DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR SUMMER 2010

• 100-Level Courses
• 200-Level Courses
• 300-Level Courses
• 400-Level Courses
• Graduate Courses

*** Click on course section number to view syllabus.  Click on instructor name to send email message. ***

Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology

The basic concepts, topics, and theories of sociology.  This course is a prerequisite for more advanced courses in sociology.

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Sociology 205: Crime, Public Policy & the Criminal Justice System

The study of crime, the criminal justice system and crime-related public policy. Discussion of key criminological concepts, measurement of crime and delinquency, its distribution in society, victimization, public opinion, the criminal justice system, crime control strategies and policies.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

Sociology 211: Social Problems

Description and analysis of major social problems facing American society. Foci may include: poverty, homelessness, alcohol and drug problems, race and ethnic relations, aging, and mental illness.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

Sociology 280: Introduction to Research Methods

A survey of the major methods of social research:  foundations of social research, research design, sampling and measurement, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and data analysis.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

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Sociology 303: Sociology of Political Behavior

Examination of the social bases of political behavior. Major topics include the character and expansion of the state, the social bases of various forms of political rule and political change in the contemporary world

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

Sociology 308: Sociology of Gender

How and why societies create gender categories.  How do definitions of "masculinity" and "femininity" vary?  What are the costs and benefits of being male or female in contemporary American society?

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

 

Sociology 312: Causes of Crime & Delinquency

A survey of criminological theories exploring why some people are more likely to engage in crime than others and why crime rates vary over time and space and across social groups. Attendant policy issues will also be discussed.

Prerequisite: Sociology 205 or Sociology 211 or Sociology 213.

 

Sociology 313: Social Control

The study of informal and formal social control strategies for guiding and monitoring individual behavior and social interaction.  Discussion of key social control agents and institutions, including the family, schools, peers, media, religion, and the criminal justice system.

Prerequisite: Sociology 205 or Sociology 211 or Sociology 213.

Sociology 326: Sociology of New Mexico

New Mexico as a social system: the infrastructure of communities and ethnic groups, stratification, major social institutions, deviance and inter-group relations.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

 

Sociology 331: Collective Behavior

The study of riots, disturbances, social movements and other forms of contentious collective behavior. Strategies of conflict and conflict resolution are considered.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

 

Sociology 335: Sociology of Mass Communication

Mass communication in society with emphasis in Western industrial societies, impact of mass communication on social movements and on sectors of the social structure: social psychology of mass communication.

Prerequisite: None.

 

Sociology 351: The Urban Community

The forms and development of urban community; demographic, spatial, functional and temporal patterns; metropolitan development and city-hinterland relations.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

Sociology 371: Classical Social Theory

The study of nineteenth century sociological theory, with particular emphasis on Marx, Durkheim, and Weber.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

 

Sociology 381: Social Data Analysis

An introduction to the basic statistics (both descriptive and inferential) employed in the analysis of quantitative sociological data.

Prerequisite: Sociology 280.

 

Sociology 398: Special Topics: Race, Class, & Feminism

In this course we shall critically analyze the paradigms that have been used since ancient times to divide populations into different genders, classes and races in order to privilege some of these categories at the cost of others. We shall study how these categories give been created via several sociocultural paradigms like division of labor, nationalism, state formation, and religion. As the semester progresses we shall focus on globalization as the central paradigm in creating gender, class and race division in modern times. In the course of the semester we shall also study the various forms of power as well as the various types of resistance of the oppressed groups.

Prerequisite: None.

Offered with AFST 397.001, AMST 350.001, POLS 300.001, and WMST 325.001.

Sociology 398: Special Topics in Sociology: The Power Elite

This course aims to understand political structures, processes, and ideas, as well as provide a critique of them. We will cover the general sociological approaches to politics, but focus mainly on a power elite perspective. The first half of the class we study Anthony Orums’ Introduction to Political Sociology. The second half of the class we study two books: William Domhoff’s Who Rules America? and Michael Parenti’s Democracy for the Few.

Prerequisite: None.

Sociology 398: Special Topics in Sociology: Mainstream and Alternative Media

This class explores the historical and contemporary issues surrounding the state of our public sphere. Students will be expected to understand the sociological (political economic and cultural contexts) of both the mainstream and alternative media. This class is divided into two sections. The first focuses on the contemporary state of the mass media in the United States. Books discussed in this section include The New Media Monopoly by Ben H. Bagdikian Den Emeritus and Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communication Politics in Dubious Times by Robert W. McChesney. The second section focuses on the conception, theories, and historical development of the alternative media. The primary text for this section is Voices of revolution. The dissident press in America by Roger Streitmatter.

Prerequisite: None.

Sociology 398: Special Topics in Sociology: New Religious Movements

The study of New Religious Movements arose in the latter part of the 20th century in the United States and concerns itself with the changing landscape of religious activity as a response to changing social structures in modernity. The materials of this course will be approached sociologically through an examination of the historical, economic, cultural, and political influences informing the proliferation of the “religious market place”, primarily in the United States.

Prerequisite: None.

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Sociology 416: Sociology of Law 

Social science perspectives of the law, legal institutions, and the impact of law on behavior. Topics include theories of law and legality; comparative legal systems; lawyers, judges and juries; and the use of social science in the courts.

Prerequisites: Sociology 312 AND Sociology 313.

Sociology 420: Race and Cultural Relations

Comparative and structural analysis of intergroup relations in the United States and/or other countries and regions.

Prerequisites: Sociology 101 AND Sociology 216.

Sociology 422: Sociology of Religion

Study of belief, commitment, and practice within religious and spiritual traditions and institutions, with a focus on contemporary United States, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101 or RELG 107 or RELG 263 or RELG 264.

Sociology 423: Gender & Crime 

This course will outline similarities and differences in offending patterns across males and females and discuss various explanations for these differences.  Discussions will also focus on the dynamics of female offending, the formal social control of female offenders and the role of women in the correctional system.

Prerequisites: Sociology 312 AND Sociology 313.

Sociology 426: Drugs Crime & Social Control

Study of the development of social policies concerning illicit substance use; its impact on social behavior; strategies for prevention and supervision of drug offenders; and the relationship between criminal justice, education, public health and government policies.

Prerequisites: Sociology 312 and Sociology 313.

Sociology 441: Complex Organizations

Structure and functional dynamics of formal organizations; the role of bureaucracy in modern social organization..

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

Sociology 471: Contemporary Social Theory

This course will familiarize you with the major schools of thought in contemporary sociological theory: functionalism, symbolic interactionism, neo-Marxism, and French structuralism/post-structuralism. The course will help you understand the basic assumptions of each theory and the ways they complement or contradict one another.

Prerequisite: Sociology 101.

 

Sociology 491: Directed Study in Sociology

Tutorial arrangement with a member of the sociology faculty. Specific arrangements must be made with a member of the sociology faculty responsible for supervising the work.  These arrangements are normally made at least one semester in advance.  Restricted to students with substantial background in sociology. May be taken for departmental honors with prior approval of chairperson. Not to be taken for criminology credit.

Sociology 491: Directed Study in Criminology

Tutorial arrangement for investigation of selected issues in criminology. Specific arrangements must be made with a member of the sociology faculty responsible for supervising the work.

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SOCIOLOGY GRADUATE COURSES

Sociology 507: Topics: Summer Institute in Community Based Participatory Research

Graduate students, pre-and post-doctoral fellows, faculty who would like to consider this research approach, community partners and non-degree students are all invited to participate. This will be an intensive institute with pre-readings and a project to be finished after the Institute.

Offered with PH 560.001 and POLS 511.001.

 

Section	Days & Time	Instructor
001 (June 1 - June 11, 2010)	various times & days	Nina Wallerstein and Lorenda Belone

Last updated 04/07/2010