1000 Introduction to Sociology

Nature of organization and activities of human groupings-family, community, crowd, social class, etc.; structure, function of institutions; social influences shaping personality, behavior, social change. No credit for both SOCIOL 1000 and RU SOC 1000.

1120 Population and Ecology

(same as Rural Sociology 1120) Changes in the structure and characteristics of population groups and their relationship to both human and non-human aspects of the biophysical environment.

1360 The Female Experience: Body, Identity, Culture

(same as Women's and Gender Studies 1360) Study of the experience of being female in American Culture. Course will focus on development of women's identities through such topics as: sexuality, reproduction, self-image, rape and health care.

1650 Social Deviance

Survey of approaches to the study of behaviors commonly regarded as deviant such as crime, sexual abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, etc.

2103 Topics in Sociology-Behavioral Science

Organized study of selected topics. Particular topics may vary from semester to semester. Departmental consent for repetition.

2104 Topics in Sociology-Social Science

Organized study of selected topics. Particular topics may vary from semester to semester. Departmental consent for repetition.

2182 Critical Dialogs: Nonviolence in Peace/Democracy Movements

(Same as Peace Studies 2182) History and theory of movements for peace, justice, and democracy. Development of violent and nonviolent tactics and factions in movements; relationship to state authority. Cases such as Gandhi's Independence, American Civil Rights, Arab Spring, and Occupy movements.

2200 Social Inequalities

(same as Black Studies 2200) Survey of inequalities based upon criteria such as race, ethnicity, sex, age, religion and social class in contemporary societies. Focus on dynamics by which privilege and inequalities are structured.

2210 The Black Americans

(same as Black Studies 2210) Analysis of history of blacks in the United States. Assessment of contemporary black community in terms of its institutions, styles of life, patterns of work and intergroup relations.

2230 Social Perspectives on Aging

Survey of basic knowledge in social gerontology, aging and old age in American society. Analysis of changes as individuals age, differences among old people, social problems of the aged. Prerequisites: SOC 1000 or equivalent

2250W Amish Communities

(same as Peace Studies 2250W Formerly Rural Sociology 1150W)

This course focuses on the guiding values of the Amish such as family and community and how these values are lived out through rules, rituals, and symbols. We explore how and why they resist certain aspects and embrace other aspects of modern American life and how these decisions vary between Amish communities. Students will develop critical thinking about human culture and their own values and assessments of life and well-being. There are no prerequisites  RU_SOC 1000, SOCIOL 1000 or ANTHRO 1000 are recommended. This course meets the following requirements: Writing Intensive, Humanities Requirement for Gen Ed, Behavioral Science Requirement for Gen Ed, A&S Diversity Requirement

2284 Critical Dialogs: Global Environmental Policy Conflicts

(Same as Peace Studies 2284) Climate change, water supplies, food, sustainability, industrialization, and chemical, oil, radioactive pollution. Activity of transnational corporations, social harm, and formulation of international policies. Analysis of alternatives using criteria of justice: distribution, recognition, participation, legality.

2300 Self and Society

Analysis of the self in modern society. Topics covered include social interaction, social perception, language and learning, the sociology of emotions and the social construction of identity.

2310 Culture and Mass Media

Sociological study of modern folk, local, popular and mass cultural production and consumption; mass media, diffusion, change, differentiation.

2950 Social Research I - replaced by 3950

(same as Rural Sociology 2950) Introduction to principles of methodology; theory and research; survey of basic research designs and perspectives; preparation for understanding and conducting social research. Required for Sociology majors.

3000 Urban Sociology

(same as Rural Sociology 3000) Urbanism as a world phenomenon; ecological, demographic characteristics of cities; organization of urban society including status systems, occupational structure, formal and informal associations, racial and cultural relations, forms of communication, housing, city planning.

 

3010 Social Problems

Trends in modern societies: urbanization, occupational structure, technological change, etc. as these have produced alienation and legitimacy problems. Political, economic, health, welfare, military, justice institutions may be considered. Counter movements and policy issues.

3100 Recent Theories in Sociology

(same as Rural Sociology 3100) Introduction to major theoretical positions and issues in contemporary American sociology. Logical and intellectual structure of major theoretical schools: functionalism, conflict, exchange, symbolic interaction, phenomenological-ethnomethodological theories. Prerequisite: SOC 2200

3200 Class, Status, and Power

Study of the structure of wealth, poverty, prestige, and power. Concepts of social justice in political, economic and legal issues and policies. Provides student engagement in research. Prerequisite: Honors eligibility recommended.

3210 Sociology of Globalization

Globalization's origin and dynamics; the social and political effects of globalization: countervailing forces to economic globalization, in particular reassertions of "traditional" identities, labor movements, new social movements, and the global democracy movement.

3230 Education and Social Inequalities

Examination of the ways in which inequalities are constructed, reproduced, maintained or transformed by and within educational institutions. Particular attention will be given to inequalities based on gender, race, and social class.

3255 Youth in Today's World

Study of what factors influence the development of youth in today's society. Examined are types of behavior such as mating, deviance and the role of schools, parents, TV and friendship groups.

3300 Queer Theories/Identities

Analysis of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and queer identities in culture and society with an emphasis on the contributions of queer theory and other LGBT standpoint theories to sociology and the study of society. Prerequisite: SOC 2200 or instructor's consent.

3310 Social Psychology

Survey of theories and research concerned with the ways in which individuals construct social situations and are affected by them. Topics covered include self-identities, social influence, personal relationships, prejudice and discrimination.

3320 Sociology of Gender

(same as Women Studies 3320) Study of the ways in which femininities and masculinities are constructed in American society with particular attention to gender ideologies and the gendered nature of the social structure.

3330 Environmental Justice

Environmental justice refers to the ways in which the "cost and benefits" of modern industrial society are distributed among social groups. This course is concerned with justice, not as an abstract concept, and inequality not in terms of numbers in a bank account. Social justice or inequality are lived, embodied experiences. An individual's likelihood of experiencing environmental harm is related to intersecting gender, race and class formations, among other things. Justice or inequality is not only embodied, it also "happens" in places-national and regional differences matter. In this course we will look at some of the extensive literature documenting the ways in which communities of color and poor communities are subject to disproportionate environmental risks. In addition, we will focus on gender as an important category in understanding environmental inequality.

3400 Politics of the Media

(same as Peace Studies 3400) In this course we study critical thinking skills and use them to compare and contrast U.S. media coverage of current issues with media in other parts of the world. Graded on A/F basis only.

3410 Social Bases of War and Peace

(same as Peace Studies 3410) Social conditions associated with and preceding war and peace; war as a social institution; international images and stereotypes; proposals for preventing war and reducing international hostilities.

3420 The Family

Families, kin and households as interacting groups; roles, socialization, problems, structural change; family in relation to other social institutions; historical, cultural and class variations.

3430 The Sociology of Sport

The role of sport in modern society. Includes violence in sport; politics and economics of sport; male, female, and racial inequalities; and international comparisons of sport structures.

3440 Sociology of Health

A survey of sociological thinking and research on health, health problems, health occupations and health services. How these are shaped by the society. Problems faced by individuals and the system. Potential solutions to problems.

3450 The Sociology of Religion

Sociology of religious experience, action, organization, movements and social change; contemporary trends, including mainline and new religions, civil religion, secularization.

3460 Technology and Society

In the last few decades science and technology have permeated our lives as never before. This has led to wide ranging intellectual debates and social movements in and around the issue of relationship between science, technology, and society. This course, which is organized on a lecture-seminar format, will critically investigate different aspects of the relationship between science, technology, and society. Graded on A/F basis only.

3510 Public Opinion and Communication

Nature of public opinion; processes of opinion formation; special publics, pressure groups; effects of communication through personal contacts and mass media; propaganda, censorship; opinion surveying.

3520 Collective Behavior

(same as Peace Studies 3520) Analysis of crowd behavior and related phenomena: rumors, disasters, fashions. Social responses to unclear, dangerous or unjust conditions. The dynamics of conflict, consensus and change.

3600 Criminology

(same as Peace Studies 3600) Sociology of law; constitutional, psychological, sociological theories of criminal behavior; process of criminal justice; treatment of corrections; control of crime.

3700 Social Organizations and Institutions

Social organization of modern societies with focus on complex organizations (corporations, bureaucracies) within institutional arrangements (economy, polity, education, religion); organizational structure; inter-organizational networks; interrelations of institutional sectors.

3710 The Sociology of Work

Analysis of occupational, professional aspects of American society. Division of labor; occupational mobility; work and the self; colleagueship and informal organizations of work. Prerequisites: SOCIOL 1000 or 1650.

3950 Social Research I - replaces 2950

(same as Rural Sociology 3950) Introduction to principles of methodology; theory and research; survey of basic research designs and perspectives; preparation for understanding and conducting social research. Required for Sociology majors.

4100 Expert Systems

Introduction to the use of expert system shells, designed for graduate students from any department. Students create prototype expert systems under close supervision by faculty experts. Prerequisite: junior standing or instructor's consent

4110 Feminist Research and Criticism

(same as Women's and Gender Studies 4110) Examination of both feminist critiques of traditional social research and recent, feminist-oriented research that attempts to answer these criticisms. Prerequisites: SOCIOL 2950 or equivalent

4120 Social Statistics

(Same as Rural Sociology [RU_SOC] 4120) Descriptive statistics and bivariate quantitative analysis techniques commonly used by social scientists. Includes coverage of parametric and non-parametric methods. Introduction to computer analysis. Prerequisite: Sociology [SOCIOL] 2950 or graduate standing.

4200 Social Inequalities

Examination of theories and research concerned with inequalities based on social class, gender, and race-ethnicity. M.A. core course for sociology students. Prerequisite: graduate standing or instructor’s consent.

4210 Sociology of Aging

Sociological research and theories of aging and old age; historical, demographic, comparative, social psychological and structural topics are studied in depth. Prerequisites: 6 hours of Sociology and junior standing

4220 Race and Ethnic Relations

The experience of racial and ethnic minorities; inequality, assimilation, ethnic and racial conflict, accomodation. Prerequisite: junior standing or instructor's consent

4230 Women, Development, and Globalization

(same as Black Studies 4230 and Women's and Gender Studies 4230) Examines the history and structure of "development" discourse and practices. Stresses the interconnections and impact on women globally. Reviews women's strategies in defining and instituting programs to improve quality of life in communities. Prerequisites: SOCIOL 2200, WGST 1332, BL STU 1332, or WGST 4420

4300 Death and Dying

Death and dying explored from demographic, sociological and social psychological perspectives. Topics: trends and differentials; definitions of death; dying as a social process; funerals and survivors; cultural solutions to problems of death. Prerequisite: junior standing or instructor's consent

4310 Advanced Social Psychology

Major theoretical fields and their application to human problems. M.A. core course. Prerequisite: Sociology [SOCIOL] 3310 or graduate standing.

4315 Social Demography

(same as Rural Sociology 4315) General demographic theories; age, sex, and ethnic composition of population; fertility, mortality and migration as components of population change; social, economic and political implications of demographic trends. Prerequisites: SOCIOL 1000 or RU SOC 1100 and junior standing

4320 Culture, Identity & Interaction

Examines the interplay between culture, identity, and interaction as these intersect with issues of social inequality, social control, social change, and the everyday production of subjectives. Prerequisites: Sociology 3310 graduate standing or instructor’s consent.

4335 Social Change and Trends

(same as Rural Sociology 4335) Nature of social change. Emphasis on sociological theories and models of social change and their application in analysis and implementation of change in social structures.

4370 Environment and Society

(same as Rural Sociology 4370) An interdisciplinary examination of domestic and international environmental issues focusing on social, cultural, and policy dimensions. Perspectives of the social sciences and humanities are included. Prerequisites: junior, senior or graduate standing

4400 Sociology of Health Systems

Analyzes organization of U.S. health system and systems in the developed and developing world. Special attention to reform movements, universality, effectiveness, quality, and efficiency. Prerequisite: Sociology 2950, 3440, and 3100 or graduate standing.

4410 Sociology of Education

(same as Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis 7458) Contexts, structures and processes of schooling; effects on class, race, ethnicity and gender; social change, educational policy, and organizational dynamics; higher education and the economy. Prerequisites: SOC 1000 or equivalent

4420 The Politics of Reproduction and Fertility Control

(same as Rural Sociology 4420/7420) Examines the social construction of reproduction, including discourses and practices surrounding the body, pregnancy, birth reproductive technology, ethics, policies and diseases. Prerequisites: Women and Gender Studies 1120 or instructor’s consent

4425W Sociology of Food 

This course focuses on how society affects food production and consumption patterns and views of nutrition. Examples of topics covered:  food and the environment, food choices and culture, class and personal identity, the effects of social stigmas, advertising trends, food and agricultural policy, body image, and new social movements for sustainable food systems.  There are no prerequisites but ENGLSH 1000 is recommended.  This course meets the following requirements: Writing Intensive, Social Science for Gen Ed

4500 Sociology of Social Policy

Sociological theories and methodologies focused on social policy; policy as process; contextual and critical policy analyses; assessing policy effects and consequences. Prerequisite: senior standing

4545 Sociology of Immigration

This course will cover both classic and contemporary research on immigration within US sociology. Major topics of concern will be how immigration intersects with issues of law, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, social mobility, education, employment, politics, urban studies, marriage and family, health, and social networks. Graded on A-F basis only.

4510 Social Movements and Conflicts

Survey of approaches and research on social movements and social change. Historical and contemporary social movements in the U.S.; collective protest and violence; political revolutions. MA core course. Prerequisite: Sociology 3520, 3700, or 3320 or graduate standing.

4520 Political Sociology

(same as Peace Studies 4520) Social bases of power and politics, economic and political elites, the political economy of the advanced societies, sources of political conflict and change. Prerequisite: Sociology 3200, 3510, 3520, or 3700.

4530 Social Organization of the Industrial Societies

The organizational and inter-organizational structure of modern capitalist and socialist societies, including examination of alternative models such as technocracy, bureaucratic society, state capitalism, state socialism, organized capitalism. Prerequisites: Sociology 3700 or 3710 or graduate standing

4550 Gender and Human Rights in Cross Cultural Perspective

(same as Women’s and Gender Studies 4550 and Peace Studies 4550) This course focuses on the global discourse on human rights and gender, emphasizing cross-cultural theories. Course includes the meaning of rights, Western and non-western perspectives, feminist contributions, important substantive debates, violations, policy making and activism. Prerequisites: Women’s and Gender Studies 1120 or Sociology 2200; senior standing required

4600 Contemporary Corrections

Development of concepts of punishment, treatment. Contemporary penal and correctional institutions; problems of custody, classification, education, industry and treatment program; probation, parole. Prerequisites: Sociology 2200 and 3600.

4610 Society and Social Control

The concept of social control is analyzed from both micro and macro theoretical perspectives. Focus is on patterns of social domination. Prerequisites: Sociology 3700 or 3710.

4620 Drugs and Society

Examines the social, political, and economic aspects of legal and illegal drug use in American society. Issues include: theories of drug use, the social correlates of drug use, the war on drugs and policy alternatives, and the rise of the pharmaceuticals industry.

4630 Sociology of Mental Health

Examines the social aspects of mental health and illness. Topics include: stress and mental health, medicalization of behavior, stigma and labeling, mental health care systems, social correlates of mental health (such as gender, childhood, work status, and social support).

4700 Social Organization

Survey of approaches to the analysis of social organization emphasizing complex organizations, division of labor, social inequality, politics and the state, social change. MA core course. Prerequisites: Sociology 3700 or 3710 or graduate standing or instructor’s consent

4940 Internship in Sociology

Professional experience under faculty supervision. Project must be arranged by student and faculty member prior to registration. Prerequisites: junior standing and instructor's consent

4942 Service Learning In Sociology

Students participate in a variety of research-oriented, community service projects which illuminate and reinforce concepts introduced in various sociology courses. Repeatable twice for credit. Does not meet A&S general education requirements. Prerequisite: instructor's consent

4960 Special Readings in Sociology

Extensive reading in selected area or special field. Prerequisites: 12 hours Sociology and departmental consent

4970 Senior Seminar

Integrates perspectives, methods, substantive foci of undergraduate courses. Analysis of sociology as a discipline and profession. Discussion of opportunities for graduate study, employment. Prerequisite: SOC 2950 and 3100 and senior sociology major

4995 Honors in Sociology

Intensive work in a selected field within sociology, including readings and research. Repeatable up to 6 hours with departmental consent. Prerequisites: for honors candidates; SOCIOL 2950 and 3100

Consult the Course Catalog for more courses.