Introduction to Sociology

This course consists of an analysis of social structures and processes in settings ranging from small informal groups to formal organizations and communities to stratification and kinship systems to total societies. The course offers a broad introduction to the nature of society and the relationship between society and the individual. We will survey basic sociological ideas regarding social relations, social interaction, social structure, and social change. Students will also be introduced to key issues addressed by contemporary sociologists. This course will identify how sociology offers a distinctive way of interpreting the surrounding world, as well to understand how social contexts and structures shape our lives. In addition to learning about sociology, you will learn to write as a sociologist, conduct some forms of sociological research, present your findings, and analyze what sociologists have written.