Sociology

Introduction

Sociology is a dynamic field that is concerned with historical and contemporary issues of local, national, and global significance. It is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since all human behavior is social, the subject matter of Sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. Few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge. Sociology provides many distinct perspectives on the world, generating new ideas, and critiquing the old. The field also offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, or problems of peace and war. Because Sociology addresses the most challenging issues of our time, it is a rapidly expanding field whose potential is increasingly tapped by those who craft and create public policy and programs. Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and resistance, and how social systems work.  

At its best, Sociology engages students in the world around them, encouraging them to examine the relationships between self and society. In what ways do socio-economic, historical, and cultural conditions influence one’s thoughts, values, and behavior? How do one’s thoughts, values, and actions help shape the world in which one lives? Sociology offers answers to these questions by studying social organization from the macro to the micro levels. We are interested in the interactions among cultural, political, social, and economic systems and individuals. The fundamental questions that we raise as a discipline concern the nature of human beings, the nature of society, and the relations between the individual and society. To the extent that the discipline of Sociology equips students with the tools to critique the world in which they live, it makes them both better scholars and more informed and valuable citizens.  

The Sociology major is designed to help students critically examine the reciprocal link between daily experiences and larger social structures. We specialize in social patterns and processes in the United States, and connect these issues to larger transnational phenomena. Our courses focus on topics germane to our current global society: the effects of globalization on social relations, institutions, and communities; the increase in the unequal distribution of resources within and across nations; the causes and consequences of protest movements; the feminization and racialization of poverty; the interactive and reciprocal influences of culture, policy, social institutions and the economy; and the changes in meanings and performances and of identities. 

Introductory courses appropriate for prospective majors 

Students enter Sociology by taking a 100- or 200-level course.  First-year students interested in the Sociology program are advised to consult with members of the department at an early date.                                                                         
 

Introductory courses that fulfill distribution requirements  

Division II:      

Any course offered by the department 

US Diversity:   

SOCI 226, Race, Class, and Gender 

SOCI 236, Stratification 

SOCI 110, Social Analysis 

(these courses are sometimes offered as a US Diversity course; please consult the list of course offerings each semester)  

Course descriptions, requirements for the major refer to the College Bulletin: Sociology.

Independent study 

The department supports independent study as a way of encouraging independent inquiry.  Most independent studies are done at the senior level as senior theses which are researched and written in the context of the Advanced Research Colloquium, SOCI 405. Recent theses include: “Reconstructing Men, Saving Society: An Examination of the Diagnostic and Prognostic Frames of the American Boy Scouts and the Promise Keepers;” “Muslim Women in the Netherlands and the United States: Sexuality and Identity Formation;” “Interactions in Disaster Research: The Case of Montserrat, West Indies.”  

Opportunities for off-campus study 

The department encourages study off-campus as a way to strengthen one’s awareness of both other cultures and one’s own sub-culture and society; to strengthen cross-cultural analysis and gain greater insight into American society; and to develop greater independence and global citizenship. Our majors have done academic work in Appalachia, Australia, Cameroon, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Spain, the Dominican Republic, and Washington, D.C., among other places.  

Additional remarks

Careers:  The Department’s emphasis on critical thinking and developing analytical, quantitative and qualitative research skills, as well as its interdisciplinary focus, prepares Sociology majors for a wide range of occupations. This is evidenced by the jobs in which recent graduates are employed:  teaching human relations skills to corporate executives, urban administration, counseling, film distribution, teaching, public relations, editor-in-chief of a newspaper, restaurant management, librarianship, advertising, and free-lance non-fiction writing.  Majors have gone on to earn advanced degrees in Sociology and in law, social work, economics, journalism, public health, medicine, and religion.  A number are teaching at the university level. Sociology prepares students well for the helping professions, research on social problems, law, and policymaking.  It appeals especially to students with interests in the practical handling of human affairs, psychotherapy, philosophy, public relations, public administration, cross-cultural studies, and social thought.