Learn basic sociological principles by studying major sociological theories, culture, socialization, groups and social institutions, social stratification based on income, gender, race, ethnicity, aging, and social change.
Sociology is the systematic study of society. The sociological imagination is a central concept to sociology since it encourages sociologists to connect personal experiences with larger social issues. For example, did you know the United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized world? To understand this trend, sociologists use scientific methods to study and connect various social issues, such as sex education in schools, access to birth control, sexualization in the media, socio-economic status, opportunities for women, and the personal issues of teenage sexual activity and pregnancy.
Next, we use sociological theory to help us understand the world around us. These theories are not constraining or "right" and "wrong" but frameworks we use to examine society. We explore three classic sociological paradigms: structural-functional, social conflict, and symbolic interaction. Each paradigm is a different lens we can use to study society. Sociology uses the scientific method to explore the world through observation rather than opinion, religion, or political affiliation.
In this course, we explore the origins of sociology, major sociological theories, research methods, and basic sociological principles. We also study how the institutions and groups we belong to impact us as individuals. We will examine categories of inequality, such as social class, sex and gender, sexual orientation, and race and ethnicity. We will explore the impact of various institutions, such as culture, family, media, religion, economics, and politics. You should try to develop your sociological imagination as you progress through the course by relating the topics and theories you read to your life experiences. How have your institutions and categorizations shaped your personal story?
- Unit 1: What is Sociology?
- Unit 2: Sociological Research
- Unit 3: Culture
- Unit 4: Socialization, Groups, and Social Control
- Unit 5: Social Stratification
- Unit 6: Sociological Institutions
- Unit 7: Social Change and Social Issues
- Define sociology and its purpose;
- Describe the sociological imagination or perspective;
- Discuss major theoretical perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism;
- Explain how sociologists use qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods;
- Apply sociological imagination to describe social institutions, such as culture, socialization, family, media, education, economics, and politics;
- Analyze the power of groups over individual behavior;
- Apply sociological imagination to describe social phenomena, such as stratification, racism, sexism, and deviance; and
- Apply sociological concepts to observable events and social issues.
