SOCIOLOGY
(AS) {SOCI}  

L/R 001. (AFRC002) Introduction to Sociology. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Gelles, Zuberi.

Sociology provides a unique way to look at human behavior and the world. Sociology is the systematic study of the groups and societies in which people live.  In this introductory course, we examine and analyze how social structures and cultures are created, maintained, and most importantly, how they affect behavior.  The course deconstructs our taken for granted world of social interactions and behaviors and examines what theory and research can tell about human social behavior.

SM 002. Social Problems and Public Policy. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Bosk.

This course develops the conceptual tools for analyzing "public" problems. Specifically, the process by which a society "discovers" and confronts public problems is highlighted. Various public problems and policies are analyzed from this perspective. Examples are: the underclass, abortion, fraud in science, the loss of community, and the welfare state.

L/R 003. Deviance and Social Control. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Bosk, Wolpe.

A sociological analysis of the origins, development, and reactions surrounding deviance in contemporary society.  Topics include labeling theory, stigma, social organization, tradition, social power, crime, sexual deviance, drug use, and racism.  Theoretical and methodological issues will be discussed and evaluated.

L/R 004. (GSOC004) The Family. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Furstenburg, Harknett.

This introduction to the sociology of the family explores historical, economic, and cultural changes that have shaped the past and present form of the American kinship system.  It will also compare demographic and social trends and consequences of the family patterns across societies, providing perspective on differences and similarities between the U.S. family system and other nations.  Students will have an opportunity to engage in research on topics of special interest.

L/R 005. American Society. (C) Humanities & Social Science Sector. Class of 2010 & beyond. Bosk. Also fulfills General Requirement in Society for Class of 2009 and prior.

What is American Society?  The literary critic, Leslie Fielder once wrote,"...to be and American...precisely to imagine a destiny rather than to inherit one; since we have always been, insofar as we are Americans at all, inhabitants of myth rather than history..." The myths that we inherit form the basis of American civil religion.  In this course we will explore the elements of the myth that form the basis of the civil religion as well as the facts on the ground that contradict our conceptions of American Society: Examples of mythic elements and their contradiction that we will explore are: A nation founded to pursue liberty and freedom yet allowed slavery, equality of opportunity and persistent structural inequality, and a welcoming of the Immigrant coupled with a suspicion of the outsider.

L/R 006. (AFRC006, ASAM006, URBS160) Race and Ethnic Relations. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Charles, Kao, Zuberi.

The course will examine how social networks, neighborhood context, culture, and notions of race affect inequality and ethnic relations.  The course reviews the studies of ethnic entrepreneurship, urban segregation, labor force participation, and assimilation processes.  The course emphasizes how inequality affects ethnic relations as well as the economic and social integration of different groups in society.

007. (URBS265, GSOC007) Population and Society. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Harknett, Kohler, Zuberi.

The course covers selected aspects of population and the study of demography, including social, economic, and political issues: population explosion, baby bust, population aging, abortion, teenage pregnancy, illegal aliens, racial classification and population and development.

SM 008. Introduction to Political Sociology. (M) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Zuberi.

This course will introduce students to sociological approaches to politics, broadly understood.  The class will begin by discussing the nature of power and authority, the rise of the nation-state and the significance of nationalism.  Later topics will include social movements, urban political regimes, globalization and transnationalism, citizenship, revolutions, and the rise (and fall?) of welfare states.

010. Social Stratification. (M) Society Sector. All classes. Jacobs.

The American Dream highlights opportunity for individuals to achieve success based on their own ability and initiative.  How well does our society live up to this ideal?  Who gets ahead, and who falls behind?  Topics include factors that affect life chances in contemporary society: education, social class, race, ethnicity and gender.

SM 011. (AFRC011, URBS112) Urban Sociology. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.

A comprehensive introduction to the sociological study of cities.  Topics will include theories of urbanism, methods of research, migration, history of cities, gentrification, poverty, urban politics, surburanization and globalization.  Philadelphia will be used as a recurring example, though the course will devote attention to cities around the U.S. and the world.

027. (AFRC001, HIST007) Introduction to Africana Studies. (D) Charles.

The aim of this course is to provide an interdisciplinary examination of the complex array of African American and other African Diaspora social practices and experiences.  This class will focus on both classic texts and modern works that provide an introduction to the dynamics of African American and African Diaspora thought and practice.  Topics covered will include: What is Afro-American Studies?; The History Before 1492; Creating the African Diaspora After 1500; The Challenge of Freedom; Race and Class in the 20th Century; From Black Studies to Africana Studies: The Future of Afro-American Studies.

033. (STSC003) Technology & Society. (C) Ensmenger.

From the colonial period to the present, Americans have relied on technology to shape their lives, landscapes and society.  This unique, abiding and often tumultuous relationship is one of the defining elements of the American experience.  From factory floor to suburban kitchens, from eccentric inventors to student demonstrators, from Model T to iMacs, the diversity of american technological developments reflects -- and has helped define -- the most crucial developments in American history.  This course will provide an historical understanding of the role that technology has played in American society from the late 19th century to the present day.  The underlying assumptions is that technology is simultaneously a reflection and cultural values, and a factor (one of many) in shaping the continuous development of those values.

SM 041. (AFRC041, EALC014, GSOC041, URBS010) Topics in Sociology. (C) Bosk, Hannum, Jacobs.

Freshman Seminars.  Topics vary from semester to semester.  Past offerings include Society and History; The 1960's: Preludes and Postludes; Mistakes, Errors, Accidents & Disasters; Urban Analysis with Computers; Race and Public Policy; Perspectives on Inequality, Homelessness and the Urban Crisis.

SM 052. (PSCI052) War and Peace. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Evan.

Recurrent wars throughout history have led social scientists and laymen alike to the conclusion that war is an unavoidable institution.  Is this a valid conclusion?  If it is, it is a particularly grim conclusion in a nuclear age when humankind has the technological capacity to extinguish all life on the planet.  The purpose of this seminar is to address this question by exploring six theories of the causes of war and examining six strategies for preventing war.

067. Social Interaction. (C) Staff.

This course combines the study of social psychology with that of social interaction.  Its primary focus is on the forces shaping individual action in a variety of face-to-face settings, whether in informal groups, in classrooms, in work environments, in urban public spaces and other kinds of situations. We will begin with more general concepts and approaches and then venture into the realm of emotions and "feeling rules" that seem to operate in both private and public relationships before ending with a discussion of how face-to-face encounters interact with the social inequalities of gender, class and race.

100. (HSOC100) Introduction to Sociological Research. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Gibson, Harknett, Koppel, Park.

This course provides a board overview of how sociologists gather and analyze information to generate and test hypotheses about the social world.  We begin by covering key building blocks of sociological research: theory, measurement, and sampling.  Then, we review a variety of research designs and analytic approaches.  Finally, we take a critical perspective on social research discussing topics of research ethics, objectivity, and whether research findings should be used to inform policy.  The emphasis in the course will be on training students to develop a healthy skepticism and to be intelligent consumers, and we will regularly discuss and evaluate research examples found in mainstream news sources.  Students will also gain hands on experience with survey and qualitative research through course research products.

L/R 101. (HSOC102) Bioethics. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Wolpe, Walls, Ravitsky.

Bioethical conundrums such as cloning, stem cells, transplantation, the use of psychopharmaceuticals, end of life technologies, preimplantation diagnosis of embroyos, artificial reproductive technologies, and the genetic manipulation of life will challenge policy-makers and moral thinkers throughout the twenty-first century.  In this course, a philosopher and a sociologist team up to frame and explore these important issues.  Guest lecturers, multimedia presentations, and spirited debate will allow the students to understand the science, the social implications, and the philosophical, ethical, and religious implications of the coming biotechnological revolution.

103. (ASAM001) Asian Americans In Contemporary Society. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Kao.

This class is an introduction to sociological research of Asian Americans in the United States.  The class will introduce you to the immigration experiences, socioeconomic attainments, identity, and political movements of Asian Americans.  We will also focus on the relative heterogeneity of Asian American ethnic groups and their experiences relative to other race and ethnic groups in the United States.

104. (GSOC104) Sociology of Sex: Comparative Study. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Collins.

Social scientists have argued that sexuality is not an unchanging biological reality or universal natural force, but a cultural construct, shaped by economical, social, and political processes and therefore, like society itself, historical, that is, variable in both time and space.  This seminar follows this approcach by exploring cultural construction of sexuality as it evolved from Greek antiquity to contemporary U.S.A., and its relationship to gender, class, political hierarchies, religion, ideology, and science.  How the meanings of sexualtiy, codes of sexual regulation and sexual politics have varied over time with changing circumstances?

110. The Rich and The Poor. (M) Staff.

This course examines the opposite ends of the economic spectrum in order to gain a fuller understanding of what social class is and how it affects individuals and society.  Who is rich?  Who is poor?  How does wealth and income (or the lack of it) affect all aspects of life, from the obvious (access to health care, good schools, etc.) to the not-so-obvious (quality of romantic life and family relationships).  We will also examine cultural aspects of social class (tastes and lifestyles), across generations.  There will be a midterm and final exam, as well as several short research/reflection papers due throughout the course.

111. (HSOC111) Health of Populations. (C) Preston.

This course develops some of the major measures used to assess the health of populations and uses those measures to consider the major factors that determine levels of health in large aggregates.  These factors include disease environment, medical technology, public health initiatives, and personal behaviors.  The approach is comparative and historical and includes attention to differences in health levels among major social groups.

112. (AFRC112, GSOC114, URBS114) Discrimination: Sexual and Racial Conflict. (M) Society Sector. All classes. Madden.

This course is concerned with the structure, the causes and correlates, and the government policies to alleviate discrimination in the United States.  The central focus of the course is on employment discrimination by race and gender.  After a comprehensive overview of the structures of labor markets and of nondiscriminatory reasons for the existence of group differentials in employment and wages, various theories of the sources of discrimination are reviewed and evaluated.  Actual governmental policies and alternative policies are evaluated in light of both the empirical evidence on group differences and the alternative theories of discrimination.

117. (SOCI517, GSOC117) Sociology of Work. (M) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Leidner.

The material world is shaped and maintained through work, but so is the social world.  How work is organized, allocated, and rewarded determines the opportunities people have for developing their own capacities, the kinds of ties they will have with others, and how much control they will have over their own lives.  We will consider various sociological perspectives on work and compare alternative ways of organizing work, with a focus on the contemporary United States.

118. (HSOC118) Sociology of Bioethics. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Wolpe.

The Sociology of Bioethics explores the sociological approach to bioethics. The Sociology of Bioethics is not a course in bioethics itself; rather than discussing the merits of a position (Is assisted suicide ethical?), we will ask how the debate has been framed, who is promoting which arguments, why the debate has arisen now, and how the issue is reflected in policy.  In order to do so we will make use of social science research, along with philosophical treaties, legislation, and the popular media.  The course is also not designed as a comprehensive treatment of the field; it will focus instead on choice topics that we will explore in depth.  Our goal is to understand the nature of the bioethics profession and its modes of argumentation, and to explore the cultural, social, political, and professional underpinnings of bioethical debates.

L/R 120. (AFRC120) Social Statistics. (C) May be counted as a General Requirement Course in Formal Reasoning & Analysis. Class of 2009 & prior only. Charles, Park.

This course offers a basic introduction to the application/interpretation of statistical analysis in sociology.  Upon completion, you shoud be familiar with a variety of basic statistical techniques that allow examination of interesting social questions.  We begin by learning to describe the characteristics of groups, followed by a discussion of how to examine and generalize about relationships between the characteristics of groups. Emphasis is placed on the understanding/interpretation of statistics used to describe and make generalizations about group characteristics.  In addition to hand calculations, you will also become familiar with using PCs to run statistical tests.

122. (GSOC122) The Sociology of Gender. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Leidner.

Gender is an organizing principle of society, shaping social structures, cultural understandings, processes of interaction, and identities in ways that have profound consequences.  It affects every aspect of people's lives, from their intimate relationships to their participation in work, family, government, and other social institutions and their place in the stratification system, Yet gender is such a taken for granted basis for differences among people that it can be hard to see the underlying social structures and cultural forces that reinforce or weaken the social boundaries that define gender.  Differences in behavior, power,and experience are often seen as the result of biological imperatives or of individual choice.  A sociological view of gender, in contrast, emphasizes how gender is socially constructed and how structural constraints limit choice.  This course examines how differences based on gender are created and sustained, with particular attention to how other important bases of personal identity and social inequality--race and class-interact with patterns of gender relations.  We will also seek to understand how social change happens and how gender inequality might be reduced.

125. (SOCI525) Classical Sociological Theory. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Collins. Prerequisite(s): Junior Standing. Recommended for juniors and seniors.

This course will cover the founding classics of the sociological tradition including works of Tocqueville, Marx and Engels, Weber, Durkheim, Mauss, Simmel,and G.H.Mead.  We will also examine how the major traditions have continued and transformed into theories of conflict, domination, resistance and social change; social solidarity, ritual and symbolism; symbolic interactionist and phenomenological theory of discourse, self and mind.

126. Contemporary Sociological Theory. (C) Collins, Gibson. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing. Recommended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

An outline of theoretical positions developed after and sometimes from the classical theoretical traditions.  Includes: from the Marxian revival to postmodernism; globalization and world-system theory; neo-Weberian state-centered theory of social change and revolution; conflict theory and social movement theory.  Rise of exchange theory and rational choice; network theory and economic sociology.  Sociology of culture, French structuralism, and the social construction of reality.  Development of micro-sociological theories: followers of symbolic interaction; Goffman and interaction ritual theory; ethnomethodology; sociology of emotion.

128. Introduction to Demographic Methods. (C) Hannum .

This course will introduce the basic methods and materials of demographic analysis, focusing on practical problems and using U.S. data for examples and class assignments.  We will study the main sources of demographic data, including censuses, surveys and vital statitics, and the measures that can be applied to each.  Through the use of contemporary and historical U.S. data, students learn the fundamental measures of fertility, mortality, migration and population composition, and how to apply these measures to study demographic structure and change in human populations.

SM 130. (AFRC102) Special Topics in Sociology. (M) Staff.

Topics vary from semester to semester.  Some which have been offered in the past include Race in the City; Africian Urbanization; Sociology of Jewry; Law & Social Change; Tourism, Culture & Society.

134. (NURS134) Health and Social Policy. (M) Society Sector. All classes. Aiken, Lake.

Health and Social Policy is an interdisciplinary course examining health care and social policy from domestic and international perspectives.  The course is designed to engage students in critical thinking about social determinants of health, the organization and outcomes of health care systems and institutions, global health priorities and challenges, and the implications for public policy.  Topics include the social inequalities and health; how organizational context of health care impacts outcomes; management of human resources in health nationally and globally; analysis of medical error, its causes, and consequences; review and critique of public policies in U.S. health care; and global health priorities and international health policy.  Issues of current public debate in health and health care will provide a context for learning. There are no prerequisites.  The course is intended for generalists as well as for those planning careers in health care.

135. (AFRC135) Law and Society. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Bosk, Fetni. Recommended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

After introducing students to the major theoretical concepts concerning law and society, significant controversial societal issues that deal with law and the legal systems both domestically and internationally will be examined. Class discussions will focus on issues involving civil liberties, the organization of courts, legislatures, the legal profession and administrative agencies.  Although the focus will be on law in the United States, law and society in other countries of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America will be covered in a comparative context.  Readings included research reports, statutes and cases.

L/R 137. (FOLK137) The Sociology of Media and Popular Culture. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Grazian, Wilde. Also fulfills General Requirement in Arts & Letters for Class of 2009 and prior.

This course relies on a variety of sociological approaches to media and popular, with a particular emphasis on the importance of the organization of the culture industries, the relationship between cultural consumption and status, and the social significance of leisure activities from sports to shopping.  Specific course topics include the branding of Disney, Nike and Starbucks; the glovalization of popular culture; the blurring of entertainment and politics; and the rise of new media technologies in the digital age.

SM 140. Social Conflict. (M) Collins.

General theory of social conflict, with an emphasis on violent conflict. Specific applications include fights, riots, combat, and gang violence; tribal and modern war; abuse of the weak; domestic conflict; sexual conflict and rape; homicide; social movements and moral crusades; conflict management and social control; state breakdowns and revolutions; ethnic conflict and genocide.

SM 143. Modern Social Movements. (M) Staff.

Throughout modern times groups of people have come together in an attempt to change their social world.  Their successes and failures teach us about society, organizations, and individuals.  This course will examine case studies of historical and contemporary social movements.  Using these case studies, this course will evaluate different approaches to understanding social movements, and investigate what these different approaches suggest about individuals, the society in which they live, and the potential for social change.

199. Directed Readings and Research. (C) Various Faculty. Permission of Instructor needed.

Directed reading and research in areas of sociology not listed elsewhere in the undergraduate offerings of this department.

200. (CRIM200) Criminal Justice. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Sherman, MacDonald.

This course examines the causes and consequences of the millions of decisions made annually by the legally empowered decision-makers of the criminal justice system.  The course places students in the role of one decision-maker after another, emphasizing the decisions they would make with all the scientific research on these decisions at their disposal.  Research on 15 different decision-makers is examined, from crime victims to police, prosecuters, jurors, judges, wardens, probation and parole officers.  Using a medical model of evidence-based practice, the course asks students to consider how the results of criminal justice could more effectively reduce the sum of human misery.

SM 221. Sample Survey Methods. (M) Hannum.

This course provides a hands-on introduction to survey data collection through lectures, discussions, in-class exercises, and a class survey project.  We examine major planning tasks and considerations necessary for conducting surveys, including substantive issues (problem formulation, study design, questionnaire and interview design, pretesting, sampling), practical issues (proposal-writing and fundraising, interviewer training and field management, coding, and data cleaning and management), and ethical concerns (basic ethical principles in social research, responsibilities to subjects, colleagues, and funders, common ethical dilemmas in survey research, and institutional oversight of research ethics).

222. Field Methods of Sociological Research. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.

This class is intended as an introduction to the field methods of sociological research, with a focus on ethnographic observation and interviewing.  The beginning of the course will emphasize the history and current status of these methods in the discipline of sociology, while at the same time preparing students for their own field studies.  Students will conduct a piece of orignial research as part of the course, from data collection through analysis and written results.  Along the way, we will discuss issues such as the social role of the field researcher, the ethics of field research, and the strengths and limitations of field methods.

SM 230. (AFRC230, ASAM230, EALC083, HSOC231, PSCI298) Special Topics in Sociology. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Furstenberg, Park, Zuberi.

Topics vary from semester to semester.  Some which have been offered in the past include: Media, Culture & Society; Biotechnology, Bioethics and the Body; African Urbanization, and Urban Families; Schools and Neighborhoods; Research and Service/Learning.

SM 231. (URBS266, GSOC231) Special Topics in Sociology. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.

Courses which have been offered in the past have included: Advanced Topics: Persp. on American Poverty.  Topics vary from semester to semester.

233. (CRIM100) Criminology. (C) Society Sector. All classes. Laufer, Sherman.

This introductory course examines the multi-disciplinary science of law-making, law-breaking, and law-enforcing.  It reviews theories explaining where, when, by whom and against whom crimes happen.  Police, courts, prisons, and other institutions are also critically examined.  This course meets the general distribution requirement.

235. (AFRC235) Law and Social Change. (C) Fetni.

Beginning with discussion of various perspectives on social change and law, this course then examines in detail the interdependent relationship between changes in legal and societal institutions.  Emphasis will be placed on (1) how and when law can be an instrument for social change, and (2) how and when social change can cause legal change.  In the assessment of this relationship, the laws of the United States and other countries as well as international law, will be studied.  Throughout the course, discussions will include legal controversies relevant to social change such as civil liberties, gender and the law, and issues of nation-building.  A comparative framework will be used in the analysis of this interdependent relationship between law and social change.

SM 239. (RELS201) Sociology of Religion. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Collins.

Classic theory of religion in Durkheim and Weber, as well as contemporary theories of religious movements.  Topics include ritual, magic, and mystical experience; religious ethics and salvation beliefs; the dynamics of cults, sects and mainstream churches; origins, expansion and decline of religions; religions and social class; religions and politics.  The spectrum of religions in the contemporary United States will be examined, as well as historical comparisons.

SM 260. (STSC260) Cyberculture. (M) Ensmenger.

Free speech, free software, MOOS, MUDs, anime and cyberpunk.  All of these are elements of a braod set of social, technical and political phenomena generally associated with the emergence of a nascent "cyberculture".In this seminar we explore the ways in which recent developments in information technology -- the computer and the Internet in particular -- related to changing contemporary notions of community, identity, property and gender.  By looking at an eclectic collection of popular and scholarsly resources including film, fiction and the World Wide Web, we will situate the development of cyberculture in the larger history of the complex relationship between technology and Western society.

SM 264. (URBS264) Poverty Race And Health. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Elo.

Why do large racial and social class differences in health and mortality persist in the United States?  This course examines the magnitude of these differences and their causes and related public policies.  Topics covered include: interpretations of race and ethnicity, racial differences in perceptions of health and illness, income distribution, social class, racial and ethnic differences in health, and historical and current debates on public policies related to poverty and health.  Students in this class will learn how to generate and test explanations of social class and racial differences in health and evaluate and summarize data in multiple formats.

SM 270. (URBS270) The Immigrant City. (M) Society Sector. All classes. Vitiello.

Immigration is a controversial issue, dividing Americans from Congress to big cities to small towns.  What's at stake in these debates?  What does immigration mean for cities and regions?  And what roles should policy makers, planners, and community organizations play in shaping migration and its impacts?  This course examines these questions in the context of immigrant, refugee, and receiving communities in the United States.  It surveys public policy and community and economic development practices related to migration, at the local, regional, and trans-national scale.  Class readings,discussions, and regular visits to a variety of Philadelphia's immigrant neighborhoods explore themes including labor markets, political mobilization, social and cultural policy, and the built environment.  In the second half of the semester, students will work with community organizations that serve migrants.

273. (HSOC273) Law, Medicine and Public Policy. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Bosk.

First the course will develop a persepctive for viewing social problems drawn largely on my own work as well as that of Gusfelds and Edelman.  Next we will explore the domains to which a Physician's expertise is limited using Weber, Rosenberg and others.  We will then develop a perspective from anthropological and sociological literature on the courts as public arenas for articulating Durkheimian collective conscience.  All of this theory building is in the first half of the seminar.  The second half of the course will involve an intensive case study of a few dilemmas which have wended their way through the courts.  I intend to look at "Baby Doe Regulations" and the Intensive Care Nursery; the problem of the cessation of life-supporting treatment; the legitimacy of mass screening - be it for genetic defects or substance abuse; and the propriety of surrogate motherhood.

275. (HSOC275) Medical Sociology. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Schnittker.

This course will give the student an introduction to the sociological study of medicine.  Medical sociology is a broad field, covering topics as diverse as the institution and profession of medicine, the practice of medical care, and the social factors that contribute to sickness and well-being.  Although we will not explore everything, we will attempt to cover as much of the field as possible through four thematic units: (1) the organization and development of the profession of medicine, (2) the delivery of health-care, especially doctor-patient interaction, (3) the social and cultural factors that affect how illness is defined, and (4) the social causes of illness.  The class will emphasize empirical research especially but not only quantitative research.

277. (HSOC277) Mental Illness. (C) Schnittker.

This course will review how sociologists study mental health and illness.  We will describe the contributions of sociologists and explore how these contributions differ from those of other disciplines, including psychology, psychiatry, and social work.  The course is arranged in three parts: we will discuss (1) what "mental illness" is, (2) how social factors shape mental illness, and (3) how we as a society respond to and treat the mentally ill.

280. (EALC048, SOCI580) Social Issues in Contemporary China. (C) Hannum.

China's transition to a market-oriented society has effected fundamental changes in the lives of citizens.  This class will consider pressing social concerns that China must struggle to address as it continues down the path of market reforms.  Using topical problems to illustrate broader issues of social inequality along lines of gender, ethnicity, residence status, and poverty status, we will consider questions such as the following: How are women and men faring differently in China's new labor market and workplaces?  Are rural peasants and the emerging underclass of urban laid-off workers being left behind by market transition?  How are minorities faring in China's transition? How does the emerging digital divide play into the dichotomies of east-west and urban-rural in China?  What is the plight of millions of "floaters" migrating into China's cities, with minimal legal rights and protections?  Can China's rapidly-changing public health system handle emerging diseases such as SARS and AIDS?  How has the one-child policy affected women, children, and society in China?  Who are the "missing girls" of China, and what are the social implications of their disappearance?  How was the welfare of children and adolescents changed with market reforms?  The class will combine lectures, academic readings, case studies, films, and discussions.

299. Independent Study. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.

Directed readings and research in areas of sociology.  Permission of instructor needed.

SM 300. (AFRC300, ASAM300, NURS261) Senior Research Workshop. (C) Bosk, Charles, Elo, Grazian, Leidner, Schnittker. Prerequisite(s): SOCI 100.

The purpose of this course is to guide senior sociology majors in writing a research proposal for a senior honors thesis.  Students will learn about various research approaches, how to write a focused literature review, and kinds of data necessary to answer a wide variety of research questions, including their own.  Throughout the course, students will work on designing a research question, generation researchable hypotheses, and coming up with a design for their proposed study.  The final paper for this course will be a research proposal that is the basis for students' independent research project.  This course satisfies the research requirement for sociology majors and is designed primarily for seniors who are planning to write an honors thesis.

301. Independent Study in Major Concentration. (C) Bosk, Furstenberg, Grazian, Schnittker.

Permission of instructor needed.

334. (NURS334) Health and Social Policy. (M) Society Sector. All classes. Aiken, Lake.

Health and Social Policy is an interdisciplinary course examining health care and social policy from domestic and international perspectives.  The course is designed to engage students in critical thinking about social determinants of health, the organization and outcomes of health care systems and institutions, global health priorities and challenges, and the implications for public policy.  Topics include the social inequalities and health; how organizational context of health care impacts outcomes; management of human resources in health nationally and globally; analysis of medical error, its causes, and consequences; review and critique of public policies in U.S. health care; and global health priorities and international health policy.  Issues of current public debate in health and health care will provide a context for learning. There are no prerequisites.  The course is intended for generalists as well as for those planning careers in health care.

399. Senior Thesis. (C) Staff.

Senior Thesis is for senior sociology majors only.  Students are assigned advisors with assistance from Undergraduate Chair.

SM 409. (COMM410) New Media and Community Life. (C) Hampton.

This upper level course provides an overview of recent research on the social implications of new media.  The focus is on how recent technological innovations, including personal computing, the Internet and mobile phones may be changing the way we interact with each other, our environments and those around us.  This seminar takes students beyond the basic questions of "are virtual communities real communities?" and "does the Internet destroy or save community?" to an in-depth discussion of how networks of community relations are maintained and transformed on and offline as a result of new media.  The course is based around the argument that computer networks are inherently social networks, linking people, organizations and communities.  This subject is heavily weighted towards the evaluation of empirical studies, the use of social network analysis, and studies that address sociological research questions.  Students will learn to critically examine the impact of new media on society through in-depth seminars and independent research.

SM 410. (CRIM410) Research Seminar on Experiments in Restorative Justice. Strang.

This seminar focuses on the ongoing data collection of Penn's Jerry Lee Program of Randomized Controlled Trials in Restorative Justice, the largest program of field experiments in the history of criminology.  Since 1995, this research program has randomly assigned over 3400 victims and offenders to either conventional justice or restorative conferences of victims, offenders and their families, in Canberra (Australia), London, Northumbria and Thames Valley (all in UK).  The offenders have all been willing to acknowledge their guilt to their victims (or the community), and to try to repair the harm they have caused.  The seminar's purpose is to introduce students to the theory and practice of RJ, to discuss findings emerging from the Jerry Lee Program, and to provide students with a major, supervised research experience using extensive observational, interview and criminal offending (self-report) data. Students will learn how to analyze survey data in the context of randomized experiments in justice, as well to understand the conceptual and methodological issues central to expermental criminology.

SM 411. (CRIM411) Field Observations in Criminal Courts. (C) Rock.

The course will serve as an introduction both to qualitative research and to an understanding of the routine workings of the courts in Philadelphia.  After a brief discussion of the theoretical underpinnings and practical techniques of ethnography, students will undertake supervised field projects leading to the writing of 5000 words long, examined research reports about different aspects of the social organization of the courthouse and court room.

SM 420. (URBS420) Perspectives on Urban Poverty. (C) Wolfson.

This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to various perspectives and philosophies that have dominated the discourse on urban poverty throughout history.  The course is primarily concerned with the ways in which historical, cultural, political, racial, social, geographical, and economic forces have either shaped or been left out of contemporary debates on urban poverty.  Of great importance, the course will evaluate competing knowledge systems and their respective implications in terms of the questions of "what can be known" about urban poverty in the contexts of policy circles, academic literature, and the broader social imaginary.  We will critically analyze a wide body of literature seeking to theorize urban poverty, ranging from sociological; anthropological/ethnographic; geographical; Marxist; historical; social welfare; and cultural analyses.  Primacy will be granted to critical analysis of course readings, particularly with regard to the ways in which various knowledge systems - or "regimes of truth" - create, sustain, and constrict meaning in reference to urban poverty.

SM 425. (GSOC431) Women And Political Activism. (M) Leidner.

This seminar will explore the conditions under which women become politically active and the relevance of gender to forms of activism, organizational practices, and choice of issues.  Using contemporary and historical case studies, we will examine women's activism in feminist and anti-feminist movements and organizations; in single-sex organizations devoted to a broad range of goals; and in mixed-gender movements, including civil rights and trade unions.

SM 430. (AFRC431, COMM496, SOCI530, URBS408) Advanced Topics in Sociology. (M) Bosk, Charles, Furstenberg, Hannum, Zuberi.

Upper level special topics.

SM 435. (URBS457) Globalization & Comparative Urban Development. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Von Mahs.

This seminar will explore the impact of economic globalization on welfare states in North American and Europe.  Specifically, this course will provide a systematized account of how different welfare regimes respond to global economic restructuring processes and thereby produce different outcomes in the protection of their citizens against social risks.  This course has four major objectives: 1) to critically examine the concept of "globalization" 2) to show how global economics restructuring processes affect urban areas in different countries in similar ways, 3) to introduce the differences between various welfare regimes in Europe and North America as well as the nature and extent of social service provision, and 4) to examine the outcomes of different welfare policies for residents in different nation-states focusing on urban problems such as unemployment or underemployment, poverty, racial/ethnic inequalities, immigration, housing shortages and homelessness.  This comparative analysis of social policy in the context of economic globalization will enable students to reassess the function, opportunities, and limitations of different types of welfare policies in order to find ways to rethink current social policy approaches in the United States and to envision more productive alternatives.

SM 437. (ANTH437, HSOC437) Cultural Models & Health. (C) Barg.

There is a great deal of variation among population groups in the incidence of and mortality from most major diseases.  Biological and social factors can account for some of this variation.  However, there is increasing evidence that behavior- and the cultural models that are linked to health behavior- play an important role too.  Cognitive anthropology is the study of how people in social groups conceive of objects and events in their world.  It provides a framework for understanding how members of different groups categorize illness and treatment.  It also helps to explain why risk perception, helpseeking behavior, and decision making styles vary to the extent they do.  This seminar will explore the history of cognitive anthropology, schema theory, connectionism, the role of cultural models, and factors affecting health decision making.  Methods for identifying cultural models will be discussed and practiced.  Implications for health communication will be discussed.

SM 453. (CPLN545, URBS453) Metropolitan Growth and Poverty. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Madden.

This course analyzes the role of metropolitan regions in the U.S. and global economies, including the sources of metropolitan productivity, the ways that metropolitan structures affect residents, and analyses of public policy in metropolitan areas.  The economic, political, and social forces that have shaped World War II urban and regional development are explored, including technology, demography, and government.  Special attention is paid to how metropolitan change affects residents by income and race.  Topics include: gentrification, schools, suburbanization, sprawl, metropolitan fragmentation, concentration of poverty, race, and various economic revitalization initiatives.

SM 473. (URBS473) Community Organizing: History and Theory. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Staff.

Much of what counts for social activism in the United States represents the application of passion and good will to social problems.  Yet there is an increasingly clear body of knowledge in practice on how people can build and use power through organization to influence the forces that shape their lives, families and communities.  The development over the past two decades of an effective community organizing methodology that can be replicated across different social contexts represents a fundamental innovation in American democracy.  The clearest expression of this innovation has been the emergence of large-scale national networks of broad-based community organizations, working, sometimes in competition with one another, in almost every major city in the United States.

        This course will consider the historical and theoretical sources of what has come to include the re-working of Saul Alinsky's efforts beginning in the 1930's to apply a labor organization model of community; theory on the role of mediating institutions in democratic political systems; the continuation in new contexts of local organizing that served as the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement; reconsideration of populism, the efforts to incorporate methods of Latin American popular education into a community organizing tradition.  The course provides students with an opportunity to learn about and debate power, democracy and faith in American society.

SM 501. Contemporary Sociological Theory. (M) Collins, Gibson.

This course will survey the state of contemporary theory from 1945 to the present, using seminal theoretical works and empirical studies they have generated.  Part I will focus on American theoretical traditions, including functionalism, symbolic interactionism, network theory and conflict theory. Part II will examine European theorists including Bourdieu, Foucault, Anthony Giddens, and Habermas.  Additional sessions will examine post modernism, theories of globalization, and recent developments in anthropological theory.

506. (SOCI250) Minorities And Media. (M) Staff.

An examination of the theory and practice of minority representation in television, film, advertising and music.  The course focuses on representation and how it may work to marginalize or empower members of minority populations. It concentrates on ethnic minorities (African Americans, Native Americans, Latino's), as well as sexual minorities.  How has "minority" been defined--who is included and why?  How have notations of "minority" status been constructed in mass media and what may be the potential impact of those images both on minority and non-minority populations?  While the class is theoretically situated in sociology and communications, it also considers how the perspectives of anthropology, feminism, and ethnic studies have affected our understanding of public representations.

SM 514. (HSSC414) Medicine and the Body. (M) Sivin.

Until very recently no society's physicians, seeking to understand the contents of the living human body, could do better than construct a disciplined fantasy.  The raw materials of this fantasy were what experts knew about the insides of cadavers, what people felt going on inside them and, equally important, each culture's notions of order and process in the world of Nature and in society.  The results were remarkably diverse, as we learn not only from comparing the medicine of different times in the same culture.  In each case we can reconstruct the relations between the lay imagination, medicine, cosmology, and values.  We will draw on tools that many disciplines--from literary analysis to social theory to history of Chinese medicine--apply to the study of the body.

SM 515. (DEMG515) Family Research Workshop. (M) Furstenberg.

This course is designed to provide acquaintenace with relevant scholarship and current research for students engaged in empirical work on the sociology of the family, gender studies, and public policy research related to children, youth and families.  The class will be devoted to helping students papers and thesis work in this area.  Students should come to the class with a research topic in mind.  Permission of Instructor Required.

517. Sociology of Work. (M) Leidner.

The material world is shaped and maintained through work, but so is the social world.  How work is organized, allocated, and rewarded determines the opportunities people have for developing their own capacities, the kinds of ties they will have with others, and how much control they will have over their own lives.  We will consider various sociological perspectives on work and compare alternative ways of organizing work, with a focus on the contemporary United States.

SM 524. (DEMG524) Advanced Topics in the Sociology of the Family. (M) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Furstenberg.

The course will review a series of theoretical issues in the sociology of the family and examine major empirical studies in which theoretical advances have been made.  Special attention will be given to work that has a historical and comparative perspective.  Opportunities will be provided for original research on the family.

SM 530. (DEMG530, EALC083, SOCI230, SOCI430, URBS506) Advanced Selected Topics. (C) Distribution Course in Society. Class of 2009 & prior only. Furstenberg, Wolpe, Zuberi.

Topics vary from semester to semester.  Courses offered in the past were Social Movements and Social Change; Critical Race Theory; Conducting Family Research; Mistakes, Errors, Accidents and Disasters; Sociology of Jewish Bioethics.

L/R 535. (DEMG535) Quantitative Methods in Sociology I. (A) Allison, Smith. Prerequisite(s): Basic algebra.

This course is an introduction to the practice of statistics in social and behavioral sciences.  It is open to beginning graduate students and--with the permission of the instructor--advanced undergraduates.  Topics covered include the description of social science data, in graphical and non-graphical form; correlation and other forms of association, including cross-tabulation; bivariate regression; an introduction to probability theory; the logic of sampling; the logic of statistical inference and significance tests.  There is a lecture twice weekly and a mandatory "lab."

L/R 536. (DEMG536) Quantitative Methods in Sociology II. (B) Allison, Kohler, Smith. Prerequisite(s): SOCI 535 or permission of instructor.

A course in applied linear modeling.  Emphasis on the theory and practice of multiple regression and analysis of variance, with extensions to path analysis and other simultaneous equation methods.  Some data manipulation will require the use of a statistical computer "package,"STATA" but the greater emphasis of the course will be on conceptualization and the ability to manipulate these new ideas both with and without access to statistical software.

SM 540. Introduction to Economic and Network Analysis. (M) Collins.

Economic sociology examines the production and exchange of goods and services from the viewpoint of the social relationships in which economic activities are embedded, the social conditions for economic change, and the effects of these arrangements upon social inequality and well-being.  Topics include historical theories of capitalism; socialist economies and transitions; the global economy; institutions and cultures underpinning various kinds of market and nonmarket exchanges.  Network analysis has been on the forefront of new models of how economic exchange is structured.  This course surveys network theories of Harrison White, Burt, Zelizer and others, as well as related analyses of network effects upon careers, power, conflict, and social movements.

SM 541. (DEMG541, GSOC532) Gender, The Labor Force and Labor Markets. (M) Madden.

Drawing from sociology, economics and demography, this course examines the causes and effects of gender differences in labor force participation, earnings and occupation in the United States and in the rest of the developed and developing world.  Differences by race, ethnicity and sexual preference are also considered.  Theories of labor supply, marriage, human captial and discrimination are explored as explanations for the observed trends.  Finally, the course reviews current labor market policies and uses the theories of labor supply, marriage, human capital and discrimination to evaluate their effects on women and men.

SM 542. (GSOC542) Work and Gender. (M) Leidner.

This seminar examines the relevance of gender to the organization and experience of paid and unpaid work.  Combining materialist and social constructionist approaches, we will consider occupational segregation, the relation of work and family, gender and class solidarity, the construction of gender through work, race and class variation in work experiences, and related topics.