Fall 2015 Course Offerings - School of Arts and Sciences

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PAWAN DHINGRA, Professor, Chair
Ph.D., Sociology, Cornell University
Immigration; Race and Ethnic Relations;
Asian American Studies; Work and Entrepreneurship;
Micro-sociology; Sociology of Culture
PAULA AYMER, Associate Professor (ON LEAVE)
Ph.D., Sociology, Northeastern University
Immigration; Labor Migration; Race and Ethnic Relations;
Women and Work; Family; Religion
ORLY CLERGE, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Sociology, Brown University
Race and Ethnicity; Urban Sociology, Immigration & Migration;
Family; Education; Methods
JAMES G. ENNIS, Associate Professor (ON LEAVE)
Ph.D., Sociology, Harvard University
Social Networks; Theory; American Society;
Quantitative Methods; Taste
PAUL JOSEPH, Professor
Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
Sociology of War and Peace; Political Sociology
John LiBassi
Department Administrator
Office Hours:
HELEN MARROW, Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Sociology and Social Policy, Harvard University
Health; Social Inequalities and Social Policy; Immigration;
Race and Ethnic Relations; Qualitative Research Methods
FREEDEN OEUR, Assistant Professor (ON LEAVE)
Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
Gender and Masculinity, Education, Children and Youth,
Feminist Theory and Qualitative Methods.
SARAH SOBIERAJ, Associate Professor (ON LEAVE)
Ph.D., Sociology, SUNY Albany
Political Sociology; Mass Media;
Civil Society and the Public Sphere;
Sociology of Culture; Social Movements
9:00am-5:00pm
John.Libassi@tufts.edu
617-627-2471
Victoria Dorward
Staff Assistant
Office Hours:
9:00am-5:00pm
Victoria.Dorward@tufts.edu
ROSEMARY C.R. TAYLOR, Associate Professor
Ph.D., Sociology, University of California-Santa Barbara
Political Sociology; Social Policy;
Comparative Study of Health and Disease
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617-627-3561
ociology Courses
Course No.
Title
Meeting Time
Faculty
Soc 01
Introduction to Sociology
MW 3:00-4:15 PM
Vecitis
Soc 30
Sex and Gender in Society
TR 4:30-5:45 PM
Nava-Coulter
Soc 50
Globalization and Social Change
MW 1:30-2:45 PM
Joseph
Soc 94-03
Music in Social Context
TR 12:00-1:15 PM
Smith
Soc 94-10
Education and Inequality
MW 3:00-4:15 PM
Smith
Soc 94-11
People, Places and the Environment
ARR MW 9:00-10:15 AM
Porcelli
Soc 99
Internship
Arranged
Faculty
Soc 101
Quantitative Research Methods
MW 1:30-2:45 PM
Clerge
Soc 102-01
Qualitative Research Methods
T 1:30-4:00 PM
Marrow
Soc 102-02
Qualitative Research Methods
W 1:30-4:00 PM
Marrow
Soc 110
Racial And Ethnic Minorities
MW 4:30-5:45 PM
Clerge
Soc 120
Sociology of War and Peace
MW 10:30-11:45 AM
Joseph
Soc 130
Social Inequalities and Social Justice
TR 12:00-1:15 PM
Rowe
Soc 135
Social Movements
TR 3:00-4:15 PM
Nava-Coulter
Soc 141
Medical Sociology
TR 1:30-2:45 PM
Slodden
Soc 143
Sociology of Religion
ARR TR 9:00-10:15 AM
Rowe
Soc 149-06
Deviant Behavior
MW 10:30-11:45 AM
Vecitis
Soc 149-12
Death & Dying
TR 10:30-11:45 AM
Slodden
Soc 186
Seminar: International Health Policy
T 1:30-4:00 PM
Taylor
Soc 188-08
Seminar: Identity & Inequality
ARR T 9:00-11:30 AM
Dhingra
Soc 192
Seminar: AIDS: Social Origins, Global
Consequences
M 1:30-4:00 PM
Taylor
Soc 198
Directed Research in Sociology
Arranged
Faculty
Soc 199
Senior Honors Thesis
Arranged
Faculty
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ourse Descriptions
Sociology 001: Introduction to Sociology
Katherine Vecitis
Time Block: I+, Monday & Wednesday 3:00-4:15 PM
Basic concepts for the systematic study of human
interaction and social structure. Social groups,
categories, and modern complex social systems.
Deviance, social change, and system maintenance.
Values, norms, socialization, roles, stratification,
and institutions. Sociological analysis of selected
areas of social life, such as family, religion, largescale organizations, minority relations, mass
communications, and crime.
Sociology 030: Sex and Gender in Society
Brett Nava-Coulter
Time Block: L+, Tuesday & Thursday 4:30-5:45 PM
Differences and inequalities between women’s
and men’s social positions and personal
experiences in the contemporary United States.
Intersections of gender, race, and class. Gender
relations in the labor force, families, the state,
and in sexual and emotional life. Violence and
sexual harassment. Men’s and women’s efforts
toward personal and social change in gender
relations.
Note: Counts as a Women’s, Gender and
Sexuality core course.
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Sociology 050: Globalization and Social Change
Paul Joseph
Time Block: G+, Monday & Wednesday 1:30-2:45 PM
This course reviews different theories of globalization
and provides a general review of the progress and
social problems associated with its development.
Several important questions are explored including
the following: Is globalization a form of modernization
or the spread of capitalism? Is the interconnected
world becoming more homogenous, heterogeneous, or
some complex combination of each? Considering the
history of exchange between different parts of the world, what is actually new about
current globalization? Are there new patterns of inequality? Is poverty growing or
easing? Is there such a thing as “world culture”? If so, is it a form of “Americanization”
or a more democratic synthesis of elements from different parts of the world? What is
the impact of globalization on gender and family structure? Along the way, we will
explore a series of specific issues including the distribution of economic and political
power, the roll of multinational business, the movement of peoples, cultural flows
(Hollywood versus “Bollywood”), the intersection of global and local, the “under side” of
globalization (such as drug trafficking, the illicit trade in small arms, and the
reemergence of forms of indentured labor), new forms of global media, and the
structure of global cities. The course concludes with a consideration of different models
of reform of the global system and the source of “political will” to enact those reforms.
Sociology 094-03: Music in Social Context
Jill Smith
Time Block: F+, Tuesday & Thursday 12:00-1:15 PM
“Music is the universal language.” You may have heard this before, but for a universal
language, we enjoy many different styles of it, such as Classical, Country, Hip-Hop, Pop,
Rock, and more. We will examine the social conditions under which music is produced,
diffused, and received, and look at the social context of music, including its social and
institutional structures, collaborative organization, the social location of its producers
and consumers, and the historical contexts in which innovations arise. Particular
attention will be given to music as a form of popular culture and mass media and
music’s role in the formation of social identity, community, and social activism. We will
end the semester with a look at musical trends as they relate to globalization.
Be prepared to open your ears and your minds in this course.
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Sociology 94-10: Education and Inequality
Jill Smith
Time Block: I+, Monday & Wednesday 3:00-4:15 PM
Schools are supposed to be the great equalizer in American society; that is they are
supposed to give everyone an equally sound education and prepare them for mobility.
Yet this rarely is the case. This course asks why this is and what can be done about it. It
will examine how schools operate both formally and informally, which includes the roles
of teachers, administrators, policy, families, and students. Education takes place outside
of the school as well, which also will be considered in this class. How different social
groups, based on social class, geography, race, gender, etc., experience education will be
stressed. And while focused on the United States, this course will consider education
within a global context, referring to other nations’ education policies and effects.
Sociology 094-11: People, Places, and the Environment
Apollonya Porcelli
Time Block: ARR, Monday & Wednesday 9:00-10:15 AM
This course will examine how human society
shapes and is shaped by our natural environment
by focusing on questions such as: how are
environmental concerns known, defined, and acted
upon? Why are some voices and issues ignored?
What is the role of economic systems, culture, and
national policies in contributing to both
environmental damage and protection? The course
will examine the intersection between
the environment and key social problems, such as
social inequality, consumerism, environmental
racism, (sub)urbanization, and climate change. Attention also will be paid to efforts by
groups and individuals to improve their environments, ranging from grassroots
movements to advanced technology and incorporating local and global perspectives.
Sociology 099: Internships in Sociology
Faculty
Time Block: Arranged
This course consists of a semester’s work in an institutional setting. This could be a
community organization, a hospital or clinic, a law firm or court, a media agency, etc.
Students may arrange their own placements or seek advice from the department.
Placements must be approved by the faculty instructor before the internship is begun.
The instructor and the field supervisor are responsible for grading the students. Grades
are based on regular meetings with the instructor and a final paper submitted to be
graded by the instructor. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
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Sociology 101: Quantitative Research Methods
Orly Clerge
Time Block: G+, Monday & Wednesday 1:30-2:45 PM
This is the first course in data analysis for sociology and related disciplines, ideally taken
during the sophomore year. It introduces basic tools for thinking quantitatively. Some
central concerns include:
• Asking answerable questions
• Identifying information sources & collecting data
• Describing phenomena & relationships between them
• Assessing your confidence in an interpretation
• Generating new insights from the above
It presumes your curiosity and skepticism about the received wisdoms of society and
social science. You will learn by doing, experiencing the pleasures and pains of research
from the inside. You will consider several research methodologies, and use a statistical
package for data analysis.
Sociology 102: Qualitative Research Methods
Helen Marrow
SECTION 01: Time Block: 6, Tuesday 1:30-4:00 PM
SECTION 02: Time Block: 7, Wednesday 1:30-4:00 PM
As you have taken your various Sociology courses, you probably have begun to develop
some sociological questions of your own. This course is a chance to formulate those
questions in a more focused way, and to begin to answer them by designing and
conducting your own original qualitative research project.
In this course, you will first become familiar with the epistemological underpinnings of
qualitative research. You will then learn to craft sociological questions, design effective
research instruments, gather data that address your questions, and interpret your data’s
significance in relation to research done by other sociologists. Finally, you will share
your findings with your fellow students. While there are many qualitative methodologies
ranging from archival research to focus groups to content analysis, you will work
primarily with in-depth interviews and ethnographic observations that you will be able
conduct in a site of your own choosing.
In this course, you will become part of a “community” in which things get messy as you
help one another to find your way. In light of this, you are expected to invest yourselves
fully in the course, committing not only to do your best possible work at all times but
also to work with your fellow students to help them reach their full potential. Your
reward will be a project that you can be proud of, and a set of organizational and
analytical skills that will be valuable to many employers and graduate programs in a
wide range of careers.
To enroll in this course, email Victoria.Dorward@tufts.edu with the following
information: Major, Graduation Year, Student ID number, and course
section (SOC 102-01 on Tuesdays OR SOC 102-02 on Wednesdays).
Preference for Soc 102 will be given (in this order) to: graduating senior
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Sociology majors, all senior Sociology majors, junior Sociology majors who
provide proof of a need to learn qualitative research skills for their RA,
independent or similar work (strongest applicants will include their
professor's rationale and recommendation); senior Sociology minors,
sophomore Sociology majors who provide proof of said need listed above,
junior Sociology minors, and finally all others.
Sociology 110: Racial And Ethnic Minorities
Orly Clerge
Time Block: K+, Monday & Wednesday 4:30-5:45 PM
The course provides an introduction to theoretical,
historical and contemporary sociological perspectives on
race, racism and ethnicity. The course will help you think
critically about issues related to race and ethnicity in
American society and globally. These issues include racial
and ethnic inequality, discrimination, racial stereotyping,
racial identity, assimilation, multiculturalism and
postracialism. There is a special focus on the history and
current situation of white-black relations, social movements such as the Civil Rights
Movement and #BlackLivesMatter, and recent public policy debates.
Sociology 120: Sociology of War & Peace
Paul Joseph
Time Block: E+, Monday & Wednesday 10:30-11:45 AM
Dynamics of war and peace. Comparison of nation-state war with more contemporary
“globalized intrastate wars”. Role of scare resources, “shadow
networks,” and use of child soldiers. Construction of enemy
images. Media coverage of war and combat photojournalism.
Recovery and reconciliation following violence. Feminist
perspectives on war, military training, gender-based violence,
and peace. Recent issues including economic costs, possibility
of women serving in combat roles, rescinding the policy of
“don’t ask, don’t tell,” increased reliance on drones, and the
possibility for more “soft” counterinsurgency
strategies. Debate over conscription, cultural militarism, and the thesis that the military
constitutes a separate society. Consequences of exposure to violence including posttraumatic stress disorder. Impact of public opinion and peace movements on policy.
Prerequisite: One (1) Sociology course, PJS 1 or junior standing.
Cross-listed as PJS 120.
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Sociology 130: Social Inequalities/Social Justice
Martin Rowe
Time Block: F+, Tuesday & Thursday 12:00-01:15 PM
Inequality permeates every sphere of our society: from class, to race, to gender
differences, it is an unavoidable presence in our lives, whether we fully realize it or not.
This course will delve into how and why these inequalities exist by investigating the
causes of the unequal distribution of wealth, of racism, of sexism, and more. After
exploring the roots of such social inequalities, we will then look at how we can bring
about social justice to address and reform these issues through action and public policy
to create a more equal world for all.
Cross-listed as PJS 130.
Sociology 135: Social Movements
Brett Nava-coulter
Time Block: J+, Tuesday & Thursday 3:00-4:15 PM
This course will study various social movements
(from Abolitionists to Occupy Wall Street) and the
elements that combine to spark such movements.
We will also discuss what constitutes a movement: is
it a protest, rally or riot, or a series of all? What
motivates people to organize into action? How are
movements buoyed or repressed? Do social
movements actually work, or are they all for naught?
How is (or isn’t) the movement of the group
controlled? How do you measure a movement’s
success and its effect on society as a whole? By the end of this course, you should be
prepared to engage in discussion and actively participate in movements!
Cross-listed as PJS 135.
Sociology 141: Medical Sociology
Caitlin Slodden
Time Block: H+, Tuesday & Thursday 1:30-2:45 PM
This course offers an introduction to health, illness, and health care in America. In this
course we will examine topics such as the subjective experience of health and illness;
political, economic, and environmental circumstances that threaten health; the
organization and structure of health organizations; and the social and cultural effects of
medical practice. Using a critical perspective, this course will encourage students to
situate health and illness in the larger social landscape, taking into account how social
institutions like politics, the economy, and culture impact our health and well-being.
The course is divided into two parts. The first section looks at the social production of
disease and illness, while the later section examines the social institutions created to
treat it.
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Sociology 143: Sociology of Religion
Martin Rowe
Time Block: ARR, Tuesday & Thursday 9:00-10:15 AM
Religion is an identifying aspect across the world, from Agnostic to Zen Buddhist. This course
will explain how religions have been organized
in society. We will also look at how religions
change over time as they spread and interact
with new societies, and how changes in society
can affect change in religious beliefs and
doctrine. How is religion used to bring societies
together and how does it separate others, even
those with similar beliefs? The role of religion in
the U.S., the separation of Church and State,
and how religions will organize to promote or
weaken social inequalities will be discussed, as
well as the larger issue of religious interaction
abroad.
Sociology 149-06: Deviant Behavior
Katherine Vecitis
Time Block: E+, Monday & Wednesday 10:30-11:45 AM
This course examines the social construction of deviance in the United States, the
processes of acquiring a deviant identity and managing deviant stigma, and the social
organization of deviant acts, lifestyles, relationships, and careers. The overall goal of this
course is to introduce and explore the concept of deviance, the methods by which
sociologists learn about it, its theoretical underpinnings, and its causes and
consequences. We will ask ourselves, “What constitutes deviance? How can we define it?
Why do we define it in this way? Who defines it? Why does it exist? What are the
consequences of deviance?” It will be easy to fall into discussions of criminal behavior
but remember this: the violation of law is only one type of deviance. While discussions
of criminal behavior are certainly important and relevant, we cannot understand the
violation of law without first, or simultaneously, understanding the violation of social
norms. As such, we will focus more so on understanding the power of social norms in
governing (or controlling) people and their behavior, beliefs, lifestyles, and identities.
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Sociology 149-12: Death & Dying
Caitlin Slodden
Time Block: D+, Tuesday & Thursday 10:30-11:45 AM
Despite the fact that we will all die, many people are
reluctant to discuss death and dying, whether it is their
own mortality or others'. This class will provide an
introduction to many of the social issues surrounding
death and dying in America, paying close attention to
the ways in which both have evolved in response to
broader social and ethical debates over what constitutes
a "good death," the right to die, and the implementation of advanced, life-extending
technology. We will situate death and dying historically before moving on to examine
such topics as dying contexts, the experience of terminal illness, the medicalization of
aging and dying, and various death work professions from a sociological perspective.
Sociology 186: Seminar: International Health Policy
Rosemary Taylor
Time Block: 6, Tuesday 1:30-4:00 PM
Responses to health-related dilemmas faced by
nations in a global era. How political economy,
social structure, international organizations, and
cultural practices regarding health, disease and
illness affect policy. The focus this fall will be on
how nations and regions are coping with health
threats that cross borders. What measures have
been taken to meet emergent threats to the
public health posed, or perceived to be posed, by
both ‘products’ and ‘peoples’. Among the latter
are communicable diseases such as SARS, avian flu, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and, most
recently. Ebola. Many of these diseases are perceived to be carried by “outsiders”, thus
the seminar is also an investigation of strategies of action towards migrants (including
travelers, immigrants, refugees and displaced persons) when disease enters the picture.
Case studies of diseases carried by products may include blood products (which can
carry Hepatitis C) and beef products, which may transmit vCJD (the human form of
BSE/“mad cow disease”). How do states and regions combat such threats as they debate
the appropriate limits to government intervention? What is the role of international
organizations in the construction of national policy? How/is scientific information
factored into policy decisions?
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing and two social science courses.
Note: This seminar is HIGH DEMAND. Students may email the instructor
or call Community Health (7-3233) to be placed on a list for admission
before pre-registration opens. Cross-listed as CH 186.
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Sociology 188-08: Identity and Inequality
Pawan Dhingra
Time Block: ARR, Tuesday 9:00-11:30 AM
Our identities align us with some people and differentiate us from
others. How do we come to certain identities? What is the role of our own
interests relative to that of external factors? Once we settle on identities,
how do they impact the social inequalities around us? That is, identities
are not merely ways of thinking about oneself but have social force, for
they can help dismantle or help encourage inequalities between
groups. This course gets these topics by considering identities across
race, gender, class, music, geography, and other differences. We will examine the role of
macro level (e.g. the nation) and micro level (e.g. everyday interactions) in affecting
our identity choices and their impact.
Prerequisites: Two Sociology or two American Studies courses.
Cross-listed as American Studies 194-14
Sociology 192: AIDS: Social Origins, Global Consequences
Rosemary C.R. Taylor
Time Block: 5, Monday 1:30-4:00 PM
Explores the emergence, meaning and effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic at different
historical moments and in different continents and nations. We will use the formidable
challenges it poses to global health initiatives, to security and to economic survival in
many regions as a prism through which to study the capacity of societies to mobilize
collective resources. Topics may include: analysis of how/whether scientific and
epidemiological information is factored into policy decisions; how the disease and
people living with it acquire varying identities in different cultures. In addition to the
scholarly and scientific literature, we will read some core texts illuminating various
facets of the epidemic (may include: The Origins of AIDS by Jacques Pepin, Randy
Shilts’ And The Band Plays On, Tony Barnett and Alan Whiteside’s AIDS in the TwentyFirst Century). These will be supplemented by the representations of AIDS that have
appeared over time in novels, films and art that allow us to understand better its effects
on different societies.
Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing, or Instructor’s Consent.
Cross-listed with CH 192
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Sociology 198: Directed Research in Sociology
Faculty
Time Block: Arranged
Open to properly qualified advanced students through consultation with a member of the
faculty. Credit as arranged.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Sociology 199: Senior Honors Thesis
Faculty
Time Block: Arranged
If you are a sociology major who has been on the dean’s list, you may be eligible to do an
honors thesis in sociology. Please discuss this with your advisor, after you have read the
section on “Thesis Honors” in the Tufts bulletin.
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
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All Sociology majors, including those who elect to do one of the three clusters (see below), must
complete ten Sociology courses, at least six of which must be listed or cross-listed by the Tufts
University Department of Sociology.
Of the ten Sociology courses, four must be the following core courses, at least 2 of which must be
taken in the Tufts University Department of Sociology:
•
•
•
•
SOC 01: Introduction to Sociology
SOC 101: Quantitative Research Methods (offered in fall semesters ONLY)
SOC 102: Qualitative Research Methods
SOC 103: Survey of Social Theory (offered in spring semesters ONLY)
Of the ten required Sociology courses, one must be a seminar numbered 180 or above. Sociology
193, 197, 198 and 199 do not count as seminars.
Five of the 10 required courses are unrestricted electives, except for students who choose to
complete a cluster.
The Sociology Major Checklist may be found here:
http://ase.tufts.edu/sociology/documents/checklistMajor.pdf
Students are advised to declare the minor before junior year. No classes may be taken pass-fail.
Minors must complete a total of six sociology courses (three of which must be taken at Tufts) as
listed below:
•
•
•
•
1 Introductory Course (Sociology 01 through 70)
1 Research Methods Course (Sociology 101 or 102)
1 Theory Course (Sociology 103)
3 Elective Courses
Sign up for the Minor in the department office, Eaton Hall, Room 102B.
Minor Declaration and Completion Forms can be accessed here:
http://ase.tufts.edu/sociology/documents/minorConcentrationDeclarationAndChecklist.pdf
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Students can major in Sociology and if they choose, focus on one of the available clusters
designated below:
1. Media, Culture & Society
2. Social Inequalities & Social Change
3. Globalization, Transnationalism & Immigration
Reasons to choose an optional cluster:
- Specialize in an area of interest within Sociology;
- See more connections among the courses you are taking for your major;
- Study an area in depth (and perhaps develop a related Senior Honors Thesis);
- Get to know other Sociology majors within your cluster;
- Build your resume for a future career within a particular specialization
Three clusters are offered along with the existing Sociology major. If you choose a cluster, four
of your five Sociology electives must be drawn from the approved Cluster Lists below.
All Sociology majors, whether they choose or one of the clusters or not, will:
- Take a total of 10 Sociology courses (six of which must be taken at Tufts Medford-Somerville
campus); of which will be,
- 4 core courses (at least 2 of which must be taken in our department) which include:
- Soc. 01: Introduction to Sociology;
- Soc. 101: Quantitative Methods; (offered in fall semesters ONLY)
- Soc. 102: Qualitative Methods in Action;
- Soc. 103: Survey of Social Theory; (offered in spring semesters ONLY)
- 6 electives.
Majors are not required to choose a cluster. The clusters are offered as an option for the
Sociology major. A student who elects to do a cluster must take four Sociology electives from the
approved list for the cluster.
To complete the major using a cluster, a Sociology major must fill out the Declaration of
Cluster form (http://ase.tufts.edu/sociology/documents/declarationOfCluster.pdf), also
available in the Department Office in Eaton Hall Room 102B, have his or her academic advisor
sign the form, and turn it in at the Department Office. There is no available transcript notation
for the cluster, but students who complete the major with a cluster option and file the signed
form will receive a certificate acknowledging that they have completed the cluster at
commencement. The Department suggests that cluster participants identify themselves as such
on their resumes.
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The study of societies as spaces in which shared meanings are constructed, circulated, and
contested reaches back to Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. Today, cultural sociologists explore
the ways in which meanings are established and transformed in settings ranging from restaurant
kitchens to social movement organizations. It is impossible to understand fully the shared
meanings in any contemporary context without studying the mass media. Some sociologists
examine the ways media expresses and questions shared meanings, while others focus on the
media as a tool of power that benefit some and disadvantage others. Still others look at the role
of media in human interaction and community building.
While sociologists are profoundly interested in the structural and material conditions that shape
social life (e.g., the economy, governmental policies, and educational opportunities), they are
equally aware that the ways in which people understand the world shape their behavior. In the
study of race, for example, it is the elaborate system of meaning attached to people of different
races that renders these differences so deeply consequential. What is more, while each
individual interprets the world and actively “makes meaning,” shared meanings (e.g., values,
norms, symbols, and beliefs) serve both as glue that allows us to interact in meaningful ways and
as critical sites of conflict. The Barbie doll, for example, is a toy of contention, precisely because
of the diverging meanings that we attach to it. For some she represents nostalgia and
wholesomeness, while for others she symbolizes a narrow conception of female beauty.
Sociology majors who take the cluster of courses grouped as Media, Culture, and Society will
learn to question and reflect on the media and their content and become more than passive
consumers of what they see and hear. Some of the questions they will confront in their courses
are the following: How does the news media construct a story? What stories do they present, or
do not present, and why? To what extent is what we "know" from our exposure to the media
inconsistent with what sociological research has found? How does media content affect our
attitudes and behavior, and how do our attitudes and behavior influence media content?
The Media, Culture, and Society Cluster requires completion of four of the
following courses:
Sociology 23
Self and Society
Sociology 40
Media and Society
Sociology 94-03
Music in Social Context
Sociology 94-07
Sociology of Sports
Sociology 94-10
Education and Inequality
Sociology 149-02
Sociology of Taste
Sociology 149-05
Consumers & Consumerism
Sociology 182
Crime and the Media
Sociology 185
Seminar in Mass Media
Sociology 188-06
Seminar: Art and Artists: Sociological Perspectives
Sociology 188-08
Sociology 198
Seminar: Identity & Inequality
Sociology 199
Senior Honors Thesis
Directed Research in Sociology
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The study of inequalities and social change to address inequalities has historically been a core
field of study in Sociology. Early social theorists such as Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile
Durkheim developed concepts and analytical frameworks that still influence the study of
inequalities and social change.
Today, sociologists focus on inequalities of race, ethnicity, and immigrant status; social class;
and gender. Historic levels of inequality of wealth and income, education, and political and civic
participation have wide-ranging effects on health, crime, family structure, residential
segregation, work and unemployment, and social mobility.
Social change to address these inequalities focuses on re-structuring societal institutions to
distribute resources more equitably. Social change that produces greater equality can also
involve changes in norms, values, technology, and patterns of interaction among individuals and
social groups. Methods that create such change include social movements and other forms of
local, national, and global activism. Change also arises from advocacy and social reform
activities by nongovernmental nonprofit organizations and from governmental policy analysis
and reform.
The Social Inequalities and Social Change Cluster requires completion of four of
the following courses:
Sociology 10
Sociology 20
Sociology 30
Sociology 50
Sociology 70
Sociology 94-02
Sociology 94-11
Sociology 110
Sociology 111
Sociology 112
Sociology 113
Sociology 130
Sociology 135
Sociology 141
Sociology 145
Sociology 149-02
Sociology 149-05
Sociology 149-06
Sociology 149-08
Sociology 149-17
Sociology 187
Sociology 188-08
Sociology 188-10
Sociology 189
Sociology 190
Sociology 192
Sociology 198
Sociology 199
American Society
Families and Intimate Relationships
Sex and Gender in Society
Globalization and Social Change
Immigration and American Society
Health Policy & Inequality
People, Places and the Enviroment
Racial And Ethnic Minorities
Making Social Change Happen
Criminology
Urban Sociology
Social Justice/Social Inequalities
Social Movements
Medical Sociology
Social Policy in America
Sociology of Taste
Consumers & Consumerism
Deviant Behavior
Political Sociology
Theories of Femininity
Seminar: Immigrant Children
Seminar: Identity & Inequality
Racial Identity in Historical Perspective
Seminar in Social Policy
Seminar: Immigration: Public Opinion, Politics & the Media
Seminar: AIDS: Social Origins, Global Consequences
Directed Research in Sociology
Senior Honors Thesis
17
Early social thinkers such as Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim recognized that national societies
influence one another and that global connections and processes affect social upheaval, policy
outcomes, and the movement of people from one place to another. Nearly a century ago, the
Chicago School of Sociology illuminated immigrants’ experiences and in doing so contributed to
our understanding of social cohesion and adaptation; today, this inquiry is more robust than
ever.
While globalization, transnationalism, and immigration have long been important phenomena
for sociologists, recent changes—including the worldwide break with Keynesian national
economic management in the 1970s, the end of the Cold War in 1989, the terrorist attacks of
2001, and myriad technological advances—have transformed the global social landscape. Using
diverse theories and methods, sociologists have expanded our understanding of globalization,
transnationalism, and immigration and the many ways these multifaceted phenomena continue
to reshape social conditions close to home and in distant locales.
The Globalization, Transnationalism, and Immigration cluster examines U.S. society in the
context of its interaction with the rest of the world. Students will examine transnational
connections that complement, interact with, and transform societies and the dynamics of
human movement, settlement, and adaptation across and within national borders. Courses
showcase factors that initiate and sustain migration flows; hybrid identities that emerge as
people become transnational and locate themselves in new imagined or real communities; the
internationalization of practices related to war, religion, finance, and health; and
transformations of the nation-state.
The Globalization, Transnationalism, and Immigration Cluster requires
completion of four of the following courses:
Sociology 20
Sociology 50
Sociology 70
Sociology 108
Sociology 113
Sociology 120
Sociology 135
Sociology 143
Sociology 149-13
Sociology 181
Sociology 186
Sociology 187
Sociology 188-08
Sociology 190
Sociology 192
Sociology 198
Sociology 199
Family and Intimate Relationships
Globalization and Social Change
Immigration and American Society
Epidemics
Urban Sociology
Sociology of War and Peace
Social Movements
Sociology of Religion
Places of Pleasure: Tourism Economies Cross Culturally
Seminar on War, Peace, State, and Society
Seminar in International Health Policy
Seminar: Immigrant Children
Seminar: Identity & Inequality
Seminar: Immigration: Public Opinion, Politics & the Media
Seminar: AIDS: Social Origins, Global Consequences
Directed Research in Sociology
Senior Honors Thesis
18
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