Social Problems

Catalog description

In this class we will examine a number of contemporary social problems through a sociological lens. While we will incorporate global issues, it is important to note that we primarily discuss social problems (or at least, what gets labeled as a social problem) from a US-centered context. We will cover a broad range of issues including population and immigration, the environment, the economy and labor market, race, gender, deviance, and disability. Since we have much ground to cover in limited time, we will mainly use class time to help develop an essential tool for anyone interested in sociology and social problems - your sociological imagination. Your sociological imagination helps you see social problems beyond their face-value and illustrates the way our perception of society is affected by social structures and the power they wield.