Results for SOC

Why do people behave the way they do? This is the fundamental question that drives social psychology. Through reading, lecture, and interactive discussion, students have the opportunity to explore and think critically about a variety of exciting issues including: what causes us to like, love, help, or hurt others; the effects of social influence and persuasion on individual thoughts, emotion, and behavior; and how the lessons of social psychology can be applied in contexts such as health, work, and relationships. The social forces studied in the class shape our behavior, though their operation cannot be seen directly. A central idea of this class is that awareness of these forces allows us to make choices in light of them, offering us more agency and wisdom in our everyday lives. Beginning autumn quarter 2021, this course will no longer fulfill the Way-ED requirement

The U.S. is in the midst of an inequality explosion. The upper class has become unimaginably rich. Extreme racial discrimination and animus remain at the center of the American story. Abject poverty persists amidst so much wealth. A de facto caste system ¿ in which opportunities to get ahead depend on a birth lottery ¿ is firmly in place. The historic decline in gender inequality, which many had thought would continue on until full equality was achieved, has stalled out across many labor market indicators. Why is this happening? And what should be done about it? A no-holds-barred exploration of America¿s inequality problem.

10 weekly one-on-one conversations with Nobel Laureates and MacArthur fellows, talking about their life story, how they got to their ideas, what they discovered, how the world is a better place as a result, what advice they have for students and young researchers, etc. Readings related to guest research will be assigned. Open to undergraduate and graduate students.

This course uses the tools of social science to help understand debates and puzzles from contemporary sports, and in doing so shows how sports and other contests provide many telling examples of enduring social dynamics and larger social trends. We also consider how sport serves as the entry point for many larger debates about the morality and ethics raised by ongoing social change. There is a one hour discussion section required for this course.

This seminar is about how data are used to figure things out. We will consider cases in which a standing mystery existed, a question without an answer that was subsequently solved with a crisp, clever, or comprehensive analysis of data. We will pay close attention to the reasoning used involved in getting answers from data, and together we will consider how to assess how confident to be in those answers. All of which is directed to providing a better understanding of the logic of making inferences from data, evaluating those inferences, and actually working with data. Over the quarter, students will also be asked to pose and advance a project of their own that involves answering a question with data.

Each class will be focused on a different topic and have guest speakers. This class will be open to students, faculty and staff to attend and also be recorded. Deep disagreement pervades our democracy, from arguments over immigration, gun control, abortion, and the Middle East crisis, to the function of elite higher education and the value of free speech itself. Loud voices drown out discussion. Open-mindedness and humility seem in short supply among politicians and citizens alike. Yet constructive disagreement is an essential feature of a democratic society. This class explores and models respectful, civil disagreement. Each week features scholars who disagree - sometimes quite strongly - about major policy issues. Students will have the opportunity to probe those disagreements, understand why they persist, and to improve their own understanding of the facts and values that underlie them.

The seminar introduces students to major themes connected to the immigrant experience, including identity, education, assimilation, transnationalism, political membership, and intergroup relations. There will also be some attention given to research methodology. The seminar addresses these themes through reading ethnographies that document the everyday experience of immigrants and immigrant communities, broadly defined, in the United States. The course readings primarily come from more contemporary ethnographic research, but it will also include a sampling of ethnographies that examine the experience of previous waves of immigrants. Student participation will include in-class discussions of readings, short written responses to readings, and a final paper in which students draw on original ethnographic research that they conduct during the quarter. By the end of the quarter, students will be able to identify the social, political, and economic forces that shape the immigrant experience. More importantly, students will understand HOW these forces enter the immigrant experience in everyday life.

This Introductory Seminar reviews the history of social network studies, investigates how networks have changed over the past hundred years and asks how new technologies will impact them. We will draw from scholarly publications, popular culture and personal experience as ways to approach this central aspect of the human experience.

Where does the food you eat come from? How does it get to your plate? Where does it go when you don't finish it? And why are those particular items on your plate in the first place? How and what we eat is a vastly overlooked part of everyday life, and yet comes with huge personal, societal, and environmental effects, both positive and (quite often) negative. But this isn't indicative of personal moral failings or ignorance - rather, the food system was designed this way. And it leaves many of us without choice or consent around what we put into our bodies and how our actions impact those around us, thereby exacerbating social and health inequities. This class will uncover the secret workings of the global food system and introduce students to movements and efforts towards creating a more just food future for all. We will center on the concept of 'food justice,' which includes all ideas and practices that strive to eliminate exploitation and oppression within and beyond the food system. This trajectory will take us through understandings of economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological life, both now and in the past, providing students with a unique opportunity to gain interdisciplinary knowledge of food systems. For instance, we will learn about how historical and modern-day activists and scholars draw on movements for economic, gender, racial, climate, and environmental justice, and explore the possibilities for both reformative and transformative food politics. Finally, because food production, consumption, and activism are all highly tangible practices, the class will engage in field trips to the Stanford O'Donohue Family Farm, Stanford Food Institute's Teaching Kitchen, and a local Bay Area farm to get hands-on experience with what it means to eat more ethically.

Join us for an immersive speaker series that delves into the core of American democracy. Prominent figures from a range of politic, business, foreign policy, academia, and media will analyze the implications of the 2024 elections and the challenges our nation faces. Led by James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, explore topics such as harnessing the power of AI responsibly, addressing climate change at various levels, strengthening commitments to democracy and voting rights, safeguarding youth from the impacts of social media and technology on mental health, and ensuring accountability for wealth disparities. This series will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the elections and the broader American political landscape.

Two of the biggest challenges humanity has to face ? promoting human health and halting environmental degradation ? are strongly linked. Gains in health metrics in the last century have coincided with dramatic and unsustainable planetary-level degradation of environmental and ecological systems. Now, climate change, pollution, and other challenges are threatening the health and survival of communities across the globe. In acknowledging complex interconnections between environment and health, this course highlights how we must use an interdisciplinary approach and systems thinking to develop comprehensive solutions. Through a survey of human & planetary health topics that engages guest speakers across Stanford and beyond, students will develop an understanding of interconnected environmental and health challenges, priority areas of action, and channels for impact. Students enrolling in just the lecture should enroll for 3 units. Students enrolling the lecture and weekly discussion sections should enroll for 4 units.

The sociological approach to production, distribution, consumption, and markets. The impact of norms, power, social structure, and institutions on the economy. Comparison of classic and contemporary approaches to the economy among social science disciplines. Topics: consumption, labor markets, organization of professions such as law and medicine, the economic role of informal networks, industrial organization -- including the structure and history of the computer and popular music industries, business alliances, the platform economy and capitalism in non-Western societies.

The course examines how the international community has fared in promoting and protecting human rights in the world, with an emphasis on the role of the United Nations. The course will begin with an overview of debates about the state of the international human rights system in the contemporary world, and then examine how international society has addressed the challenges of implementing universal human rights principles in different local contexts across different issues. The specific rights issues examined include genocide, children's rights, labor rights, transitional justice, women's rights, indigenous rights, NGOs, and the complicated relationship between the US and global human rights. The course will feature video conference/guest lecture sessions with leading human rights scholars and practitioners, providing students with unique opportunities to hear their expert opinions based on research and experience.

This course examines a series of topics on the logic of governance in contemporary China. The main theme is on the role of the party state in China and its bureaucracies in organizing China, focusing on a set of institutions and mechanisms, such as variable coupling between the central and local governments, different modes of governance in the government bureaucracy, collusion among local governments, and campaign-style mobilization. Historical and comparative perspectives and empirical studies are used to illustrate the actual practice of governance in China.

(Graduate students register for 226.) Theory, methods, and research. Concepts such as density, homogeneity, and centrality; applications to substantive areas. The impact of social network structure on individuals and groups in areas such as communities, neighborhoods, families, work life, and innovations. Department consent required. To enroll, students must contact Sonia Chan (schan23@stanford.edu)

Introduces students to the interdisciplinary intersection of data science and the social sciences through an in-depth examination of contemporary social problems. Provides a foundational skill set for solving social problems with data including quantitative analysis, modeling approaches from the social sciences and engineering, and coding skills for working directly with big data. Students will also consider the ethical dimensions of working with data and learn strategies for translating quantitative results into actionable policies and recommendations. Lectures will introduce students to the methods of data science and social science and apply these frameworks to critical 21st century challenges, including education & inequality, political polarization, and health equity & algorithmic design in the fall quarter, and social media, climate change, and school choice & segregation in the spring quarter. In-class exercises and problem sets will provide students with the opportunity to use real-world datasets to discover meaningful insights for policymakers and communities. This course is the required gateway course for the new major in Data Science & Social Systems. Preference given to Data Science & Social Systems B.A. majors and prospective majors. Course material and presentation will be at an introductory level. Enrollment and participation in one discussion section is required. Sign up for the discussion section will occur on Canvas at the start of the quarter. Prerequisites: CS106A (required), DATASCI 112 (recommended as pre or corequisite). Limited enrollment. Please complete the interest form here: https://forms.gle/8ui9RPgzxjGxJ9k29. A permission code will be given to admitted students to register for the class.

The global risk environment is changing. Seemingly distinct large-scale risks affect what we now realize are mutually interdependent human, socio-technical, and ecological systems. As a result, consequences are more catastrophic, and costs are set to accelerate. How do we determine the top risks of this decade to prioritize actions, and how are both risks and actions likely to evolve and interact? This course investigates the data, methods, and insights mobilized by key actors such as corporations, governments, and academics to assess systemic risk, create future scenarios, and generate predictions. What are the track records of recognized systemic risk assessment and modeling toolkits? Going forward, how can we get better at risk prevention and mitigation? This year, the course will focus on combined risks from the environmental, health, and emerging tech domains. The key objective is to quickly learn relevant vocabularies (risk, tech, and futurist) by engaging with both traditional and emerging assessment methods, in order to discover how to shape positive societal outcomes in the next decade and beyond. The course prepares students for key roles in the assessment, management, and prediction of risks, technologies, markets, industries, infrastructures, and futures. People with these skills can affect the governance principles, strategies, and leadership of corporations, philanthropies, states, economies, and entire societies.

(Graduate students register for EDUC 212 or SOC 229X). Combination of social science and historical perspectives trace the major developments, contexts, tensions, challenges, and policy issues of urban education.

The effects of schools and schooling on individuals, the stratification system, and society. Education as socializing individuals and as legitimizing social institutions. The social and individual factors affecting the expansion of schooling, individual educational attainment, and the organizational structure of schooling.

Dreamed up in the heat of the Cold War, game theory has encouraged generations of strategists in politics, law, the military, and academia to see conflicts as games with rules, players, choices, and payoffs. But game-theoretical situations hardly resemble the games people play in their everyday lives. During this course we study and develop social theory based on how people play games outside of behavior labs and thought experiments. What causes people to join games and how do games keep players engaged? Topics begin with traditional game theory and then expand focus to studies of competitions in settings as disparate as chess, mushroom hunting, schools, and markets.

In early education, children are often taught to think of the human body in terms of facts - for example, by learning the names of bones or the way that different bodily systems work together. Thinking of the body in this way is to employ a biomedical understanding of the human body - in the realm of science, doctors, and data. Yet, cultural understandings pervade the way that bodies are perceived, categorized, studied, and understood. What is described as 'normal' functioning of the body, and what is considered a pathology? A disability? What type of bodily variation (in body size, eyebrow shape, foot size) gets deemed as meaningful or important? What historical and social processes have shaped the types of traits that we value in a body and what we consider to be a problem? As we critically think about the human body and the social processes that drive our understanding of it, we will engage in some of the core dynamics of the field of Sociology. Throughout the course, students will learn to think about systems of inequality and stratification and power dynamics, with the human body being the application of our analyses.

(Graduate students register for 236) This course explores major issues and debates in the sociology of law. Topics include historical perspectives on the origins of law; rationality and legal sanctions; normative decision making and morality; cognitive decision making; crime and deviance, with particular attention to the problem of mass incarceration; the "law in action" versus the "law on the books;" organizational responses to law, particularly in the context of sexual harassment and discrimination in education and employment; the roles of lawyers, judges, and juries; and law and social change with particular emphasis on the American civil rights movement. Special Instructions: Students are expected to attend a weekly TA-led discussion section in addition to lecture. Sections will be scheduled after the start of term at times when all students can attend. Paper requirements are flexible. Cross listed with the Law School (LAW 7511). See "Special Instructions" in course description above. Elements Used in Grading: Class participation, paper proposal, three short papers and a final paper (see syllabus for details).

Sociologists study taken-for-granted social categories and systems, like gender, to understand how they shape our lives. In this course, we will learn sociological approaches to understanding and studying gender. We will critically examine how gender structures society and reproduces inequality. To do this, we will use a multi-level approach, examining gender at the individual, interactional, and structural level. We will apply this framework to multiple areas of social life, including the self, the family, school, and work. This introductory course is designed to cover a range of topics in the sociology of gender, providing a baseline for further study. You will actively participate in class, bringing your own experiences while building your sociological imagination. Through a combination of lectures, in-class discussions, and papers, students will strengthen their academic analysis and writing skills.

Race and ethnicity are often taken for granted as naturally occurring, self-evident phenomena that must be navigated or overcome to understand and eradicate the (re)production of societal hierarchies across historical, geopolitical, and institutional contexts. In contrast, this transdisciplinary course seeks to track and trouble the historical and contemporary creation, dissolution, experiences, and stakes of various ethnoracial borders. Key topics include: empire, colonialism, capital/ism, im/migration, diaspora, ideology, identity, subjectivity, scientism, intersectionality, solidarity, resistance, reproduction, and transformation. Cardinal Course certified by the Haas Center for Public Service . (Formerly CSRE 196C)

(Graduate students register for 247.) How have the definitions, categories, and consequences of race and ethnicity differed across time and place? This course offers a historical and sociological survey of racialized divisions around the globe. Case studies include: affirmative action policies, policies of segregation and ghettoization, countries with genocidal pasts, invisible minorities, and countries that refuse to count their citizens by race at all.

(Graduate students register for 249.) We explore the history of residential segregation, urban policy, race, discrimination, policing and mass incarceration in the US. What are the various causes and consequences of poverty? How do institutions that serve the poor work and sometimes fail? We will read deeply into the social, political, and the legal causes of today¿s conflicts.

(Graduate students enroll in 254. COMM 154 is offered for 5 units, COMM 254 is offered for 4 units.) Algorithms have become central actors in today's digital world. In areas as diverse as social media, journalism, education, healthcare, and policing, computing technologies increasingly mediate communication processes. This course will provide an introduction to the social and cultural forces shaping the construction, institutionalization, and uses of algorithms. In so doing, we will explore how algorithms relate to political issues of modernization, power, and inequality. Readings will range from social scientific analyses to media coverage of ongoing controversies relating to Big Data. Students will leave the course with a better appreciation of the broader challenges associated with researching, building, and using algorithms.

What are the historical trajectories and consequences of marriage, divorce, and premarital cohabitation? Where have gay rights come from and what is the future of gay rights in the US? What are the gender differences in marriage, family and housework? What does it mean for the personal to be political? What are the racial differences in family life and how have those differences been politicized? How did marriage equality go from being impossible to being the law of the US? We will study social change from the perspective of public opinion, legal changes, and family politics.

Post-WW II transformation in the Asia-Pacific region, with focus on the ascent of Japan, the development of newly industrialized capitalist countries (S. Korea and Taiwan), the emergence of socialist states (China and N. Korea), and the changing relationship between the U.S. and these countries.

(Graduate students register for 270). Sociologists seek to understand how society works, specifically: how social life is organized, changed, and maintained. Sociological theory provides hypotheses for explaining social life. All empirical research in sociology is enriched by, and has some basis in, sociological theories. This course introduces students to the earliest sociological theories and the thinkers who developed them. Specifically, we will discuss the work of W.E.B. Du Bois, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx. We will compare and contrast how they thought about important modern-day social realities such as capitalism, racism, crime, religion, and social cohesion. We will consider how these early theories and thinkers influence the way sociologists think about and study the social world today.

This course examines the ways in which higher education structures and policies interact with gender, gender identity, and other characteristics in the United States, around the world, and over time. Attention is paid to how changes in those structures and policies relate to access to, experiences in, and outcomes of higher education by gender. Students can expect to gain an understanding of theories and perspectives from the social sciences relevant to an understanding of the role of higher education in relation to structures of gender differentiation and hierarchy. Topics include undergraduate and graduate education; identity and sexuality; gender and science; gender and faculty; and feminist scholarship and pedagogy.

Formulating a research question, developing hypotheses, probability and non-probability sampling, developing valid and reliable measures, qualitative and quantitative data, choosing research design and data collection methods, challenges of making causal inference, and criteria for evaluating the quality of social research. Emphasis is on how social research is done, rather than application of different methods. Limited enrollment; preference to Sociology and Urban Studies majors, and Sociology coterms. Department consent required. To enroll, students must contact Sonia Chan (schan23@stanford.edu).

Preference to sociology majors, minors, and co-terms. Methods for analyzing and evaluating quantitative data in sociological research. Students will be taught how to run and interpret multivariate regressions, how to test hypotheses, and how to read and critique published data analyses.

CW: SA/GBV: Access the Application Consent Form Here: https://bit.ly/One-in-Five-Application Over the past decade, the issue of campus sexual assault and harassment has exploded into the public discourse. Multiple studies have reinforced the finding that between 20-25% of college women (and a similar proportion of students identifying as transgender and gender-nonconforming, as well as approximately 10% of male students) experience sexual assault carried out through force or while the victim was incapacitated. This course delves into the complex issues of sexual assault and harassment on college campuses, examining legal, policy, and political dimensions. We explore the prevalence of these issues, the historical and social contexts, and relevant laws such as Title IX and the Clery Act. Through readings spanning social science, history, literature, law, health, and journalism, we analyze responses to campus violence, considering the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and other factors. Guest speakers, including experts and advocates, provide firsthand insights. Sensitive Material: The subject matter of this course is sensitive, and students are expected to treat the material with maturity. Much of the reading and subject matter may be upsetting and/or triggering for students who identify as survivors. This course has no therapeutic component, although supportive campus resources are available for those who need them. Elements used in grading: Grades will be based on class attendance, in-person class participation, and either several short reflection papers and a class presentation (Law section 01) or an independent research paper and class presentation, or a project and class presentation (undergraduates, graduates, and Law section 02). After the term begins, law students accepted into the course can transfer from section 01 into section 02, which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Enrollment: Requires INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION. Application consent forms are available (https://bit.ly/One-in-Five-Application) or you may contact Professor Burgart at aburgart@stanford.edu. Cross-listed with Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies ( FEMGEN 143) and Sociology ( SOC 188/288). Apply early as demand is high and enrollment is limited to 18 students. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the class is full.

In the contemporary United States, supposedly race-neutral immigration laws have racially-unequal consequences. Immigrants from Mexico, Central America, and the Middle East are central to ongoing debates about who's includable, and who's excludable, from American society. These present-day dynamics mirror the historical forms of exclusion imposed on immigrants from places as diverse as China, Eastern Europe, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and much of Africa. These groups' varied experiences of exclusion underscore the long-time encoding of race into U.S. immigration policy and practice. Readings and discussions center on how immigration law has become racialized in its construction and in its enforcement over the last 150 years.

Prior arrangement required.

How do I translate my interests and skills into a career in public service and social impact? This course will introduce you to a wide range of roles that help shape public policy and civic life, including government, education, nonprofits, social enterprises, and arts/media. It can be taken for one or two units. For one unit, you participate in a weekly, interactive speaker series designed to give you a sense for what different public service careers are like. Each week, guests describe their organizations and roles, highlight key intellectual issues and policy challenges, discuss their career paths, and describe skills crucial for the job. For a second unit, you participate in a hands-on weekly session designed to help you translate this knowledge into action. You will identify roles and organizations that might be a good match for you, build your network through informational interviewing, receive career coaching, and acquire the tools you need to launch your job or internship search. This course is intended for all students and all majors. Course content will be relevant to students soon entering the job market as well as those facing choices about courses of study and internships. Class sessions will be 60 minutes. This course is co-sponsored by the Haas Center for Public Service, the School of Humanities and Sciences, and Stanford in Government. Students taking the course for one unit (Tuesday lecture) must enroll in the -01 course option, and students taking the course for two units (Tuesday lecture and Thursday seminar) must enroll in the -02 course option. IR approved.

Work on a project of student's choice under supervision of a faculty member. Prior arrangement required.

Work in an apprentice-like relationship with faculty on an on-going research project. Prior arrangement required.

Prior arrangement required.

Computational sociology research working with faculty on an on-going technical research project. Applications for position reviewed on a rolling basis.

Work on an honors thesis project under faculty supervision (see description of honors program). Must be arranged early in the year of graduation or before.

For work internships under the close supervision of faculty. Prior arrangement required.

Required of all juniors in Sociology who plan to write an honors thesis. Students write a research prospectus and grant proposal, which may be submitted for funding. Research proposal in final assignment may be carried out in Spring or Summer Quarter; consent required for Autumn Quarter research.

This course focuses on the sociological research and writing process and fulfills the Writing In the Major (WIM) requirement for Sociology majors. Students will write a substantial paper based on the research project developed in 202 or a project developed during the course. Students in the honors program or co-terms in the research track may incorporate their paper into their thesis. Sociology majors who are seniors may take Soc 204 as their sole WIM class, as a substitute for Soc 202, with no prerequisites required. The class is designed to support students as they complete an original research project during the quarter or a piece of a larger honors or master's thesis

This seminar considers ongoing work in organization studies through a speaker series featuring Stanford faculty, visiting scholars, and guests from academic institutions throughout North America and elsewhere.

The sociological approach to production, distribution, consumption, and markets. The impact of norms, power, social structure, and institutions on the economy. Comparison of classic and contemporary approaches to the economy among social science disciplines. Topics: consumption, labor markets, organization of professions such as law and medicine, the economic role of informal networks, industrial organization -- including the structure and history of the computer and popular music industries, business alliances, the platform economy and capitalism in non-Western societies.

The course examines how the international community has fared in promoting and protecting human rights in the world, with an emphasis on the role of the United Nations. The course will begin with an overview of debates about the state of the international human rights system in the contemporary world, and then examine how international society has addressed the challenges of implementing universal human rights principles in different local contexts across different issues. The specific rights issues examined include genocide, children's rights, labor rights, transitional justice, women's rights, indigenous rights, NGOs, and the complicated relationship between the US and global human rights. The course will feature video conference/guest lecture sessions with leading human rights scholars and practitioners, providing students with unique opportunities to hear their expert opinions based on research and experience.

This course examines a series of topics on the logic of governance in contemporary China. The main theme is on the role of the party state in China and its bureaucracies in organizing China, focusing on a set of institutions and mechanisms, such as variable coupling between the central and local governments, different modes of governance in the government bureaucracy, collusion among local governments, and campaign-style mobilization. Historical and comparative perspectives and empirical studies are used to illustrate the actual practice of governance in China.

(Graduate students register for 226.) Theory, methods, and research. Concepts such as density, homogeneity, and centrality; applications to substantive areas. The impact of social network structure on individuals and groups in areas such as communities, neighborhoods, families, work life, and innovations. Department consent required. To enroll, students must contact Sonia Chan (schan23@stanford.edu)

(Graduate students register for EDUC 212 or SOC 229X). Combination of social science and historical perspectives trace the major developments, contexts, tensions, challenges, and policy issues of urban education.

The effects of schools and schooling on individuals, the stratification system, and society. Education as socializing individuals and as legitimizing social institutions. The social and individual factors affecting the expansion of schooling, individual educational attainment, and the organizational structure of schooling.

(Graduate students register for 236) This course explores major issues and debates in the sociology of law. Topics include historical perspectives on the origins of law; rationality and legal sanctions; normative decision making and morality; cognitive decision making; crime and deviance, with particular attention to the problem of mass incarceration; the "law in action" versus the "law on the books;" organizational responses to law, particularly in the context of sexual harassment and discrimination in education and employment; the roles of lawyers, judges, and juries; and law and social change with particular emphasis on the American civil rights movement. Special Instructions: Students are expected to attend a weekly TA-led discussion section in addition to lecture. Sections will be scheduled after the start of term at times when all students can attend. Paper requirements are flexible. Cross listed with the Law School (LAW 7511). See "Special Instructions" in course description above. Elements Used in Grading: Class participation, paper proposal, three short papers and a final paper (see syllabus for details).

Sociologists study taken-for-granted social categories and systems, like gender, to understand how they shape our lives. In this course, we will learn sociological approaches to understanding and studying gender. We will critically examine how gender structures society and reproduces inequality. To do this, we will use a multi-level approach, examining gender at the individual, interactional, and structural level. We will apply this framework to multiple areas of social life, including the self, the family, school, and work. This introductory course is designed to cover a range of topics in the sociology of gender, providing a baseline for further study. You will actively participate in class, bringing your own experiences while building your sociological imagination. Through a combination of lectures, in-class discussions, and papers, students will strengthen their academic analysis and writing skills.

(Graduate students register for 247.) How have the definitions, categories, and consequences of race and ethnicity differed across time and place? This course offers a historical and sociological survey of racialized divisions around the globe. Case studies include: affirmative action policies, policies of segregation and ghettoization, countries with genocidal pasts, invisible minorities, and countries that refuse to count their citizens by race at all.

(Graduate students register for 249.) We explore the history of residential segregation, urban policy, race, discrimination, policing and mass incarceration in the US. What are the various causes and consequences of poverty? How do institutions that serve the poor work and sometimes fail? We will read deeply into the social, political, and the legal causes of today¿s conflicts.

(Graduate students enroll in 254. COMM 154 is offered for 5 units, COMM 254 is offered for 4 units.) Algorithms have become central actors in today's digital world. In areas as diverse as social media, journalism, education, healthcare, and policing, computing technologies increasingly mediate communication processes. This course will provide an introduction to the social and cultural forces shaping the construction, institutionalization, and uses of algorithms. In so doing, we will explore how algorithms relate to political issues of modernization, power, and inequality. Readings will range from social scientific analyses to media coverage of ongoing controversies relating to Big Data. Students will leave the course with a better appreciation of the broader challenges associated with researching, building, and using algorithms.

What are the historical trajectories and consequences of marriage, divorce, and premarital cohabitation? Where have gay rights come from and what is the future of gay rights in the US? What are the gender differences in marriage, family and housework? What does it mean for the personal to be political? What are the racial differences in family life and how have those differences been politicized? How did marriage equality go from being impossible to being the law of the US? We will study social change from the perspective of public opinion, legal changes, and family politics.

This course surveys quantitative methods to make causal inferences in the absence of randomized experiment including the use of natural and quasi-experiments, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, fixed effects estimators, and difference-in-differences. We emphasize the proper interpretation of these research designs and critical engagement with their key assumptions for applied researchers. Prerequisites: Prior training in multivariate regression (e.g., ECON 102B or the permission of the instructor).

Post-WW II transformation in the Asia-Pacific region, with focus on the ascent of Japan, the development of newly industrialized capitalist countries (S. Korea and Taiwan), the emergence of socialist states (China and N. Korea), and the changing relationship between the U.S. and these countries.

(Graduate students register for 270). Sociologists seek to understand how society works, specifically: how social life is organized, changed, and maintained. Sociological theory provides hypotheses for explaining social life. All empirical research in sociology is enriched by, and has some basis in, sociological theories. This course introduces students to the earliest sociological theories and the thinkers who developed them. Specifically, we will discuss the work of W.E.B. Du Bois, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx. We will compare and contrast how they thought about important modern-day social realities such as capitalism, racism, crime, religion, and social cohesion. We will consider how these early theories and thinkers influence the way sociologists think about and study the social world today.

This course examines the ways in which higher education structures and policies interact with gender, gender identity, and other characteristics in the United States, around the world, and over time. Attention is paid to how changes in those structures and policies relate to access to, experiences in, and outcomes of higher education by gender. Students can expect to gain an understanding of theories and perspectives from the social sciences relevant to an understanding of the role of higher education in relation to structures of gender differentiation and hierarchy. Topics include undergraduate and graduate education; identity and sexuality; gender and science; gender and faculty; and feminist scholarship and pedagogy.

Formulating a research question, developing hypotheses, probability and non-probability sampling, developing valid and reliable measures, qualitative and quantitative data, choosing research design and data collection methods, challenges of making causal inference, and criteria for evaluating the quality of social research. Emphasis is on how social research is done, rather than application of different methods. Limited enrollment; preference to Sociology and Urban Studies majors, and Sociology coterms. Department consent required. To enroll, students must contact Sonia Chan (schan23@stanford.edu).

Preference to sociology majors, minors, and co-terms. Methods for analyzing and evaluating quantitative data in sociological research. Students will be taught how to run and interpret multivariate regressions, how to test hypotheses, and how to read and critique published data analyses.

CW: SA/GBV: Access the Application Consent Form Here: https://bit.ly/One-in-Five-Application Over the past decade, the issue of campus sexual assault and harassment has exploded into the public discourse. Multiple studies have reinforced the finding that between 20-25% of college women (and a similar proportion of students identifying as transgender and gender-nonconforming, as well as approximately 10% of male students) experience sexual assault carried out through force or while the victim was incapacitated. This course delves into the complex issues of sexual assault and harassment on college campuses, examining legal, policy, and political dimensions. We explore the prevalence of these issues, the historical and social contexts, and relevant laws such as Title IX and the Clery Act. Through readings spanning social science, history, literature, law, health, and journalism, we analyze responses to campus violence, considering the intersectionality of race, class, gender, and other factors. Guest speakers, including experts and advocates, provide firsthand insights. Sensitive Material: The subject matter of this course is sensitive, and students are expected to treat the material with maturity. Much of the reading and subject matter may be upsetting and/or triggering for students who identify as survivors. This course has no therapeutic component, although supportive campus resources are available for those who need them. Elements used in grading: Grades will be based on class attendance, in-person class participation, and either several short reflection papers and a class presentation (Law section 01) or an independent research paper and class presentation, or a project and class presentation (undergraduates, graduates, and Law section 02). After the term begins, law students accepted into the course can transfer from section 01 into section 02, which meets the R requirement, with consent of the instructor. Enrollment: Requires INSTRUCTOR PERMISSION. Application consent forms are available (https://bit.ly/One-in-Five-Application) or you may contact Professor Burgart at aburgart@stanford.edu. Cross-listed with Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies ( FEMGEN 143) and Sociology ( SOC 188/288). Apply early as demand is high and enrollment is limited to 18 students. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the class is full.

In the contemporary United States, supposedly race-neutral immigration laws have racially-unequal consequences. Immigrants from Mexico, Central America, and the Middle East are central to ongoing debates about who's includable, and who's excludable, from American society. These present-day dynamics mirror the historical forms of exclusion imposed on immigrants from places as diverse as China, Eastern Europe, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and much of Africa. These groups' varied experiences of exclusion underscore the long-time encoding of race into U.S. immigration policy and practice. Readings and discussions center on how immigration law has become racialized in its construction and in its enforcement over the last 150 years.

Prior arrangement required

Work on a project of student's choice under supervision of a faculty member. Prior arrangement required

Work in an apprentice-like relationship with faculty on an on-going research project. Prior arrangement required

This course examines the expansion, impact, and organization of higher education across the world. This course engages students with sociological theory and comparative research on global and national sources of influence on higher education developments, e.g. admissions criteria, curricular content, governance structure.. At the end of the course students should be able to compare and contrast developments across countries.

Where do people's political attitudes and behaviors come from, and how can they be changed? Social and psychological factors powerfully influence political views, and research in this area can help to understand our often confusing political landscape. Understanding the causal architecture of political attitudes and behavior is essential for taking effective political action, especially in this time of deep and growing political divides. In this class we will read and discuss cutting-edge research from social psychology, sociology, political science, and beyond on topics such as polarization, persuasion, social activism, inequality, racial prejudice, and populism. Enrollment for SOC 298 is by permission of instructor.

Quantitative data require considerable work before they are ready to be analyzed: they are often messy, incomplete and potentially biased. This course is designed to help you thoughtfully collect, manage, clean and represent data so it can offer substantive information researchers can act upon. In our weekly sessions you will take a critical and reflective approach to these tasks and learn the technical skills needed to get your data into shape. Education and social science datasets will be our focus.

This course centers on the question of how you can use various data science techniques to understand social phenomena. Applied to education and social science topics, the course will introduce you to supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms, new data, and provide you the skills to thoughtfully evaluate and assess machine learning performance and implications.

Analysis of quantitative and longitudinal data on national educational systems and political structures. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Classical and contemporary literature covering the sociological approach to markets and the economy, and comparison to other disciplines. Topics: consumption, labor, professions, industrial organization, and the varieties of capitalism; historical and comparative perspectives on market and non-market provision of goods and services, and on recent developments such as the platform economy . The relative impact of culture, institutions, norms, social networks, technology, and material conditions. Prerequisite: doctoral student status or consent of instructor.

Theory, methods, and research in the sociology of the economy and of formal organizations, through presentations of ongoing work by students, faculty, and guest speakers, and discussion of recent literature and controversies. May be repeated for credit. Restricted to doctoral students; others by consent of instructor.

Theory and research on macro-historical changes of sociological significance such as the rise of capitalism, the causes and consequences of revolutions, and the formation of the modern nation state and global world system. Methodological issues in historical and comparative sociology.

Yearlong workshop where doctoral students are encouraged to collaborate with peers and faculty who share an interest in employing computational techniques in the pursuit of researching social network dynamics, text analysis, histories, and theories of action that help explain social phenomena. Students present their own research and provide helpful feedback on others' work. Presentations may concern dissertation proposals, grants, article submissions, book proposals, datasets, methodologies and other texts. Repeatable for credit.

This course offers an introduction to the practice and politics of ethnographic fieldwork. It provides a "how to" of ethnographic research, in which students will conduct an ethnographic project of their own, complemented by weekly readings and discussions. In the process, we will discuss the theory and epistemology of fieldwork, along with the practicalities and politics of fieldwork in different domains. We will examine different stages of ethnographic research (entering the field, conducting and recording fieldwork, exiting the field and writing it up), different methods (observations, interviews, "going along"), as well as distinct styles of ethnographic work (virtual ethnography, organizational ethnography, narrative ethnography, etc.). The course will serve as a participative workshop for students to exchange field notes, share practical advice, and consolidate their research interests. Email instructor for permission to enroll.

Over the past several decades nonprofit organizations have become increasingly central entities in society, and with this growing status and importance their roles are increasingly complex.We consider the social, political and economic dynamics of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, focusing mainly (but not exclusively) on the US. The class is best suited for graduate students looking for an advanced analytic understanding of the sector and those wishing to conduct research in the field; it is not intended to provide training in nonprofit management.

PhD students will present their own work weekly, and read and critique the research-in-progress of their peers on issues of family, household structure, interpersonal relationships, marriage, demography, survey data, demographic methods, statistical methods, and related fields. May be repeat for credit starting 8/1/2016.

This course explores the social construction of scientific knowledge from various perspectives. The course begins by taking stock of core philosophical theories on scientific knowledge and then it proceeds to ask how various authors have described and characterized this knowledge as socially embedded and constructed. Through this course we will ask what sort of knowledge is considered scientific or not? And then from there, a variety of social, institutional and historical factors will enter and influence not only how scientific knowledge is discovered and developed, but also how we evaluate it. This course is suitable to advanced undergraduates and doctoral students.

A workshop devoted to new ways of measuring and monitoring poverty and critiquing and improving ongoing research projects at the Center on Poverty and Inequality. We discuss new inequality-reducing interventions, new ways of measuring and monitoring inequality, and new ways to evaluate inequality-reducing programs.

Causes, consequences, and structure of inequality; how inequality results from and shapes social classes, occupations, professions, and other aspects of the economy. Research presentations by students, faculty, and guest speakers. Discussion of controversies, theories, and recent writings. May be repeated for credit. Restricted to Sociology doctoral students; others by consent of instructor.

This workshop is intended for PhD students whose graduate research is centered on gender and/or gender inequalities. Students will take turns presenting their research and get feedback from other students and faculty

In this seminar, we will trace intersectionality from its activist origins outside of academia to its practice in contemporary social science research (and back). We will consider the range of approaches and interpretations that have emerged over the past 30 years, since Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term to critique anti-discrimination litigation, and do so with an eye toward application: how to best incorporate the insights of intersectionality into original social science research, across a variety of topics and methods. Open to all students pursuing graduate degrees in Sociology, as well as PhD students in other disciplines with instructor consent.

Seminar for graduate students who have research projects in progress that focus on questions about gender and society. Research projects can be at any stage from the initial development to the final writing up of results. Focus is on questions posed by the research projects of the seminar participants. Readings include relevant background to each other's questions and present their own work in progress. A final paper reports the progress on the seminar member's research project. May be repeat for credit. This class is by permission only and is intended for PhD students in sociology or related disciplines who have previously taken SOC 339 or an equivalent PhD level gender class.

Racial and ethnic stratification has been a defining yet shifting feature of U.S. society, and such inequalities shape and are shaped by the ecological structure of places. This course is a survey course for doctoral students covering sociological scholarship at the intersection of racial stratification and urban sociology. The class will include foundational readings and discussions on urban sociological theories, urban decline and suburbanization, segregation, poverty, neighborhood effects, crime and disorder, gentrification, and immigration. The course will also include discussion of new and innovative data sources and methods for research in this area throughout the quarter. Students will develop or continue a research project designed to contribute to scholarship on racial stratification and urban sociology.

Weekly research workshop with a focus on ongoing research by faculty and graduate student participants, new theory and research, and recent publications. Workshop participants will present their own work, and read and critique the research-in-progress of their peers. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Sociology doctoral student or consent of instructor.

This course presents a selection of influential ways of thinking about culture, media, technology, and institutions in contemporary societies. It is organized around different disciplinary and methodological traditions, including symbolic interactionism, Foucault, Bourdieu, feminist theory, neo-institutionalism, the sociology of translation, the e/valuation perspective, and racial capitalism, with a specific focus on how these concepts shed light on the interplay between media, culture, and institutions.

Doctoral Research Seminar on Technology & Organizations

For students doing advanced research. Group comments and criticism on dissertation projects at any phase of completion, including data problems, empirical and theoretical challenges, presentation refinement, and job market presentations. Collaboration, debate, and shaping research ideas. Prerequisite: courses in organizational theory or social network analysis.

Designed for graduate students who are writing dissertations about American public opinion. Students participate in all phases of the research process and include questions on nationally representative surveys. Enrollment requires permission of the instructors. See the Notes for additional information.

For Ph.D. students in the social sciences and history. Research on contemporary society and politics in the People's Republic of China. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Introduction to social network theory, methods, and research applications in sociology. Network concepts of interactionist (balance, cohesion, centrality) and structuralist (structural equivalence, roles, duality) traditions are defined and applied to topics in small groups, social movements, organizations, communities. Students apply these techniques to data on schools and classrooms.

Restricted to Sociology doctoral students. This course provides an introduction to some of the main themes arising in sociology¿s early theoretical literature. Since the founding of the discipline, sociologists have had an interest in understanding the forces underlying crisis, continuity, and change. These themes continue to shape contemporary empirical and theoretical work within the discipline.

Cross-listed with Law (LAW 7071), Political Science (POLISCI 334) and Sociology (SOC 374). Associated with the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society (PACS). Year-long workshop for doctoral students and advanced undergraduates writing senior theses on the nature of civil society or philanthropy. Focus is on pursuit of progressive research and writing contributing to the current scholarly knowledge of the nonprofit sector and philanthropy. Accomplished in a large part through peer review. Readings include recent scholarship in aforementioned fields. May be repeated for credit for a maximum of 3 units.

Advanced research workshop with a focus on new theory and research, recent publications, and current research by faculty and graduate student participants. Topics of relevant research include, but are not restricted to, morality, cooperation, solidarity, politics, status, and power. May be repeated for credit.

Instructor Consent Required. This is a quarter-long graduate level seminar and practicum in ethnographic fieldwork methods, providing students with hands-on training in the epistemology, theory, methods, and politics of ethnography. Through weekly readings, assignments, and exercises applied to a field site of their choosing, students will learn the dynamics of gaining access, building rapport, writing field notes, coding, crafting analytic memos, and writing up findings. Class sessions will be spent discussing readings, debriefing research experiences, and analyzing fellow students' field notes. Students should plan to spend at least five hours per week in their chosen field site. Enrollment priority will be given to graduate students.

Presentations and discussion of ongoing ethnographic, interview-based, and other fieldwork research by faculty and students . May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Sociology doctoral student or consent of instructor.

Social science researchers often deal with complex data and research questions that traditional statistics models like linear regression cannot adequately address. This course offers the opportunity to understand and apply two widely used types of advanced regression analysis that allow the examination of 1) multilevel data structures (multilevel models) and 2) multivariate research questions (structural equation models).

Workshop on research methods and writing research papers for second year Sociology doctoral students. Ongoing student research, methodological problems, writing challenges, and possible solutions. Required for second year paper.

Workshop on research methods and writing research papers for second year Sociology doctoral students. Ongoing student research, methodological problems, writing challenges, and possible solutions. Required for second year paper.

May be repeated for credit. Appropriate for in-person instruction.

May be repeated for credit. Appropriate for in-person instruction.

CPT course required for international students completing degree requirements. Appropriate for in-person instruction.

The Sociology Colloquium is a semimonthly seminar held throughout the academic year, in which distinguished scholars present their cutting-edge research findings. Enrollment for credit, and regular attendance, is required for all first and second year Sociology doctoral students.

Where do people's political attitudes and behaviors come from, and how can they be changed? Social and psychological factors powerfully influence political views, and research in this area can help to understand our often confusing political landscape. Understanding the causal architecture of political attitudes and behavior is essential for taking effective political action, especially in this time of deep and growing political divides. In this class we will read and discuss cutting-edge research from social psychology, sociology, political science, and beyond on topics such as polarization, persuasion, social activism, inequality, racial prejudice, and populism. Enrollment for SOC 298 is by permission of instructor.