SOC 134: Gender and Education in Global and Comparative Perspectives (EDUC 197, FEMGEN 297)
This course introduces students to theories and perspectives from the social sciences relevant to an understanding of the role of education in relation to structures of gender differentiation, hierarchy, and power. It familiarizes students with and enables them to critically evaluate research on the status of children, adolescents, and young adults around the world and their participation patterns in various sectors of society, particularly in education. Students have the opportunity to gain research skills by designing research proposals or to develop action plans on topics of their choosing related to gender and education from global and/or comparative perspectives.
Last offered: Spring 2020
| UG Reqs: GER:EC-Gender, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
SOC 134D: Sex, Courtship, and Marriage in America (FEMGEN 134D)
How people meet, who they date, and when they settle down have all changed dramatically in recent decades. This course will provide students with a thorough overview of demographic, sociological, and historical perspectives on sex, relationships, and family in the United States. Students will become familiar with the empirical patterns and trends, political and cultural debates, and policy issues concerning historical and modern romantic and sexual relationships, as well as the major theories and research methods used in the sociological study of relationships. Throughout the course, we will explore how changes in modern relationships may affect broader patterns of social inequality and family structure. Additionally, we will examine how the mate selection process intersects with various aspects of gender, sexuality, class, race, and technology.
Last offered: Spring 2019
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
SOC 135: Poverty, Inequality, and Social Policy in the United States (SOC 235)
Over the last three decades, inequality in America has increased substantially. Why has this happened, and what can be done about it? The course will begin by surveying the basic features of poverty, inequality, and economic mobility in the 21st century. From here we will discuss issues related to discrimination, education and schools, criminal justice, and the changing nature of the family as forces that shape inequality. We will also focus on the main social policy options for addressing inequality in the United States, including income support for the poor, taxing higher incomes, efforts to encourage philanthropy, and other institutional reforms.
Last offered: Winter 2019
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
SOC 135D: Law and Inequality
How does social welfare policy contribute to social (in)justice? Why does discrimination based on race face heightened scrutiny in court compared to gender? Does inequality cause crime? This course explores the intersection between sociology and the law with a focus on inequality. We will address the question: how does the law create and respond to inequality between people and groups? We will learn some legal doctrine throughout but we will prioritize examining a sociological theory of law and justice. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach using a variety of materials including judicial opinions, scholarly papers, and newspaper articles.
Last offered: Summer 2018
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
SOC 136: Sociology of Law (SOC 236)
(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).
Last offered: Winter 2020
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
SOC 137: Global Inequality
Absolute world poverty has declined considerably in the last twenty years, but elites have gained disproportionately from the growth of the global economy, leading to serious concerns about inequality in several countries, as well as in global policy circles. This discussion-based seminar explores how global capitalism affects worldwide inequality. Topics include the evolution, causes, and structure of global inequality, the links between inequality and human development, and potential solutions to global inequality.
Last offered: Autumn 2017
SOC 141: Monitoring the Crisis (PSYCH 145A, PUBLPOL 141, SOC 241, URBANST 149)
A course devoted to understanding how people are faring as the country's health and economic crisis unfolds. The premise of the course is that, as important and valuable as surveys are, it's a capital mistake to presume that we know what needs to be asked and that fixed-response answers adequately convey the depth of what's happening. We introduce a new type of qualitative method that allows for discovery by capturing the voices of the people, learn what they're thinking and fearing, and understand the decisions they're making. Students are trained in immersive interviewing by completing actual interviews, coding and analyzing their field notes, and then writing reports describing what's happening across the country. These reports will be designed to find out who's hurting, why they're hurting, and how we can better respond to the crisis. Students interested should submit the following application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdOZsnpOCg4zTRbVny0ikxpZEd1AFEEJh3K9KjvINyfbW
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A course devoted to understanding how people are faring as the country's health and economic crisis unfolds. The premise of the course is that, as important and valuable as surveys are, it's a capital mistake to presume that we know what needs to be asked and that fixed-response answers adequately convey the depth of what's happening. We introduce a new type of qualitative method that allows for discovery by capturing the voices of the people, learn what they're thinking and fearing, and understand the decisions they're making. Students are trained in immersive interviewing by completing actual interviews, coding and analyzing their field notes, and then writing reports describing what's happening across the country. These reports will be designed to find out who's hurting, why they're hurting, and how we can better respond to the crisis. Students interested should submit the following application:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdOZsnpOCg4zTRbVny0ikxpZEd1AFEEJh3K9KjvINyfbWMGw/viewformnnThe course is open to students who have taken it in earlier quarters, with repeating students allowed to omit the training sessions and, in lieu of those sessions, complete additional field work and writing. Field work will include unique interviews with new participants each lab period, along with corresponding coding, analyses, and reports.
Last offered: Winter 2021
| UG Reqs: WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
| Repeatable
2 times
(up to 10 units total)
SOC 141P: Public Interest Tech: Case Studies (SOC 241P)
What does public interest technology look like in practice? Each week, a guest speaker will present a case study of their work to improve government and public systems through innovative methods, data-driven efforts, emerging technology, and human-centered design. Students will reflect on the practicalities, ethics, and best practices of public interest technology work.
Last offered: Spring 2021
| Repeatable
16 times
(up to 16 units total)
SOC 142: Sociology of Gender (FEMGEN 142, FEMGEN 242, SOC 242)
Male, female, woman, man, feminine, masculine. We all know what gender is, right? In this course, we will critically examine the idea of gender from a sociological perspective. For the first few weeks, we will tackle the big question 'What is gender?' To do this, we will begin by interrogating taken-for-granted ideas about the biological underpinnings of gender. We then dive into sociological conceptions of gender. In the latter portion of the course we will examine the ways gender operates and produces inequality within a variety of societal institutions, including the media, the family, the workplace, and the legal system. This class will expose you to some of the methods social scientists use to study gender and help you think critically about common sense understandings of gender through a look at both popular journalism and rigorous academic research. The emphasis of this class is to leave you with a long-lasting understanding of why the study of social problems, and especially those related to gender, matter.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: GER:EC-Gender, WAY-EDP, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Hummel, L. (PI)
SOC 145: Race and Ethnic Relations in the USA (CSRE 145, SOC 245)
(Graduate students register for 245.) Race and ethnic relations in the U.S. and elsewhere. The processes that render ethnic and racial boundary markers, such as skin color, language, and culture, salient in interaction situations. Why only some groups become targets of ethnic attacks. The social dynamics of ethnic hostility and ethnic/racial protest movements.
Last offered: Spring 2021
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, GER:EC-AmerCul
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