Designed to illuminate the way students see their social world. Uses a sociological perspective: scientific study of human interaction and society, with emphasis on impact of groups on social behavior. Includes the systematic examination of culture, socialization, social organization, social class, race, gender, deviance, social change and empirical methodology. These content areas are woven throughout the fabric of the course, particularly as they affect the lives of at least three of the following groups: African Americans, Latinx Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Arab Americans and/or women.

This course is an introduction and analysis of contemporary social problems from a sociological perspective. Major social problems will be analyzed by recognizing the role of power and ideology in the definition of social problems, their causes and consequences, evaluations of proposed solutions, and methods of intervention. Focus on modern American society.

Analysis of racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Includes race, ethnicity, racism, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping, as well as theories and patterns of intergroup relations. Focus on: African Americans, Chicanx/Latinx, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.

This course introduces students to the sociological analysis of family as an institution, including historical and recent changes, present nature(s), and the socio-cultural and economic forces shaping these changes. Areas of focus in this course include the sociological perspective of the family including mate selection, marital roles, marital adjustment, sexual adjustment, reproduction, child rearing, marital dissolution, and problems associated with the family in modern industrial society.

This course introduces students to the fundamental elements of empirical research and the ways in which sociologists gather, evaluate, and critique social data. This course employs an integrative approach which includes an understanding of theory, sociological paradigms and scientific logic as these apply to the methodologies used in conducting empirical research. Focus will be on how social research is designed, conducted and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Includes attention to the nature of theory, hypotheses, variables, and ethics of research. Students in this course will apply both qualitative and quantitative analytic tools including logic and research design, such as survey, observational, experimental, case study, and comparative historical research.

This course offers students a sociological analysis of the social construction of masculinity and femininity through history and cultures. Examines the debates on sex and gender and questions conventional gender assumptions and expectations. Students will have an opportunity to analyze the impact of economic and political change on gender expectations and practices. In this course students will analyze how institutions shape, enforce, and produce difference and inequality based on gender and sexuality, and they will also focus on how individuals are socialized and how they “do” and practice gender. In this course, students will also examine how the concept of gender changes as it intersects with race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality. Additionally, students are encouraged to incorporate their own sociocultural background and experiences to explain and analyze the influence of gender on their lives.

Critical examination of the historical and socio-cultural experiences of African American, Latinx/a, Asian American, Native American, Arab American, and Pacific Islander women through a feminist perspective. The course will study gender and how it intersects with race, ethnicity, nationality, class, sexuality, religion, and other systems of difference and power. The course will consider various issues related to how racism, capitalism, patriarchy, war, sexual violence and other systems of power intersect to influence the lives of women of color in the United States, as they may relate to work, family, politics, identity, resistance, and artistic expression. Students will also be introduced to Women’s Studies and the study of gender and sexuality

This course is an introductory overview of the field of human sexuality. Human sexuality in our contemporary society will be studied from the psychological, biological, sociocultural, and historical perspectives. Emphasis on understanding the interrelationship of attitude and behavior as it relates to sexual well-being and sexual integrity. Students will be encouraged to examine their own attitudes, values, and behaviors in the context of their moral compass and their culture and societal values. Current sex norms and various aspects of interpersonal and individual sexual adjustment will be explored.

An examination of the experiences and perspectives of Asian Americans from mid-1800's to the present. Major topics will include past and present waves of immigration, citizenship, demographic trends, ethnic enclaves and communities, political involvement, social movements, education, race and racial discrimination, gender and sexuality, media representation, and employment. Provides a comparative context for understanding the panethnic movement. May not receive credit if ES 10 has been completed.

Environmental sociology studies the relationship between modern societies and the environment. Studying this relationship is important to determine environmental problems and find appropriate solutions. This course examines issues such as environmental injustice, social perceptions of environmental problems, human-induced environmental degradation, the social distribution of environmental hazards, politics and economics that shape environmental policies and environmental social movements.

An introduction to the sociology of globalization. An in-depth analysis of globalization’s causes, consequent problems and opportunities, and one’s relationship to a global social and cultural economy. As communities and nations become more interconnected, what were once local issues are becoming globalized. Issues associated with this increasing interconnectivity, such as social and economic inequality, migration, identity, trafficking, and consumption will be a focus of this class. This course also examines the economic, political, military, cultural, technological, and environmental aspects of globalization; history of globalization, European colonialism and decolonization processes; impact of multinational corporations and global political and financial institutions, and social movements from cross-cultural and global perspectives.