SOC-100 Introduction to Sociology

An introduction to the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to education, from religion to the state, from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture and its concomitant subcultures, and from social stability to radical upheavals in societies. The diverse subject matter located within this course, is situated contextually within a social justice framework that is meant to unify the study of these diverse subjects of study which is sociology’s purpose particularly toward understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. This examination which includes studying aspects of marginalization, exploitation, oppression, disenfranchisement, and disempowerment within and between social groups centers this course as one that distinctly combines sociological inquiry with an investigation of topics that are important to understanding diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. This course carries SUNY General Education Social Sciences and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice credit.

Credits

3

Department

• Social Science

Course Rotation Schedule

• Fall: In Person, Online, Remote
• Spring: In Person, Online, Remote

For more detailed course information view the Course Outline

SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology

Department

Social Science

Course Description

An introduction to the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to education, from religion to the state, from the divisions of race, gender, and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture and its concomitant subcultures, and from social stability to radical upheavals in societies. The diverse subject matter located within this course, is situated contextually within a social justice framework that is meant to unify the study of these diverse subjects of study which is sociology’s purpose particularly toward understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. This examination which includes studying aspects of marginalization, exploitation, oppression, disenfranchisement, and disempowerment within and between social groups centers this course as one that distinctly combines sociological inquiry with an investigation of topics that are important to understanding diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. This course carries SUNY General Education Social Sciences and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice credit.

Credit Hours

3

Contact Hours

Lecture	3
Lab	0
Other	0

Grading Scheme

Letter

SUNY General Education Course

• Social Sciences
• Diversity Equity Inclusion and Social Justice

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate understanding of the methods sociologists use, including hypothesis development, operationalization, data collection, and quantitative and qualitative analysis.
2. Students will apply a range of theoretical perspectives to social phenomena.
3. Describe the historical and contemporary societal factors that shape the development of individual and group identity involving race, class, and gender.
4. Analyze the role that complex networks of social structures and systems play in the creation and perpetuation of the dynamics of power, privilege, oppression, and opportunity.
5. Apply the principles of rights, access, equity, and autonomous participation to past, current, or future social justice action.

Topic Outline

1. 1. The sociological imagination
2.     a. History of the discipline
3.     b. Comparison to other social sciences
4.     c. Central concepts in sociology: social interaction, social structure, and social change
5. 2. Theoretical perspectives
6.     a. Structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism
7.     b. Macro- and micro-level perspectives
8. 3. Research methods
9.     a. The research process and stages of research
10.     b. Data collection: quantitative and qualitative research
11.     c. Methods of inquiry: survey, interview, participant observation, and comparative analysis
12.     d. Data analysis
13.     e. Research ethics
14. 4. Culture
15.     a. Elements of culture
16.     b. Cultural diversity
17.     c. Cultural relativism
18. 5. Social structure
19.     a. Social institutions: family, education, religion, work/economy, power/politics, media/culture, and health
20. 6. Socialization
21.     a. Nature vs. nurture
22.     b. The self in social context
23.     c. Agents of socialization
24. 7. Groups and interaction
25.     a. Roles and statuses
26.     b. Impression management
27. 8. Deviance and social control
28.     a. Functions of deviance
29.     b. Conflict and social control
30.     c. Labeling theory
31.     d. Crime and the criminal justice system
32. 9. Inequality
33.     a. Social class
34.         i. Defining and measuring social class
35.         ii. Class structure in the U.S.
36.         iii. Poverty and welfare
37.     b. Race and ethnicity
38.         i. Definitions of race and ethnicity
39.         ii. Social construction of race
40.         iii. Prejudice, discrimination, and institutional racism
41.         iv. Intersections of class and race
42.     c. Sex, gender, and sexuality
43.         i. Distinguishing between sex, gender, and sexuality
44.         ii. Perceptions of sex, gender, and sexuality
45.         iii. The role of heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia in society
46.         iv. The effects of gender inequality on major institutions
47. 10. Social change
48.     a. Theories of social change
49.     b. Causes and consequences of social change
50.     c. Social movements: theory, organization, and strategies