Diane Levy      Department of Sociology

What is Sociology?

Sociology 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. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.

Sociology provides many distinctive 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 policies and create programs. Sociologists understand social inequality, patterns of behavior, forces for social change and resistance, and how social systems work.
[From:  American Sociological Association]

Courses Fall 2003:

Sociology 105   Introduction to Sociology  

 

Text website is:  www.mhhe.com/schaefer5

Material on Title IX:
        Title IX  Government Website--description of law
        Feminist Majority Website

    Article on sleep deprivation from New York Times:
            "Lack of Sleep Deprivation Takes its Toll on Student Psyches"

Sociology 345  Sociology of the Family

 

                        New York Times  (11/23/03) article on meaning of marriage:
                      http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/23/weekinreview/23LEWI.html?ex=1070622938&ei=1&en=a8ec90a57de44174

 

Text website is:   www.mhhe.com/cherlin3

   

    Friday Nov 21--Guest lecture by Dr. Bob Weedon, VDM on the role of pets in the family.  Please read the following two articles to prepare:
       "Pets are Family"
       "Pet-Human Bonding"

 

    Revised reading for Exam 3:
    Chapter 10  Children and Parents:  Omit pp 338-48;
    Chapter 14  Remarriage:  Read ONLY pp 450-62;
    Chapter 15  Social Change: omit pp 487-497

    

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last revised 12/03/03