Sociology may be defined simply as “the study of human groups” or the “study of human social arrangements,” but sociology is also a perspective, a set of methods, a canon of literature, and an ongoing conversation about the patterns, probabilities, principles and processes that characterize society.

This course will be divided into three sections: (1) an introduction to sociology as a discipline and mindset, using Allan Johnson’s book, The Forest and the Trees, 3e; (2) the history of sociology – its key figures and the major concepts that have occupied the field over the past century and a half, using Fred Pampel’s book, Sociological Lives and Ideas; and (3) a sample of contemporary issues addressed by sociology – economic inequality, racial re-segregation, and immigration, based on a series of articles available on the course website.

Course Requirements:

Students will demonstrate their learning through three non-cumulative tests, a short paper related to Johnson’s book, a group presentation on a contemporary social issue, and participation in discussion sections and lecture.