SOCIOLOGY 101. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES: STRUCTURE, DIVERSITY, AND INTERACTION

Analyzing social life in order to understand the relationship between ourselves and the world around us. Consideration of the major areas of sociological investigation; social organization and control of behavior; race, gender, and class stratification; and socialization and the life course of individuals. Emphasis on the United States and industrial societies. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor. (Social Science)

The purpose of this course is to introduce the discipline of sociology. Emphasis will be on sociology as a way of describing and explaining social phenomena rather than on a general survey of the field of sociology. To accomplish this goal, we will read and discuss books and articles that illustrate the sociological perspective in the analysis of some key features of social life. Some specific objectives of the course are for students to gain an understanding of:

• the distinctiveness of the sociological approach
• basic elements of the sociological method
• focus on some basic areas of sociological investigation: culture, socialization and social interaction, inequality, and social institutions
• the value of applying the sociological perspective in examining one’s own experiences and activities