This the Gateway to Sociology 101; 302; 322; 436; and
475 on the Web
Links to Courses
Sociology 101 (General Sociology) This course will introduce you to the study of humankind's most important creation-- the social group. When you think about it, everything that we do is either directly or indirectly influenced by the society in which we live. All of our greatest achievements, good and bad, are the products of human groups. Even the most solitary artist or writer would be utterly devoid of creativity without a social context in which to nurture individual genius or without an audience from which to draw critical evaluation. It is said that the "pen is mightier than the sword," but both were created by a far stronger power-- the human group. Indeed, there is very little in our lives that occurs outside the group context. Chances are that you awoke this morning within the confines of one group-- your family; went to work in the context of another-- your place of employment; and are now in quite a different group-- this class. Each of these groups influences your behavior in very different ways. In this course, you will examine the various skills and techniques that sociologists employ when studying groups of people. You will then examine a wide variety of groups and the behaviors that characterize them. |
Sociology 302 (Social
Problems) What are the things that trouble you the most about the |
Sociology 322 (Minority Groups
in the |
Sociology 391
(Collective Behavior) The subject of collective behavior has
long been under the domain of sociology and is considered one of the most
important, yet difficult areas of human social activity to research. In this course we will focus on these forms
of collective behavior: The Crowd; The Mass; The Public; and The Social
Movement. We will examine each of these in as much detail as the semester
permits—with a focus on a broad variety of collective action including
terrorism and disasters. Class members
will be encouraged to complete a project examining a category of their
choice. |
Sociology 436 (Work and
Management in Society) In western society there are a number
of different themes that underlie the concept of work. From the
Judeo-Christian perspective work can be seen both as punishment--"Adam’s
curse," and as an indication of one’s moral character—a means by which
we glorify God. From a secular stand-point, work harmoniously integrates
individual activity to produce a smoothly operating social system. Or, work
is one of the primary forms of exploitation by the ruling class over the
masses of workers. Virtually everyone of us
will spend a considerable portion of our lives in the labor force at work.
Like "death and taxes" work is one of the certainties of life.
Today, in the |
Sociology 475 (Organizations and Human Behavior) This course focuses on large groups of people, technically called "formal organizations." Although not physical objects like atoms and stars, formal organizations take on a reality of their own and readily avail themselves to scientific (or systematic) examination and analysis. In the modern world, advances in human organization must precede major advances in technology. The atomic bomb, the product of remarkable advances in theoretical physics and practical engineering, was developed because human organizations (and their administrative bureaucracies) had advanced to the point where the efforts of thousands of technicians and workers located across a continent could be coordinated effectively. Sociologist, Peter Blau has observed, "Rationalization in administration is a prerequisite for the full exploitation of technological knowledge in mass production, and thus for a high standard of living." Sociology tries to discern general "laws" of group behavior, so this course will have a different focus from organizational courses offered in schools of business. We will devote some time to practical matters of organizational management, but the emphasis is on major theories of organizational behavior presented through examples in the assigned texts. |
Sociology is a
Program in the L. Douglas Wilder
School of Government and Public Affairs