SOC 0001S. The Social and Political Life of Food.

This course introduces students to sociological theory and methods through studying the production, distribution, and consumption of food. We will examine the forces that shape the global and national food systems, and will treat Rhode Island as a laboratory for answering pressing questions about how food systems work: How is food is produced and who does the production? How is food distributed, and who wins and loses in the distribution? Finally, what social, political, cultural and economic forces help explain our eating choices? This seminar course will feature creative assignments, guest speakers, and a fieldtrip to a local farm.

SOC 0010. Social Forces: An Introduction to Sociology.

Social forces constrain and empower us, bond us together and push us apart. Sociology explores the workings of societies large and small: nations, organizations, communities, families, and other groups. How do societies shape action and identity, and why are social pressures so hard to defy? How do societies distribute wealth and power, and why do inequalities so often coalesce around race, ethnicity, class, and gender? How do established practices persist, and when do movements arise to challenge them? Examining such themes across a range of issues and topics, this course provides a springboard for future study throughout the social sciences.

SOC 0010A. Social Problems.

Revolution and Social Movements. Urbanization and Globalization. War and Genocide. These are all examples of social change, and sociology, the discipline for which this course serves as introduction, seeks to understand, and explain, them all and other transformations too. We focus in particular on how technology and power relations help us explain variations in social change, and how culture shapes our recognition and evaluation of those transformations. Although analyzing the USA today is our common ground, our method is both comparative (other societies) and historical (focusing especially on the 20th and 21st centuries).

SOC 0020. Perspectives on Social Interaction: An Introduction to Social Psychology.

An introduction to the discipline of sociology examining the individual in society. Explores the social development of the person, the development of interpersonal relationships, and the problems of integrating the individual and social system. For each area, the personal and structural factors that bear upon the issue are investigated. The objective is to deepen understanding of the behavior of people in a social context.

SOC 0030. Race, Immigration, and the Making of Inequality.

In what ways has the interpretation of race and immigration shaped the current system of stratification in American society? This course focuses on answering this question from a historical and contemporary perspective.  Using a sociological approach, we analyze the meaning of ethno-racial formation and categorization and survey the different processes that contribute to ethno-racial inequality. Engaging empirical research, we pay special attention to how individuals and groups interpret and experience the institutional arrangements that perpetuate exclusion and disadvantage by race and immigration status. The course aims to provide the analytical tools required to understand race relations in everyday life.

SOC 0111. Social Change, Dictatorship, and Democracy.

Why are some countries more democratic than others? What effects have industrialization and colonization had on developing world democracies? This course probes those questions from a sociological perspective. We'll explore the relationship between political regimes and socioeconomic factors, like class and race and look at Europe, the US, East Asia, and Latin America, using historical texts, sociological theory, novels, and films. This course will be of interest to concentrators in the social sciences, and students interested in Latin America and Asia. A foundational social science course is recommended. AP U.S. History or AP Comparative Politics is required for high school students.

SOC 0130. American Heritage: Democracy, Inequality, and Public Policy.

America professes equality but exhibits many forms of inequality in schools, race relations, and income. An examination of contrasting elements of American society and a review of the role social science plays in public debate. To illuminate the debates, key topics, such as welfare, immigration, affirmative action, and environmental equity are considered.

SOC 0150. Economic Development and Social Change.

Emphasis on understanding the interrelations among economic, political, and cultural aspects of change in developing countries. The experience of currently developing nations is contrasted to that of nations which industrialized in the 19th century. Compares the different development strategies which have been adopted by currently developing nations and their consequences for social change.

SOC 0170. The Family.

The state of the contemporary family generates debate within and beyond sociology. That debate is considered by examining different definitions of family, changing gender roles within the family, and the family in cross-cultural context. Special issues include new family forms, such as gay and lesbian families and biological and step-parenthood, as well as changing patterns of work and housework.

SOC 0200. Population and Society.

Introduces some of the major social issues relating to population size, growth, and change in industrialized and developing nations. Mortality, fertility, and migration levels and trends are analyzed. Also considers contemporary issues, such as HIV/AIDS epidemic, population aging, U.S. immigration, and national and international population policy debates.

SOC 0210. The City: An Introduction to Urban America.

What is special about urban life? How and why do cities differ? How has the way we think about the city changed over time? Can we solve urban problems? An interdisciplinary approach to cities in the U.S. and abroad: their history, physical design, spatial form, economy, government, subcultures, and social life.

SOC 0230. Sex, Gender, and Society.

This course will explore contemporary frameworks and methodological approaches underpinning the sociological study of sex, gender, and sexuality. In addition to delving into key debates about sex, gender, and sexuality, this course will critically examine the social construction of sex, gender, and sexuality within different institutions and social contexts. Throughout the course, close attention will be paid to understanding how sex, gender, and sexuality are mutually constituted alongside other systems of inequality, such as race, ethnicity, class, and nationality, as well as how moments of tension, resistance, and change emerge.

SOC 0240. The Nature of Community: Place, Space, and Identity.

What is a community? How can it best be organized and strengthened? How can communities contribute to social justice? This course examines boundaries and identities, rights, responsibilities, cooperation and conflict, and the roles of volunteerism, sports, stories, language, meals and even sleep in community life. Concern about the nature and well-being of "community" has been at the heart of sociology since the discipline was born, so examining these issues provides an in-depth introduction to the sociological way of thinking. The course is particularly aimed at those working within community settings, such as residential units, student activites, and service programs.

SOC 0250. An Environmental Sociology for a Rapidly Warming World.

Environmental problems are rooted in societies’ complex and changing relationship with the natural world. Understanding those environmental problems, let alone solving them, requires careful investigation of nature-society interactions. Through lectures, readings, discussion, and written work, students will examine the social and historical foundations of contemporary environmental problems and societal efforts to address or resolve those problems. Building on these foundations, we will explore the social dimensions of three (interrelated) “environmental grand challenges”: curbing climate change, preparing for and responding to environmental disasters, and building sustainable cities. Through all of these challenges, questions of environmental inequality and environmental racism loom large.

SOC 0270. The Sociological Imagination.

Sociology is a study of the course and effect of social action. Sociologists study human societies by researching social groups, patterns, interactions, and institutions. This course introduces students to the discipline of sociology with the hope of showing students that, as Peter Berger stats, "things are not what they seem." In other words, in this class students will learn to rethink several assumptions about society that are commonly taken for granted. The course strives to make the strange familiar, and the familiar strange.

SOC 0300. Organizations and Society.

We live in a society of organizations. We are born inside organizations, we are educated inside organizations, we work inside organizations, and when we die, we will be buried by organizations. Organizations are therefore central to processes that shape individual lives and societal trends, from widening income inequality, to the spread of innovations, to struggles over public policy. This course introduces the field of Organizational Studies, examining organizations as complex, multifaceted social settings. By investigating how organizations and society shape each other, students will build skills for informed, socially-responsible engagement in an increasingly organizational society.

SOC 0300A. Contrasting Societies.

Offers a cross-cultural examination of major social institutions and characteristics. Addresses questions such as how do families and intergenerational relations differ in various societies? How does the social safety net differ? What is the character of racial and ethnic relations? Integral is a comparison of the United States and other societies. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300B. Environment and Society.

This course examines the intersection between the environment and social structures and institutions. It is centered around environmental sociology, environmental justice, and environmental health. We cover climate change, risk perception and risk communication, environmental consciousness and environmental movements, government regulation, lay-professional differences in scientific knowledge, and various forms of toxic contamination and environmental disasters. Readings are very broad, including work of sociologists, physicians, biologists, journalists, epidemiologists, activists, toxicologists, lawyers, and anthropologists. This course has a required service learning component. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300C. The Nature of Community.

What is community? How can it best be organized and developed? How can communities contribute to social justice? This course investigates such questions by examining the nature of community life, rights and responsibilities of individuals in relation to communities, approaches to community service, and the roles of leadership, ritual, and narrative in community building. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300D. Who Am I?.

A study of self in contemporary society. We examine the structural and situational forces that shape the self and their impact on personal development, orientations to the world, and interpersonal behavior; we investigate the development of the self as a way of being in the world that makes everyday doings and, ultimately society, possible. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students. Instructor permission required.

SOC 0300E. HIV/AIDS: Politics, Culture and Society.

The current HIV/AIDS crisis is not merely medical. It also involves fundamental political, social and economic issues. Through extensive readings, class discussions and the writing of research papers, we will explore issues such as, what are the sociological barriers to changing sexual behavior? Why do some government, but not others, fail to commit resources to fight the disease? How was improved access to expensive drugs achieved? Instructor permission required. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300F. Unequal From Birth: Child Health From a Social Perspective.

Why are the children of immigrants so healthy? How do experiences in families, schools, neighborhoods and the health care system produce unequal health? What are the consequences of health for the economic and social welfare of individuals and populations? We will read, discuss and evaluate social science evidence to understand how social and economic inequalities produce and result from health inequalities among youth. Attention will be given to both industrialized and developing societies, and to potential ways that social policies can equalize children's health. This course is designed for first-year students and should appeal to a variety of interests, including social justice, medicine, research and law. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300G. Populations in Danger.

Examines populations confronted with dangerous social, economic, political, or health crises. These include small Amazon farmers in situations of environmental degradation, Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland in economic and social conflict and under peace agreement, Israelis under threat of random attack with neighbors who demand Israel's extinction, Palestinians under Israeli occupation with a largely powerless and corrupt Palestinian Authority, South Africans under HIV/AIDS pandemic, and undocumented Dominican immigrants in Providence. The seminar will include readings on these populations in danger, lectures by internationally known experts, student presentations and class discussion, and three short essays. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students. Instructor permission required.

SOC 0300H. Organizations and Disasters: Living With the Reality of Really Big Mistakes.

This new first year seminar will introduce students to the amazing world of organizational failures and disasters. Recent disasters will be examined within frames provided by several leading organizational theories about how and why modern organizations are so frequently plagued by mistakes that wreak havoc on many constituencies: from customers, patients and employers to innocent bystanders. Among the disasters we will explore as examples will be the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, the Challenger Disaster, the 9/11 attacks, and missestimation of nuclear weapon devastation. We will consider Normal Accident Theory, High Reliability Theory, and the Normalization of Deviance. Enrollment limited to 19 first-year students.

SOC 0300I. From Macro to Micro: Experiencing Education (In)equality in and beyond Schools.

In American society a paradox exists: education is both a conduit of mobility and inequality. Schooling offers the potential for greater opportunities; yet the disparate nature of school-communities often compound disadvantages for others. In this course, we explore the complex “ecology” of educational inequality, from macro- to micro-dimensions, exploring economics, housing, intergroup dynamics, race and racism, gender and sexism, poverty and class, and other phenomena. It will provide students with a basis for understanding the relationship between education and society, and we will explore the intersectional ways that group distinctions, material and political realities impact people’s lives.

SOC 0300J. Becoming Adults: Adolescent Transitions to Adulthood.

Adolescence and early adulthood is a critical period in our lives. During this time we experience a number of major life events that mark the transition into adult roles and relationships, and that are of major consequence for the rest of our lives. We leave school, start working, form romantic relationships, begin sexual activity, leave home, become financially independent, get married, and start having children. This seminar explores how adolescent transitions are studied, how they compare across different national contexts, and how individual, family, and community factors affect the type and timing of different transitions. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

SOC 0300K. Inequalities and Health.

We start from the assumption that the social organization of society shapes definitions and experiences of health and illness, the distribution of diseases, and the responses to them. We explore the relevance of social structure and social interaction to health and well-being, emphasizing socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, and social contexts such as relationships, families, schools, and neighborhoods. This is not a "sociology of medicine" course. It will not emphasize the profession of medicine, health care policy, or health care organizations. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students. Instructor permission required.

SOC 0300L. Environment and Society in Africa.

This seminar will actively examine contemporary environmental issues in Africa. The African setting is a key site for the world's environmental challenges and polices, with a large number of highly visible and valued flora, fauna, and ecosystems. At the same time, Africa nations are severely pressed with competing social issues: poverty, economic development, health, refugees. How can these be reconciled? What roles do the many actors play? This course is multidisciplinary in orientation and broad in scope geographically. Seminar discussion admits a variety of perspectives. Readings span a wide variety of approaches. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students. S/NC.

SOC 0300M. Deviance, Crime and Social Capital.

This course explores the reasons why society creates mandatory rules of behavior, the reasons why members of society sometimes break those rules, and the reasons why society responds to rule-breaking in the ways that it does. The course focuses, in particular, on the leading sociological and criminological explanations of deviance, crime, and social control. Rather than taking categories like “deviant” and “criminal” for granted, however, the course considers the ways in which society’s decisions about rule-making and enforcement may be every bit as consequential as individuals’ decisions about deviance and conformity.

SOC 0300N. Social Inequality: Change and Continuity in the U.S..

Although we like to believe the U.S. is the land of opportunity, it has lower equality of opportunity than most developed countries. What does inequality of opportunity in the U.S. look like and how has it changed or remained stable over the last several decades? We will examine theories, characteristics, and trends of socioeconomic inequality in the U.S., focusing on how this inequality shapes children’s life chances. In the process, this course will help us think about what an ideal level of equality of opportunity might look like and social changes that could help us achieve it.

SOC 0300R. The Sociology of Race.

The course examines the main theories in the Sociology of race, racism and discrimination. It focuses on how race patterns the experiences of ethno-racial groups and simultaneously defines the contours of systemic racism and inequality. It teaches students how to lead and participate in critical discussions, collaborate on the analysis of data, write research-based policy proposals with a client orientation, and engage with current issues surrounding the sociology of race, discrimination and racism. While the focus is primarily sociological, the course takes a multivalent approach to examine how racial inequality persists in a presumably “post-racial” society.

SOC 0300T. Contrasting Societies: Democracy, Dictatorship, and Trump.

How do we explain the rise of Trump and what does it represent? Is it a moment of popular legitimation or a challenge to democracy’s development? To what extent is this turn something peculiar to the US? Does this resemble other transformations in the world? How do the last decades’ technological transformations shape conditions both for domination, and resistance, in these times? This sociology seminar depends on your reading course materials and developing their articulations with your own interests. Beyond each week’s preparation, you will be asked to write three 1500 word essays across the term that reflect that engagement.

SOC 0300W. Whiteness in the World.

Whiteness is a socially and historically constructed concept that is used to grant or deny privileges, opportunities and rights. This course gives students an opportunity for a comparative exploration of how whiteness is defined, structured and applied in different global contexts. Using materials from film, music, literature and scholarly texts, we will examine both the fluidity and rigidity of whiteness over time and across continents. By the end of the semester, students will have a thorough understanding of how societies have used and continue to use the status of whiteness to grant or withhold rights and resources.

SOC 0300X. The Value of Nature and the Nature of Value.

The central questions of economic life are questions of value: how much are things worth? How do we establish those values? Who decides? Climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental injustice make these inquiries even more urgent: how should we allocate resources to support life on Earth? Through a focus on nature and climate, this course introduces students to the ways that politics, culture, and morality shape economic processes. We will also encounter other tricky questions of value, like valuing human life, knowledge, and art. Students will leave with a foundation in economic sociology – an essential conceptual lens at a time when environmental and many other social problems demand multivalent conceptions of value.

SOC 0300Y. Gender at Work: The Past and Future of Gender Inequality.

In this first-year seminar, we will analyze the intricate ways in which gender permeates the world of work (paid and unpaid) and fuels inequality. The course explores intersections of gender, race, and class, with a focus on the 20th and 21st century United States. We will cover a range of topics from segregation and discrimination to care work and emotional labor, and decode how policy and labor movements are shaping the future of work. This course invites students to engage with a variety of theories and methods, paving the way for a deeper understanding of gender and stratification.

SOC 0310. Theory and Practice of Engaged Scholarship.

Efforts are underway across college and university campuses—in the United States and globally—to increase opportunities for community-engaged teaching, learning, and research. What is engaged scholarship and how does it challenge (and/or complement) more traditional concepts of scholarship and disciplinary knowledge? What are the historical, practical, methodological, ethical, and other considerations associated with engaged scholarship? Through investigating these and other questions, students will emerge from this course with a critical understanding of engaged scholarship at Brown University and in the broader landscape of U.S. higher education. Students will be equipped to design a course of study that integrates community practice with academic knowledge throughout the remainder of their time at Brown and beyond. SOC 0310 fulfills a requirement for the Engaged Scholarship Certificate.

SOC 0315. International Migration.

This course introduces the research and policies related to international migration, a phenomenon involving the dynamic movement of people across borders. The class provides the theoretical and empirical tools required to understand immigration's main theories and empirical debates. The course examines why people migrate and how and why immigrants settle where they do. Additionally, the class examines the structural forces influencing the experiences of immigrant groups in American society and the consequences of international migration for both immigrants and native-born citizens in the United States. Through readings, research, and discussions, students acquire skills needed to objectively analyze how immigration patterns people's lives and simultaneously shapes the boundaries of inclusion and exclusion in society.

SOC 0320. Critical Communities, Critical Engagements.

This course offers an examination of community engagement and a deep dive into three social justice issues in Providence, RI through readings, case studies, participatory activities, and guest speakers (faculty and community practitioners whose work exemplifies key issues explored in the course). The Winter Break Providence program component will provide context and knowledge for the course. Upon returning from Winter Break Providence, students will attend a series of seminar meetings in continuation of the course, and prepare for a final presentation of learning at the end of the spring semester.

SOC 0400. Deviance, Crime and Social Control.

This course explores the reasons why society creates mandatory rules of behavior, the reasons why members of society sometimes break those rules, and the reasons why society responds to rule-breaking in the ways that it does. We focus on leading sociological, criminological explanations of deviance, crime and social control. Enrollment limited to 100.

SOC 1010. Classical Sociological Theory.

How is modern society organized? What holds society together and what drives social change? Why is there such a large gap between the "modern" ideal of formal equality and the reality of factual inequality? Why do differences of class, race and gender persist? What is power and who has it? These questions have motivated generations of sociologists, but many of the arguments continue to be informed by the foundational classical theorists: Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim and W.E.B Du Bois. Looking at the transformations around them – the rise of capitalism, the modern nation-state, rational bureaucracy, the spread of colonialism, the decline of religion, struggles for emancipation and much more – they developed arguments that allow us to better understand ourselves, our actions, and the contemporary political, economic and social transformations around us. We explore the defining contributions of these theorists and link them to current debates and theories on systemic racism, gender/sex struggles, global inequalities, social movements and democracy.

SOC 1020. Methods of Social Research.

This course aims to impart a critical perspective of, and an empirical familiarity with, the range of methods available to sociological researchers to answer interesting, important, and complex social research questions. It introduces students to the frameworks and methods of conducting sociological research -- from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. We will examine broadly defined methodological approaches to doing sociology such as survey research, ethnography and interviews, and historical/comparative studies. These methodological approaches correspond to distinct conceptualizations of social life and the science dedicated to studying it. Over the course of the semester, students will focus on developing a fully feasible research proposal.

SOC 1040. World Population Problems.

This is an introductory course to the study of human population. The objective is to investigate population-related issues, including population history, growth, fertility, mortality, aging, family structure, race/ethnicity, migration, and environment in the United States and around the world. The course focuses on changes in the population processes and how such changes shape the compositions and structures of the U.S. and world populations. We learn demographic methods, seek to understand demographic behaviors, and pay special attention to the population divide between more and less developed countries.

SOC 1050. Methods of Research in Organizations.

An introduction to the various methods used by social scientists to study organizations and to the skills needed by managers and administrators to soundly evaluate problems and assess performance within organizations. Explores both qualitative and quantitative methods. Students gain experience in developing research questions and linking those questions to appropriate research designs. Enrollment limited to 60.

SOC 1060. Leadership in Organizations.

What is leadership? What makes a great leader? Can leadership be learned? Improved? This course explores various theoretical approaches to leadership using a combination of lectures and case-study analysis. Additionally, it aims at developing your personal leadership skills by using self-exploration and reflection, self-assessment instruments, role-play, and feedback from peers.

SOC 1070. Introduction to Economic Sociology.

Money makes the world go round. Money talks. Show me the money. This course addresses the ways money pervades social life. We examine money through multiple disciplines, from politics, history and finance, to gender, religion, and art. Relevant to concentrators in any of those fields, while also offering a critical perspective particular to sociology.

SOC 1080. Groups in Organizations.

Teamwork has become increasingly popular in organizations. Whether structured into the organizational makeup, or temporarily established around specific projects, teams are a critical competency of organizations. They are considered an effective performance unit, and expected to efficiently cope with the fast changes and demands of today's corporate environment. However, deriving the full benefits from teamwork requires correct management of its processes and dynamics. This course dwells on selected issues in team development, internal processes, and members' behavior, as well as management skills needed to effectively lead teams; therefore it can benefit anyone who works in a group, whether as a student or in the business world. Enrollment limited to 35.

SOC 1100. Introductory Statistics for Social Research.

Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics: measures of central tendencies and variability, sampling, tests of significance, correlation, and regression. Also includes the use of computers in data analysis. Knowledge of elementary algebra is assumed. Enrollment is limited to 144 students.

SOC 1114. Law and Society.

A broad exploration of contemporary social-science scholarship on law and legal institutions, covering competing theoretical perspectives and drawing examples from diverse empirical settings. Lectures and discussions survey different ways in which social scientists study legal life, seeking contrasts and commonalities across the various perspectives. Coverage includes: Social-psychological models of rule-following and rule-breaking; social-structural linkages between law and the economy, stratification, and politics; and the dynamic relationship between law and social change--including the role of lawyers, judges and juries in giving law "independent causal significance." Strongly recommended: previous coursework in the social sciences.

SOC 1115. The Enlightened Entrepreneur: Changemakers, Inspired Protagonists and Unreasonable People.

This course explores the practices of enlightened entrepreneurs, with the intention of moving beyond the limiting social/commercial dichotomy to develop a more useful paradigm for understanding entrepreneurs whose ventures lead to positive developments in society and in the environment. You will be exploring the success stories and cautionary tales of entrepreneurs to develop an understanding of how ventures can have an impact on their fields of engagement as well as their fields of influence. Afterwards you will develop an assessment tool for understanding the spectrum of entrepreneurs whose ventures lead to positive developments in society and in the environment.

SOC 1116. Criminal Courts and the Law in an Era of Mass Incarceration.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to America’s criminal court system and all its institutional stakeholders. We will examine America’s criminal court system from myriad of different perspectives: courts as organizations, courts as social arrangements of professionals, courts as providers of social services and courts as consumer institutions – providing the experience of justice to victims, witnesses, defendants and jurors. We will focus on state courts as well as the federal system.

SOC 1117. Focus Groups for Market and Social Research.

This course introduces students to a range of qualitative research methods commonly used in market and social science research. It is designed to provide students with a skill set that will allow them to conduct and design market and social research that gets below the surface of the traditional survey. Focus groups, ethnographic observation and user-centered research are widely used in product design, communications, marketing and entrepreneurship research. Students will learn and practice all of the methods introduced in the course by conducting a semester-long research project, will gain insight into which methods are most appropriate for particular research needs.

SOC 1118. Context Research for Innovation.

This course brings design thinking into conversation with qualitative research methods, examining the elements of a comprehensive perspective of context. It introduces students to design research methods, ethnographic research methods, and how they work together. Students will learn how to use these methods to identify and engage in "deep hanging out" with the problem, gap or inefficiency in question. They will then move on to patient contextualized opportunity identification for meaningful innovation. By the end of the course, students will have developed a process for effective, through innovation context analysis. Relevant for designers of products, services, organizations , and experience.

SOC 1119. Understanding the Arab Spring: Sociology of the Middle East.

What explains the continuous mass uprisings in different parts of the Middle East since the beginning of 2011? Have they been successful in transforming power structures? Or already been co-opt by the legacies of the older regimes? This class probes the "Arab Spring" comparatively and sociologically from a historical perspective. It is sociological, it assumes a strong relationship between different forms of exclusions (on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender and class) and the uprisings. It is historical because it explores these exclusions through a close analysis of the historical particularities of nation-state formation in the region.

SOC 1120. Market and Social Surveys.

This course covers the theory and practice of survey research. Topics include questionnaire design and formatting; sample design and selection; interviewing techniques; data base design and data entry; and elementary data analysis and report production. Students will design, construct, administer, and analyze a survey for a Brown community partner.

SOC 1121. Creative Companies: Entrepreneurship, Markets, and the Culture Industry.

Firms in creative industries influence many physical and psychological aspects of our lives, from what we eat and wear to how we entertain ourselves, but markets for cultural goods are complex and difficult to navigate. Entrepreneurs must, therefore, understand the economic sociology of cultural market and ecosystem in order to capture economic value, a process that recursively relates to cultural norms. Students will analyze business cases of firms in a wide range of creative industries such as art, fashion, film, food, music, publishing, and theater to explore and understand the economic, organizational, and sociological underpinnings of culture, value(s), and markets.

SOC 1128. Migrants, Refugees and the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the deadliest bodies of water on the planet to cross. It is also one of the most frequently crossed for migrants and refugees. This course examines the history, the origins, the destinations, and the definitions of human population flows across the Mediterranean. We will explore push and pull factors as well as sending and host country classifications of people as they cross from one side to the other. We will focus in particular on the tensions between sending and host countries from individual, societal and institutional levels.

SOC 1140. Social Forces and the Ecology of Inequality and Opportunity.

This course explores a range of issues pertaining to equity and equality in the United States and globally. Putting sociology in conversation with other disciplines, it addresses existing societal conditions, policies and practices, focusing on research studies and scholarship pertaining to race and racism, class, poverty and wealth, gender and sexuality, culture, media, and religion. Through engaging readings, films and videos, guest lectures, and other engagement, the course examines the interdependence of economic, legal, social, political, cultural, and educational forces. It aims to deepen students’ understanding of how these forces either sustain or narrow opportunity gaps in society, education, and beyond.

SOC 1155. Borderlands.

This course explores the creation and maintenance of international borders and the communities that develop in response to them. We will examine a particular collection of borders and borderlands that includes a range of structural, managerial, and geographical variation. Through a combination of scholarly texts, ethnographic accounts, films, and research on GOs and NGOs, we will study legal and illegal crossings, border communities, and border patrol organizations that seek to protect the integrity of national boundaries. (Note: While the case study texts focus on the Mediterranean/Middle East, students will be required to investigate and share research on other areas of the world.) By the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how international borders are created, how they are maintained, and how people and organizations navigate them. While the majority of this course will be conducted on campus, it includes one-week, embedded travel to Istanbul during spring break (March 23 - March 31, 2024).

SOC 1220. Future of Work.

The Future of Work refers to technological advances in brain science, AI, blockchain, machine and deep learning that have the potential to substantially change our work experiences, organizations and society. These changes can bring many positive benefits and also raise ethical concerns when technology is used to predict human behavior, replace employees, create a contingent/low-wage workforce, or drive autonomous vehicles. This class will examine how the world of work is changing, how these changes relate to organizations and entrepreneurship, and what skills are necessary to shape the Future of Work in ways that are sustainable, ethical and inclusive.

SOC 1230. What Do Schools Do? Education and Inequality.

Education is an important institution in modern societies. Schools influence all of our lives from an early age. Schools are the largest employer in many communities and are widely considered the major force for social equality. What does this mean for society? What do schools do? Why do some students learn more than others? How do schools reduce or reproduce social inequality? How do schools influence society and how does society shape schools? We will consider these and other related questions in this course.

SOC 1240. Human Sexuality in a Social Context.

How do we come to know ourselves as sexual beings? How do individuals develop attractions, make sexual choices, define and enact their own sexuality? What is social about sexuality, and how do institutions and organizations influence understandings of human sexuality over time? This course investigates these questions by examining the processes through which the human body is sexed, from without, by the society into which it is born, and from within, through self-definition, desire, and practice. Social science theories of sexuality will be considered, and cross-cultural and historical accounts of sexual practices will be reviewed. Not open to first year students.

SOC 1250. Perceptions of Mental Illness.

This interdisciplinary course centers on the need to understand mental illness in a broad social context. It covers personal experience of mental illness, history of psychiatric concepts and treatment, politics of diagnosis, mental health policy and deinstitutionalization, public attitudes toward mental illness, social factors and epidemiology of mental illness, and links between mental illness and creativity. There is much attention to artistic perceptions of mental illness through fiction, memoirs, drama, music, and art.

SOC 1260. Market Research in Public and Private Sectors.

Introduction to data and research methods for private and public sector organizations. Data used in market research include trends in the population of consumers, economic trends, trends within sectors and industries, analyses of product sales and services, and specific studies of products, promotional efforts, and consumer reactions. Emphasizes the use of demographic, GIS, and other available data.

SOC 1270. Race, Class, and Ethnicity in the Modern World.

Applies sociological analysis to understand present and historical cases of ethnic and race relations and conflicts. Topics addressed are the social construction of race and ethnicity; historical processes of racialization; ethnic conflict and the nation state; and the linkages between race, class, and social mobility. Focuses on racial and ethnic relations in the U.S., but also has a strong international comparative component.

SOC 1281. Migration in the Americas.

Examines historical trends and determinants of migration from Latin America to the United States. Each stage of the migration process is examined: the decision to migrate, getting across international borders, settlement and integration in destinations, and return to places of origin. The course integrates theories and empirical studies of international migration with hands-on analysis of survey data from the Mexican and Latin American Migration Projects, the two largest survey databases for studying migration in the Americas. Students will learn how to formulate and operationalize research hypotheses, read, process, and analyze survey data files, and present and interpret research results. While the majority of this course will be conducted on campus, it includes one-week, embedded travel to Mexico City during spring break (March 25 - April 1, 2023) to explore the research priorities, perspectives and approaches of Mexican migration scholars, and in particular, to gain exposure to the multidimensionality of international migration flows including transit migration from Central and South America enroute to the Mexico-U.S. border and migration within Latin America. Students interested in this off-campus course must submit an application in Via TRM. Application deadline is December 5, 2022. Students will be notified of admission in mid-December. If you have questions about the application process, please contact Kelly Watts, kelly_watts@brown.edu

SOC 1310. Social Change in Latin America.

Analyzes the development of modern Latin American societies, focusing on three interrelated processes: the formation of states, the formation of nations, and the formation of socioeconomic systems. The approach is macrosociological, looking at broad processes of structural and institutional change, and historical-comparative, analyzing and comparing how the three processes above developed historically in different Latin American countries.

SOC 1311. Micro-Organizational Theory: Social Behavior in Organizations.

Micro-Organizational Theory focuses on the human dynamics of organizations as natural systems. It examines how individual attitudes, actions, and interactions make a difference for organizational processes and outcomes. This focus is contrasted with more macro-level approaches, which take the organization (instead of the individual) as the primary unit of analysis. For example, studies of organizations from an economic perspective are typically concerned with the performance of the organization relative to its competitors. Studies of organizations from a macro-sociological focus are typically concerned with an organization's routines and structures, contextualized by the broader environment. SOC 1311 takes a more micro and meso perspective that asks questions such as, "why do individuals in organization behave the way they do, how does this affect the organizations of which they are a part and how, in turn, are individuals affected by their organizations?"

SOC 1315. Macro-Organizational Theory: Organizations in Social Context.

Macro-Organizational Theory focuses on the organization and its social/economic environment. This class will explore various definitions of the organization’s environment, and the many types of macro-level organizational structures in which sets of organizations interact, function, compete, and cooperate. Important questions to be asked include the following:

-What is an organizational environment and how do organizations “deal” with what is outside of their boundaries?

-How are the boundaries of organizations defined/recognized/function?

-How do environments influence organizational strategy and performance?

-What are the major theories for assessing macro-level organizational phenomena?

-What are the many ways in which organizations relate to other organizations?

SOC 1330. Remaking the City.

Cities are being reshaped by immigration, economic restructuring, and other forces. This course reviews these changes from several perspectives, including the patterns and causes of change, the role of politics and public policy, and how different groups of people (by class, race, and national origin) manage under the new conditions. Readings will emphasize historical and cross-national comparisons.

SOC 1340. Principles and Methods of Geographic Information Systems.

An introduction to the fundamental principles and methods of geographic information systems (GIS). Topics include (a) handling different types of geographic datasets, (b) geo-analytical and modeling tools in GIS, (c) conceptual and theoretical aspects of GIS application development, and (d) errors and uncertainty analysis of GIS applications. Laboratory assignments and the project work provide hands on experiences in GIS. Enrollment limited to 42 juniors and seniors.

SOC 1352. Employment and Labor in the New Economy.

This class will introduce students to classical and contemporary theories pertaining to work, employment, and labor markets. Readings and class discussions will specifically focus on individuals’ careers and employment processes within organizations. The course will examine: (1) the sociology of labor markets, (2) employment and careers in the new economy and (3) job search, networks, and hiring decisions. Students will develop knowledge of these key theories, which will be applied in high-profile organizational settings.

SOC 1400. Political Sociology.

Analyzes "American Exceptionalism" through constitutional and cultural controversies. Considers relations between the state and such institutions as the market, the family, associations and churches. Examines the effects of class, race, ethnicity, and gender on American politics.

SOC 1410. Aging and the Quality of Life.

Provides a broad-based knowledge of the aging process and its impact on the quality of life of elders. Explores physical, psychological, social, cultural factors. Assesses different approaches to meeting needs of elders and providing high quality care and examines consequences of an aging population for social institutions. Prerequisites: SOC 0010 or 0020 and PHP 0070 or 0310, or permission of the instructor.

SOC 1420. Violence and Society.

The course focuses on the personal and structural sources and consequences of violence in the U.S. We investigate three levels of violence: interpersonal; institutional, wherein social institutions do violence to individuals or groups; and structural, examining the structures of society that tolerate or promote violence, both within the society and toward other societies. Next, we examine the culture of violence that permeates our society, including the mass media and violence. WE focus on specific forms of violence in our society, including gang violence, bullying, violence within schools, sex trafficking, war, religious violence, and terrorism.

SOC 1430. Social Structure and Personal Development.

The relationship between one's place in the social structure and one's own personal growth. Investigates the social aspects of individual growth and change throughout the life course. Also examines social factors involved in the failure to find a meaningful place for oneself in society.

SOC 1440. Intimate Violence.

Explores sociological perspectives of violence in intimate relationships. Begins with theories of violence, including social learning theory, the frustration-aggression hypothesis, and violence as catharsis. Examines the contributions of gender, race status, media violence, and pornography to the issue. Investigates specific forms of intimate violence: sexual aggression (including "acquaintance rape"), partner abuse, elderly abuse, and child abuse. Not open to first year students.

SOC 1450. Unstable Times: Migration, Identity and Societal Integration.

This course focuses on the changing experience of immigrants in American society. It builds on the premise that periods of social transformation are central to understanding the process of integration of people moving across borders and settling in particular locales. The course engages theories of immigrant incorporation to examine processes of identity formation and societal integration. The course also considers how immigrant integration is a major force reshaping social and political ideologies as well as how new patterns of exclusion emerge as immigrants confront the denial of resources, opportunities and access to citizenship.

SOC 1480. What's Wrong with Empowerment:Critical perspectives on Development.

Women’s “empowerment” is a means and ends to international development. From microfinance self-help groups that foster women’s businesses, to corporate social responsibility projects that promote girls’ education, to campaigns against domestic violence, developmental initiatives target women. These projects are motivated by the commonsense understanding that focusing on women will not only make women better off, but also their families, neighborhoods, and the entire nation. This course analyzes the evolution and effects of women as a global solution to poverty. How did women become the targets of development? Are women empowered by development schemes we find today in their names?

SOC 1490. Power, Knowledge and Justice in Global Social Change.

How bad is climate change, and how much worse it will get? How are global inequalities’ changing? What are their consequences? How is white supremacy implicated here? What is our responsibility in analyzing/engaging these questions? You have at least an implicit response to these questions and others addressing global transformations. This course will help refine your understandings by inviting you to consider the actors, structures, norms and powers shaping how change works and why we judge its expressions as we do. Across multiple areas of global change, we compare conceptions of power and justice in their various articulations.

SOC 1540. Human Needs and Social Services.

The development of human services and a broad range of social welfare purposes are studied, including health and nutrition programs, job development, youth empowerment, and family, workforce, and educational policies. The role of nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations receives particular attention, and alternative models of human services are discussed. This semester will focus particularly on the impact of community-based programs, featuring case studies from projects funded through the course, "Investing in Social Change," in Fall 2010. The emphasis will be on different means and measures for evaluating impact and demonstrating sustainability and accountability. Instructor permission required.

SOC 1550. Sociology of Medicine.

The aim of this course is to give conceptual framework and some analytic tools to examine the context of health, illness and well-being at the micro, meso and macro levels. The focus of our attention will be on health inequalities: how they are produced, their relationships with socioeconomic status, and how to minimize their effects. Special attention will be given to the phenomenon of medicalization, to the ways in which a diagnosis is socially constructed, issues of social justice and equity, and the implications of biotechnological innovation and the rise of health and wellness-oriented culture.

SOC 1600. Comparative Development.

An exploration of the economic, political, and social changes that constitute development. Both the historical experience of Europe and the contemporary Third World are considered. Major processes examined include state and nation-building, agricultural modernization, colonialism, industrialization, revolution and socialism, authoritarianism and democracy, and socioeconomic distribution. Emphasis on the countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

SOC 1620. Globalization and Social Conflict.

Examines the effect globalization is having on the economies and societies of the developed and developing world. Focuses in particular on how new forms of global production and networking are transforming the traditional role of the nation-state, creating new dynamics of wealth distribution, and generating new sources of social conflict and political contestation, including transnational social movements.

SOC 1630. Transnational Social Movements and the Environment.

Globalization presents distinct environmental challenges and alters the terrain upon which social movements mobilize and engage for change. How can we understand the relationships between globalization, the environment and society? In what ways is inequality being shaped in this context? How do social movements and advocacy networks engage transnationally to find leverage? Through readings, writing, film, multimedia projects, and engagement with case studies and social theory, this course explores how social movements and advocacy networks mobilize transnationally to achieve environmental justice and sustainability.

SOC 1640. Social Exclusion.

Why are some groups rejected and others accepted? This course examines the mechanisms of belonging and ostracism, social integration and exclusion, theories of diversity and hierarchy, and policies to reduce exclusion and inequality.

SOC 1650. Unequal Societies.

This course compares nation-states in terms of various forms of inequality and assesses theories explaining international inequalities. It examines why poverty, income inequality, and poor health are greater in the United States than in comparably affluent countries, why intergenerational mobility varies, and why some societies treat women more equally or are more accepting of immigrants and cultural minorities than others. It asks whether the high standard of living in the Global North comes at the expense of the Global South. What holds unequal societies together and pulls them apart? Can inequalities be reduced?

SOC 1702J. The (Racial) Politics of National Culture (IAPA 1702J)..

Interested students must register for IAPA 1702J.

SOC 1830. Mattering and Dysfunctional Behavior in Adolescence.

No description available.

SOC 1840. Mattering and Dysfunctional Behavior in Adolescence.

No description available.

SOC 1870A. Investing in Social Change.

Philanthropy -- "giving away money" -- sounds attractive and simple. But the very acts of contributing and receiving resources affect dynamics and relationships among all involved. We explore philanthropic strategies, social change, the sociological dimensions of philanthropy in historic and current practice. Students engage in teams to investigate a particular community concern, design an investment strategy, recommend the investment of grant dollars. Instructor permission required. Course enrollment is by application only. Applications can be found at swearercenter.brown.edu shortly before the start of class. Students who pre-register must still be selected through the application process and attend the first class meeting. Enrollment limited to 18.

SOC 1870B. Seminar in Contemporary Political Sociology.

Explores how political power in society is structured from above and challenged from below. Using contemporary theory and comparative-historical analysis, this seminar critically addresses the power of the modern state, the politics of social class, the character of social movements, and the causes of social revolution. No formal prerequisites. Previous coursework in the social sciences is recommended. Enrollment limited to 20. Not open to first year students.

SOC 1870C. African Development and Demography.

Focuses on the relationship between socioeconomic developments in Africa and their demographic transitions. Particular emphasis will be placed on cultural issues in the analysis of population changes (mortality, morbidity, migration, family, and fertility) in the contexts of economic growth and dependency. Theories of development will be evaluated in the context of African demography; African population patterns will be assessed in their developmental diversity.

SOC 1870D. Aging and Social Policy.

This seminar examines the policy challenges of Americas aging population, centering on two major themes. The first has to do with the impact of the elderly on society and societal institutions. The second theme concerns alternate models for health and social service provision. We will explore the process of policy formation, focusing on the social and political construction of the problems of aging. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1870E. Alternatives to Violence.

We examine nonviolence as a method for resolving serious social conflict. We consider psychological and sociological approaches to understanding why people choose violence, as a precursor to studying theories of nonviolence. We investigate practioners of nonviolence throughout history and analyze nonviolence as a response to such issues as the death penalty, war, and terrorism.

SOC 1870G. Capitalism, Democracy, and Social Welfare.

This seminar for advanced undergraduate and graduate students explores long-term developments in modern societies. Empirical comparative historical analysis and theoretical assessments of causation, inevitability, and alternative possibilities will be complemented by normative reflections.

SOC 1870H. Comparative Chinese Family Studies.

Explores central issues in the social research of the Chinese family in both historical and contemporary contexts, with primary emphasis given to the latter and the family systems in China and in Taiwan. Two questions frame the course: "What is going on in Chinese families?" and "Why?"

SOC 1870I. Contested Environmental Illness-Research Seminar.

Examines "contested illnesses," focusing on environmental factors in Gulf War illnesses, asthma, breast cancer and other diseases. Students conduct interviews and do field work and document analysis to study lay, scientific, and governmental perspectives. Examines how these disputes can lead to progress in disease detection and etiology, and in the development of less toxic products.

SOC 1870K. Demographics and Development.

Assesses the social and economic determinants and consequences of changes in fertility, mortality, and migration and their impact on the size, distribution, and composition of population in developing societies. Implications of the evolving population structure for planning and policy. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1870L. The Economic Foundations of Everyday Life.

Critically examines the relationship between markets and individual, inter-personal, and community level social phenomena. Aims to help students develop knowledge and skills to understand markets as social institutions, evaluate them through different theoretical lenses, analyze their impacts on social life. Students also learn the skills of critical analysis and argumentation needed to form thoughtful opinion, take a critical position, make a decision about important economic and social issues. Thus, students gain expertise as informed actors and advocates in the social and economic system. Prerequisite: SOC 1010, equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Enrollment to 20.

SOC 1870M. Entrepreneurship and Good Work: Engineering Dreams.

In this course, students examine the concepts of creation, organization, promotion, management and risk of ownership, to wit: entrepreneurship. This is done in the context of "good work". Using a combination of relevant case studies, readings, guest lectures and discussion, each participant builds a theory and framework to explore what defines innovative and meaningful engagement during one's working years.

SOC 1870N. Environmental Sociology.

Since its formal inception in the late-1970s, environmental sociology has developed as a highly interdisciplinary field that simultaneously confronts core sociological questions and challenges. This seminar provides students with a selective overview of major approaches, debates, and interdisciplinary cross-currents shaping the field of environmental sociology. The general goal of the course is to deepen collective understanding of the dynamic interrelationships shaping human societies and the natural environment. To do so, we will consider how sociologists and others have conceptualized society-environment relations and critically assess the various approaches developed to examine those relations, their causes, and outcomes.

SOC 1870O. Ethnic Entrepreneurship.

This course focuses on the dynamics of urban labor markets in Latin America. In spite of rapid industrialization, large numbers of people in Latin American cities depend on the informal economy for their livelihood. The course begins with a review of the different theoretical approaches to the urban labor markets and the informal economy in Latin America. It then focuses on the relationship between industrialization and urbanization in the region, the economic and social linkages of the informal economy, and the household strategies of labor market insertion. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1870P. Explaining China's Rise: Development and Accumulation in Contemporary China.

Few questions pose more significance to scholars and policymakers than the "rise of China". As scholars grapple with explaining China's rise, they also provide tantalizing previews of the future of Chinese growth, by extension, the future of global economy. This course explores the character, conditions, consequences of the rapid Chinese economic growth that many have termed " capitalism with Chinese characteristics". 3 paradigms for explaining growth: a state-centered approach, a market-oriented approach, Marxist, accumulation-centered approach. 3 parts, each examining a separate paradigm of development, providing case studies this paradigm explains growth in specific industries and sectors of the Chinese economy.

SOC 1870R. Groups in Organizations.

Groups are the core social unit of organizations. This class examines the unique processes that make groups more than just the sum of their individual members, as well as the impact of groups on organizations, and the ways in which groups are constrained and influenced by organizational context. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1870S. Sociology of Gender.

Gender is among the most prominent organizing principles in our society. From the day they are born—and even earlier as the result of reproductive technologies—on through to the day they die, individuals are gendered. Instead of understanding gender as a set of behaviors derived from innate, fixed biological differences between men and women, this course analyzes gender as a social arrangement shaped by social actors, organizations, and institutions. Drawing from social science research, the course analyzes everyday interactions of intimacy, language, and identity issues, as well as macro structures like the economy, religion, and education, to understand how they affect notions of gender. The course sustains an analysis of sexuality because ideas of femininity and masculinity are constructed around notions of “appropriate” sexual conduct and relations. Although this course focuses on everyday life in this country, the class will explore the production and institutionalization of gender relations in historical moments and spaces beyond the U.S. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors and seniors.

SOC 1870T. Health Professions and Organizations.

An in-depth study of the social history of the professions and institutions of medicine. Primary emphasis will be on the U.S., but some comparative reading will be done as well. Theories of social change will be applied to the medical profession, and organizational processes of change will be used to explain current developments in managed care organizations and in the use of strategic alliances in health care delivery.

SOC 1870U. Household and Families.

Examination of sociological, economic, anthropological, and historical research on the impact of change on family structure and the effect of family processes on demographic behavior. Trends considered include the rise of one-person households and one parent families.

SOC 1870V. Households, Work, and Gender.

Household membership typically entails coordinated behavior. We discuss the organization of work and its gendered dimensions. We explore the determinants and consequences of existing divisions of labor drawing on readings from multiple disciplines. The approach is sociological and comparative. Considerable time devoted to less developed settings. Seminar format. Individual research encouraged. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1870X. Sociology of Health Research Seminar.

Global and local processes and patterns of inequality reflect and perpetuate persistent, unethical, health inequities. This advanced seminar will introduce students to research on life course health and aging. In the first part of the course, we will review sociological approaches to understanding health, and variation in health and wellness, over time and across place and communities, as well as over life courses and generations. In the second part of the course, we will apply our learning to design and conduct a research study.

SOC 1871A. Sociological Perspectives on Mexico - United States Migration.

This course examines the economic and social determinants of migration, and the consequences of migration for migrant families and communities. Each stage of the migration process is examined: the decision to migrate, getting across the border, adaptation and settlement in the U.S., return migration, and the impact of migration on origin communities.

SOC 1871B. Sociological Perspectives on Poverty.

Examines the personal experiences of socioeconomic status, with focus on the lower tiers of the hierarchy. We distinguish three levels of poverty: the working poor, marginal workers, and the underclass. Analysis will make use of issues of gender and family, race and ethnicity, and urban and rural settings. We investigate sociological perspectives on the problem of homelessness. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1871C. Sociology of the Legal Profession.

This seminar explores the structure and functioning of the legal profession, with a particular focus on the role of lawyers in contemporary America. The approach is broadly sociological, emphasizing that lawyersing, like all professional work, reflects the social dynamics of both the profession itself and the larger society in which the profession is embedded. Topics and materials focus on general social processes, not on the mechanics of getting into law school, choosing a practice area, or succeeding as a practitioner. Through readings and field observations, coupled with weekly discussions and e-mail dialogues, the seminar invites students to refine and extend their thinking on a series of important and controversial topics, including legal education, client relations, professional ethics, inter-professional competition and intra-professional stratification. Prerequisites: familiarity with other areas of sociology or law is helpful, but not essential; previous coursework in the social sciences is strongly recommended.

SOC 1871D. Sophomore Seminar in Sociology of Development.

This seminar provides an introduction to the study of development. It looks at the diversity of understandings of the concept of development as well as its practical importance in the world. Students will read texts that present pressing questions and issues concerning development practices, policies, and theories. Efforts to connect broad theoretical debates to understanding contemporary problems will be encouraged. Enrollment limited to 20 sophomores.

SOC 1871E. Theory and Methods in Historical Sociology.

An examination of work at the intersection of sociology and history. Explores the different theoretical traditions that guide the sociolgical analysis of history, the diverse approaches to conceptualization and comparison used in the investigation of large - scale structures, and the various methodological techniques that are available for generating valid explanations of historical patterns of change. Prerequisites: some background in sociology or history.

SOC 1871F. The Sociology of Labor Markets.

An introduction to the fundamental principles and methods of geographic information systems (GIS). Topics include (a) handling different types of geographic datasets, (b) geo-analytical and modeling tools in GIS, (c) conceptual and theoretical aspects of GIS application development, and (d) errors and uncertainty analysis of GIS applications. Laboratory assignments and the project work provide hands on experiences in GIS. Enrollment limited to 15 juniors and seniors. Instructor permission required.

SOC 1871G. Social Goals, Motivation and Behavior in Organizations.

Social goals such as status, reciprocity, and group solidarity take into consideration not only our individual needs, but also the social context. In this course we will learn about these three social goals, various types of organizational motivation, and the role the social goals may play in influencing people's behavior when they work in groups.

SOC 1871H. Social Perspectives on HIV/AIDS.

This seminar will build upon your understanding of the perspectives and research methods used in sociology through studying the vulnerabilities for HIV infection and the social consequences of the epidemic in east and southern Africa. The course relies heavily on student participation, which will include leading class discussions, making formal presentations, and contributing to class discussions. The readings have been chosen to frame our discussion and to fuel debate; therefore, all readings should be completed before the class for which they are assigned. It is helpful if you have had previous coursework in sociology; however, the course is open to all students interested in the topic.

SOC 1871I. Advanced Geographic Information Systems.

Advanced GIS will explore students in the social sciences to the tools of spatial analysis. Students will explore both the theoretical foundation for different types of spatial analysis as well the practical implementation of spatial analysis as presented in various software packages.

SOC 1871J. Ethics, Justice, and Transformations in Engaged Scholarship.

We seek to refine our understandings of the variations in engaged scholarship’s ethics, conceptions of justice, and practices of transformation. In this seminar we shall work with a variety of experienced scholars and practitioners to identify best practices, recognize recurring and distinctive challenges, and to identify the conditions of consequential transformations that emerge from such engaged scholarship.

SOC 1871K. Nanotechnology and Organizations.

In recent years, nanotechnology has attracted enormous interests from a variety of organizations. This course examines how different organizations - public, private and non-profit - promote and shape the development of nanotechnology. To help students understand the emergence of this new high-tech science, this course also introduces theories and empirical studies in the literature of organizational studies.

SOC 1871L. Migration, Displacement and Emerging Community Experiences: Contemporary Turkey.

This course explores Anatolia as a dynamic territory of transit, through a critical lens. We will study communities that have been formed through internal and international migration, displacement, and Otherness that forces people to organize along identity lines, resulting in emerging diverse communities within Turkey. We will look briefly at Anatolia’s past and focus primarily on contemporary Turkey. We will compare the reality of the population with the rhetoric and performance of ruling powers pertaining to indigenous status and belonging. Students will leave this course with a comprehensive understanding of population and identity formation in contemporary Turkey as they relate to migration and displacement.

SOC 1871M. Theories of the Third Sector and Civil Society.

Third Sector- consisting of non-government, nonprofit, social movements organizations-- is an increasingly important segment of societies worldwide. This seminar will train students to critically apply organizational theory to evaluate the contributions, opportunities and challenges of this sector. We will probe critical third sector issues, including: impact, accountability, and sustainability of sector activities; commons issues in the sector such as legitimacy and co-optation; the dynamics of government collaboration; and what constitutes social justice in the distribution of the sector's resources. Prerequisite: at least one course in Sociology. Enrollment preference given to Sociology and BEO concentrators.

SOC 1871N. Military Health: The Quest for Healthy Violence.

As an institution, the military trains individuals to conduct violence while remaining, at least ideally, healthy. From the standpoint of the organization, the successful soldier is someone who is good at violence at the same time that he or she is mentally and physically fit. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1871O. Law, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

This seminar explores the relationship between law and organizational change, with particular attention to the emergence of new technologies, new enterprises, and new fields. Topics focus on underlying sociological processes, not on technical or practical details of particular legal or industrial settings. The seminar is aimed at advanced students who are familiar with organizational sociology; familiarity with law is helpful, but not essential. Through shared and individual readings, weekly discussions, and e-mail dialogs, this course helps students to refine and extend their thinking on important and controversial topics at the intersection of contemporary organizational and socio-legal studies.

SOC 1871P. Field Methods in Development Research.

An introduction to the various techniques of field methods in development research, with a focus on qualitative and field methods.

SOC 1871Q. Sociology of Culture.

This upper level seminar reviews classic and contemporary approaches to the sociology of culture, with special attention to the cultural sociology, relational sociology, and questions of political culture.

SOC 1871R. Knowledge Networks and Global Transformation.

How do refined knowledge and the social relations that organize and distribute it influence changes in the institutions, inequalities and cultural systems and practices that define particular world regions and global formations? And how do global transformations influence the trajectories of knowledge production themselves? We will examine particular knowledge-identified agents, including universities, research institutes, think tanks, and professional associations, to consider why they approach global transformations in the way that they do. And we will consider how particular kinds of global transformations, from the end of the cold war and the transformation of information/communication technology to the last financial crisis, affect knowledge production itself. By exploring intersections between global complexity and reflexivity in this fashion, we hope to increase our own capacities for seeing the world not only as it is, but how knowledge might be used in making better alternatives for the future. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors and seniors.

SOC 1871S. Legacies of Inequality: The U.S. and Beyond.

Does education equalize or widen gaps between people and nations? Has mass imprisonment reduced crime or exacerbated U.S. racial inequality? Does biology determine destiny, or is society more fluid? This course introduces theory and research on social inequality, emphasizing temporal dimensions of social differentiation. Attention will be paid to the characteristics we are given (race, sex), those we achieve (education, income), and institutions and policies we encounter throughout the life cycle (schools, the justice system). By understanding the complexities of social inequality and the challenges of devising solutions, students will leave as informed citizens, better equipped to enter any profession. Enrollment limited to 20. First year students require instructor permission.

SOC 1871T. Who Governs Markets?.

This Course will introduce students to problems of market regulation. It begins with discussion of key turning points and debates around markets and states that shaped contemporary capitalism. We will then explore a wide array of governance institutions and mechanisms, raging from international organizations, private certification agencies to bottom-up social movements and protection rackets. Students will have an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to exploring one particular industry or company through design of a case study. They cases will help develop our understanding of how policies, labor and social movements or forces of competition influenced particular industries. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1871U. Sample Surveys in Social Research.

This course covers the theory and practice of survey research. Topics include questionnaire design and formatting; sample design and selection; interviewing techniques; data base design and data entry; and elementary data analysis and report production. Students individually design and conduct a survey on a topic of their choice, and collectively conduct and analyze a sample survey of the Brown student population. Please note that this course is a seminar version of SOC 1120. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1871V. Update on American Society: Social Trends in the Last Decade.

American society is always changing, and national data sources (especially the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey) provide updated information on social trends every year. This course will review the most significant recent social trends based on these sources, including such topics as income and wealth inequality, racial and ethnic change, immigration, marriage and family patterns, home ownership, and residential segregation. Enrollment limited to 30 juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

SOC 1871W. Geographical Analysis of Society.

Provides an introduction to a geographical approach to understanding the spatial organization of individuals, societies, and economies. The two main emphases are on theories/concepts and applied analytical tools. We will learn about key theories in geography, sociology, and economics that have attempted to organize and classify the spatial structures and interactions across space of social and economic actors and will work with related analytical techniques. Enrollment limited to 20 juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

SOC 1871X. Comparative Urban Political Economy.

For the first time, most people across the globe live in cities. Inequalities within both nations and cities are increasingly similar across national boundaries. This course ask how the politics of formal and informal institutions in cities produce and change inequalities of shelter, work, race, and other social identities, across urban space. We analyze cases from across the globe, along with a range of social science methods and theoretical perspectives.

SOC 1871Y. Time and Social Inequality.

This course explores the subject of time from a sociological perspective. The international adoption of a standardized time alludes to a universality in the experience of time. Yet, time is neither experienced nor distributed equally. In this course, we will explore temporal inequalities in contemporary U.S. society by considering how time is patterned, managed, and experienced across social boundaries.

SOC 1871Z. Martial Arts, Culture, and Society.

In this upper level undergraduate course for which there are no prerequisites, we consider how sociology, and other social sciences, help us understand martial arts and other bodymindful practices (including yoga!) and how they might inform the social sciences. We consider how these practices, their organizations, and their cultures shape, and are shaped by, different structures of power and privilege. We concentrate on martial arts because they straddle such an important axial dimension of society around violence. Enrollment limited to 20.

SOC 1872A. Stratifcation and Labor Markets.

This class examines theories pertaining to labor market inequality and wealth stratification. What organizational practices shape employment outcomes, and how can they be addressed? What factors are contributing to widening wealth stratification in the USA and abroad. How are establishments, technology, and executive compensation shaping labor market inequality today? These questions, and others, will be addressed by examining processes affecting: (1) organizations, (2) individuals and society, and (3) nations. Theoretical concepts will be explored through practical examples. In addition to discussing key factors shaping inequality and stratification outcomes, solutions to address these issues will be examined through organizational policy initiatives.

SOC 1872B. Sociology of Money.

What is money, wealth, their relationship? How have U.S. Markets for money changed this relationship? How have money markets changed? This is an introduction to current markets for money: how credit/debit is exchanged, how money is produced, what it represents in relation to global production, trade, and wealth distribution. Each week presents a question, than answers this question in two ways:1st explaining how financial instruments work within U.S. market (economic explanation), 2nd examining how financial instruments change market outcomes ( sociological critique). By the end students will understand how money markets work and how they effect the distribution of wealth.

SOC 1872C. Race and Ethnic Relations, Identity, and Inequality.

This course provides an overview of perspectives used in sociological studies of race and ethnicity. It focuses on race and ethnic relation, boundaries, and inequalities through empirical research on interracial or interethnic contact opportunities and racial, ethnic change and variation in interracial or interethnic relationship, romance, and marriage. The goal of the course is to deepen the understanding that racial/ethnic boundaries are rigid, yet may be crossed, blurred, or shifted over time and across generations.

SOC 1872E. Global Sociology: Capitalism, Colonialism and the Making of the Modern World.

This course seeks to question our sense of place in the world. Sociology often takes the nation as a bounded unit of analysis. Yet, the history of the modern world is one of empires, colonialism and transnational connections. These global racial and colonial histories are frequently ignored or silenced. This course focuses on Providence and Rhode Island to look at the embeddedness of local lives in global social processes. If we acknowledge that the world has always been global, how does that change our understanding of contemporary issues? How should we rethink sociology to break with its colonial origins?

SOC 1872G. First-Generation College Students: A Sociological Perspective: A Sophomore Seminar.

Colleges have expanded their focus on diversity to include the social class origins of prospective students. One consequence is the emergence of the notion of first-generation college students: those who are the first in their families to attend college. We examine the challenges facing first-gens as they pursue higher education, focusing on two sources of difficulty: gaining admission and acclimating oneself to college, both academically and socially.Our goals are two-fold: (1) To understand the social barriers, compromises, and internal conflicts that first-generation college students face, and, (2) consider how institutional and structural forces impact and shape these students.

SOC 1872H. Sociology of FIRE: Finance, Insurance, + Real Estate.

This seminar explores the sociology of finance, insurance, and real estate (the “FIRE” sector). Topics covered include: the causes and consequences of the growth of finance, the morality of life insurance, gender discrimination, race and the role of the state in the mortgage market, the interplay between innovation and regulation, and the 2008 financial crisis. We will ask whether the benefits of modern finance are worth its costs, and whether finance merely reflects existing social and economic inequalities, or if there are mechanisms by which finance creates or reinforces those inequalities.

SOC 1872I. Revolutions and Social Change.

Revolutions are some of history’s most dramatic events, causing rapid social transformations to arise from direct human action. But what exactly is a revolution? What causes revolutions? How do revolutions unfold? What do revolutions accomplish? How can revolutions change the world? In this course, you will answer these questions by examining and comparing a wide range of revolutions across history and the world, from France and Russia to Cuba and Iran. You will explore their social and political dynamics, focusing on their causes, courses, and outcomes, and by the course's end will understand the role of revolutions in history.

SOC 1872J. Engaged Research/Engaged Publics: The Science + Craft of Applied Policy Research.

Policy problems are complex. Policy analysis and design is both a science and a craft. Increasingly, policymakers have begun to acknowledge that effective policy research requires not only multiple methods of inquiry, but also interdisciplinary teams of social science researchers, citizens, designers, scientists, artists, consultants, and engineers, among other experts. Generating innovative policy solutions, from this approach, is not a straightforward, linear scientific process, but instead a creative, collaborative, and engaged activity that requires not only iterative and dynamic research methods, but also storytelling, design, and other creative processes. Pre Requisites: Substantive courses in public policy, urban studies, sociology, political science, and anthropology are also recommended, but not required.

SOC 1872K. Schools and Social Inequality.

Education has long been conceived of as the engine of social mobility, yet many factors dog modern efforts to close persistent opportunity and achievement gaps between low-income and minority youth and their affluent and white peers. This community-engaged course has a dual focus on content and research methods. Working with partner schools in Providence, students will investigate the macro, meso, and micro-level processes that enable the replication or remediation of social inequality, while simultaneously developing data collection techniques and analytic capacities. Complimentary class reading, reflection, and assignments will give context to and refine students’ learning in the field.

SOC 1872L. 20th Century World – A Sociology of States and Empires.

This course introduces students to the sociology of empires and states. With help from key theories and concepts it charts a course through the transformation of pre-WWI empires into nation-states and the international order of today. Using primary sources, chosen by the students, we focus on historical continuities and discontinuities that constitute(d) both empires and states and mark the making of the 20th century. Sources may vary from treaties and declarations to literary, film and art works – like Gore Vidal’s Narratives of Empire or Chaplin’s Dictator – that analyze, portray or reproduce state- and empire-making (or unmaking) efforts.

SOC 1872N. Ethnography in Organizations.

This course explores how ethnographers study organizations. You will explore ethnographic case studies of different types of organizations, from private companies to governmental agencies. You will also have the opportunity to practice methods by conducting a semester-long ethnographic study of an organization on campus. This course will give students a strong grounding in the theories and methods that define ethnographic studies of organizations.

SOC 1872O. Critical Race Theory.

We will examine US race, racism, and racial inequality through the lens of critical race theory. We start with an examination of the development of critical race theory in the legal academy and explore the foundational principles of the theoretical framework. We will utilize a critical race frame to analyze the law as a tool of the US racial state, a mechanism through which the state has created and maintained race privilege and corresponding racial oppression. We will also compare the critical race paradigm that developed in the legal academy to some of the most critical race perspectives in sociology.

SOC 1872P. Healthcare Professions, Organizations, and Markets.

When we are sick and seek treatment, we encounter a complex system of healthcare. This course explores variations in who provides care, how the care is delivered, and how it’s paid for, and whether it has consequential impacts on patient outcomes. It also considers the important role of state regulations and patient driven social movements in shaping care. To untangle this system and understand the actors and structures that shape our healthcare experiences, both locally here in the United States as well as abroad, this course engages in a sociological analysis of healthcare professions, organizations, and markets.

SOC 1872S. Sociology of Health Inequality in Global Perspective.

Arguably no resource is more important for social life than health. Health, however, is unequally distributed both within and across populations. This course critically investigates the determinants of health inequality, examining evidence from across the globe. It draws together key readings from the stratification literature, the sociology of development, and public health to consider how health is structured in High and Low and Middle Income countries.

SOC 1872V. Race and Wrongful Conviction in the United States.

This class examines the racial origins of wrongful conviction in the U.S. criminal justice system. We examine how wrongful conviction is created through both formal laws as well as social norms of practice that obscure how racial bias infiltrates seemingly race-neutral areas of due process. While legal scholars and lawyers examine wrongful conviction as a type of “misfire” in an otherwise functioning criminal justice system, this course considers how wrongful conviction is type of social system within the mainstay of the criminal justice system, at large. In the tradition of W.E.B. Du Bois, we examine how racism is the engine of this social system that is best referred to as “mass wrongful conviction.”

SOC 1873B. Calculating the Incalculable: W.E.B. Du Bois and Racialized Modernity.

For W.E.B. Du Bois sociology is the study of human agency, how to “calculate the incalculable,” and how racialized structures of power affect agency. Students of sociology are typically taught three different approaches to the analysis of modernity: Weberian rationalization, Marxist commodification of labor, and Durkheimian division of labor. For Du Bois, the defining feature of modernity was the process through which people and groups were assigned social status based on physical characteristics—in other words, racialization. In this class, we explore Du Bois’s critique of racialized modernity and apply it to the study of contemporary social problems.

SOC 1873C. Cities of the Global South.

This course covers key phenomena and concepts of social life in cities through a transnational comparison of cases that span beyond the typical focus on the US. Instead, we focus on cities as global phenomena – the world population now being mostly urban for the first time ever – with issues of urban structure, connections, and subjectivities only fully comprehensible through perspectives that surpass a domestic lens. To do this, we will focus on cities in the “global South.” Our goal is to understand many of the key issues that mediate the urban experience, including inequalities, infrastructure, security, violence, and citizenship.

SOC 1873D. Inequality of Infant Health.

Infant health has become increasingly unequal since 2010. Medical improvements and greater access to health insurance predict greater equality, but underweight and preterm births have become increasingly likely for unmarried and Black mothers with low levels of education. Why? What contributes to infant health and how could policies improve outcomes for marginalized mothers? This course examines contexts and resources that shape infant health and how infant health shapes life chances for children. Infant health is a central connection between generations and a valuable focus to learn how to increase equality of opportunity in the U.S.

SOC 1873F. Feminist Perspectives in Criminal Justice.

This course examines black feminist perspectives broadly, and how they pertain to the study of mass incarceration, institutions, and organizations. I ask questions like: 1) how do concepts of gender and race intersect in the criminal justice system, and 2) how are ideas of deviance filtered through the lens of race, gender, and class? This course also examines the policy implications of these issues, paying particular attention to how multiple statuses of individuals (gender, race/ethnicity, social class, sexuality, and so forth) affect social and institutional responses.

SOC 1873G. The Geography of Urban Inequality.

This course considers spatial aspects of inequality in metropolitan neighborhoods in the United States. We will examine the social and economic forces driving patterns of urban inequality, drawing from sociological readings on topics such as housing, education, segregation, gentrification, neighborhood effects, and concentrated poverty. Students will investigate the consequences of these inequalities for individuals and their communities, and analyze the effectiveness of policies in addressing or exacerbating stratification. This course will be discussion-based and interactive, requiring weekly preparation and active exchange during class.

SOC 1873H. A Hip Hop Companion to Race and Ethnicity.

This course investigates racial and ethnic discrimination and inequality through sociological texts and Hip-Hop. Despite their different expressions, both forms of social interpretation have long addressed the issue(s) of racial and ethnic discrimination and inequality thus providing excellent complementary sources to answer key queries related to race and ethnicity. How are race and ethnicity (re)constructed and subjectively experienced? What mechanisms underpin and reinforce racial and ethnic stratification? How do race and ethnicity intersect with other dimensions to produce differential outcomes? These are questions we will address in this seminar, resorting to sociological texts, Hip-Hop artistry, and our own collective thinking.

SOC 1873I. Immigration and Inequality in the United States.

Why do some immigrants excel in the United States, while others suffer? Why are some immigrants recruited from other countries for jobs, while others already living in the U.S. are fired, criminalized, or deported? The United States has long been touted as a “melting pot”; yet its policies have often restricted immigrants. In this course, we will read, discuss, and evaluate social science evidence to understand the relationship between U.S. immigration policies and inequality. The course will introduce students to the history of immigration policy; patterns of immigrant integration; and the forces that drive inequalities in these outcomes.

SOC 1873R. Research Ethics.

Is covert research inherently unethical? Is it okay to inflict harm upon research participants for the sake of scientific learning? Is it unethical to misrepresent or lie to research participants? What happens to research participants after the research is over? What happens to the research findings? And who is regulating these things? In this course, we will explore case studies that underscore the importance of ethical research. We will examine the evolution and efficacy of internal research boards. We will study the development of posthumanism and relational ethics to understand evolving thought on the treatment of humans and non-human animals in research. Finally, students will develop their own research ethics framework based on their understanding of material presented in the course.

SOC 1873T. Contemporary Social Theory.

This course introduces key theorists and concepts in contemporary social theory to advanced social science students who have taken courses in classical theory. It focuses on the lineages of sociological concepts like hegemony, Orientalism, symbolic power etc. which are widely used in the sociological lexicon and seeks to demonstrate how these concepts are applied in empirical research. The course also aims to discuss the major axes of domination in modern society as developed by each theory. This will lead to a discussion of the underlying aims of social theory, and the circumstances under which sociology can be critical and emancipatory.

SOC 1874B. Work, Inequality, and Social Change.

This course aims to introduce key questions in the sociology of work. Why are some jobs so much worse than other? How are workers hired for different jobs and how do schools prepare them? How have workers tried to change society, and what explains their successes and failures? The goal of this course is to understand how workplace processes relates to key forms of inequality and the promises and pitfalls of collective action. To do so we review key theoretical concepts and empirical studies across a broad range of workplaces.

SOC 1874C. Medical Sociology.

How do institutions, policies, and structures shape the health of individuals and populations? How has healthcare changed over time? To what extent are the concepts of “health”, “illness”, and “disability” innate or socially constructed? This course will tackle these questions, and more, through the study of medical sociology. The course is designed for undergraduates with at least some familiarity with sociological concepts. Throughout the course, students will learn to apply theoretical and empirical insights from the readings to real-world situations. Most readings will focus on the United States, but we will occasionally read and discuss research on other countries.

SOC 1874D. From Factory to Code.

Recent transformations in capitalism owing to the pervasive production and commercial use of data, including personal data of users of internet-related services, have seen proclamations such as “data is the new oil” and “you are the product”, and the rise of new analytical concepts such as “digital”/“data”/“surveillance”/“platform”/“information” capitalism. But what do we mean when we say data, where does it come from, what does it have it to do with capitalism, and why does any of it matter? This course aims to answer these questions, by examining the technology and data-driven transformations in political economy and society.

SOC 1900. Religion, Christianity, and Spirituality.

Religion, in general, and Christianity, in particular, have had an indelible influence in the lives of Americans, especially African Americans. Why? What common themes, beliefs, and rituals exist for these two cultural systems? How do they tend to be appropriated and understood? Moreover, how does spirituality manifest as a viable response? Research by seminal sociologist and community activist W.E.B. Du Bois and other scholars of race and racism will inform answers to these and other questions. The course will examine whether and how religion, Christianity, and spirituality influence the lives and quality of life of diverse groups. Special attention will be given to their usage by African Americans.

SOC 1950. Senior Seminar.

Advanced seminar for sociology and social analysis and research (SAR) concentrators. Participants examine methods for analyzing, writing, and presenting capstone and thesis material and apply peer review techniques in assessing each other's work. Culminates in presentation of capstone or thesis to the department. Required for all sociology and social analysis and research (SAR) concentrators.

SOC 1970. Individual Research Project.

Supervised reading or research. Specific program arranged in terms of the student's individual needs and interests. Required of intensive concentrators; open to others only by written consent of the Chair of the department. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

SOC 1980. Senior Honors Thesis.

Under the direction of a faculty advisor, students construct and carry out a research project. The written report of the research is submitted to the advisor for honors consideration. A second reader selected by the thesis advisor certifies that the thesis is of honors quality. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

SOC 1990. Senior Honors Thesis.

Under the direction of a faculty advisor, students construct and carry out a research project. The written report of the research is submitted to the advisor for honors consideration. A second reader selected by the thesis advisor certifies that the thesis is of honors quality. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

SOC 2000. Theory and Research in Development.

Explores a range of substantive debates in development by drawing on empirical and theoretical work from the disciplines of anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology. The course has four objectives: 1) to provide students with a broad understanding of current debates and research on development; 2) to explore a range of substantive issues including growth, inequality and democratization, 3) to develop interdisciplinary analytic skills that can be applied to concrete research questions; and 4) to foster cross-disciplinary conversation and debate.

SOC 2000A. To Be Determined.

No description available.

SOC 2010. Multivariate Statistical Methods I.

Introduction to probability, descriptive statistics and statistical inference. Coverage of the linear model, its assumptions and potential biases. Emphasis on hypothesis testing, model selection and interpretation through application with real data.

SOC 2020. Multivariate Statistical Methods II.

This course is a graduate-level introduction to multivariate regression models for categorical and limited dependent variables. Subject matter includes modeling nominal and ordinal outcomes; truncated distributions; and selection processes. The course also reviews strategies for sample design; handling missing data and weighting in multivariate models. The course employs contemporary statistical software. Special emphasis is placed on model selection and interpretation. Prerequisite: SOC 2010

SOC 2030. Social Stratification, Inequality and Mobility.

This course provides an introduction to contemporary literature on social stratification, social mobility, inequality in the United States, abroad, based on research articles and books. We focus on theories, data, methods, facts about categorical dimensions of inequality (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation); core dimensions of stratification systems (income, earnings and wealth distributions; poverty; education; the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status; social mobility); social institutions that govern social stratification (families, schools, labor markets, and the justice system); key inequalities that stem from stratification systems (e.g., health). This is a reading course, not a research seminar.

SOC 2040. Classical Sociological Theory.

This is a graduate-level course requires students to engage in detailed analysis and critical review of sociological thought of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The class will introduce students to the critical thinking, methodological innovation, and historical imagination of sociological theory by reading the original texts of the forefathers of sociology, including Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim and others.

SOC 2050. Contemporary Sociology.

This class offers a review of some of the most interesting contemporary social theorists and the most intense debates in current sociological thought. It thematically reviews the works of Jurgen Habermas on the public sphere, Michel Foucault on disciplinary and governmental modes of power, Bruno Latour on modernity and modern science, Pierre Bourdieu on field and habitus and among others. No prerequisites.

SOC 2060. Complex Organizations and Health Policy.

Application of organizational theory to health care organizations, with special emphasis on the development of multi–organizational provider structures, health policy formulation and reform and the influence of regulations and technology on healthcare organization relationships. Written permission required for undergraduates.

SOC 2070. Text as Data for Social Science Research.

This graduate-level course covers methods for analyzing textual data in social science research. Students will learn techniques for data collection and natural language processing, and gain hands-on experience with large textual datasets. The course will also cover recent research that develops and applies machine learning tools and causal inference to answer questions of interest in social science.

SOC 2080. Principles of Population.

An advanced introduction to theoretical and substantive issues in the social scientific study of population. Major areas within sociology are integrated with the study of population, including the comparative–historical analysis of development, family processes, social stratification, ethnicity, ecological studies, and social policy. Primarily for first year Graduate students.

SOC 2090. Culture and Social Structure.

An analysis of the interrelations of religious ideas, value patterns, and various forms of knowledge on the one hand, and of the societal structures and changes in organizations and roles on the other hand. Offered in alternate years.

SOC 2110. The Sociology of Gender and Sexualities.

This course offers an in-depth understanding of the sociological study of gender and sexualities. In addition to examining contemporary theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches, we will interrogate the social construction of gender and sexualities within a variety of institutions and social contexts, such as families, schools, work, health and medicine, technology, and popular culture. Throughout the course, close attention will be paid to understanding how gender and sexualities intersect with other systems of inequality, such as race, class, age, nationality, and disability. Although empirical research will primarily draw from the United States, some transnational perspectives will also be considered. Students will leave this course with a strong understanding of gender and sexualities within macro, meso, and micro levels of society, as well as how moments of tension, resistance, and change occur.

SOC 2112. Practicum in Social Research.

Covers the steps involved in social survey research, from site selection and questionnaire design all the way through data dissemination. It assumes a basic level of familiarity with social science research methods, particularly the logic of causal inference. We will discuss the linkage between research questions, site selection, and questionnaire design. We will also discuss in detail many of the practical considerations involved in fielding a survey, including balancing available funds and personnel with ideal sampling strategies and balancing the focus on a particular research topic with the responsibility to collect enough general information to make the data useful to a variety of users.

SOC 2120. Gender, Work, and Inequality.

We spend a great deal of our waking hours working, either paid or unpaid. In what ways is gender embedded in work, and how does work reflect and reinforce gender inequality? This seminar will provide an overview of contemporary theory and research on gender and work. Throughout the course, we will consider gender in relation to race and ethnicity, and we will pay close attention to how gender and race at work translates into class and inequality. Our primary focus will be on the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries, with some comparisons with other nations. Readings will include a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. Topics covered include: gender segregation and pay gaps, labor market discrimination, service work and emotional labor, unpaid household work, immigration and globalization, labor organizing, social policy, and the future of work.

SOC 2130. Health, Illness and Medicine in Social Context.

The influence of social and economic factors on the development of concepts of health and illness, on the cause and distribution of disease, and on responses to disease. Lay-professional disputes over disease identification and intervention. Implications of medicalization (the expanding social jurisdiction of medicine). The importance of the health care system in American society. Selected issues in recent health policy.

SOC 2150. Socioeconomic Analysis of Development.

Compares economic and sociological perspectives on the problems of development. Topics include problems of conceptualization and measurement, entrepeneurship, capital accumulation, labor force utilization, income distribution, the role of the state, and the impact of international economic relations on developing countries. Prerequisite: a basic undergraduate micro-macro economics course or permission.

SOC 2200. Social Capital and Social Networks.

Explores the consequences of social capital and social networks for economic development. Examines different types and combinations of social relations, network structures of these relations, institutional environments that impact them, and dynamic forms these social relations take. Multilevel development cases include urban ethnic entrepreneurship, rural Third World communities, business networks (financiers, firms), intranational regions, and state-society relations.

SOC 2210. Qualitative Methods.

Emphasis on ethnographic field work through participant observation and interviews. Some attention to content analysis and visual sociology. Technical training in developing observational and interview guidelines, data collection, coding, transcript analysis, and computer applications. Strong emphasis on quality writing. Analysis of ethnographic research in book and article format. Attention to recent developments in ethnography, especially reflexivity and autoethnography.

SOC 2220. Advanced Quantitative Methods of Sociology Analysis.

Analysis of limited variables (variables at a categorical or ordinal level of measurement). Topics include measures of association, contingency table analysis, binomial and multinomial logistic regression, ordered logistic regression, goodness-of-fit tests, and parameter interpretation. Prerequisite: SOC 2010.

SOC 2230. Techniques of Demographic Analysis.

Procedures and techniques for the collection, evaluation, and analysis of demographic data; measures of population composition, fertility, morality, and migration; construction of life tables, population and projections, population dynamics; responsible use of demographic methodology.

SOC 2240. Event History Analysis.

An introduction to hazard models and their application to event history data in sociology. Topics include survival distributions, standard parametric models, discrete time approaches, partial likelihood models, and the introduction of covariates. Attention is given to practical application and the estimation of these models with software packages, where possible.

SOC 2250. Ethnography: Theory and Practice.

This course is designed to introduce graduate students in sociology and related fields to the study and practice of ethnographic methods. We will discuss various qualitative methodological approaches, but we will concentrate on observational and interview-based research. In addition to considering some of the epistemological issues these methods raise at the theoretical level, students will also have the opportunity to learn by doing. The overall goal of this course is to cultivate and enhance students’ skills in ethnographic data analysis and interpretation, and to employ these skills in the writing of a scholarly paper or book chapter.

SOC 2260B. Sociology of Discrimination.

In recent decades, open expressions of prejudice and discrimination have become less socially acceptable. Inequalities along lines of race, class, and gender, however, persist. We will examine the social scientific literature on discrimination in its interpersonal and structural forms. We will also discuss what is not discrimination given that this term is often used (incorrectly) synonymously with disparities to refer to inequalities that originate through other processes. We will investigate causes, definitions, measurement, effects, and possible policy responses to discrimination. This course will draw on both qualitative and quantitative approaches to the study of discrimination.

SOC 2260C. Perspectives on Family Planning.

Reviews sociological and demographic perspectives on family planning. How and why did family planning programs develop? What do they entail? Who do they serve? What are the implications of family planning programs for individuals and family life? Individual case studies are considered. International family planning efforts are emphasized.

SOC 2260D. Race, Ethnicity, and Nation: Boundaries, Identities, Inequalities.

This seminar aims to provide students a solid base in the analysis of racial and ethnic boundaries, identities, and inequalities. The seminar addresses a number of central topics in the field and acquaints the students with some key works. The course is divided in three parts. The first part focuses on how race constituted the modern world and on contemporary forms of racialization. The second part focuses on the construction of nations and challenges to their ethnic and racial boundaries. The third part of the course looks at contemporary boundaries of race and ethnicity in the United States. Open to upper level undergraduates with permission of instructor.

SOC 2260E. Structural Equation Models in the Social Sciences.

Structural equation models as used in the social sciences and methodological issues pertaining to such models. Topics include the logic of causal modeling; theories and models; recursive and non-recursive structural equation systems (path analysis); reduced form equations; the problem of identification; unobserved variables and the analysis of covariance structures (using LISREL).

SOC 2260F. Advanced Demographic Techniques.

No description available.

SOC 2260G. The Souls of Sociology: W.E.B Du Bois and Critical Sociologies of Race.

This course investigates Du Bois’ empirical and theoretical sociological work and its implications for contemporary sociology. W.E.B Du Bois is recognized as a pioneer of sociology of race, but his work is seldom explored. The first part of this course we discuss in-depth Du Bois work to construct the bases for a Du Boisian sociology. The second part we will read contemporary theories of race through the lens of Du Bois’ work. The final section we will read contemporary empirical works in the field of race and ethnicity, reflect how we would conduct them differently from a Du Boisian perspective.

SOC 2260R. Race and Ethnicity: Boundries, Inequalities, Identities.

The goal of this seminar is to provide students with a solid base on the sociological theoretical and empirical base for the study of race and ethnicity. The course is divided in three parts: The first focuses on the place of race, ethnicity, and nation in the making of the modern world. The second part focuses on key topics and works in the American sociology of race, ethnicity and immigration. The third part focuses on the comparative study of nation making and ethnic and racial politics.

SOC 2260T. Cultural Theory and Methods.

This course introduces graduate students to the sociology of culture (understanding social influence on cultural formations) and cultural sociology (understanding cultural influences on social processes). As we consider different theoretical areas of the field, we will discuss the best methodological approaches in cultural theory. We consider how one formulates a research questions and puts evidence together in order to investigate specific instances of the culture-society interaction. We discuss the distinctions between culture, institutions and organizations.

SOC 2270. The Structures of Social Inequality.

Examines the structural bases for social inequality in the U.S.: gender, race, and socioeconomic status. Investigates the processes by which we generate and preserve these social structures, as well as their effects on the individual. Finally, considers the changing nature of social inequality in a postmodern society and comparative issues across societies. Enrollment limited to 20. Instructor permission required.

SOC 2280. Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Population.

This course provides an introduction to interdisciplinary perspectives on population, drawing on insights from anthropology, economics and sociology in regards to population questions, theories, and methodologies. The focus is on three topical areas in population studies - understanding fertility change, HIV/AIDS, and population structure and process.

SOC 2300. Welfare States.

This seminar examines the political sociology of welfare states and social policies in the United States and abroad. It reviews major theories accounting for the origins and subsequent development of welfare states, explains the "exceptional" nature of American social policy, and discusses recent welfare reforms via institutional histories and in depth case studies.

SOC 2310. Health Institutions and Professions.

Structure and operation of health professions and health care institutions, both historically and at present. Emphasis on structural determinants of health-such as race, class, and gender differences in disease, mortality, environmental exposures, and health utilization-and the importance of nonmedical interventions in improving health status and reducing inequalities.

SOC 2320. Migration.

Examination of migration in its several manifestations: internal, international, and patterns of settlement and segregation. Consideration is given to both determinants of population movement and the socioeconomic adjustment of migrants in their destination. Includes comparative study across migrant groups and geographic settings.

SOC 2350. Social Movements in Health.

Study of social movements dealing with health and illness, with emphasis on contemporary movements such as women's health, environmental justice, environmental health, breast cancer activism, asthma activism. Examination of historical formation, recruitment, links to other movements, lay-professional interactions, research ethics, effects on science and medicine, and impacts on society.

SOC 2360. Fertility.

An introduction to the study of the social determinants of human fertility. Contemporary and historical populations are considered. Theories and frameworks used to guide fertility research are reviewed. Special topics include: fertility decision-making, gender and fertility, work and fertility, adolescent fertility, and population policies and family planning programs.

SOC 2385. Environmental Sociology.

As contestation over environmental concerns proliferates, it draws increasing attention from sociologists. But sociological research on environmental issues raises major challenges. Social-environmental relationships raise theoretical and methodological questions: How do we know an “environmental” issue when we see one? How can we effectively examine the relationships between environmental processes and social processes and structures?

SOC 2420. Master's Thesis and Proposal Writing Seminar.

Sociology 2420 is a graduate seminar on the craft of social-science writing. Writing is not easy for most of us, and it can sometimes be frustrating. Through out-of-class writing and recurrent in-class review the course explores strategies for making your writing more effective, more productive, and hopefully more enjoyable. The seminar’s goal is to help graduate students to advance and complete their writing tasks, whatever they are working on. It is open to students working on a variety of goals such as writing their MA, their dissertation proposal, a research proposal, or a journal article.

SOC 2430. Fields and Methods of Social Research.

Introduction to strategies sociologists use to formulate theories and conduct methodologically sound research. Hypothesis formulation and research design; special emphasis on identifying causal mechanisms, techniques of operationalization, and choice of relevant comparisons.

SOC 2450. Exchange Scholar Program.

SOC 2460. Sociology Paper Writing Seminar.

This is a special seminar for graduate students in Sociology on the art of writing research papers for publication. The goals of the course are to: 1) learn the process of writing by drafting or redrafting a complete research paper, one section at a time 2) participate in the process of critical peer review 3)become knowledgeable about the process of submission/publication in peer-reviewed journals in Sociology and related social science fields 4) become more familiar with the often hidden processes of journal review , publication ethics, and interpreting/responding to editorial decisions

SOC 2500. Teaching Practicum in Sociology.

This course is designed for sociology graduate students whose funding has prohibited a teaching assistantship but who need to complete the departmental teaching requirement. The instructor for this course will default as the department chair but it is the graduate student's responsibility to identify an instructor to work alongside. This partnership must be approved by the director of graduate study.

SOC 2510. Teaching Practicum in Sociology.

This course is designed for sociology graduate students whose funding has prohibited a teaching assistantship but who need to complete the departmental teaching requirement. The instructor for this course will default as the department chair but it is the graduate student's responsibility to identify an instructor to work alongside. This partnership must be approved by the director of graduate study.

SOC 2530. Teaching in the Social Sciences.

This course is oriented to graduate students who intend to teach after graduate school in a variety of career settings, but with a primary focus on pedagogical theory and practice in a postsecondary setting. The course is designed to complement Sheridan Center certificates by offering domain-specific readings and assignments, with emphasis on teaching in the social sciences (and sociology specifically). Although the course will be framed by readings on teaching and learning, there will be a focus on creating key artifacts needed for an academic job search and evidence-based, reflective practice in instructional roles: teaching statement, syllabus, and teaching demonstration.

SOC 2580. Health and Inequality: Race, Class, and Gender.

Primarily emphasizes race, class, and gender inequalities, but also attends to inequalities of place, social control and official misconduct, and the responsibility of health care providers and researchers in dealing with inequality. Emphasizes social causation of morbidity and mortality rather than inequalities in access to health services and inequalities in clinical interaction, but touches on these other areas as well.

SOC 2600. Comparative Historical Analysis.

The seminar focuses on the application of theory and method in historical sociology. It will combine the reading of exemplary works, both classical and current, in comparative-historical sociology, with an exploration of historical methods that involves methodological readings but focuses on students' use of archives in their own individual research. For graduate students only.

SOC 2610. Spatial Thinking in Social Science.

This course reviews ways in which social scientists have incorporated concepts about space, place, and distance into their theories and research. Examples are drawn from many substantive areas, including the spatial organization of communities, spatial inequalities, and mobility. Separate laboratory meetings introduce methods of spatial analysis encountered in the course readings, including an introduction to GIS and related mapping tools.

SOC 2612. Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis for the Social Sciences.

This course is intended for graduate students seeking to learn the basics of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and how to incorporate spatial questions into social science research. The course is primarily a methods course and through required independent project work, students will learn how GIS and spatial analysis are typically employed across the social sciences. By the end students will be proficient in independent use of ArcGIS, most frequently used GIS software package, and will be able to apply the more common tools of spatial analysis. They will also know basics of cartography.

SOC 2960A. Comparative Statification.

No description available.

SOC 2960B. Democracy and Civil Society.

No description available.

SOC 2960C. Urban Sociology.

This course will review alternative theoretical perspectives on urban and regional development with an emphasis on variants of ecological and political economy approaches. Substantive topics will include metropolitan restructuring in the U.S. and abroad, growth politics and growth control, neighborhood social networks and collective action, and incorporation of immigrants and minority groups in the metropolis.

SOC 2960D. Organizations and Disasters.

An overview of theory and research on organizations involved in various forms of disaster prevention, and organizations for whom mistakes can lead to major disasters (such as the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the Office of Homeland Security, NASA, etc.). Students in this class will be involved in literature synthesis, hypothesis formulation, and the development of research designs to test those hypotheses.

SOC 2960E. Poverty as Social Inequality.

The objective of this seminar is to examine historical and contemporary poverty in the U.S. Topics covered include the measurement and analysis of poverty, individual and structural causes of poverty, the geographic distribution of poverty, poverty abroad, the consequences of poverty, and the policies that intend to address poverty. Course is organized around sociological prespectives, although multi-disciplinary scholarship is reviewed.

SOC 2960F. Global and Transnational Sociology.

The new phase of capitalism, commonly called "globalization," has radically transformed the postwar order. In this seminar, we will review several debates regarding current political-economic transformations, including: What caused the shift to neo-liberalism? What external economic pressures do states experience? Can domestic factors mediate such pressures? How do developing countries react to the new international environment? And what role does the United States and international organizations play in the new order?

SOC 2960G. Spatial Data Analysis Techniques in the Social Sciences.

Survey course of statistical methods that can be used to analyze spatial and/or clustered data at the individual and aggregate levels. Topics include multilevel analysis; fixed effects approaches; spatial choice; spatial autocorrelation, heterogeneity and dependence. Application with real data. Not a course about Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or mapping techniques.

SOC 2960H. Demography of the Life Course.

This seminar provides an overview of the development and current uses of the life course perspective in studies of demographic behaviors, process and change. Cohorts and age-graded patterns of behavior are considered as are the effects of social institutions, opportunity structures, and behavioral preferences all of which determine alternative life course pathways. Family origins and prior life experiences, along with ethnic/racial, gender, and cultural identities are examined as critical factors giving rise to inter-individual differences in demographic behaviors over the life course. The role of biography and agency in decisions about demographic behaviors and actual experiences are considered, as is their relationship to life course pathways, trajectories, and success. Graduate students and advanced Undergraduates with permission.

SOC 2960I. Internal Migration.

Critical analysis and discussion of current research on trends in, and causes and consequences of internal migration. Specific content of the course varies according to recent developments in the field.

SOC 2960J. Comparing Institutional Forms: Public, Private and Non-Profit Organizational Forms.

No description available.

SOC 2960K. Comparative Political Sociology.

This course explores both classic and contemporary debates in political sociology. The central thematic is the relationship between democracy and power and includes theories of the state, markets, social class and civil society. The debates are explored through historical and comparative lenses, covering both old and new democracies. Some background in political or sociological theory is recommended.

SOC 2960L. Special Topics in Population.

No description available.

SOC 2960M. Sociology of Organizations Graduate Seminar.

The sociology of organizations offers a burgeoning and vibrant literature, with relevance not only for self-identified organizational sociologists, but also for scholars in fields as diverse as politics, development, industrial relations, finance, education, health care, and the arts. This seminar offers an intensive exploration of the "state of play" in contemporary macro-organizational theory. Shared and individual readings, coupled with weekly discussions and email dialogues, allow students to refine and extend their thinking on a series of important and controversial topics in the recent literature. Although this course has no formal prerequisites, the syllabus is aimed primarily at graduate students who enjoy some prior familiarity with organizational theory, whether in sociology or a kindred discipline. Enrollment limited to 15.

SOC 2960N. Governance in Development.

No description available.

SOC 2960P. Social Network Analysis.

Provides a synoptic survey of the various methodologies and theoretical frameworks that collectively go by the name "Social Network Analysis" in the social sciences. Students will study the origin and history of social network analysis during the latter part of the 20th Century and work to develop core competencies in the construction, use and interpretation of basic network measures. Special attention will be given to the intersection of social network theory with broader social theory. Although there are no formal prerequisites, students should be advised that social network analysis relies heavily on matrix algebra and basic statistical theory. Open to graduate students in Sociology.

SOC 2960Q. Sociology of Culture and Knowledge.

We focus in this course on a few of the important theoretical and empirical developments in cultural sociology since the 1960s. In particular, we address ways in which culture is conceived and researched and how the sociology of knowledge and understanding underlies this address. We also consider the forms in which such a cultural sociology can inform a wide range of sociological questions, from the formation of the self to the articulation of historical epochs.

SOC 2960R. Urbanization in a Global System.

The world is undergoing an unprecedented wave of urban growth, and already more than half of the world's population in living in towns and cities. This course takes a global view of urban issues. In earlier developing regions such as North America and Europe, the focus is on a large scale restructuring of cities related to cycles of growth and decline , challenges to the social safety net, and replacement of local populations by immigrants with different racial, and ethnic or religious backgrounds.

SOC 2960S. Statistical Methods for Hierarchical and Panel Data.

A survey course providing an applied introduction to statistical methods for analyzing clustered and panel data. Topics include multilevel analysis, fixed effects models, and growth models. Our focus will be applied, with an introduction to underlying theory and emphasis on application and interpretation. Overall goals include highlighting the framework and assumptions for each approach; studying applications; understanding disciplinary and theoretical preferences for particular approaches; providing experience with software; and studying issues that arise in empirical research.

SOC 2960T. Economic Sociology.

This course provides an overview of the subfield of economic sociology. Economic sociologists examine economic life at all levels of analysis, including individuals, organizations, markets, fields, institutions, and states. Economic sociologists approach the study of economic life using diverse theoretical approaches, from cultural analysis to structural networks. In the first half the term, we will survey the major approaches to economic sociology. In the second half, we will cover specific debates and read exemplars of recent work.

SOC 2960V. Sociology of Law.

This seminar explores central themes in contemporary social-scientific scholarship on law, law-oriented behavior, and legal institutions. The perspective is fundamentally sociological, with attention to such core sociological concerns as: social norms; law, power and culture; and law and social change. In addition, the course examines selected themes from the interdisciplinary "Law and Society" movement, for example: the psychology of justice; the anthropology of disputing; the economics of rulemaking; and the institutional politics of courts and legislatures. Other topics may include: law and inequality; law and social movements; law and globalization; the legal profession; legal consciousness; and the "Rule of Law."

SOC 2960Y. Causal Analysis.

“Does premarital cohabitation protect marriage?” “Does reducing class size improve elementary school education?” “Is there racial discrimination in the market for home loans?” We often use associations to claim causal effects. This course provides a broad introduction to causal analysis. We will address causal inference from observational and quasi-experimental research designs. Topics include instrumental variables estimation, difference-in-difference models, regression discontinuity, matching, propensity scores, heterogeneous treatment effects, and fixed effects models. The prerequisite of this course is SOC 2020 or equivalent.

SOC 2960Z. Social Theory Now.

Most courses in social theory cover either “classical theory” (stopping around WWII) or “contemporary theory” (stopping in the early 1990s). This course offers a broad overview of recent trends and new directions in social theory. It focuses on works published since 2000 by sociologists and by theorists that have been influential in sociology. The course covers conversations in “metatheory” around mechanisms and fields, science studies approaches to the body and nature, diverging interpretations of the place of culture, debates around identity, and critical perspectives including feminist theory and postcolonial theory.

SOC 2961A. Advanced Spatial Data Analysis Techniques in the Social Sciences.

This course provides a survey of advanced spatial data analytical techniques with particular focus on methods relevant to applications in the social sciences. Topics include spatial process models, Bayesian analysis of spatial data, spatial models for discrete dependent variables (spatial counts, spatial probit and tobit, spatial multinomial models), spatial panel data (time series of cross-sections with spatial effects). The course introduces use of specialized software packages included in R and the PySAL library for spatial analysis in Python. SOC 2960G or equivalent is a prerequisite. The course requires a solid background in multivariate statistics, basic spatial statistics and spatial regression analysis.

SOC 2961B. Applications in Geographic Information Systems.

This course is for graduate students seeking to develop their GIS skills further and to gain practice applying GIS methods in a research-oriented setting. The course is organized around a set of social science topics—as opposed to sequential coverage of various methods—and the focus is on getting from research question to analytical results to interpretation of findings. The course emphasizes practice matching concept to tool, as well as identifying appropriate tools and combining them successfully. Independent research skills using GIS are developed via the reading of published literature, the guided replication of results, and the interpretation of findings.

SOC 2961C. Family Demography.

This seminar provides a broad survey of the demographic literature on patterns and trends in family and household structures and processes. Students will be exposed to current theoretical, methodological, and substantive issues in family demography. We will cover important life course events including cohabitation, marriage, divorce and remarriage; marriage markets and assortative mating patterns; childbearing; child and elderly care; and gender, family, and work.

SOC 2961D. Sociology of Power.

The goal of the course is to both engage with the many different and often conflicting theoretical paradigms in sociology that have shaped the debate on power as well as to explore in depth the various empirical manifestations of power. The goal of the course is two-fold: first to familiarize ourselves with the rich set of theoretical tools that sociology provides for exposing, engaging and reconstituting power and second to fully grapple with the challenges of producing social science research that can build on and advance the normative and empirical debate on power. Undergrads by permission of instructor.

SOC 2961E. Sociology of Education.

This course provides an overview of Sociology of Education, covering substantive, theoretical, and methodological issues in the field. Beginning with classical theories of education, the course will then provide an overview of the relationship between education and society, with a focus on its role in reducing and reproducing inequality. We will discuss causes and consequences of educational inequality, paying particular attention to education and the labor market. In the process, we will engage with ascriptive forms of stratification, including race and ethnicity. The focus of the course is education in the U.S., but we will occasionally incorporate international comparisons.

SOC 2961F. Sociology of Health.

The social organization of society shapes definitions and experiences of health and illness, the distribution of disease, and our responses to them. Global and local processes and patterns of inequality reflect and perpetuate persistent, unethical, health inequities. This course will review and advance sociological approaches to understanding health, and variation in health and wellness, over time and across place and communities, as well as over life courses and generations. We will consider politics, policy, technology, migration, and culture; the experience and embodiment of systemic oppressions; and discuss implications for health justice. Course will emphasize primary research.

SOC 2961M. Computational Methods for Social Scientists.

This course will teach students the fundamentals of computational methods for social science research, with an emphasis on techniques for analyzing large-scale textual data. The first part of the course will provide students with basic technical skills necessary to conduct computational research, including introducing them to Python programming and web-scraping. The second part of the course will focus on automated text analysis, highlighting key methods appropriate for inductive or deductive inquiry, such as topic modeling and dictionary-based methods. The course assumes no previous knowledge of programming and is most appropriate for graduate students in the social sciences or humanities.

SOC 2970. Preliminary Examination Preparation.

For graduate students who have met the tuition requirement and are paying the registration fee to continue active enrollment while preparing for a preliminary examination.

SOC 2980. Reading and Research.

Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

SOC 2981. Reading and Research.

Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

SOC 2982. Directed Research Practicum - MSAR Students Only.

The Directed Research Practicum (SOC 2982) is a one semester course taken in conjunction with an on- or off-campus research internship. The course consists of a directed reading of methodological texts and research articles selected by the student and the faculty director that are of direct relevance to the methodological issues and challenges encountered in the internship. The student and faculty director will meet on a weekly basis to review the readings, assignments, and discuss how the methods on paper “come to life” during the internship experience. Faculty directors need not be involved with the actual internship work (i.e. the internship is off-campus or with an on-campus office), unless the student is working on the faculty member’s research project.

SOC 2990. Dissertation Preparation.

For Sociology PhD graduate students who have met the residency requirement and are continuing research on a full time basis.

SOC XLIST. Courses of Interest to Students Concentrating in Sociology.