Teaching
Understanding Society
Beginning with our everyday experiences, this course examines the ways in which we are all products—and producers—of society. Sociology challenges us to leave our old ways of thinking behind to take a broader look at why we act the way we do and why society is structured in the way that it is.
The Family
Who and what is “family?” Is the contemporary American family in “crisis?” How have American families changed over time? What are some of the most important issues facing families today? In this class, we will look beyond the personal meanings of family in order to understand the relationship between families and society.
Gender Roles
Although gender is an important, personal, and private identity, it also has important social, political and economic implications. We will study how social forces contribute to its changing character and meaning, as well as how gendered individuals and institutions act to change the wider social world.
Marriage and Family Problems
Tune in to a talk show on TV or the nightly news, and you are likely to hear about the breakdown of the family, the loss of “family values,” or a host of related problems: teen pregnancy, violence and abuse, divorce, female-headed households, out-of-wedlock births, cohabitation, and same sex marriage. This course will examine several of the most pressing marriage and family problems of our day from a sociological perspective.
Senior Research Seminar
The focus of this course is for each student to learn how to conduct an original research project—from start to finish--that draws upon sociological concepts and data. Along the way, we will work on the development of theoretical grounding, instruments, data collection, and data analysis.
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research methods involve the observation and study of people in their everyday lives, in their taken-for-granted worlds. Students will gain hands on experience in participant observation, interviewing, and document and textual analysis.