21:920:201
Introduction to Sociology (3)
How does society influence us? What about our families, the schools we attend, the economy at large, and the government? How too do religious traditions, the neighborhoods we live in, and our self-identities shape our thoughts and behavior? What does it mean to have a "culture," to witness the impact of social institutions on our lives, to consider oneself as part of a social group, and to identify with organizations? Introduction to Sociology explores these and other issues relating to society and the self.
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21:920:209
Crime and Justice in American Society (3)
Analysis of major criminal justice institutions in American society; the function of courts, police, and judicial systems in helping or impairing the fair administration of criminal law.
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21:920:301-302
Social Research I,II (3,3)
The art and the science of doing research. Teaches students how to develop a researchable question (hypothesis construction and causal modeling); how to collect data (observation, surveys, experiments, and secondary analysis) and analyze data (statistics); and how to write a scientific report. Independent research project required. Combines lecture and lab.
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21:920:303
Social Change and Globalization (3)
Examines causes and consequences of social change, as it touches individuals, small groups, communities, organizations, and societies on a global level, analyzing intended and unforeseen changes in both current social relations and the history of social structures.
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21:920:304
Social Problems (3)
This course examines leading social problems facing Americans today. It examines the causes and processes underlying these problems and addresses how to evaluate proposed solutions.
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21:920:306
Marriage and the Family (3)
The family is a social institution. This course focuses primarily on the modern American family and the current search for alternatives to the traditional monogamous family.
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21:920:307
Social Protest and Revolution (3)
When people's needs and aspirations are no longer satisfied through existing institutions and modes of representation, social protest results. This course uses specific examples of protest movements in order to examine who protests, why, and under what circumstances. It also examines popular and elite reactions to protest movements, including the reshaping of political institutions and the emergence of vigilante forces.
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21:920:308
Social Movements (3)
Theoretical approaches to the study of social movements. Comparative examination of historical and contemporary social movements in democratic and nondemocratic contexts; their emergence, strategies, dynamics, and outcomes.
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21:920:310
Occupations and Professions (3)
Variations in cultural definitions of work, attitudes toward careers, and the social environment of work; the development of professions; occupational and professional recruitment.
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21:920:311
Sociology of the Economy and Industry (3)
The ups and downs of the business cycle, as in the Great Recession of 2007-2008, directly affects how well or poorly people live, their plans and aspirations for the future, the types of work they perform, and the compensation they receive. New technologies--such as the automobile, the computer, and fast food--impact people's lives in similar ways. Economic changes are also social changes. This course focuses on the continuous transformation of society that is a feature of the modern world. Each generation faces a situation uniquely its own.
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21:920:313
Sociology of Criminology (3)
Crime and criminals in modern society, including causes of crime; machinery of justice; penal and correctional institutions; probation and parole; theories of crime and punishment.
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21:920:316
Race and Ethnicity in Multicultural Societies (3)
Ways in which race has been socially and historically constructed; critical examination of the sociological dimensions of race, ethnicity, and their influence on identity, racial categorization, and interlocking systems of oppression; historical and contemporary theories of race and racism with a primary focus on the United States, but also incorporating relevant international perspectives and experiences.
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21:920:321
Urban Sociology (3)
The city as a mosaic of communities; persistence and change in the structure of urban neighborhoods; city life and the urban personality; the sociology of community planning; the future of neighborhood, suburb, and city.
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21:920:326
American Society (3)
Explores the social structure and culture of American society today. Major topics are introduced from conceptual and historical sociological points of view. Topics include: the nature and consequences of American capitalism and the resultant disparities between advantaged and disadvantaged American social classes; the nature and consequences of racial inequality and discrimination in the United States today; the nature and politics of American immigration; the culture wars, political cleavages, and cultural divisions in American society over the past 50 years.
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21:920:332
Class, Status, and Power (3)
Theories of inequality, social ranking, and the distribution of resources and opportunity as they affect individuals and groups in terms of crime, health, family life, and value systems.
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21:920:337
Sociology of Gender (3)
What is gender and why do we need it? How is it shaped and constructed? Does gender rely solely on the dichotomy masculinities/femininities? How does gender help us understand issues of race, class, and sexuality, etc.? This course introduces a sociological perspective on the topic of gender and explores critically theories of gender and feminisms.
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21:920:338
Sociology of Death and Dying (3)
Social factors that influence death and dying in the United States; characteristics of patients, professional staff, and institutions as these relate to the dying process and the definition of death; the routinization of death; the impact of technology on dying; current issues in the field.
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21:920:340
Sociology of Religion (3)
This
course examines religious practices from a cross-cultural and
comparative perspective. The course begins with a focus on religion as a concept and
explores theoretical approaches to the study of religion. The second half of
the course focuses on how modernity and globalization are affecting religious
traditions across the globe.
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21:920:345
Sociology of Education (3)
The interaction between schools and society; basic social concepts such as stratification, social role, and bureaucratic organization as they relate to the educational system; the system in relation to the larger institutions in the society, with emphasis on both stated objectives and actual social functions.
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21:920:349
Law and Society (3)
Law as a social institution; social processes in the creation and enforcement of law; the professions of law; law as product and producer of social change; ancient and modern legal institutions; modern societies and their legal systems.
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21:920:354
Applying Sociology (3)
Sociological practicum; the sociological meaning of the practical experiences in work, internships, volunteer programs, and other real-world organizational settings.
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21:920:360
Sociology of Contemporary Islam (3)
This course explores contemporary Islam(s) and Muslim communities from a sociological perspective, providing a critical understanding and analysis of Muslim intellectual, religious, and cultural productions and traditions. The course will look at social, economic, and political realities and experiences related to Islam(s) and Muslims. It will further analyze the intersection of Islam and "Muslimness" with race, ethnicity, class, gender, etc.
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21:920:380
Civil Conflict and Violence (3)
Analyzes conflict as a normal process in social life; the emergence and dynamics of conflict; the effects of conflict on individual values and social structures; the processes of conflict resolution; individual, group, and intersocial conflicts.
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21:920:390
Sociology of Peace and Conflict (3)
Provides an introduction to peace and conflict from sociological as well as interdisciplinary perspectives. Students examine issues of peace and conflict, from interpersonal to international. Students will think critically about violence, its causes and consequences, and alternatives, both at home and abroad. Violence is conceptualized as direct violence, such as domestic violence, gang violence, police brutality, human rights abuses, genocide, and war; structural violence, such as the violence of social inequalities that prevent people from meeting their basic needs; and cultural violence, which justifies direct and structural violence. By the end of the course, students should understand: 1) the inherency of cooperation and conflict in society; 2) forms and manifestations of violence; 3) psychological, political, and structural bases of conflict; 4) methods of conflict resolution; and 5) nonviolent strategies for conflict transformation.
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920:393,394
Topical Issues in Sociology (3,3)
Topics vary each semester. Consult department for current information.
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21:920:395
Field Research Methods (3)
Nonquantitative observational, participant-observational, and face-to-face interviewing research techniques; how to collect (tape recording, videotaping) and analyze (transcribing, qualitative software) data; and how to write an academic report. Independent research project required.
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21:920:409
Classical Sociological Theory (3)
Foundations of social theory; Tocqueville, Durkheim, Marx, Weber, and others--contributors to major orientations to historical development of modern society in the Western world.
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21:920:415
Contemporary Sociological Theory (3)
Current modes of theoretical analysis, and contemporary perspectives on the nature and historical development of modern forms of social organization and social relationships.
Prerequisite: 21:920:409 or permission of instructor.
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21:920:454
Topics in Criminal Justice (3)
In-depth exploration of selected issues in criminal justice of general relevance and specific interest to course participants.
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21:920:491,492
Research in Sociology (3,3)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, and permission of instructor.
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21:920:499
Independent Study in Sociology (BA)
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and department chair.
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School of Arts and Sciences-Newark 
