91058

SOC 120 Inequality in America

Yuval Elmelech

. T . Th .

10:10 - 11:30 am

Olin 203

SSCI/DIFF

Cross-listed: American Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Human Rights, Social Policy Why do some people have more wealth, more power, and receive greater respect than others? What are the sources of this inequality? Is social inequality inevitable? Is it undesirable? Through lectures, documentary films and discussions, this course examines the ways by which socially-defined categories of persons (e.g., women and men, Blacks and Whites, rich and poor, native- and foreign-born) are unevenly rewarded for their social contributions. Sociological theories are used to explain how and why social inequality is produced and maintained, and how it affects the well being of individuals and social groups. The course will focus on two general themes. The first deals with the structure of inequality while studying the unequal distribution of material and social resources (e.g., prestige, income, occupation). The second examines the processes that determine the allocation of people to positions in the stratification system (e.g. education, intelligence, parental wealth, gender, race).

91335

SOC 135 Sociology of Gender

Allison McKim

. . W . F

11:50 -1:10 pm

Olin L. C. 208

SSCI/DIFF

Cross-listed: Anthropology, Gender & Sexuality Studies; related interest: STS This course is an introduction to the sociological study of gender. In it you will examine how and why gender is an organizing principle of social life as well as consider how social structures and practices construct gender identity and culture. We will investigate how gender is built into the structures, institutions, and ideologies of social life and how different groups of women and men experience this gendered order. We will examine how gender is significant within different institutional and interactional contexts, such as families, workplaces, the state, sexuality, culture, and identity. The course is organized according to these contexts. Throughout the course we will be attentive to the ways that gender inequality is intertwined with other axes of oppression such as sexuality, race/ethnicity, and class. Our discussions will be guided by both classic theoretical approaches to gender and a variety of empirical research.

91059

SOC 203 The History of Sociological Thought

Michael Donnelly

M . W . .

10:10 - 11:30 am

Olin 301

SSCI

Related interest: Human Rights This course retraces the origins of modern social theory in the aftermath of the democratic revolutions in America and France and the capitalist Industrial Revolution in Britain. Readings are drawn in particular from the major works of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel. The course thereby introduces many of the enduring themes of sociology: alienation and anomie; social disorganization and community; class conflict and solidarity; secularization and the decline of traditional religion; bureaucracy, division of labor, and professional expertise. The course aims to assess both the contributions of classical sociologists to subsequent social science, and their political or ethical aspirations to criticize, reform, or revolutionize modern society. This is a writing intensive course. The general goals of the writing component of the course are to improve the development, composition, organization, and revision of analytical prose; the use of evidence to support an argument; strategies of interpretation and analysis of texts; and the mechanics of grammar and documentation. Regular short writing assignments will be required. Enrollment limited to 14.

91060

SOC 205 Intro to Research Methods

Yuval Elmelech

. T . Th .

1:30 -2:50 pm

Olin 202 / HDRANX 106

MATC

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies, GIS, Human Rights, Social Policy The aim of this course is to enable students to understand and use the various research methods developed in the social sciences, with an emphasis on quantitative methods. The course will be concerned with the theory and rationale upon which social research is based, as well as the practical aspects of research and the problems the researcher is likely to encounter. The course is divided into two parts. In the first, we will learn how to formulate research questions and hypotheses, how to choose the appropriate research method for the problem, and how to maximize chances for valid and reliable findings. In the second part, we will learn how to perform simple data analysis and how to interpret and present findings in a written report. For a final paper, students use survey data on topics such as attitudes toward abortion, sexual attitudes, affirmative action, racism, sex roles, religiosity, and political affiliation. By the end of the semester, students will have the necessary skills for designing and conducting independent research for term papers and senior projects, as well as for non-academic enterprises. Admission by permission of the instructor.

91208

SOC / HIST 213 Immigration & American Society: Colonial Times to the 1960s

Joel Perlmann

. T . Th .

3:10 – 4:30 pm

Olin 304

HIST/DIFF

See History section for description.

91061

SOC 229 Sociology of Knowledge

David Madden

. T . Th .

11:50 -1:10 pm

Olin 303

SSCI

This course is an introduction to the sociology of knowledge, ideas and expertise. Beginning with classic statements on knowledge as a social product, the course will read works by Karl Mannheim, Berger and Luckmann, Thomas Kuhn, and members of the Frankfurt School. Topics to be analyzed include the idea of social construction, the ethnography of scientific practice, the role of experts in politics, and the study of intellectuals and academic production. Prerequisites: all students are required to have prior experience with sociology courses.

91336

SOC 262 Sexualities

Allison McKim

. T . Th .

3:10 -4:30 pm

Olin L. C. 208

SSCI/DIFF

Cross-listed: Gender & Sexuality Studies; related interest: STS Although sexuality is often considered to be inherently private and individual, this course examines sexuality as a social phenomenon. It asks how sexual identities and social categories of sexuality come to be and how they are maintained or changed over time. It examines how historically specific social contexts shape the meaning of sexual experiences and how we use sexuality to define ourselves, produce social hierarchies, and mark moral boundaries. We will begin with an introduction to theories of sexuality and consider the essentialist / constructionist debate. Then we use a historical perspective to look at the social institutions that help to produce, construct, and control sexual practice and identities, paying special attention to the role of gender, race, and class inequality. This will provide a basis for looking at the development of modern sexual communities, identities, and politics, including controversies over commodified sexuality and feminist debates about prostitution and pornography. Throughout the course will consider the important role of gender in the social organization of sexuality. We will also address how these social processes shape notions of personal identity and the self.

91062

SOC 304 Modern Sociological Theory

Michael Donnelly

M . W . .

3:10 -4:30 pm

Olin 304

SSCI

Cross-listed: Human Rights A critical investigation into the development of modern sociological theories in the United States and Europe. The course will examine, among other schools and traditions, functionalism, conflict theory, exchange and rational choice theory, symbolic interactionism, feminist theory, and critical theory. Readings include works by Talcott Parsons, Ralf Dahrendorf, Jon Elster, George Herbert Mead, Erving Goffman, Harold Garfinkel, Dorothy Smith, Michel Foucault, and Jurgen Habermas. Prerequisite: Sociology 203 or permission of the instructor.

91063

SOC 337 Urbanisms

David Madden

. . W . .

1:30 -3:50 pm

Olin 303

SSCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies, STS This is an advanced seminar in urban theory and the sociology of cities. Course readings and discussions will focus on the history of urbanism, the production of social space and the politics of urban knowledge. What are some major forms that urbanism has taken? What is the role of planners, experts, and social movements in shaping urban space? What factors make cities change, stagnate or transform? To approach these questions, course readings will include Lewis Mumford, Henri Lefebvre, David Harvey, Alice O’Connor, M. Christine Boyer, and many others. Prerequisites: all students should have previous experience with sociology and urban studies.