Schedule of Classes

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

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.

Comparative study of non-Western family systems, with a focus on cross-cultural differences and the potential conflicts of migration. Varying focus on families of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

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.

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

Various philosophical conceptions of the relationship between the individual and social order; nature and status of individuality in the modern world. Emphasis on critical evaluation of influential systems of thought: Marxism, phenomenology, and critical theory.

Focus on relationship between individuals and the broader society, the formation of personality, and group influences on human perception and behavior.

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 process of global integration and its impact on communities, social institutions, and culture. Emphasis on theories of social change and social conflict over the nature and pace of globalization and its impact on non-Western societies. Focus on social class, ethnicity, gender, media, religion, the environment, and social problems confronting non-Western Societies.

Analysis of the concept and nature of deviance and its various forms, with emphasis on various theoretical perspectives on nature and causation of deviance.

Analysis of theoretical and practical aspects of corrections, concepts of punishment and treatment, and their variations in practice. Includes analysis and evaluation of specific alternatives: prisons, probation, treatment centers, and sentencing.

Sociological analysis of the concept and nature of violence in a macro and micro setting, its various manifestations, and evaluation of 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.

Emphasis on social, cultural, and political factors involved in the definition and control of mental illness. Topics include labeling theory, the impact of status characteristics and social relationships on levels of stress, and legal and ethical issues associated with current modes of treatment.

Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under a different topic for maximum of 9 hrs. credit.

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

Special study on topics with faculty supervision.

Empirical research with faculty supervision.