Sociology

This course introduces students to the study of human behavior through an understanding of social organization. Topics include the role of culture, the development of personality, the function of group life and social institutions, the social processes and social interaction, and factors in social change and collective behavior.

This course introduces students to the study of human behavior through an understanding of social organization. Topics include the role of culture, the development of personality, the function of group life and social institutions, the social processes and social interaction, and factors in social change and collective behavior.

The scope of the course will include identification and analysis of contemporary social problems in the U.S., using the theories and methodology of sociology. Among the topics considered are the environment, war, crime, poverty, gender inequality and patriarchy, racism, heterosexism, social change, addiction, abuse, and alienation. Solutions to social problems, including social justice movements, will be explored and analyzed. The role of social institutions will also be considered.

The sociological study of diverse racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including Latino, Asian American, African American and Native American sub-groups is covered. The course also includes an analysis of migration patterns, stratification, gender, social movements and inter- and intra-group relations. An examination of how social, political, economic and historical forces affect contemporary race and ethnic relations will be included.

The sociological study of diverse racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., including Latino, Asian American, African American and Native American sub-groups is covered. The course also includes an analysis of migration patterns, stratification, gender, social movements and inter- and intra-group relations. An examination of how social, political, economic and historical forces affect contemporary race and ethnic relations will be included.

Through different sociological perspectives, this course focuses on the contemporary experiences of various Latino/Latina/Latinx groups in the United States, including global processes, structural forces, group interactions, and individual identity formation. It examines the extent to which Latino/Latina/Latinx groups have been incorporated into (and contributed to) the economic, political, cultural, educational, and social fabric of the U.S. It also examines how intersecting social categories such as race, social class, gender, sexuality, age and national origin impact their lives and their responses to individual and structural discrimination.

This course takes a sociological approach to understanding the impact of gender and gender roles on social institutions and interactions in American society.

This course will examine the micro and macro sociological forces that impact and shape contemporary family life, especially in the U.S. Considering options, problems and challenges of each, the following will be covered: mate selection, relationships, love, marriage, parenting, divorce, diversity, intersectionality, gender, and sexuality.