Examines: how childhood has been defined and shaped in our own society, historically, looking at the historically changing social construction of childhood in our own society; children's connections to the adult-organized world, where we learn about various socialization theories and how children learn to be members of the culture, as well as how children are linked to the broader society - the school system, the economy and system of social class, the mass media, consumerism; children's own social worlds, as we, all semester, look at how young children experience, respond to, and attempt to

Basic urban sociological concepts. Topics include the development of cities, the emergence of suburbs, the residential segregation of ethnic minorities. Considers trends in the US and abroad.

Lecture. The rise of the "corporate actor" in terms of social organization and social policy, and concerning interest, rights, power, and trust. Organizational processes and deviance in production markets; deviance by, within, among, and against businesses as corporations. The roles of government and state in both the social production of deviance and its regulation: deviance by within, among, and against government(s).

Crime is not equally distributed amongst cities and neighborhoods. In this course, we will examine how, where and why crime is unequally distributed. Particular attention will be focused on locations, such as public housing development, where crime is perceived to be heightened. Theories of social disorganization, collective efficacy and broken windows will be explored.

The extent and causes of gender differences in crime, from the "streets" to the "suites." Topics include problems in the general measurement of crime, historical and cross-cultural differences in the gender gap, the utility of general theories of the causes of crime in explaining the continuing gender gap, and a detailed look at the question and magnitude of gender discrimination in the American criminal justice system.

The relation of deviant behavior to acceptable social patterns of behavior. Several forms of deviant behavior, both economic and personal transgressions of acceptable behavior. The causes and conditions for the creation of deviant behavior and the mechanisms for its social control. Prerequisite: 100-level Sociology course.

Critical introduction to American welfare programs, past and present. Analysis of why programs change over time and of the effects of those changes on the people that welfare purports to `help'. Prerequisite: 100 or 200-level Sociology course.

A social-historical approach to race relations in the U.S. Analysis of contemporary race relations links to major social issues in American society. (Gen.Ed. SB, U) Prerequisite: A 100-level or 200-level Sociology course.

Explores how and why social movements occur, what strategies they use, how they create collective identities, how issues such as civil rights, workers' rights, women's rights, the environment, the global economy mobilize activists' participation within the circumstances faced.

Not available at this time