Introduction to Sociology

The American College of Greece

Course Description

  • Course Name

    Introduction to Sociology

  • Host University

    The American College of Greece

  • Location

    Athens, Greece

  • Area of Study

    Sociology

  • Language Level

    Taught In English

  • Course Level Recommendations

    Lower

    ISA offers course level recommendations in an effort to facilitate the determination of course levels by credential evaluators.We advice each institution to have their own credentials evaluator make the final decision regrading course levels.

    Hours & Credits

  • US Credits

    3
  • Recommended U.S. Semester Credits
    3
  • Recommended U.S. Quarter Units
    4
  • Overview

    Sociology as a social science. Presentation of theoretical and methodological foundations and discussion of various topics including social structure, culture, socialization, group relations, deviance and various forms of inequality.

    RATIONALE: 

    The course introduces the major sociological approaches, basic  methodologies, and diverse fields in the discipline. It enables  students to understand the complexity of social issues by showing  how scholars and researchers predict, interpret, and explain social and cultural phenomena at the local, national, regional and global  levels. It has strong interdisciplinary links and is thus of interest to  students from a wide range of disciplines. 

     

    LEARNING OUTCOMES: 
    As a result of taking this course, student should be able to:

    1. Explain societal phenomena using sociological perspectives.

    2. Demonstrate understanding of major theoretical models and methodologies in sociology.

    3. Explain the cultural and normative dimensions of society as well as deviant behavior and processes.

    4. Demonstrate understanding of social stratification and its relevance to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality. 

     

    METHOD OF TEACHING AND LEARNING:

    In congruence with the teaching and learning strategy of the college, the following tools are used:

     Classes consist of lectures, discussions of selected issues, showing of video documentaries and in-class illustrations of various issues.

     Office hours: students are encouraged to make full use of the office hours of their lecturer, where they can address issues and ask questions pertinent to the course material.

     Use of a blackboard site, where instructors post lecture notes, assignment instructions, timely announcements, as well as additional resources.  

     

    INDICATIVE CONTENT:  

    1. An introduction to Sociology in the Global Age

    1.1. The sociological Imagination

    1.2. The Micro-Macro Relationship

    1.3. The Agency-Structure Relationship

    1.4. Globalization – The McDonaldization of Society    

    2. Thinking Sociologically

    2.1. The Founders of Classical Sociological theory: Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim

    2.2. Other important theorists: Simmel, DuBois, Veblen.  

    2.3.  Contemporary Sociological Theory: Structural/Functional theories, Conflict/Critical Theories, Inter/Actionist Theories    

    3. Researching the Social World  

    3.1. Science and Scientific Method

    3.2. Sociological Research

    3.3. Ethics and Social Research  

    4. Culture

    4.1. The elements of culture

    4.2. Cultural Differences

    4.3. Emerging Issues in Culture: Global culture, consumer culture, cyberculture  

    5. Socialization and Interaction

    5.1. The Individual and the Self: Cooley and Mead  

    5.2.    The Individual as Performer: Goffman

    5.3. Socialization

    5.4. Interaction: status and role

    5.5. Groups and Networks  

    6. Deviance and Crime

    6.1. Shifting Definitions of Deviance

    6.2. Structural/Functional Theories

    6.3. Conflict/Critical Theories

    6.4. Interactionist Theories

    6.5. Crime

    6.6. Globalization and Crime  

    7. Social Stratification

    7.1. Dimensions of Social Stratification: Social Class, Power, Status.  

    7.2. Income and Wealth Inequality  

    7.3. Poverty  

    7.4. Social Mobility

    7.5. Theories of Social Stratification

    7.6. Global Stratification  

    8. Race and Ethnicity

    8.1. The Concepts of Race and Ethnicity

    8.2.  Majority/Minority Relations  

    8.3 Ethnic Conflict within Nation-States  

    9. Sex and Gender

    9.1. Sex and Sexuality. Sex and Consumption.

    9.2 The Sexual Self

    9.3 Hegemonic masculinity/emphasized femininity. LGBTQ+ , gender and sexuality

    9.4.  Gender: Labor and the ‘Dual Earner Households

    9.5 The Feminization of Poverty. Gender and Crime. Gender and War.

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