91485

SOC 101   Introduction to Sociology

Allison McKim

. T . Th .

3:10 -4:30 pm

RKC 102

SSCI

Cross-listed:  American Studies, Environmental & Urban Studies   Sociology is the systematic study of social life, social groups, and social relations. It is a perspective on human beings that places people in both their immediate and their historical context.  This course will provide you with an introduction to the wide array of problems and research methods found in sociology. Sociology looks at many levels of social life, from everyday interactions to social inequality to massive historical processes. Sociologists study things as widely varied as race, the birth of capitalism, the social control of sexuality, urban legends, suicide, and prisons. The course aims to teach you to think sociologically about the world around you and to develop your ability to critically read and write about social research. One main goal is to become familiar with how sociologists ask and answer questions and to practice doing this yourself. Another goal is to develop basic familiarity with sociological concepts and research methods. A third goal is to learn how to read sociological texts and to evaluate their arguments.  Class size: 22

 

91486

SOC 135   Sociology of Gender

Allison McKim

M . W . .

1:30 -2:50 pm

ALBEE 106

SSCI/DIFF

Cross-listed:  American Studies;  Anthropology;  Gender & Sexuality Studies; Social Policy  This course’s primary goal is to develop a sociological perspective on gender. In it you will examine how gender becomes an organizing principle of social life as well as consider how social structures and practices construct gender identities. We will investigate how gender is built into social structure, institutions, and culture, and how different groups of women and men experience this gendered order. The course is organized according to different institutional and interactional contexts where gender is particularly significant, including families, workplaces, schools, the state and politics, sexuality, culture, and identity. Our discussions will be guided by both theoretical approaches to gender and empirical research. A second goal of this course is familiarize you with various sociological theories of gender difference and inequality. Thirdly, students will learn to identify and evaluate various forms of sociological evidence and arguments. A fourth goal is to learn how gender inequality is intertwined with other axes of power such as race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality, and to conduct such “intersectional” analysis of social life.  Class size: 22

 

91480

SOC 203   The History of Sociological Thought

Michael Donnelly

M . W . .

10:10 - 11:30 am

OLIN 203

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.  Class size: 22

 

91483

SOC 205   Intro to Research Methods

Yuval Elmelech

. T . Th .

10:10 - 11:30 am

HDRANX 106

MATC

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & Int’l Studies; 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.  Class size: 19

 

91484

SOC 259   And the Pursuit of Happiness

Yuval Elmelech

. T . Th .

1:30 -2:50 pm

OLIN LC 206

SSCI

What makes people happy? Does money improve life satisfaction? Does marriage? Friendship networks? Volunteering? Religious activity? Why does marital satisfaction vary with age? Does level of education really affect job satisfaction? And can it be that gender, race, and ethnicity influence life satisfaction in systematic ways? While research on social inequality has typically focused on ‘objective’ measures - such as education, employment and income – the literature on subjective well-being (i.e., a person’s self assessment of her or his social and economic status) has recently received renewed attention from both social scientists and policy makers. The aims of this course are to introduce students to the various measures of subjective well-being (e.g., happiness, life satisfaction, marital satisfaction, relative deprivation), to explore the social, economic and demographic determinants of well-being, and to better understand the relationship between objective and subjective well-being.  Class size: 22

 

91368

SOC/HIST 315   Education and Social Policy

in the US, 1954-2002

Ellen Lagemann

. T . . .

1:30 -3:50 pm

HEG 200

HIST

See History section for description.

 

91481

SOC 338   Welfare States/Comp. Perspect.

Michael Donnelly

M . . . .

1:30 -3:50 pm

OLIN 303

SSCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies, Human Rights, Political Studies, Social Policy  The era of big government is over.”  Is it? If so, with what consequences? This course retraces the main lines of development of the welfare state, examining the social demands and political conflicts out of which “welfare” emerged, and the values and principles which have subsequently informed welfare policies.  The course proceeds, secondly, to consider debates and conflicts over the scope and aims of welfare states during the last two decades.  It ends, finally, by considering innovative policy ideas to reform the welfare state or bring it into line with changing realities.  Case studies will be drawn from Sweden, Germany, Britain, Italy, and the USA; comparison of the limited, piecemeal approach of the US with more comprehensive European social democracy will be a consistent focus.  The policy arenas to be discussed will include youth unemployment and job sharing; equal opportunity for women; the social integration of marginalized groups; flexible time regimes; and the challenge of an aging population. Class size: 15

 

91487

SOC 346   Governing the Self

Allison McKim

. T . . .

10:10 - 12:30 pm

HEG 200

SSCI

Cross-listed:  Social Policy  This advanced seminar traces sociological approaches to the self and examines various institutional and political attempts to govern social life by shaping the self. It covers the symbolic interactionist tradition of sociology, including thinkers such as Mead and Goffman, and its break with Enlightenment ideas about the individual. The course then explores scholarship associated with Michel Foucault and what is called “governmentality.” Students will look at how forms of knowledge and power produce particular kinds of subjects and reflect models of citizenship. This part examines policies and practices that govern the self, including the role of popular therapeutic culture and questions about how the organization of state power affects the governance of populations and individual subjectivity.  The course will enable students to examine questions of identity and individuality, the changing nature of state governance, and the politics of empowerment.  Class size: 12