This course is meant to introduce you to a range of concepts and theories in the field of sociology. In the first half of the semester we will focus on the influence of culture, and the formation and lived experience of race, class, and gender. In the second half of the semester, we will explore methods of social control and forms of organizational power, the impact of work, the role of religion and the multiple meanings of family. We then turn to the sociology of the body, addressing the implications of abortion laws, plastic surgery and bodybuilding. And at the end of the semester we will discuss the power of social movements, both past and present. In an attempt to limit the scope of the course, the topics we cover are primarily U.S.-based and contemporary in nature. Crucial to all the texts we discuss will be an emphasis on unequal power dynamics and how those dynamics function to maintain social roles and class position.
- Teacher: Fallica Elisabeth