration purposes)

Content: The objective of this course is to provide you with a general survey of the field of sociology and, more important, to provide you with a way to think about and understand the social world and your place within it. Major sociological concepts will be examined and illustrated with a wide variety of classic as well as recent empirical studies. Some of the topics we'll look at include: the influence of society on love and death; causes and consequences of social inequality (race and ethnic relations; gender relations); and social definitions of deviant behavior.

Particulars: Two exams and several short written assignments

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SOC 190, Law and Society

Mullis, TTh 4-5:15, Max: 15 (Freshmen only)

Content: This course is an introduction to the field of Law and Society, an interdisciplinary area of scholarship undertaken by sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists, economists, historians, and miscellaneous other scholars. Particular attention is given to the contributions of sociologists to the Law and Society field. Topics include comparative legal systems; law and the larger universe of social control; the evolution of legal norms; the modern emphasis placed on equal rights and due process; the professional socialization of law school students; and current controversies over the death penalty, gun control, and religious expression. The small-group setting of this freshman seminar makes for a highly interactive classroom experience, one where students contribute substantially by summarizing and critiquing the literature on a weekly basis.

Particulars: student-led discussion of articles and books; three quizzes and a final exam.

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SOC 201, Organizations and Society

Archibald, MWF 12:50-1:40, Max: 40

Content: Modern society is an organizational society. We are born in organizations, and we die in them. In between, our lives are shaped by organizational entities, such as schools, universities, business firms, the music and entertainment industry, government agencies, prisons, labor unions, voluntary associations, and political parties, that remain transparent to us. This course provides an introduction to the central authors and themes in the sociology of organizations. We will use a loose historical framework to examine various research paradigms detailing core topics associated with the study of organizations such as: bureaucracy, power and conflict, rationality, authority, work, technology, and organizational deviance. Students will be encouraged to develop a general understanding of this unique sociological perspective as it applies to organizations as diverse as the CDC, Enron, Tha Row Records, and Al-Qaeda.

Texts: Hall, Richard H. Organizations: Structures, Processes and Outcomes, New Jersey: Prentice Hall; Selection of readings

Particulars: Two exams; several short summary (1-2 page) papers

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SOC 214, Class, Status and Power

Condron, TTh 10-11:15, Max: 40

Content: The title Class, Status, and Power comes from the notion that societies are stratified into groups according to economic, honorific, and political assets. With an emphasis on the United States, this course explores sociological explanations of how and why these and other patterns of social inequality occur, and some of the consequences that result from them. You will read, discuss, and write about a variety of topics, including but not limited to: Wealth and income inequality, elites and power, privilege and oppression, poverty, the intersection of class, race/ethnicity, and gender, and educational inequality. The course material will encourage you to think critically as you continuously try to make sense of -- and ameliorate, should you want to -- various inequalities in the world around you.

Particulars: TBA

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SOC 220, Juvenile Delinquency

Agnew, MWF 9:35-10:25, Max: 40

Content: The course is in four parts. First, we will examine the nature and extent of delinquency. This will include an examination of history of delinquency and the characteristics of delinquents. Second, we will examine the major theories of delinquency; with a special focus on strain theory, social control theory, and subcultural deviance theory. Third, we will examine the research on the causes of delinquency, including the research on the effect of individual traits, family factors, school factors, and gangs on delinquency. Finally, we will examine efforts to control delinquency; with a focus on the police, the juvenile court, and correctional facilities for juveniles. Classes will consist of lecture and discussion, with an occasional movie or guest speaker.

Particulars: Four exams

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SOC 225/WS231, Sociology of Sex and Gender

Carry, TTh 2:30-3:45, Max: SOC=15/WS=15; Total=30

Content: The following course will introduce students to the study of gender and sexuality from a sociological perspective. The general focus of the course will be to under stand how gender and sexuality are connected through major areas of everyday life. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how race/ethnic/cultural variation, gender variation, and sexual orientation and identity all intersect. The course is broken into three major parts including how sociologist study gender and sexuality, how we learn gender and sexuality, and how gender and sexuality affects our everyday lives. Course requirements include short reflections, debate, midterm and final exam.

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SOC 245, Individual and Society

Hegtvedt, TTh 10-11:15, Max: 40

Content: This course focuses on how social factors influence individuals' beliefs, perceptions, and behaviors. We will examine how attitudes develop and change; how people perceive others and their environment, and what brings people together. In addition, we will dissect group processes involving conflict, power, status, and influence.

Particulars: 3 exams; and a paper

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SOC 247/AAS 247, Racial and Ethnic Relations

Werum, TTh 5:30-6:45, Max: SOC=20/AAS=20; Total=40

Content: The goal of this course is to enable students to better understand relationships between racial and ethnic groups applying sociological concepts. Understanding the nature of these relations requires an historical and comparative (i.e., international) focus. While the bulk of material in this course deals with the U.S., we will spend a considerable amount of time on race and ethnic relations in other countries. This will help us better understand the extent to which patterns of race and ethnic relations have similar causes in different societies. Among the topics we will cover are: race and ethnicity as a social construct; slavery and its effects on race and ethnic relations; the relationship between race, class, and gender; social movements organized on the basis of race/ethnicity; immigration, genocide, poverty; and segregation. For this purpose students will read a course packet of selected articles as well as a few assigned books.

Particulars: Three exams (partly multiple choice and partly essay) and, of course, regular attendance and participation.

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SOC 249, Criminology

Griffiths, TTh 1-2:15, Max: 40

Content: The major purpose of this course is to introduce students to the various theories used to explain crime, as well as to examine the nature, extent, and causes of crime in American society. We will consider how crime is defined and measured, explore the criminalization of deviance, and discuss the various types of crime and criminality. The bulk of this course will focus on theoretical explanations employed by sociologists to explain why crime occurs, who offends, and who is victimized. We will briefly examine classical theories, biological theories, and psychological theories before studying sociological theories of crime including rational choice, strain, labeling, control, and conflict theories among others. In the remainder of the course we will investigate the concept of social control in detail, focusing on communities/reference groups (informal social controls) and imprisonment/policing (formal social controls).

Particulars: Three exams, term paper, in-class exercises

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SOC 325, Sociology of Film

Hicks, MWF, 10:40-11:30, Max: 40 (mandatory film viewing at 8 PM on Wednesday evening)

Content: This course will introduce students to social aspects, causes and consequences of the production, distribution, content, form and reception of film. The course will be carried out as a combination of lecture, course and seminar, enlivened by frequent film clips. Participants will be encouraged to view about one complete film per week in a special session (and required to see about half of these films).

Texts: TENTATIVE: W. Wright, Sixguns and Society; F. Krutnick, In a Lonely Street: Film Noir, Genre, Masculinity; R.E. Kapsis, Hitchcock: The Making of a Reputation; and readings from Woodruff and/or Learnlink electronic reserve.

Particulars: Evaluation will be based on (a) a class presentation or a short paper (worth 20% toward class grade), (b) a midterm exam (25%), (c) a final exam (25%) and (d) a research paper (30%).

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SOC 330, Mental Health and Well Being

Keyes, MWF 3-3:50, Max: 40

Content: This course is an in-depth review of the theories and supporting evidence of our current understanding of the (1) nature of mental health (includes mental illness and well-being) and the (2) causes of mental health and illness. This course is taught using the biopsychosocial model of health. This means students will learn about the proximal causes of mental health (biological), the medial causes of mental health (psychological), the distal causes of mental health (sociological), and the interconnections among the causes of mental health.

Particulars: At least two, and possibly a third, in class exams.

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SOC 333, Sociology of Religion

Tipton, TTh 1-2:15, Max: 15

Content: What do religious phenomena mean to their participants, seen as members of society? We will explore answers to this question through readings, lectures, discussion, films, and firsthand research. We will look at classical theories (e.g. Durkheim, Weber, Marx, Freud) and contemporary research, first, to probe the roots of religious experience and map the social functions of ritual and myth; to consider religion as the sym-bolic synthesis of world view and ethic; and test it as a prism of historical conflict and change. Second, we will examine religious evolution in the light of social modernization in the West, focusing on the rise of Protestantism and the spirit of capitalism. We will then turn to explore different types of religious organization, roles, and authority along with their social identity in terms of class, race, gender and ethnicity with particular attention to women in ministry, African-American churches and Latino religiosity. Third, we will look into the American scene today, Jewish and Christian: denominations, sects, and new movements; spiritual transformation and the dynamics of congregational change; religious intermarriage and denominational switching; secularization and revival; church growth, decline and liberal-evangelical polarization; religious lobbying, advocacy, and activism; religion in politics and international conflict, globalization and liberation.

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SOC 350, Sociology of Law

Mullis, TTh 11:30-12:45, Max: 40

Content: This course provides a theoretical and empirical foundation for understanding the role and limits of law in human society. Students will learn how the sociology of law offers a distinctive viewpoint within the larger field of sociolegal studies, how this viewpoint differs radically from the traditional jurisprudential model of law, and why it has practical relevance for everyone. Specific topics include comparative legal systems; law and the larger universe of social control; the evolution of legal norms; the professional socialization of law school students; attitudinal and behavioral patterns of the police, lawyers, judges, and juries; and current controversies over the death penalty, gun control, and religious expression.

Particulars: Three or four short-essay exercises; two quizzes and a final exam.

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SOC 355, Social Research I

Welcher, MWF 11:45-12:35, Max: 20

Content: This course is a practical introduction to research methods commonly used by social scientists, including experiments, surveys, focus groups, participant observation, content analysis, and analysis of comparative-historical data. The course has three main objectives. First, you will learn how to translate theoretical issues into researchable sociological questions. Second, you will learn how to choose an appropriate research design and recognize its strengths and limitations. Third, you will gain actual experience in the collection and analysis of data. The overall goal is to provide you with the critical skills necessary for being a savvy consumer and producer of social research data.

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SOC 355WR, Social Research I

Scott, MWF 2-2:50, Max: 20

Content: This course is a practical introduction to research methods commonly used by social scientists, including experiments, surveys, in-depth interviewing, participant observation, and content analysis. The course has three main objectives. First, you will learn how to translate theoretical issues into research questions. Second, you will learn how to choose an appropriate method to answer your research questions and recognize its strengths and limitations. Third, you will gain actual experience in the collection and analysis of data. The overall goal is to provide you with the analytical skills necessary for evaluating and producing social research data.

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SOC 355WR, Social Research I

Scott, MWF, 3-3:50, Max: 20

Content: This course is a practical introduction to research methods commonly used by social scientists, including experiments, surveys, in-depth interviewing, participant observation, and content analysis. The course has three main objectives. First, you will learn how to translate theoretical issues into research questions. Second, you will learn how to choose an appropriate method to answer your research questions and recognize its strengths and limitations. Third, you will gain actual experience in the collection and analysis of data. The overall goal is to provide you with the analytical skills necessary for evaluating and producing social research data.

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SOC 389, The Socialization of African American Women

Gentry, TTh 4-5:15, 4-5:15 Max: 20

Content: This course will provide students with a broad overview of the socialization process of African American women in America. We will use Black feminism as a theoretical framework to clarify a standpoint for African American women in relations to the historical, family, social, educational, political, health, and economic factors that impact black women's socialization process in the United States. As such, we will explore black women's socialization over the life course, with special emphasis on adolescent development. While we will read four books and four articles, the primary text for our study is Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment by Dr. Patricia Hill Collins, who was recently elected as the first black woman president of the American Sociological Association. Dr. Hill Collins' work will set the stage for discussing five recurring themes as a way to reject traditional ways in which knowledge has been gathered and objectified about African American women. The themes that will shape our discourse for interpreting the experiences of African American women include: (1) self definition and self valuation, (2) the interconnectedness of race, class, and gender as equally oppressive in our society, (3) the unique experiences of African American women, (4) the controlling images constructed for poor African American women, and (5) structure and agency as a platform for social change.

Particulars: Students will participate in a service learning project as participant observers for a community-based project where black women will be providing social and health services to black girls. Students should expect to spend some time outside of class in the community-based setting. Students will complete a final project in ONE of the following areas: a research project proposal, a community-based program proposal, or a policy analysis addressing some issue(s) of interest related to the lives of African American girls and women. Class participation will count for a major portion of students' total grade.

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SOC 389/WS 385, Gender at Work

Whitelegg, TTh 8:30-9:45, Max: SOC=9; WS=9, Total=18

Content: This course examines the relationship between gender and work. Why do women disproportionately carry out certain jobs? What does this say about society in general? How are issues such as femininity and masculinity involved? And does economic and social class make a difference? To explore these questions we will look at various groups of workers, from low-wage cleaners and wait-staff to flight attendants and professional careers. We will employ a variety of methods in the course and students will be encouraged to explore their intellectual imaginations, with credit given to those with particular initiative.

Texts: Barbara Ehrenreich Nickle and Dimed; Arlie Hochschild The Managed Heart; Judith Glazer-Raymo Shattering the Myth; Paul Willis Learning to Labour; Lois Weis Class Reunion; Carla Freeman High Tech and High Heels in the Global Economy

Particulars: Students will be assessed in a variety of ways. They will be expected to put together a short project on a relevant matter of their choosing and to present the results to the group. They will also be asked to write a critical review of one of the main readings as well as keep a weekly diary. They will also be graded on class contribution.

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SOC 389/EAS 385, Dynamics of Korean Society and Culture

Lee, MWF 12:40-1:40, Max: SOC=4; EAS=9, Total=15

The basic objective of this course is to obtain an in-depth understanding of Korean society and culture. This course will examine political, economic and cultural development of Korea.Both historical and contemporary issues of Korean society and culture will be covered. Particularly, the relationship of traditional and modern society and culture will be highlighted in the course.

Specific questions include how modern Korea was transformed from a traditional society, what are the effects of colonial experiences on the current society, how and why the North and the South were divided, how the divisions have been reflected in modern Korea, what brought forth such rapid industrialization, how democratization of politics and society has proceeded, what are the cultural heritage and traits of Korea, what values and religions they hold in the past and in the present, what is the significance of Confucianism, where is the place of women and family.

Throughout this course the aspect of change will be emphasized since it is key to understanding modern Korea. South Korea will be weighted in our discussion more than North Korea.Current issues will be examined from various perspectives based on historical context.

 

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SOC 389S/LING 385S, Sociology of Mass Media

Franzosi, TTh 4-5:15, Max: SOC=15; LING=5, Total=20

Content: This course provides an introduction to the mass media in modern societies. Different aspects of media will be covered, ranging from the political economy of the media, to the media as news and entertainment. We will look at the world of advertising, its language, its messages, and its images. We will investigate the notion of media bias or the selection and presentation of news. We will pay particular attention to issues of media representation of gender, race, class, and nation state. Finally, we will look at the internet as a new medium, its potential for the democratization of communication in a context of globalization. In the course, we will take up a range of question: Who owns the media? Does ownership affect media content? Can advertisers influence media programs? Is there more to the selection of news than time, space, and cultural constraints? Does the internet weaken large media companies’ control over information and empower people with unlimited access to alternative information? In attempting to answer these questions we will take up broader concepts, such as hegemony and ideology, and the role of language in shaping people’s consciousness.

Texts: Selected books and articles.

Particulars: The course requires: 1) two presentations of readings to the class; 2) mid-term exam based on the readings; 3) final exam based on the readings.

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SOC 389S, Miscarriages of Justice

Griffiths, TTh 4-5:15, Max: 15

Content: The principle "better ten guilty go free than even one innocent be wrongly convicted" is repeatedly invoked by the U.S. Supreme Court as the philosophical foundation of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Yet history shows errors of justice that have resulted in punishment of the innocent. This course examines miscarriages of criminal justice, broadly defined. Throughout the semester, we examine polices and practices of the American criminal justice system that have had the unintended consequences of wrongful apprehension, prosecution, conviction, incarceration and even execution of the innocent. Moreover, we explore the collateral consequences of punishing "false positives," including implications for undermining the legitimacy of the criminal justice system and allowing impunity for culpable offenders who remain at-large.

Particulars: (Tentative) several short written assignments, term paper, group project, in-class presentation, active participation in seminar discussion

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SOC 389S/ WS385S, Gender and Global Health

Yount, Thursday, 2:30-5, Max: SOC=9; WS=3, Total=12

Content: This course provides an overview of theories, policies, and social interventions related to gender and transnational health, with a focus on the global South. Students are exposed to some of the major theoretical developments in sociology and population studies that have advanced an understanding of the institutional bases of gender inequality, and of the power dynamics within families and households, that influence women's well being in these settings. The theoretical and empirical underpinnings of existing social policies and interventions intended to improve the position of women in LDC's are emphasized, and case studies of the health-related consequences of these policies and interventions are discussed. By the end of the course, students will have developed the ability to evaluate critically and to identify the relationships between theories, policies, and social interventions related to gender and transnational health.

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SOC 389S/AAS490S, Black Intellectual Traditions

Aldridge, Tuesday, 2:30-5, Max: SOC=5; AAS=10, Total=15

Content: This is a seminar that introduces varied classic and current intellectual texts critical to an interrogation of issues in the construction of knowledge and concept formations for research on Black/Africana people. Optimally, there are five characteristic functions or levels of inquiry and analysis of Black intellectual tradition: First, it realigns the intersections between African people on the continent and throughout the African diaspora as it provides a focus on cultural continuity and cross-fertilization, political linkages and solidarity, and global community of interests among and between African people. Secondly, emphasizes explanatory modes that are descriptive of black life, culture and societies from the centrality of the people’s experience and creative production. Thirdly, provides corrective, and redemptive information offering critique of the ‘master narratives’, or dominant (as in “Mainstream”) discourses rooted in racism, cultural and political imperialism, and aesthetic chauvinism that distorts the truth of black traditions, disfigures black bodies and de-values black people. Fourthly, examines new paradigms for critical thoughts, and application of humanistic values and social science principles to engage in the public policy discourse, as analyst and advocate for social justice and empowerment. Fifthly, demonstrates approaches to extending Black intellectual thought beyond the academy to secondary schools, and inclusive of all genders and ages for broad based public education and cultural literacy.

Required Texts: Aldridge, Delores and Carlene Young, Out of the Revolution Bell, Derrick, Silent Convenants Hill-Collins, Patricia. Black Feminist Thought Mills, Charles Wade. The Racial Contract Semmes, Clovis E. Cultural Hegemony and African American Development Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Silencing the Past

Particulars: 1)Each student is required to have a personal copy of each text, and to have it in class. 2)A written synopsis of each assigned reading must be submitted at the beginning of each class. 3)Each student is expected to participate actively in discussion during the seminar. Further, all students should expect to be called upon, and should be prepared to give a ten minute presentation on sections of assigned reading to be discussed. 4)A major research project must be submitted at the end of the semester. Guidelines will be provided for the project. A student may opt out of the final research project by taking a comprehensive examination of the entire course material.

Grading: Class Participation: 25% Written Synopsis: 25% Major Research Project or Comprehensive Examination: 50%

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SOC 443S, Sociology of Music

Dowd, TTh 2:30-3:45, Max: 15

Content: The sociology of music has a long history. Its initial development benefited from the work of scholars who played central roles in the sociological discipline, including Georg Simmel, Max Weber, and Theodor Adorno. Its subsequent maturation was aided by emergent schools of thoughts whose respective proponents accumulated systematic analyses of musical life, such as the production- of-culture approach associated with Richard Peterson. Its recent boom has been fueled by sophisticated use of theories and methods and by thoughtful debate regarding fundamental concepts.

We delve into this important literature and grapple with the social and cultural foundations of music. We do so in three broad sections, considering (1) the production of music (2) the content of music, and (3) the reception and uses of music. Along the way, we address a number of important questions, which include the following: How did we come to have the current system of music, with its particular notes and forms of composition? Why does much music sound so similar? What types of environments foster innovative music and musical diversity? Why are some types of music (e.g., the works of Beethoven) deemed as "high culture" while other types (e.g., rhythm and blues) are classified as "popular culture?" How do issues of race, gender, and class shape the production and consumption of music? How do people use music in their everyday lives?

Particulars: Three take-home examinations and a final paper; course readings and other class materials located on class Blackboard site

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SOC 457WR, Development of Sociological Theory

Elliott, MWF 12:50-1:40 Max: 25

Content: This course introduces and critically analyzes the sociological theories of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Mead, as well as examples of recent theoretical work following these classic traditions. Major themes include the rise of modern society, dimensions of stratification, social solidarity and identity, and the social nature of the individual and the self.

Particulars: Three exams; term paper; extensive reading; writing and analysis exercises.

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SOC 457WR, Development of Sociological Theory

Faupel, MWF, 10:40-11:30, Max: 25

Content: This course introduces and critically analyzes the sociological theories of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Mead, as well as examples of recent theoretical work following these classic traditions. Major themes include the rise of modern society, dimensions of stratification, social solidarity and identity, and the social nature of the individual and the self.

Particulars: Three exams; term paper; extensive reading; writing and analysis exercises.

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SOC 494R, Internship

Griffiths, TBA, Max: 10

Content: The internship involves supervised work in a social service agency or other organization. Students work from 10 hours (4 credits) to 30 hours (12 credits) a week. An effort is made to place students in agencies or organizations that match their research and/or career interests. Opportunities include counseling in a program for adult offenders on probation, work in a family planning agency, work at the Centers for Disease Control, work at Cable News Network, etc.

Particulars: 1) A 10-page paper describing the social service agency or organization and the student's work in it. 2) A research paper from 20 (4 credits) to 40 (12 credits) pages long. 3) Attendance at two seminar meetings. 4) Individual meetings with the faculty supervisor. 5. Limited to declared Sociology majors only. 6) Written permission required from Instructor prior to registering.

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SOC 495BWR, 497R, 498R, and 499R require written permission from Dr. Mullis before registering. Please contact Katie Wilson for additional information.