Courses

Foundation and overview for students in the Honors in the Social Sciences Program, this course introduces students to theories and methods fromseveral social scientific disciplines, emphasizing the diversity of approaches through which knowledge about "society" is produced in the academy today.

Social welfare as an institution, with emphasis on its structure and development, and sociological analysis of problems of aging, divorce, adoption, etc.

This course examines our government's efforts to address social-economic problems relating to poverty. After an historical overview of the development of welfare programs in this country, the course focuses on measures taken to combat poverty in the contemporary context. Issues such as the relation of welfare to work, teen pregnancy, single-parent households, and immigration are addressed.

An evolutionary and ecological analysis of social behavior and communication in humans and animals. Nature and nurture from a modern scientific perspective. Examines the biological and social bases of behaviors such as altruism, male and female reproductive strategies, parenting, generation gaps, cultural patterns, and language. May not be used to fulfill Biology majors or minor requirements.

Introduction to the study of the relationship between language and society. Sociocultural factors which influence language form, use, and history.

Introduction to the study of the relationship between language and society. Sociocultural factors which influence language form, use, and history.

The relationship between sociological theory and data through analysis of important sociological problems.

The development, structure, and sources of stability and change in American society in social and historical perspective. Special emphasis will be placed on the economic, political, and cultural conditions that shape major social issues in American life.

This course takes a sociological approach to Asian Americans in general and six major Asian ethnic groups in particular. Topics include the history of Asian immigration, historical cases of discrimination against Asian Americans, settlement patterns, occupational and economic adjustment, community organization and ethnicity, intergroup relations, and marriage and family life.

Film as both a reflection and refraction of society will be explored primarily through comparing American films from different time periods. The course will concentrate on the relationship between films and the industrial system that produces them - an area neglected by most film scholars and cultural sociologists.