Sociology I: The Study of Human Relationships

Syllabus:

Unit 1: An Invitation to the World of Sociology

In this unit, we will define what sociology is, learn about the sociological imagination, and discuss sociology’s relationship to other social sciences. We will also examine three of sociology’s founding fathers, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Karl Marx, and their contributions to the development of sociology. Finally, we will discuss three perspectives that are used by sociologists to explain social behavior and society.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Learn about the sociological approach.
• Learn what sociologists do.
• Understand the development of sociology.
• Understand the major sociological perspectives.
• Understand sociology today.

Unit 2: Our Culture

In this unit, we will learn what culture is and how it affects our daily lives. We’ll examine several different aspects of culture including language, norms, values, and sanctions. We’ll also discuss how culture develops in a society through innovation and diffusion. Finally, we’ll look at why cultures differ from each other and how sociologists study these different cultures around the world.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand what culture is.
• Learn how culture develops in a society.
• Learn what language, norms, values, and sanctions are.
• Understand cultural variations like subcultures and countercultures.
• Learn about cultural diversity.

Unit 3: Socialization

In this unit, we will examine how culture is transmitted to a society’s new members. We’ll discuss the process of socialization and how this process continues through the life course. In doing so, we’ll encounter the nature vs. nurture debate and look at various examples, including isolated children, to illuminate this debate. In addition, the unit will discuss how socialization and culture help to shape the self and individual personalities. Finally, several agents of socialization are discussed, to illustrate some of the ways that culture is transmitted.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand what socialization is and how people learn to be members of their culture.
• Examine the different socialization processes throughout the life course.
• Learn how the agents of socialization teach individuals culture.
• Examine how socialization affects the development of the self.
• Understand the role of the family, school, peer group, media, and workplace in the socialization process.

Unit 4: Social Structure & Group Behavior

In this unit, we will examine the building blocks of society, including groups, statuses, roles, networks, and social institutions. We’ll discuss the different types of groups in society and how the statuses that we have influence our lives in various ways. In addition, the unit looks at how the Internet is changing the way that we network in society and our involvement in social groups. Finally, we’ll trace the development of social structure and institutions from preindustrial societies to the present period of time.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Examine the social structure of society and how this structure affects your everyday life.
• Learn about the statuses in society that you may hold and the roles that follow from these statuses.
• Follow the development of technology in society from preindustrial societies to postmodern ones and examine how these changes affect the social structure of societies.
• Explore social interactions between groups of people.

Unit 5: Deviance & Crime

In this unit, we will examine deviant behavior, social control, and crime and the relationships between these three elements in society. Sociologists and other scientists have put forth a number of theories on why deviance happens and the consequences for both individuals and society. The unit will also discuss the techniques and strategies that society and individuals use to encourage conformity and discourage deviance. Finally, we’ll look at the different types of crime in society and how crime relates to social statuses like age, race, and gender.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand what deviance is and how it affects society.
• Examine the different explanations for deviance.
• Discuss how society encourages conformity and how it uses social control to discourage deviance.
• Understand the different types of crime and how society deals with crime.

Unit 6: Social Stratification & Class

In this unit, we will examine social stratification and class. We’ll discuss three systems of social stratification, including slavery, castes, and social classes, and look at the different social classes that exist in the United States and Canada. We will also look at the functions that social stratification may play in society and some of the negative consequences for society, including conflict. Finally, we will examine poverty in North America and which groups of people are more likely to live in poverty.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand what social stratification is and how it affects society.
• Learn about the three types of social stratification.
• Examine the major theories of social stratification.
• Investigate the social classes that exist in the United States and Canada.
• Learn about poverty in North America and which groups are more likely to be poor.

Unit 7: Inequalities of Race & Ethnicity

In this unit, we will examine race and ethnicity in society. We will look at what a minority group is and the prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that a minority group might face. In this unit, we will also investigate different types of group relationships in a society, including genocide, segregation, amalgamation, assimilation, and pluralism. Finally, we will look at how a minority group may respond to the repression and discrimination that it faces in society.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Learn what race and ethnicity are.
• Investigate the characteristics of a minority group.
• Understand what prejudice, racism, and discrimination are.
• Examine the different ways that group relationships may be organized in society.
• Discuss how a minority group may respond to repression. 

Unit 8: Gender

In this unit, we will discuss gender in society and how it influences our lives. We’ll examine what gender is, how it is used to stratify society, and how society organizes men and women. In addition, we will look at the idea of gender as a social construction and think about how we “do gender” in our daily lives. We’ll also examine gender socialization and how families, peers, and the media influence and shape our identities, behavior, and thoughts in connection with our gender. Finally, we’ll examine how gender inequality affects men and women in the workforce, home, and politics.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Learn what gender and gender roles are.
• Examine how gender roles and expectations influence the positions and opportunities available to men and women.
• Discuss the social construction of gender.
• Investigate how the socialization process teaches gender.
• Look at gender inequality in society and how it affects men and women.