Sociology

SOC1101 Introduction to Sociology: Analysis of Society in Global Perspective

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

Sociology is a social science, a discipline that attempts to systematically understand society and the human groups and institutions that comprise it. This course will provide the fundamentals of the discipline by exploring what society is, the groups and organizations that comprise it, how groups of people are divided within society, and how these different groups behave and interact. How do individuals learn how to behave “appropriately?” Who decides what it even means to be “appropriate?” What are the purposes of the major institutions we inhabit, from the political system to the educational system to the economy? Why is society stratified or divided along class, race, and gender lines? How and why are resources unevenly distributed and how do our institutions both reflect and reinforce these inequities? These are just a few of the questions that we will tackle over the course of the semester. We will read works by the major theorists who have sought to explain the world around us, as well as the works of researchers who systematically analyze data (i.e. observations) to test ideas about society. The overarching objective for this semester is for students to gain a grounding in sociology by meeting the following goals: 1) Recognize the groups, organizations, and institutions that comprise societies 2) Examine why societies are structured as they are, including the racial, ethnic, class, and gender stratification that exists 3) Understand the major sociological paradigms 4) Learn what research tools sociologists use to empirically examine the social world 5) Be able to apply the theories we learn to better understand contemporary events and social problems Fall and spring semesters. 4 credits SOC1105 Major Institutions in U.S. Society

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

This course will introduce students to the major institutions that underlie and organize U.S. society. We will explore the government, the economy, the military, the system of education, and the prison system, as well as other institutions within the United States. This course will provide both sociologists and non-sociologists with a framework for thinking about the major structures in U.S. society. We will explore how the institutions are structured, how they came to look this way, and their differential implications for groups and individuals within the United States. Fall semester, even years. 4 credits

SOC1107 Introduction to Anthropology

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the comparative study of human societies. With the help of hands-on research exercises, ethnographic accounts and video documentaries, students will explore the beliefs and cultural practices of social groups from all parts of the world. The course begins by examining the research methods used by anthropologists before turning to the comparative study of the perspectives and customs of various communities. Students will compare different groups’ approaches to food production and consumption; child-rearing and family life; gender and sexuality; and race, ethnicity and social class. Spring semester. 4 credits

SOC1111 Introduction to Social Work This course provides an overview of social problems, social welfare systems, and social work practice from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Students become familiar with interventions at individual, family, community, and societal levels. Social work values and ethics provide

the framework for exploring fields of social work practice and work with vulnerable populations. Spring semester. 4 credits

SOC2102: The Sociology of Boston

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

In this course, students use the city of Boston as their sociological lab to learn about the main concepts of the field of Urban Sociology and study the contemporary social dynamics of cities. The course is arranged around the interplay between sociological concepts and an analysis of the various institutions that compromise Boston (education, housing, government, etc.) and of social problems, such as poverty and crime. Throughout the course of the semester, students will undertake field trips tied to the class readings and discussions. Students will compare the social dynamics of Boston to those of other cities by employing a sociological lens; one of the questions to which we will repeatedly return is whether Boston could be Any City, U.S.A.: is there something fundamentally different about the cultural norms, institutions and social problems of this city? Fall semester, even years. 4 credits

SOC2103 Qualitative Methods In this course, students will conduct their own projects based on in-depth interviewing, participant observation or content analysis. Thus, students will gain hands-on experience with research design, data collection, analysis and presentation. To provide students with the knowledge and tools necessary to conduct qualitative research, the course will introduce readings on qualitative research methods as well as recent sociological studies based on these methods. Students will discuss the goals of qualitative research, its epistemological underpinnings and its strengths. Students will learn how to formulate a sociological research question, and to choose the appropriate method(s) to answer the question. The course will also introduce techniques for analyzing qualitative data, including coding and memo-writing. In addition, we will discuss issues of validity and ethical concerns. Fall and Spring semesters. 4 credits Prerequisites: SOC1101

SOC2104 Quantitative Methods

Quantitative Reasoning (QR)

This course teaches students, through a hands-on approach, the basics of quantitative methods for sociological research. Students will develop a sociological research question, conduct a literature review, and develop hypotheses that they will test empirically. They will put together a survey, distribute the survey, and collect and input their data into SPSS. They will learn how to calculate basic univariate statistics, as well as calculate and interpret bivariate statistics, such as correlations and cross-tabs. They will learn what statistical tests are appropriate to use when. After having explored their topic through primary data collection and analysis, students will explore their same topic through secondary data analysis, using the General Social Survey (GSS). At the end of the course, students will have completed an original sociological research project in which they have empirically tested their hypotheses using appropriate statistical tests and will formally present those findings to the class. Fall semester. 4 credits Prerequisites: MATH1117 or MATH1118, PSYCH2802 or MATH2113

SOC2105 Race, Ethnicity and Group Relations

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS) Diversity & Multiculturalism (DM)

This course examines race and ethnicity from a sociological perspective. We will begin by exploring what it means for race and

ethnicity to be socially constructed concepts and then examine the implications of these concepts across society. Why is society stratified by race and ethnicity and what are the implications for individuals and groups? Why have some groups moved up the hierarchy, while other groups have remained at the bottom? What impact has immigration had on race relations in the United States? How do various institutions, such as the criminal justice system, the educational system, social services, and legal system reflect and reinforce differences along racial and ethnic lines? We will explore these questions through reading both theoretical and empirical work conducted by scholars in the field, and apply these readings to our own observations. We will also examine how marginalized groups have, historically and through today, maintained dignity, identity, and power and pushed back against racist structures. Fall semester. 4 credits

SOC2115 Family and Gender Roles

Diversity & Multiculturalism (DM)

This course examines historical and cultural influences on the family and on the origin and development of gender roles as they develop within the family and are expressed in all areas of social life. The class will also explore how various institutions in society, such as the economy and educational system, reflect and reinforce or alter traditional family and gender patterns. Further, the way in which public policy affects family and gender is also examined. Particular attention is paid to changes across time and those occurring in contemporary societies, including an understanding of the distinction between sex and gender, changing knowledge about gender and gender identities, and the significant shifts we have seen in family formation, including the legalization of gay marriage and the decline of marriage, more generally. The contributions of the women’s movement and the LGBTQ+ movement to ways of thinking about gender and inequality are also discussed. Fall semester. 4 credits

SOC2123 Health Care: Systems, Structures and Cultures This course examines one of the most contentious issues and complex institutions in the U.S. and world today: access to and delivery of health care. It provides an overview of the social meaning of health and illness. The course analyzes the roles of hospitals, physicians, nurses, insurance and drug companies, alternative and complementary medicine, and the hospice movement. It contrasts the U.S. health care system to Canadian and European systems and discusses health care needs in developing countries. The course takes advantage of Emmanuel’s proximity to world-class medical institutions in the Longwood Medical Area. Fall semester, even years. 4 credits

SOC2127 Social Class and Inequality

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

What are the origins, forms and consequences of the unequal distribution of wealth and power in U.S. society and in selected societies around the world? This course will explore the theories, both classical and contemporary, that have sought to explain how resources come to be distributed so unequally. We will also explore what the practical implications of such economic stratification are for certain groups in U.S. society. Particular attention will be paid to the real-world implications of economic inequality and the public policies that have (and have not) been put into place to deal with the issue. Fall semester. 4 credits

SOC2129 Cultural Geography

Social Analysis (SA) Social Science (SS)

Cultural geography deals with the many different uses and perceptions of space, locally and globally. It examines how language, religion, economics, and political practices vary over time. A central concern is to analyze the reciprocal relationship between cultural transmission and environment. The course celebrates and critically analyzes geographic human diversity in rural and urban settings in industrial and less-developed areas worldwide. The course examines solutions for the ecological survival of the planet. Fall and spring semesters. 4 credits

SOC2131 Catholic Social Teaching (R)

Religious Thought: Christian Tradition (RCT) Religious Inquiry: Christian Tradition (RCT) Social Justice (SJ)

This course will provide an introduction to over 100 years of Catholic social teaching, using papal encyclicals, and pastoral letters from the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops primarily. Analysis of the documents and critiques of the teachings will also be used. Each of the documents will be grounded in its sociological, political, economic and religious context. A service-learning component will be included in the course introducing students to service to people in poverty in the Boston area. The mission of national and international Catholic social justice organizations will also be highlighted. Spring semester. 4 credits (Cross-referenced with THRS2130)

SOC2200 Drugs and Society This course will examine various theories, concepts, and issues related to drug use and misuse from the sociological perspective. With a goal of engaging in critical thinking about this topic, class will include discussion on the definition of the social problem, its place in a historical context (how these definitions change over time and how these changes both reflect and reinforce specific elements/aspects of society), and the differential impact on individuals with a focus on the systems that perpetuate these differences. Fall semester. 4 credits Prerequistite: SOC1101

SOC2201 The Practice of Social Policy Students will learn about the creation and implementation of welfare reform and poverty-related policies as a means of understanding the policy-making process. Students will consider the political and economic context for policymaking in Massachusetts today as they research one social policy and consider advocacy strategies. Activities include a visit to the State House and a mock legislative hearing. Spring semester, even years . 4 credits

SOC2205 War and Peace This course uses an interdisciplinary approach to exploring the causes and consequences of war and terrorism. The course also explores peaceful ways of living and resolving conflict. Students will learn about the human, social, and financial costs of war, in particular the adverse effects on the lives of children. Students will also explore the historical and contemporary aspects of the ethics of peace. Students will learn the difference between negative peace, understood as the absence of war, and positive peace, defined as professionalactive peacemaking, by learning about the peacemaking strategies of individuals, social groups and organizations actively engaged in creating a peaceful world. Spring semester, even years. 4 credits

SOC2207 Deviant Behavior and Social Controls The class focuses on the social construction to deviant behaviors and society’s response to those behaviors deemed “deviant.”

These behaviors and the influence of social controls will be examined from sociological and criminological perspectives. A range of behaviors will be covered, including but not limited to heterosexual deviance, interpersonal violence, sexual violence, alcoholism, illegal drug use, and cyber deviance. Students will expand their knowledge of behaviors which are considered deviant, understand the subjectivity and social controls involved in labeling certain behaviors as well as societal responses to such behaviors, and explore theoretical perspectives and empirical research related to deviant behavior and social controls. Spring semester. 4 credits

SOC2705 Sustainable Development: Paradigms and Policies This interdisciplinary course examines the idea and practice of sustainable development in the global north and south from the perspectives of Economics, Political Science and Sociology. The course starts by analyzing definitions and theories underlying the concept of sustainable development. It continues to critically assess the sustainability indices built on these different paradigms before analyzing major sustainability challenges such as population growth and climate change. Students will also learn about the actors, processes and institutions at the national and international levels that play a significant role in sustainability policy. Lastly, the course examines policy measures towards sustainable development. Spring semester. 4 credits (Cross-referenced with POLSC2705)

SOC3101 Theories of Society The goal of this course is to introduce students to classical and contemporary sociological theories. Students will become familiar with competing sociological perspectives by studying the works of prominent 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century social theorists. Students will learn to identify the major concepts of classical and contemporary social theories and will apply them to current social problems. Students will evaluate the content of theories by assessing theorists’ explanations of social inequality and their views on the mechanisms of social change. Fall and spring semesters. 4 credits Prerequisites: SOC1101 and at least one other Sociology course, and junior or senior status or permission of instructor

SOC3115 The Sociology of Globalization This course explores the sociological aspects of globalization. We will examine whether globalization has increased prosperity or created social inequalities in the global South and North. The course also discusses the role of major global institutions, such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, in shaping social development. Fall semester, odd years. 4 credits Prerequisite: Junior or senior status or permission of instructor

SOC3201 Worlds in Motion: The Causes and Consequences of Migration This course introduces students to the major theories of international migration and immigrant incorporation. Why do people undertake costly, emotionally painful, and, often, life-threatening journeys? What happens to them once they arrive in their place of destination? And how do factors such as race and gender impact the settlement process? Although the course will primarily focus on immigration to and settlement in the United States, we will also explore the process of migration to other parts of the world. Contemporary issues, such as policies around undocumented immigrants, the rise of crimmigration, and the incorporation of Muslim immigrants in

the U.S. and Western Europe, will also be covered. Course requirements include a significant research paper and presentation. Spring semester, odd years. 4 credits Prerequisite: Junior or senior status or permission of instructor

SOC3205 Crimes Against Humanity This course examines crimes against humanity from a social science perspective. Crimes against humanity are consistent and widespread atrocities condoned by a government or de facto authority. This course will discuss the links between these crimes and the social stratification of different societies along the lines of gender, race/ethnicity, and social class. Students will analyze crimes against humanity such as murder, extermination, torture, human trafficking, sexual slavery, the enforced disappearance of persons, and the crime of apartheid. The course also explores the work of institutions that fight crimes against humanity, especially Interpol, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa. The course also takes a close look at how civilians and nongovernmental organizations mobilize to fight crimes against humanity. Spring semester, even years. 4 credits. Prerequisite: Junior or senior status or permission of instructor

SOC3210 Family Violence This course will examine the topic of family violence from sociological and criminological perspectives. Students in this class will learn about various forms of family violence, including intimate partner abuse, child abuse, elder abuse and sibling abuse with a focus on causal factors. Students will become familiar with traditional and contemporary biological, psychological, sociological and criminological theories pertaining to family violence and abuse. The class will raise students’ awareness of the consequences of family violence and discuss the social and legal responses to this serious social problem. Fall semester. 4 credits Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing

SOC4182 Directed Research This course involves independent research in conjunction with a member of the department. It is open to senior sociology majors with departmental approval. Fall and spring semesters. 4 credits Prerequisite: Senior status

SOC4194 Internship in Sociology: Field Research in Professional Settings Students participate in a supervised experience in a variety of sites: the courts and justice system, in social service and health care agencies, or in local or international social justice organizations. Students will gain practical experience in professional settings with supervision while preparing an analytical paper based on their experience in the field. Fall and spring semesters. 4 credits Open to second semester juniors (80 credits) and senior sociology majors only. Most major requirements must already be fulfilled.

SOC4998 Community Action Research Seminar

Social Justice (SJ)

This serves as an alternate capstone for sociology seniors. The course will move students from the world of academic research to the world of applied research by utilizing the skills students have learned in SOC2103: Qualitative Methods and SOC2104: Quantitative Methods and applying them to a real world problem. Students will work in groups and be paired with a local community organization to help the organization identify a problem or question of interest. Students will then determine the best methodology to tackle