Sociology

Major

Due to University Updates, Course Numbers for all Departments have Changed. Please reference the Courses Tab for new Course Numbers.

Requirements for the Major (48 credits)

I. Core Requirements (20 credits)

• SOC 1/Introduction to Sociology (4)
• SOC 121/Introduction to Sociological Research (4)
• SOC 125/Classical Sociological Theory (4)
• SOC 129/Senior Seminar in Sociology (4)
• MATH 3/Introductory Statistics (4)

II. Electives Requirements (28 credits)

Any seven intermediate- or upper-level Sociology courses which are not core requirements.

Majors planning to do graduate work in sociology should take SOC 126/Contemporary Sociological Theory. This course is offered in the spring semester in alternate years.

Minor

Due to University Updates, Course Numbers for all Departments have Changed. Please reference the Courses Tab for new Course Numbers.

Requirements for the Minor (20 credits)

I. Required Course (4 credits)

• SOC 1/Introduction to Sociology (4)

II. Sixteen (16) credits in intermediate- or upper-level sociology courses.

Faculty

Faculty

• Professors: Roxanne Friedenfels (chair), Jonathan Reader
• Associate Professor: Caitlin Killian
• Assistant Professors: Scott Bonn, Kesha Moore, Robert Podhurst (adjunct), Susan Rakosi Rosenbloom, Melissa Sloan
• Lecturers: Colleen Bloom (adjunct), Eric Friedman (adjunct)

Courses

Courses Offered

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SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Introduction to Sociology (4)

A prerequisite to all other courses in sociology. An in-depth analysis of the ways in which sociologists view the world. Topics include deviance, the family, the economy, gender, inequality, politics, race and ethnicity, socialization, and social change.
Offered every semester.
Fulfills: BSS

SOC 201 - Formerly 15 - Contemporary Social Problems (4)

An examination of contemporary social problems for their effect on American society. Considers proposed solutions to various social problems. The specific topics studied change to reflect contemporary American concerns. Such topics as aging, civil rights, crime, drug addiction, environmental pollution, mental illness, and poverty may be explored.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.

SOC 202 - Formerly 19 - Sociology of Inequality (4)

An analysis of the social and psychological causes, manifestations, and consequences of inequality. Examines class, gender, race and ethnicity, and age inequalities, with a focus on the United States.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered spring semester.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 210 - Formerly 21 - Sociological Research Methods (4)

An overview of sociological research techniques, including the basic problems of measurement, construction, and testing of hypotheses; the application of statistical techniques in sociology; and the use of the computer in sociological research. Credit may be received for only one of the following: , BHVR 321 - Formerly 121 - , or . Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - and MATH 117 - Formerly 3 - . Offered fall semester.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - and MATH 117 - Formerly 3 - Offered every semester.
Fulfills: Q, WM

SOC 225 - Formerly 25 - Sociology of Gender (4)

An analysis of contemporary gender roles from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Focuses on the social construction of gender and how gender affects our most intimate relationships. An examination of the implications of gender stratification for family and workplace. Explores historical and cross-cultural variations in gender roles, as well as variations by race, ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 226 - Formerly 26 - Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (4)

Focuses on an analysis of race and ethnicity as social constructions. An examination of the creation of race and ethnic categories and process of social stratification based on these categories. Explores the historical, economic and political processes that shape our understanding of race and ethnicity in the U.S. and abroad.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 227 - Formerly 27 - Sociology of Families (4)

An analysis of theoretical approaches to the study of the family with an emphasis on changing gender roles. Focuses on diversity among families and how definitions of "the family" are changing to incorporate variations in family structure by social class, ethnic and racial background, and sexual orientation. Topics include dating, love and romance, cohabitation, marriage and divorce, single-parent families, remarriage, day care, and violence in intimate family relationships.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.

SOC 229 - Formerly 29 - The Sociology of Aging (4)

A study of the key concepts, main theoretical perspectives, and important substantive issues of the sociology of aging. One of the central issues explored is gender differences in aging. Other issues include stereotypes, the social construction of life cycles, changes in relationships over the life course, eldercare, and work and retirement. Examines historical and cross-cultural variations in aging and differences by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social class.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or equivalent Offered Annually.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 234 - Formerly 34 - Introduction to Social Welfare (4)

A sociological introduction to the institution of social welfare, using the theory and the methodology of sociology to analyze the role of social welfare in modern industrial society. Focuses on the historical development and the institutionalization of social welfare; contradictions between the ideal of social welfare and the manner in which it becomes actualized; and the relationships between social welfare and political, economic, and religious institutions. Uses sociological analysis in the study of specific social welfare institutions and agencies.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined.

SOC 253 - Formerly 40 - The Individual in Society (4)

A sociological examination of the self and the interrelationships between individuals and society. Covers perspectives from sociological social psychology on the ways in which societal position affects an individuals sense of self, how individuals interact with others in different types of relationships, and how other people influence the thoughts and feelings of individuals.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 -

SOC 242 - Formerly 42 - Sociology of Deviant Behavior (4)

An analysis of different theoretical approaches to the study of deviance and their application to a variety of topic areas (e.g., juvenile delinquency, prostitution, white-collar crime, and violence against women). Special focus on gender, labeling, and stigma.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor. Offerred Annually.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 249 - Formerly 49 - Sociology of Work (4)

A sociological examination of the varieties of work and the ways in which the changing nature of work affects the well-being of the workers. Topics include different types of jobs, occupations and professions, low-wage work and poverty, worker health and safety, work and family, race, class and gender in the workplace, and collectives' responses to work.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - . Offered annually.

SOC 250 - Formerly 50 - Sociology of Childhood and Youth (4)

An interdisciplinary approach is used to explore transformations in the cultural and emotional meanings of childhood. This course focuses on the development of institutions that serve their needs. It analyzes the disjunction between the social construction of childhood/youth and the lived experience. It examines how inequalities among children and youth vary based on class, gender, race, region, country, and their role as workers or consumers. The course also analyzes the political and economic commonalities among youth and children that relegate them to a separate and frequently segregated sphere of social life.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor. Offered annually.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 251 - Formerly 51 - Happiness in Contemporary Society (4)

An interdisciplinary course covering the scientific research on happiness. The course examines the impact of demographic factors, media, work and leisure, government policies, social ties, and personal characteristics on happiness. It has an experiential component; students will do some of the "happiness exercises" which have been developed and tested by scholars doing research in this area.
Offering to be determined. Same as: ARLT 351 - Formerly ARLET 351 -

SOC 252 - Formerly 52 - Garbage:Sociological Studies of Trash (2)

Garbage is the other side of culture. In this course we consider some of the historical, cultural, sociological, and political aspects of garbage, waste, refuse, and dirt. Our garbage and our waste can be considered a mirror in which our actions and our values are reflected back to us. Students will look through sociology at a number of controversies and debates about what trash is, what we do with it, and how we suffer from it. Thinking critically about trash will bring us up against many of the most pressing social and environmental issues human beings face today.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - . Offering to be determined.

SOC 206 - Formerly 66 - Sociology of Religion (4)

An introduction to the sociology of religion. Discusses classical and contemporary theorists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Wuthnow, Corbett, Bellah; explores the practical everyday world of religion; and analyzes the influence of cultural and social factors on religion. Organizing themes vary from year to year.
Offering to be Determined. Same as: REL 206 - Formerly 66 -

SOC 294 - Formerly 67 - Comparative Fundamentalism (4)

An examination of the rise of religious fundamentalism in comparative perspective. Topics to be covered include the historical development of fundamentalism, the nature and organization of contemporary fundamentalism, the relationship between fundamentalism and the family, state, and education, and significance of fundamentalism in domestic and international politics. Specific attention is given to case studies of the history and religious culture of fundamentalism in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, and comparisons between Western and Eastern religious traditions will be made. The perspective of the course is sociological and the theological, but the ethical and political issues and dilemmas raised by these groups will also be considered.
Offered fall semester. Same as: REL 294 - Formerly 67 -

SOC 304 - Formerly 104 - Sociology of Immigration (4)

A sociological and historical study of the issues surrounding immigration. The first section of the class looks at the macro side of immigration: some basic history of immigration waves to the U.S., causes and patterns of immigration, and issues such as immigrants in labor markets, economic and academic assimilation, immigrant crime, and the politics surrounding immigration both in the U.S. and abroad. The second section explores the micro side: the personal experience of immigration, immigrant identity, alienation, cultural assimilation, and acculturative stress.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor. Offering to be determined.
Fulfills: DUS

SOC 303 - Formerly 105 - Social Change (4)

A sociological, historical, and cross-cultural examination of social change. Covers theories of change and explores its many forms. Topics include the relationships of ideology and consciousness, technology, and demography to social change, and the making of societal change through social movements and revolutions. Examines change in both industrialized and Third World nations. Focuses on change in gender systems and the efforts of a variety of marginalized groups to transform the status quo.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.
Fulfills: WI

SOC 302 - Formerly 106 - Urban Sociology (4)

A sociological and historical examination of the city as a geographical, cultural, economic and political entity. Investigates processes of urbanization, suburbanization and globalization as forces shaping the current organization of social life. Topics covered include stratification, urban politics, international urbanization and social change.
Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered in alternate years. Same as: RLSOC 101 - Formerly 1 - 06

SOC 307 - Formerly 107 - Criminology (4)

An analysis of the sociological aspects of crime with particular attention to the theoretical definition and the statistical incidence of criminal behavior in the United States. Focuses on major sociological theories of crime, the analysis of homicide, and sociohistorical attempts to control crime and rehabilitate criminals.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or equivalent Offered annually.

SOC 308 - Formerly 108 - Sociology of Population (4)

An introductory examination of the social study of population. Topics include current concern about population expansion; history of global demographic increases and decreases; examination of important demographic theories, particularly those of Malthus and Marx; analysis of the major demographic variables of fertility, mortality, and migration.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined.

SOC 309 - Formerly 110 - Sociology of Mass Communications (4)

An overview of how the mass media and American cultural, political and economic institutions mutually affect each other. Systems of mass communication examined include books, the Internet, magazines, movies, newspapers, and television. Two topics to be emphasized are: 1) the production, control, and consumption of various forms of information in the mass media; 2) comparative analyses of the uses of mass media in different countries.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered fall semester. Same as:

SOC 311 - Formerly 111 - Sociology of Health and Illness (4)

A survey of the important themes involved in the sociological analysis of health problems and their treatment. Topics include different health care systems, doctor-patient relationships, professional socialization, other health care providers, epidemiology, and the social-psychological aspects of medical technology.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permissions of the instructor. Offered spring semester.

SOC 314 - Formerly 114 - Engendering Prison (4)

This course engages students in a critical analysis of the causes and consequences of the recent growth in the prison-industrial complex in the United States. We will use readings, assignments and lectures to explore the role of social systems of stratification (particularly race, class, and gender) in shaping the U.S. prison industry. One of the most valuable resources we will have to explore these issues is our partnership with a local prison. The course will use readings, lectures, assignments and class discussions to explore the following themes: the rise of mass incarceration in the U.S.; gendered pathways to prison; gendered experiences of incarceration; gendered risks of entry.
Enrollment priority: Priority given to sociology majors. Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of the instructor. Offered Annually.

SOC 315 - Formerly 115 - Political Sociology (4)

A presentation of the main themes and the dominant theoretical perspectives involved in the study of political processes and political institutions. Topics include politics, elections, nation building, national elites and public policy making, parties, and social movements.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered spring semester. Same as: RLSOC 101 - Formerly 1 - 15

SOC 316 - Formerly 116 - Sociology of National Development (4)

Seeks the understanding of socioeconomic and political changes in the contemporary societies from a historical and comparative perspective. Deals with two major issues: The development of wealthy nations and the underdevelopment of poor nations. Covers the major theories of development, e.g., modernization, dependency, and world-system theories, as well as discussions of empirical issues, e.g., starvation, illiteracy, the destruction of the environment. Addresses topics such as peasant revolts, revolutions, liberation movements, alternative paths to national development (e.g. socialism, capitalism) and how these events, social processes, and alternatives affect the domestic situation of each society and the international community.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined. Same as: RLSOC 101 - Formerly 1 - 16

SOC 317 - Formerly 117 - The Sociology of Management (4)

A presentation of the main themes involved in the management of corporations and other business organizations. The themes examined are communication, decision making, innovation, leadership, strategy, and politics.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered annually.

SOC 318 - Formerly 118 - Sociology of Education (4)

An analysis of the institutionalized ways of educating and training people in the United States. Emphasizes the functions of education for maintaining and/or changing the social structure. Examines the purposes and needs of the intellectual community.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined.

SOC 320 - Formerly 120 - Sociology of Mental Health and Illness (4)

This course will provide an overview of the ways in which a sociological perspective informs our understanding of mental health and illness and will cover the historical, social, and cultural contexts encompassing the experience of mental illness. This course emphasizes social, rather than the biological or medical, factors in order to gain a better understanding of the meaning and precursors of mental illness, paying particular attention to the ways in which these processes differ across social groups. We will discuss how mental illness is defined and how those definitions are applied to different people. In addition, we will examine how persons with mental illness are cared for and how "care" has changed over time.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor. Offered annually.

SOC 323 - Formerly 123 - Supervised Sociological Field Study (4)

An overview of the main components of qualitative research in sociology with particular emphasis placed on participant observation methodology. Students are required to observe human behavior in a field setting (e.g., community agency, factory, hospital, corporation, day care center) and to execute a research project using a theoretical framework and observational methodology. Tutorial conferences with the instructor are required as well as weekly seminar meetings.
Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Offered spring semester.

SOC 325 - Formerly 125 - Classical Sociological Theory (4)

An examination of classical sociological theory, including the works of such theorists as Addams, DuBois, Durkheim, Martineau, Marx, Simmel, and Weber. Objectives include (1) assessment of how social and intellectual forces influenced the development of these theories; (2) examination of the construction and testing of specific theories; and (3) demonstration of how classical theory has contributed to the development of contemporary sociological theory.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Offered fall semester. Same as: . Same as: .

SOC 326 - Formerly 126 - Contemporary Sociological Theory (4)

An examination of theory building and testing in contemporary sociology. The course is divided into two parts. The first part examines the general principles, procedures, and criteria used in the construction and the testing of contemporary sociological theories. The second part systematically assesses how various contemporary theories such as conflict, exchange, feminist theory, functionalism, neo-Marxist theory, postmodern theories, and symbolic interactionism have been constructed and tested.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offered spring semester in alternate years. Same as:

SOC 400 - Formerly 129 - Senior Seminar in Sociology (4)

A research seminar in sociological theory and methods. Students formulate a research project combining theory and methods for presentation to the seminar. Students meet in seminar and tutorial sessions.
[CAP] Capstone Open only to senior sociology majors. Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Offered spring semester.

SOC 330 - Formerly 130 - Theories of Collective Action and Social Movements (4)

An introduction to the study of collective action from different theoretical and methodological perspectives. Theories reviewed include mass society, resource mobilization, and new social movements' theories to examine different episodes of collective action, such as European food riots, American race riots, Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre in France, the American civil rights movement, Latin America populism, and the Semana Tragica in Barcelona. Students are required to work on team projects to analyze a social movement or other forms of collective action.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined.

SOC 290 - Formerly 131 - Contemporary Issues in Sociology (4)

An examination of contemporary issues and topics in sociology. The particular issue or topic changes from time to time.
May be repeated for credit as topic changes. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - or permission of instructor Offering to be determined.

SOC 300 - Formerly 150 - Independent Study in Sociology (2-4)

A tutorial course. Independent investigation of a sociological topic, chosen in consultation with a member of the sociology faculty. Regular meetings by arrangement with the instructor. Course may be repeated.
Signature of instructor required for registration. Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Offered every semester.

SOC 385 - Formerly 163 - Independent Research/ Off-Campus Programs (4)

Independent investigation of a sociological topic relating to an off-campus/study abroad program. The research proposal and the final paper must be read and approved by a member of the sociology faculty.
Prerequisite: SOC 101 - Formerly 1 - Offered every semester.

Off-Campus Programs: The European Semester

EUST 381 - Formerly EURST 100 - Colloquium Research Seminar on European Society (4)

Taught by the resident director, a Drew faculty member, this course introduces students to some of the cultural, social, and political institutions that define contemporary Europe through speakers and trips to museums, historic sites, the headquarters of the European Union, and NATO. As a research seminar, this course provides a forum in which students examine one aspect of contemporary Europe in depth. The results of students' research are presented in a final paper at the end of the semester.
Offered fall semester.

SOC 388 - Formerly 185 - European Research Seminar (4)

Each student designs and conducts an independent research project on a topic selected in consultation with the Resident Director of the European Semester and approved by the appropriate departmental liaison. The project will stress library research, as well as personal interviews, and may include trips to appropriate EU member states. (Students may also register as an independent study in any approved major)
Same as: SOC 385 - Formerly 163 - Offered fall semester.