About SO 105
The Study of Sociology
According to the American Sociological Association (ASA), “Sociology is study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since human behavior is shaped by social factors, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scopeand relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.”
Social Problems & Issues Defined
There isn't one agreed-upon definition of what a social problem is, and oftentimes, when a social problem is defined, it fails to distinguish between what is understood as a personal problem/trouble versus what a social problem is (Ryan, 1971). However, there is agreement that a social problem is a "public" issue rather than only a "private" issue, but this is also a subjective topic of debate, as individuals in society must recognize the humanity within themselves and each other in order to understand and recognize the issues and problems of injustice, inequity, and inequality that affect all of humankind directly and indirectly.
SO 105: Social Problems & Issues Course
The purpose of the course is to learn about “social problems” and “issues” that exemplify thoughts, words and practices of inequality, injustice and inequity both locally and globally so that solutions to such problems can be discussed and analyzed. This course will offer an introductory analysis of social problems that are rooted in various issues, including (but not limited to) social and economic inequality, injustice, urbanization, crime, demographic change, violence, and environmental issues. Sociological theories and research are also used to examine the impact of globalization, culture, social institutions, ideology, social policy, and social movements on various societal issues. Special emphasis will be made in understanding the parallels between theory and practice in examining social interaction, cultural diversity, social structure, and issues relevant to domestic and global affairs particularly with regard to critical thinking and social change.
According to the American Sociological Association (ASA), “Sociology is study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts. Since human behavior is shaped by social factors, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the sociology of work to the sociology of sports. In fact, few fields have such broad scopeand relevance for research, theory, and application of knowledge.”
Social Problems & Issues Defined
There isn't one agreed-upon definition of what a social problem is, and oftentimes, when a social problem is defined, it fails to distinguish between what is understood as a personal problem/trouble versus what a social problem is (Ryan, 1971). However, there is agreement that a social problem is a "public" issue rather than only a "private" issue, but this is also a subjective topic of debate, as individuals in society must recognize the humanity within themselves and each other in order to understand and recognize the issues and problems of injustice, inequity, and inequality that affect all of humankind directly and indirectly.
SO 105: Social Problems & Issues Course
The purpose of the course is to learn about “social problems” and “issues” that exemplify thoughts, words and practices of inequality, injustice and inequity both locally and globally so that solutions to such problems can be discussed and analyzed. This course will offer an introductory analysis of social problems that are rooted in various issues, including (but not limited to) social and economic inequality, injustice, urbanization, crime, demographic change, violence, and environmental issues. Sociological theories and research are also used to examine the impact of globalization, culture, social institutions, ideology, social policy, and social movements on various societal issues. Special emphasis will be made in understanding the parallels between theory and practice in examining social interaction, cultural diversity, social structure, and issues relevant to domestic and global affairs particularly with regard to critical thinking and social change.