Course:

SOC 101  Introduction to Sociology

Professor:

Allison McKim  

CRN:

90002

Schedule:

Mon  Wed     2:00 PM - 3:20 PM Olin 201

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

18

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies

Sociology is the systematic study of social life, social groups, and social relations. The discipline views the individual in context of the larger society, and sheds light on how social structures constrain and enable our choices and actions. Sociologists study topics as varied as race, gender, class, religion, the birth of capitalism, democracy, education, crime and prisons, the environment, and inequality. At its most basic, the course will teach students how to read social science texts and evaluate their arguments. Conceptually, students will learn basic sociological themes and become familiar with how sociologists ask and answer questions. Most importantly, students will come away from the course with a new understanding of how to think sociologically about the world around them, their position in society, and how their actions both affect and are affected by the social structures in which we all live. This course fulfills the Difference & Justice distribution requirement because sociology examines relations among social groups with a particular focus on race, class, and gender inequality, in addition we will attend to patterns of solidarity and conflict in social life.

 

Course:

SOC 138  Introduction to Urban Sociology

Professor:

Peter Klein  

CRN:

90003

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    2:00 PM - 3:20 PM Olin 201

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

18

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies; Architecture; Environmental & Urban Studies

More than half the world's population now lives in urban areas. Thus, the study of social and political dynamics in urban centers is crucial if we are to understand and address the pressing issues of the contemporary world. This course will allow students to explore these dynamics through an introduction to urban sociology: the study of social relations, processes, and changes in the urban context. We will begin by reading perspectives on the development of cities, followed by an examination of how the city and its socio-spatial configuration affect and are affected by social interactions, particularly across gender, race, and class lines. The course will consider the relationship between globalization and the modern city and include examples of how citizens address the challenges in their communities. Throughout, we will explore the diverse methods that social scientists use to understand these dynamics, and students will have the opportunity to utilize some of these methods in an investigation of a local "urban community."

 

Course:

SOC 141  Culture, Society & Economic Life

Professor:

Laura Ford  

CRN:

90004

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    5:40 PM – 7:00 PM Olin 205

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

Class cap:

20

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies

This course will introduce students to sociological principles and perspectives through a focus on the economy. We will begin by asking the obvious question: why would sociologists study the economy? We will briefly explore three "classical" answers to this question, which come from foundational thinkers: Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Most of our time, however, will be spent with contemporary authors in the new and developing field of "economic sociology." These authors help us to see the ways that the economy is "embedded" in society and in culture: in worldviews, in moral frameworks, and in social-relational structures. Topics covered in the course will include: (1) social patterns of consumption, (2) commodification of emotion in the service economy, (3) roles of law and social action in the branding of products and places, (4) social foundations of modern, industrial capitalism, and (5) social, moral, and legal meanings of money.

 

Course:

SOC 144  Introduction to Political Sociology

Professor:

Karen Barkey  

CRN:

90569

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    3:50 PM – 5:10 PM Olin 203

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

Class cap:

22

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  Political Studies

This course will address some of the central concepts in political sociology, especially those dealing with power, politics and the state. Political Sociology is about the relations between states and societies; issues of power and domination; the role of knowledge and power in state-society relations; state practices vis-à-vis society as well as the responses from below, i.e. the ways that social groups organize and respond to state policies and practices. We will start with the foundations, discussing power and politics.  Second, we will discuss the origins of the modern nation-state and the processes of state-formation across various regions of the world. We will then explore the advent of democracy and the constituents of democratic rule. Finally, we will explore how globalization has impacted each of these concepts. For each section, we will read a conceptual, theoretical piece and follow this with a historical or contemporary case study. The interplay between theory and case will give us ample opportunity to see how political sociologists define concepts and how they use them in their empirical settings. For each of these topics, I will require that you write a summary thought piece after the discussion.

 

Course:

SOC 205 A Introduction to Research Methods

Professor:

Yuval Elmelech  

CRN:

90005

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    10:20 AM - 11:40 AM Henderson Comp. Center 106

Distributional Area:

MC Mathematics and Computing

Class cap:

12

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies; Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & International Studies; Human Rights

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 data from the U.S. General Social Survey (GSS) to study public attitudes toward issues such as abortion, immigration, inequality and welfare, affirmative action, gender roles, religion, the media, and gun laws.  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.

 

Course:

SOC 205 B Introduction to Research Methods

Professor:

Yuval Elmelech  

CRN:

90006

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    2:00 PM - 3:20 PM Henderson Comp. Center 106

Distributional Area:

MC Mathematics and Computing

Class cap:

12

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies; Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & International Studies; Human Rights

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 data from the U.S. General Social Survey (GSS) to study public attitudes toward issues such as abortion, immigration, inequality and welfare, affirmative action, gender roles, religion, the media, and gun laws.  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.

 

Course:

SOC 262  Sexualities

Professor:

Allison McKim  

CRN:

90007

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    12:10 PM - 1:30 PM Olin 202

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

18

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies; Anthropology; Gender and Sexuality Studies; Human Rights

Although sexuality is often considered to be inherently private and individual, this course examines sexuality as a social phenomenon. It looks at the social organization of sexuality and at how these arrangements shape people's experiences and identities. We consider why/how patterns of sexuality have changed over time, how the social control of sex operates, and how new categories of sexuality emerge. We ask how people use sexuality to define themselves, reinforce social hierarchies, mark moral boundaries, and produce communities. The course begins with an introduction to theories of sexuality, including the essentialist-constructionist debate, the relationship of gender and sexuality, heteronormativity, and the role of power. We unpack these theoretical questions through the history of sexuality in the United States. The course pays special attention to the role of gender, race, and class inequality; to changing economic structures; and to the influence of medicine, the state, and popular culture. This provides a basis for looking at contemporary sexual culture, changing ideas of intimacy, and feminist debates about prostitution and pornography.

 

Course:

SOC 269  Global Inequality and Development

Professor:

Peter Klein  

CRN:

90008

Schedule:

 Tue  Thurs    10:20 AM - 11:40 AM Olin 101

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

18

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & International Studies; Human Rights

One of the most pressing challenges of the twenty-first century is understanding and advancing social, economic, and political development in marginalized places. Why does global inequality persist and why does a large share of the world's population continue to live in abject poverty, despite tremendous efforts made over the last half-century? Through the lens of specific topics, such as unequal impacts of environmental change, informal urban settlements and economies, and growing energy demands, this course examines such questions from two perspectives. First, we look at globalization and other structural forces that create and perpetuate global inequality. Second, we examine the goals and practices promoted by governments, development agencies, non-governmental organizations, and communities. This course will push students to think critically about the meanings and consequences of development, as well as about the challenges and possibilities we face in addressing some of the major social problems of our time.

 

Course:

SOC 273  Democracy and Religious Pluralism in Comparative Perspective

Professor:

Karen Barkey  

CRN:

90571

Schedule:

 Mon  Wed    8:30 AM - 9:50 AM

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

Class cap:

15

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  Study of Religions

This course will respond both to recent developments in the humanities and the social sciences and to challenges currently faced by democratic societies around the globe. It will do so especially by bringing the study of democracy together with notions of religious pluralism. How can democratic regimes adapt to increasing religious pluralism and avoid the pitfalls of creating fixed majorities and minorities?

Early scholars studied democracy primarily in the modern West, without paying particular attention to the complexities of religious and cultural traditions. One reason for this was that most early Western democracies were relatively homogeneous, in some cases as a result of the powerful coercive homogenizing processes following the rise of the modern state system. As we enter the third decade of the millennium, democratic governments around the globe manage societies that are broader and more diverse than the old nation states. Recent academic research has recognized that explaining variations in democratic experience requires close attention to sociological structures and historical traditions. In this course, we will study various examples ranging from Western Europe and the United States, to South Asia, the Middle East and North and West Africa. We will explore the differences between relatively homogeneous societies -which are themselves changing-- and many different societies where varieties of religious commitments as well as the now expanding religious publics inhabit democracy and pose a different set of issues.

 

Course:

SOC 306  Law, Jurisprudence & Social Theory

Professor:

Laura Ford  

CRN:

90016

Schedule:

Mon       2:00 PM - 4:20 PM Olin 301

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

Class cap:

12

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  Human Rights; Philosophy

What is law?  Should we think of law as being about rules, and, if so, do those rules have a fixed meaning?  What is the best way to conceptualize and describe the relationships among law, politics, and society?  These are the types of questions asked by scholars of legal philosophy, or jurisprudence.  And, as we can see, the questions asked in jurisprudence are often strikingly similar to foundational questions in political and social theory.  In fact, developments in jurisprudence and social theory – from Critical Race Theory to literary criticism, natural law, positivism, and feminism – have often been mutually influential.  This seminar will introduce students to core debates in jurisprudence that have been linked to developments in social theory.  We will seek partly to understand, from a comparative and historical perspective, what may be the sources of the linkage.  Does jurisprudence require a social theory?  Does social theory depend on jurisprudence?  Perhaps social theories are much older, widespread, and religiously tinged than we tend (or like) to think?  Contemporary jurisprudential writers that we will study include Ronald Dworkin, H.L.A. Hart, and Roscoe Pound.  Guided by Hannah Arendt, Karl Jaspers, and Max Weber, among others, we will also study a cross-cultural range of legal sources that have contributed to the development of jurisprudence and social theory.  This course is designed for students who have already taken at least one law-related class or have some basic familiarity with modern legal sources (constitutions, statutes, cases, codes, administrative regulations).

 

Course:

SOC 332  Social Problems

Professor:

Yuval Elmelech  

CRN:

90009

Schedule:

  Wed     2:00 PM - 4:20 PM Olin 303

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

15

Credits:

4

Cross-listed:  American Studies; Human Rights

What is a social problem? What are the origins and consequences of social problems and why are they so persistent and difficult to solve? This course explores the causes and consequences of various social problems in the U.S. Particular emphasis will be placed on the examination of disparities in socioeconomic status (e.g. education, poverty, employment, and wealth). We will begin with an introduction to social problems as a field of sociological inquiry and discuss the merits of problem-centered approaches to social research. Drawing on various sociological perspectives we will then identify the varied social structures that facilitate and help perpetuate social problems. In the remainder of the semester we will investigate specific social problems. Topics will include: wealth and economic security; schools and education; racial and ethnic inequality; work and employment; immigration and mobility; gender inequality; and social problems related to the family. The course will also provide a framework for developing the skill of academic writing, and the appropriate use of theories and empirical evidence. In particular, this seminar will serve upper-level students who are developing their research and analytical skills for term papers and senior projects. Fulfills American Studies Junior Seminar requirement.

 

Course:

SOC/EUS 361  Hudson Valley Cities and Environmental (In)Justice

Professor:

Peter Klein  

CRN:

90534

Schedule:

  Every Other Fri     10:20 AM - 12:40 PM Olin 101

Distributional Area:

SA Social Analysis

D+J Difference and Justice

Class cap:

15

Credits:

2

Cross-listed:  American Studies

How do urban processes of growth, decline, and revitalization affect different groups, particularly along dimensions of race, class, and gender? This place-based research seminar course looks closely at this question by examining the historical, political, and social landscape of Kingston. We will use this nearby city as a case to explore theories on urban transformation and the contemporary challenges that face small urban centers. In particular, the course will use the lens of environmental inequality to examine the effects of historical processes, as well as to investigate how residents and government officials are addressing pressing problems. The course will look specifically at issues of food justice, pollution, access to resources, environmental decision-making processes, and housing security. We will visit Kingston as a class, and students will develop and carry out their own project with a community partner. (This course fulfills the practicum requirement for moderated EUS students.) Admission by permission of the instructor. This course will usually meet every other Friday from 10:20-12:40, but students must be available from 10:00-1:30, in order to allow for off-campus trips. Please note that this is the first semester of a two-semester course. Students who take this first section will be expected to enroll in the second two-credit section in the spring 2022.