Sociological Perspectives

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This course offers an introduction to the social scientific discipline of sociology. The course focuses on various foundational areas of sociological research and theorizing in order to explore how sociologists approach the study of various social processes, practices and problems. Some key questions explored include: What is Society? How are individuals shaped by society? To what extent can and do individuals shape society? How have different societies developed historically? How do societies distribute wealth, income and other resources? How do societies establish particular kinds of political authority and power relations? How are cultural identities, values and beliefs reproduced over time? What are the sources of conflict, consensus and change in society? Working from a global comparative perspective, the course will introduce students to different strands of sociological theorizing, the distinctive levels of sociological analysis, and some of the most central areas of sociological investigation, such as class, race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality, culture, media, education, marriage, work and globalization. Periodic attention will be given to applying the sociological lens to the analysis of pressing social issues and problems in the contemporary world, such as inequality and violence.