SOC-111-01 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Spring 2000

ARH 130

MWF 11:00 - 12:05

 

Kent McClelland

ARH 116C Phone 3134

 

Objectives for Individual Learning

Design of the Course

Course Requirements

Texts

Course Schedule

Course Discussion Forum

Class Participation Project

ASA Reference Style Guidelines

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

Writing Assignments

Editing Checklist

 

 

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Overview

This course introduces students to the ideas and perspectives of sociology, the study of people's actions and interactions in groups. We will examine a range of sociological theories and methods of research and will read and critically assess the works of several well-known sociologists. We will consider a number of important sociological questions and discuss the issues they raise for our own lives:

What do we mean when we talk about "community" and "society"?

What are the major sources of order and disorder in our everyday lives?

What impact have societal and worldwide economic trends had on our lives as individuals, and is there anything we should do about it?

How do people cope with socially imposed personal conflicts, such as the competing demands of work and family?

How do inequalities of gender, race, ethnicity, and class distort our perceptions of self and other, and can we overcome such misperceptions?

Can we devise social policies that are realistic, but are still effective in challenging social inequalities and injustice?

Objectives for Individual Learning

• To become familiar with the kinds of questions sociologists ask, the research methods sociologists use for seeking answers, and the theories they use for interpreting their research findings.
• To understand how social structures and cultures make human actions and interactions possible and, at the same time, limit our possibilities.
• To use sociological perspectives for examining major institutions of contemporary societies, such as families, education, the economy, and government.
• To use sociological perspectives for examining issues of social policy in contemporary societies, especially issues relating to inequality and diversity.
• To begin to see one's own experiences and trajectory of life through a sociological lens.
• To Improve one's skills in writing, critical thinking, oral presentation, and class discussion.

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