This course examines various strategies of literary representation through a variety of genres, including such traditional literary forms as the novel, lyric poetry, drama, and autobiography, as well as other cultural forms, such as film. Particular attention is given to student writing; students are expected to write a variety of short essays on selected topics. Though the themes of specific sections may vary, all sections seek to introduce students to the terminology of literary and cultural discourse.

How do different kinds of stories unfold in contemporary public spheres? How do we make sense of pressing matters of common concern as members of publics? This research seminar asks: what are the effects of a pervasive cultural distrust in social institutions, the widespread mediatization of everyday life, and the intercultural and intertextual nature of media texts themselves? Drawing from foundational texts about media, the role of intellectuals, and the public sphere, students will be asked to develop an empirical case study to explore these questions and test their ideas.

Inequality in the United States is at levels not seen since the 1920s, yet we know relatively little about those at the top who've accumulated enormous wealth and power. This course is a critical study of American Elites. Who are they? How did they amass such staggering resources? How are these resources used in the political, economic, and social spheres to reproduce/enhance their privilege? We put contemporary American elites into historical perspective, interrogate their origins, and evaluate the networks and practices that distinguish them from everyone else.

This course investigates economic development and globalization through a sociological lens. What is development? Why and how has the idea of development changed over time? Which development policies has this promoted, and with what consequences on people's lives in developing countries? Based on case studies across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, the course examines economic, political, and institutional factors that inform global development processes from post-WWII to the present.

The Occupy movement protests and recent popular uprisings across developing countries draw attention to rising global economic inequality. This course asks, "How does capitalism produce and reproduce economic inequality both within and across nations?" Drawing on theoretical and empirical research, we will examine class relations as a way to explain the unequal distribution of wealth and power. We will also discuss the role of the state and ideology in perpetuating the gap between the rich and poor.

This course focuses on the historical and theoretical development of the major approaches to crime and criminality in the 20th and 21st centuries. Material discussed will include crime patterns, the formation of criminalized subgroups and how criminology relates to criminal justice policy. While focusing on social aspects of crime, we will ask: what makes people commit crimes? How do social policies impact criminal activity? How has our social construction of punishment changed over time?

This course examines the origins and development of sociological theory in the nineteenth century. Focusing on the three most important representatives of the classical tradition in sociology - Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim - we consider in detail the ideas of each, compare their perspectives on emerging industrial society, and assess their contemporary significance.

This course introduces students to qualitative research methods. In the course students will get basic training in the collection and analysis of qualitative research data, develop experience writing and presenting qualitative data, gain exposure to the theoretical assumptions underlying qualitative inquiry, and learn insights about the ethical responsibilities surrounding qualitative social analysis. We will focus on methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and close observations.

This course focuses on political processes and power -- in particular, which groups have the ability to implement their political, social, and economic agendas, which ones do not, and why. We will explore the means by which certain groups affect political outcomes that shape society and social- political reality. In particular, we will concentrate on the interrelationship between the state, the market, and civil society, and investigate how this intersection has informed the politics of our time.

Performance study - individual instruction.