This course examines how the medical system is shaped by cultural and societal forces, analyzing unique dimensions of medicine from varying perspectives prominent in the discipline of Sociology. Topics will focus upon the interaction of social categories (e.g., socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, gender/sexuality) upon the distribution of diseases, experiences of illness, and relationships between patients and medical professionals.

This course will explore the social construction and consequences of gender, covering such topics as work, care, sexuality, identity, politics and inequality. Readings will include the classics as well as newer works in the field.Prerequisite: Graduate status; six credits in sociology or permission from the instructor.

Our current notions of race, ethnicity and nation were developed in conjunction with nation-states. As such, people use them as a basis through which to define territorial, social, ethical and emotional boundaries. In this course, we will leverage a global comparative perspective to better understand the organizing principles of modern nations and nation-states and how they affect the ways we act, classify, think and feel.

This course explores the relationship between politics and society via a focus on historical and/or contemporary issues. Themes may include political power, the role of the state, collective behavior and social change, and civic culture and citizenship.

Demography is the scientific study of human populations. We will emphasize fertility, mortality, and migration, and the social and economic factors that affect them.

Studies the relationships between social structure and political institutions. Discusses competing theories on power structures, political participation, ideology, party affiliation, voting behavior, and social movements in the context of recent research on national and local politics in the United States.

Analyzes the causes and consequences of current social problems in the United States: race and ethnic relations, poverty, crime and delinquency, the environment, drugs, and problems of educational institutions.

People often mistake ignorance as the mere lack of knowledge or that which we do not yet know. They fail to consider that ignorance exists in a variety of different forms, or that ignorance is often produced and maintained through sets of practices--whether intentional or not. This course investigates both ignorance and the consequences that particular forms of ignorance have upon our society.

Focusing on the fundamental concepts of sociology with special attention to sociological theory and research methods, this course is a more advanced version of introductory sociology. The course is designed to enable students to learn more deeply about the various ideas and concepts of the sociological tradition and to develop their capacity to use them. This course counts in place of SOC 1010 for sociology major and minor requirements.

An independent study project conducted by students under the supervision of an instructor of their choice. Prerequisite: Fourth-year students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 in sociology (or overall GPA of 3.2 for non-majors) and instructor permission.