Elements of Sociology Toggle navigation

An introduction to the basic concepts and theories used by sociologists to analyze social institutions and the social behavior of individuals and groups.

We begin by studying the development of sociology as a science and the major contemporary sociological theories: functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and feminism; then we look in detail into their research methods. After this general overview we focus on the dimensions of structural inequality: gender, race, and class. Finally, we study immigration and globalization, paying special attention to their social consequences. As we examine each topic, students also learn how to perform basic sociological analyses of quantitative data.

The main goal of the course is to help students develop the necessary skill to interpret contemporary social life, both as a collective and an individual experience.

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Course avatar: Photo by David Iliff (Thames Riverside.) License: CC-BY-SA 3.0.
(http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richmond_Riverside_London_-_Sept_2008.jpg)