Schedule of Classes

Sociological insight into study of humans, society, and culture.

Examination of the notion of the U.S. American family from a sociological perspective. Focus on perceptions of the family throughout U.S. American history, in mass media, and in relation to public policy; the historical transformation of families; the diverse and changing aspects of families; and the impact of social change and problems on the families of U.S.A. Emphasis on how society and the economic system affect families.

Social research methods: research design and models of observation, including single subject and program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative methods, sampling techniques, questionnaire construction, types of surveys, measurement problems, and data analysis.

Examines the construction of gender in non-western societies, concentrating on the way gender shapes and is shaped by power relations in these societies.

Inequality in income, wealth, prestige, and power. Theories explaining roots of and changes in inequality. Emphasis on the U.S.; variations in the extent and forms of inequality across different nations.

Analysis of dominant-minority group relations. The emergence and dynamic of racism. Exploration of the experience of various ethnic and "racial" groups.

Development of contemporary social thought from its Euro- American roots. Covers major strands of both classic and contemporary social theory.

This course introduces students to the social causes and consequences of environmental problems and the conflicting interests and power dynamics that make sustainable solutions difficult to find and implement. The course begins by examining a range of philosophical perspectives on the relationship between Humans and Nature, followed by a brief survey of the range and extent of current environmental crises. We will then focus on four macro-sociological causes of environmental harm worldwide: international development, modern agriculture, armed violence, and energy production. Special attention will be paid to the linkages between environmental harm and political and economic inequality.

Analysis of the nature and origin of juvenile delinquency within an historical and theoretical context with emphasis on causation of delinquency and evaluation of different responses to it.

Analysis of the concept and nature of crime, the relationship between social structures, social institutions, and crime with a focus on social forces and social controls involved in the creation of crime.

Supervised work in applied settings; study of practical problems from the perspective of the discipline.

Supervised work in applied settings; study of practical problems from the perspective of the discipline.

Students will have the opportunity to synthesize and integrate perspectives from their sociology courses and apply these perspectives to real-world social problems.

Special study on topics with faculty supervision.

Empirical research with faculty supervision.