Catalog
Sociology
Professors Duina (chair) and Kane; Associate Professors Rocque and Taylor; Assistant Professor Medford; Visiting Assistant Professor Moodie
The curriculum in sociology is designed to introduce students to the sociological perspective, which explores social structures, cultural factors, and other variables that intersect with, and influence, individual lives. Courses address a wide range of social phenomena, from patterns of everyday interaction to social and political revolutions. Sociology as a discipline focuses on recognizing and analyzing social determinants that shape our lives. That focus offers a unique potential not only for understanding society, but also for social action and social change.
The curriculum offers a variety of 100- and 200-level courses introducing sociology and many of the specific topics and issues addressed by sociologists. Most 200-level courses are open to first-year students and have no prerequisites. The core courses for the major also begin at the 200 level. These core courses focus on developing the skills and tools necessary for a more advanced application of a sociological perspective, preparing students for more advanced course work and thesis research.
The methods and substantive areas of sociology provide an excellent background for a wide range of careers in fields such as government, public policy, law, social research, community work, social activism, health, human services, social work, counseling, education, business, human resources, advertising, and market research, as well as a strong foundation for graduate study in sociology and a variety of applied or related areas including law, criminal justice, social work, business, public policy and public administration, urban and community planning, health care administration, public health, education, survey research administration, and journalism.
More information on the department, including career information, is available on the website (bates.edu/sociology).
Major Requirements
1) All of the following:
SOC 204. Theoretical Foundations of Sociology.
SOC 205. Research Methods for Sociology.
SOC 405. Senior Capstone in Sociology.
SOC 457 or 458. Senior Thesis.
2) Seven additional sociology courses, at least two of which must be at the 300-level. One Short Term sociology course and one independent study in sociology may also be taken to fulfill the major, but neither of these can count as one of the two 300-level courses.
Majors planning to study abroad should consult the FAQs for study abroad on the department's website (bates.edu/sociology/).
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major. CoursesSOC 101. Principles of Sociology.
The course is concerned with social behavior, social institutions, and with the characteristics of sociology as a discipline. It introduces classic sociological theories. Students become familiar with the use of such basic concepts in sociology as norms, values, roles, socialization, stratification, power and authority, deviance and control, social conflict, and social change. Enrollment limited to 39. Normally offered every year. [AC] [HS] H. Taylor, M. Rocque, M. Medford.SOC 103. Macrosociology: Institutions and Structures.
Macrosociology concerns itself with broad-level topics and issues: international development, demographic trends, state formation and behavior, the relationship between politics and the economy, industries, globalization, national and international law, cultural convergence across countries, national and transnational policymaking, corruption, security issues, among others. Often, attention turns to structures and institutions for explanatory purposes. Enrollment limited to 39. [HS] F. Duina.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 104. Contemporary Social Problems: Sociological Perspectives.
An introduction to sociology through the study of contemporary social problems. Topics include inequalities of income, wealth, housing, education, and health as well as related social problems such as systemic racism, crime, poverty, homelessness, and climate change. With a particular focus on how sociologists study the process through which social conditions become defined as problems, the way various stakeholders frame those problems, and their potential solutions, students explore sociology in general and the social construction of social problems in particular. This exploration includes readings, class discussions, and community-engaged learning with local organizations addressing social problems. Enrollment limited to 39. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [HS] E. Kane.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 204. Theoretical Foundations of Sociology.
Theories of society are used in a variety of ways to make sense of the world in which we live. This course examines the evolution of sociological theory, and the history of sociology as a discipline. Major schools of social theory are compared and analyzed, with emphasis on their role as foundations of sociology. Prerequisite(s): one course in sociology. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. [HS] F. Duina.SOC 205. Research Methods for Sociology.
This course is a practical introduction to the research methods used by sociologists, including survey research, content analysis, participant observation and field research, qualitative interviewing, community-based research, case studies, focus groups, and comparative historical research. The assumptions of various approaches to social science research are considered, along with application of methods of collection and analysis for both qualitative and quantitative data. Prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s): SOC 204. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. [HS] E. Kane, H. Taylor.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
SOC 206. Thinking Sociologically with Numbers.
In this course, students learn how to think about social issues numerically. They learn the fundamentals of social statistics with a focus on interpretation, including quantitative data types, learning how to describe and present data (including data visualization), sampling, probability, and bivariate and multivariate analyses. Basic analyses such as hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, correlation, and regression are covered. Recommended background: basic math proficiency, some algebraic knowledge. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. [HS] [Q] [QF] M. Rocque.PY/SO 210. Social Psychology.
A study of people in social settings. Topics include conformity, interpersonal attraction, and attitude formation and change. Theoretical principles are applied to such social phenomena as social conflict, stereotyping, competition, and altruism. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every year. [HS] M. Sargent, H. Boucher.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 211. Crime, Justice, and Society.
This course provides a broad overview of crime and justice from a sociological perspective. Topics include why certain behaviors are deemed criminal and others are not, how and why criminal laws are developed, why some individuals break those laws, and the role of the criminal justice system in society. The course also considers theories of crime and justice, approaches to the measurement of crime, the social factors associated with crime, and media representations and public perceptions of crime and justice. Recommended background: one course in sociology. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [HS] M. Rocque.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PT/SO 212. Race and Mass Incarceration in the United States.
This course provides an analysis of the criminal justice system with a particular focus on the centrality of crime policy to the making of race in the United States. Specifically, the course examines the war on drugs. Students consider how changes to laws and policies transformed the way we punish crime as a country, and their disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Students also explore reformist and abolitionist social movements and their efforts to redress these disparities in the criminal justice system through policy change. Recommended background: PLTC 115. Enrollment limited to 29. (Politics: Identities and Interests.) (Politics: Institutional Politics.) One-time offering. K. Bedecarré.SOC 217. Correcting and Controlling Behavior: A Sociological Perspective on Corrections and Social Control.
Many Americans have had contact with the criminal justice system, from police stops to incarceration or probation, components of our corrections systems, which, broadly speaking, attempt both to punish criminal behavior and change it. Yet we have all been subject to more informal systems of corrections and social control, from being grounded to being admonished by a teacher. This course provides a broad overview of sociological perspectives on social control in general and criminal justice corrections in particular. Topics include the origins, forms, and functions of social control; theories of punishment; the history of criminal justice corrections; modern challenges within corrections systems; mass incarceration; alternative forms of sanctions; and treatment of offenders. The course also considers research issues faced by corrections practitioners, including projects with community partners whose work involves correcting behavior. Recommended background: SOC 211. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] M. Rocque.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AF/SO 221. Sociology of Immigration.
Since the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Amendments of 1965, the United States has received millions of immigrants from virtually every part of the world. The magnitude of these recent immigrant flows has reshaped the demography of the nation. But the magnitude of the flows is only part of the story. Today’s immigrants are extremely diverse, ethnically, culturally, and racially. Students explore sociological approaches to immigration as they discuss, debate, analyze, and critique academic, political, and mainstream articulations of immigration processes in the United States. Enrollment limited to 29. (Africana: Diaspora.) Normally offered every year. M. Medford.SOC 223. Sociology of Culture.
What is the role of symbols and ideas in social life? This course introduces the diversity of current sociological approaches to this longstanding issue at the heart of the discipline. Students examine how "cultural objects," such as pop songs, newscasts, public monuments, and even collective memories are created and understood. They also explore sociological studies of culture in its more anthropological sense, as patterns of behavior and belief, and as culture relates to phenomena such as social movements, religion, sexuality, political conflict, globalization, and social stratification. Recommended background: one course in sociology. Enrollment limited to 29. Staff.SOC 230. Sociology of Health and Illness.
This course examines how social and structural forces shape health, illness, and the health care system. Through critical analysis of health and illness in the United States, the course explores the field of medical sociology. Topics include social factors associated with health and disease, disability, the organization of health care, medical ethics, and the relationship between health care and human rights. Recommended background: one course in sociology. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] H. Taylor.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 235. Global Health: Sociological Perspectives.
This course introduces students to the health care systems of nations in the developed and developing world. Health care takes place within culturally unique social, historical, and political contexts, which shape factors such as disease, nutrition, violence, reproductive health, and environmental and occupational hazards. The course explores how these diverse forces shape illness experience, health care utilization, organization and training of health care providers, and systems of health care delivery. Drawing on a critical perspective, this course utilizes sociological methods and theories to explore health and illness around the globe. Recommended background: one course in sociology. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] H. Taylor.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
SOC 236. Urban Sociology.
What constitutes the urban? And how is it distinct from other forms of physical and social organization? This course introduces students to major themes in urban sociology. Students explore how the city operates as a site of conflict, not only in its conceptualization, but also as a site of struggle over social, physical, economic, and political resources. Topics include the contest over the emergence of the discipline through the Park/Dubois debate, empirical studies on "urban problems," industrialization, urban renewal, suburbanization, gentrification, racism, globalization, segregation, ghettos, schooling, policing, prisons, immigration, and urban farming. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] M. Medford.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
INDC 238. Queer Power: Political Sociology of U.S. Sexuality Movements.
This course introduces students to social movement theory and interest group politics in the United States via the case study of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) politics from the immediate post-World War II period to the present, and it examines the relationship of sexuality to the racial and gender dynamics of U.S. identity-based social movements. The course traces the development of research methodologies to study collective action from early rational choice models to resource mobilization theory to new social movement models and political opportunity and process models. How the LGBTQ+ movements drew upon, expanded, and challenged foundations established by both African American civil rights and feminism is also explored. Cross-listed in gender and sexuality studies, politics, and sociology. Prerequisite(s): any 100-level course in gender and sexuality studies, politics, or sociology. Enrollment limited to 29. (Politics: Identities and Interests.) (Politics: Institutional Politics.) [AC] [HS] S. Engel.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
ED/SO 242. Race and Justice in American Education.
This course considers how racial identity, class, culture, and privilege intersect with education systems and structures to shape students’ schooling experiences and academic outcomes. Through readings, discussion, projects, and fieldwork, students explore several questions: What are race and racism, and how do they matter to education? How has the U.S. tradition of racially segregated and unequal schooling played out historically? What are the effects of that legacy for children and for society today? And how do schools currently work to address opportunity gaps? Topics covered include bilingual education, tracking, and access to higher education. A thirty-hour field experience is required. Recommended background: EDUC 231. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. (Africana: Introductory Sequence.) (Community-Engaged Learning.) [W2] [HS] M. Tieken.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 250. Privilege, Power, and Inequality.
This course addresses inequalities of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation in the United States. Topics include patterns in the distribution of privilege, power, and resources in society; the ideologies and beliefs surrounding unequal distributions; and the role of organizations, social movements, public policy, and law in challenging inequality. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [HS] E. Kane.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 260. Economic Sociology.
Most, if not all, economic activity—whether it takes place at the level of individuals, organizations, or markets—requires rules, norms, and institutions. Efficiency alone cannot account for the existence and nature of those rules, norms, and institutions. Beliefs, values, power structures, perceptions of self-interest, political structures, history, and numerous additional factors hold explanatory potential as well. This course investigates these factors. In the process, students explore some of the most important theoretical frameworks in sociology and politics such as rational choice theory, historical institutionalism and statist theory, and some key topics in sociology such as international development. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] F. Duina.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
GS/SO 270. Sociology of Gender.
This course focuses on the social construction of gender through a consideration of a series of interrelated social institutions and practices central to gender inequality. Emphasis is placed on the intersections between gender inequality and inequalities of race/ethnicity, class, sexuality, and nation. Recommended background: one previous course in gender and sexuality studies or sociology. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [HS] E. Kane.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
EU/SO 290. Political Sociology.
This course offers an in-depth examination of core issues in political sociology. Attention turns to the formation of nation-states, nationalism, postcolonialism, neoliberalism and welfare states dynamics, international organizations, social movements and revolutions, democracy and regime change, violence, power, and related topics. Students encounter a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, with empirical analyses focusing on case studies from across the globe. Recommended background: one or more courses in the social sciences. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [HS] F. Duina.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
EU/SO 311. Comparative Sociology.
Comparative sociology studies social institutions, economic systems, political systems, cultures and norms, legal systems, public policy, social change, and behavior in two or more settings. Comparisons can be qualitative or quantitative in nature and are usually driven by a desire to test theories or hypotheses. Topics of study may include the impact of globalization on nation-states, social movements, war and violence, place and cultural specificity, postcolonial dynamics, urbanization, immigration, and regional integration. The seminar introduces students to comparative sociology through an examination of recent exemplary works and the completion of individual projects related to each student's interests. Prerequisite(s): one course in sociology or politics. Not open to students who have received credit for EU/SO 395G. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] F. Duina.EU/SO 312. Populism in the Age of Globalization.
Populist movements and parties have gained power and prominence in recent years. Often defying traditional left-right distinctions, they have in many cases adopted anti-globalization, nationalist or nativist, and anti-elitist positions. They have enjoyed electoral and other successes in Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia, and Africa. This seminar examines the causes of their rise, nature of their rhetoric and policies, and profound impact on cultural, political, economic, and other social processes and dynamics. Prerequisite(s): EUS 101 or one course in politics or sociology. Not open to students who have received credit for EU/SO 395Q. Enrollment limited to 15. F. Duina.AF/SO 320. Immigrant Racialization.
The racialization of immigrants is intimately tied to the construction of race for all groups in U.S. society. In this seminar students engage the intersecting literatures of race, ethnicity, and immigration to explore implicit and explicit discussions of racial hierarchies, and how immigrants fit into and challenge existing accounts of assimilation and incorporation. They deconstruct the racialization of citizenship status with particular attention to how blackness is integral to the immigrant racialization project. Prerequisite(s): INDS 250 or SOC 205. Recommended background: SOC 204. Not open to students who have received credit for AA/SO 395N or AF/SO 395N. Enrollment limited to 15. (Africana: Diaspora.) [W2] M. Medford.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 335. Social Inequality and Public Policy.
How are social inequalities in the United States both reduced and exacerbated by public programming, ranging from health care initiatives to work-family policies? This seminar explores public policies that affect diverse facets of social life, including marriage and family, education, health care, and work. Emphasis is placed on how such macrolevel forces shape individual lives, and particularly how policy intersects with inequalities based on race/ethnicity, class, gender, age, and sexual orientation. Students conduct individual research, drawing on a diverse range of theoretical frameworks and both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. Not open to students who have received credit for SOC 395H. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] H. Taylor.GS/SO 340. Work, Family, and Social Inclusion.
This seminar explores debates in the research and policy literature on work, family, and social inequality, particularly in the United States. Topics include family policy, poverty, reproduction, partnerships, parenting, and the integration of work and family. All of these topics are addressed with attention to social inclusion and exclusion on the basis of intersecting social inequalities, including race, class, gender, sexuality, and nation, as well as critical analysis of neoliberal approaches to work and family. Prerequisite(s): INDS 250 or SOC 205. Not open to students who have received credit for GS/SO 395I. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] E. Kane.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
GS/SO 346. Knowledge, Action, and Social Change.
This seminar explores the politics of knowledge and the potential role of research in advancing social justice and social change. Students consider competing perspectives on the public relevance of academic research, including debates within sociology and feminist studies. With those debates as context, students conduct publicly-engaged work through community-based research projects on issues related to social inequality. Prerequisite(s): INDS 250 or SOC 205. Not open to students who have received credit for GS/SO 395K. Enrollment limited to 15. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [W2] E. Kane.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 350. Race, Crime, and Punishment in America.
This seminar examines how race and crime—as well as race and punishment—are intertwined from historical and contemporary perspectives. Students consider crime and deviance from an empirical and theoretical view as well as patterns of punishment that disproportionately affect various racial and ethnic groups. Students seek to understand how the present is informed by the past, and they contribute to the scholarly conversation with individual research projects. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. Not open to students who have received credit for SOC 395M. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] [HS] M. Rocque.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 351. Crime and Justice over the Life Course.
In this seminar, students examine crime and deviance over the life of individuals, how behavior changes, and the role of social institutions and relationships in affecting life outcomes.Why and how do people begin engaging in crime and deviance? Why do some people engage at high rates while others only dabble in minor crime? How and why do people eventually stop engaging in crime altogether? Students select a particular issue early in the semester to study in detail, resulting in an empirical or analytical project. The goal is not only to fully understand life-course criminology research, but also to advance this work in new and innovative ways. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. Recommended background: SOC 101. Not open to students who have received credit for SOC 395R. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] [HS] M. Rocque.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.SOC 365. Special Topics.
A course or seminar offered from time to time to small groups of students working on special topics. Instructor permission is required. Staff.PY/SO 371. Prejudice and Stereotyping.
Two issues that have long held the interest of social psychologists and that are of great social importance are prejudice and stereotyping. This course explores traditional and contemporary social psychological research on unconscious and covert forms of prejudice as well as cognitive and emotional functions served by stereotyping. The course concludes with an examination of the challenges to prejudice reduction and stereotype change. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 19. (Psychology: IDEA.) M. Sargent.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PY/SO 373. Racism: A Multilevel Approach.
Students in this course engage with psychological research relevant to race relations, reviewing, evaluating, and applying both classic work (such as social identity theory) and contemporary work (such as implicit bias research). After studying the limitations of intrapsychic and interpersonal approaches, students also consider the roles that institutions and policies play in maintaining racial hierarchies. Throughout the course, students aim to remain grounded in historical context and, consistent with an intersectional approach, they also remain cognizant of the ways that race’s impact is also influenced by other category memberships, such as gender and class. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218 or SOC 206. Enrollment limited to 19. (Psychology: IDEA.) M. Sargent.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
ED/SO 380. Education, Reform, and Politics.
The United States has experienced more than three centuries of growth and change in the organization of public education. This course examines 1) contemporary reform issues and political processes in relation to school, research, legal, policymaking, and student/family constituencies and 2) how educational policy is formulated and implemented. The study of these areas emphasizes public K–12 education but includes postsecondary education. Examples of specific educational policy arenas include school choice (e.g., charter schools, magnet schools, and vouchers), school funding, standards and accountability, and college access. A thirty-hour field experience is required. Prerequisite(s): EDUC 231. Enrollment limited to 18. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [HS] M. Tieken.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 401. Law and Community Internships.
Part-time internships in local courts and other agencies concerned with the legal system. Enrollment is limited to available positions. Prerequisite(s): SOC 211 or 217. Enrollment is limited to available positions. Instructor permission is required. (Community-Engaged Learning.) Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC 405. Senior Capstone in Sociology.
Sociology examines the causes and consequences of social behavior, providing the tools to understand the relationships between individual lives and larger social structures and inequalities. This course is a capstone reflection on the discipline of sociology and the application of the sociological imagination to understanding the world. This intensive culminating experience synthesizes and integrates materials from prior sociology courses as well as exposes students to current controversies in the discipline. Discussions focus on core sociological concepts, theories, and methods, applying them to different substantive areas in the field. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. Enrollment limited to 39. Normally offered every year. H. Taylor.SOC 457. Senior Thesis.
Individual and group conferences in connection with the writing of the senior thesis. Students register for SOC 457 in the fall semester. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.SOC 458. Senior Thesis.
Individual and group conferences in connection with the writing of the senior thesis. Students register for SOC 458 in the winter semester. Prerequisite(s): SOC 204 and 205. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.SOC s15. Sociology of Sex.
Sex is a sociological conundrum. It is deeply culturally scripted but also inescapably embodied and individual. Sex can be the perfect win-win proposition, providing gratuitous pleasure and social bonding. Yet sex can also be a disaster, bringing unwanted physical consequences and the most profound humiliation. This course explores a wide variety of work on sex from sociology and neighboring disciplines, including contemporary biological and psychological knowledge about human sex. The goal is a thoroughgoing and humane rethinking of taken-for-granted perspectives on this delightful and disturbing aspect of human experience. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. One-time offering. B. Moodie.HI/SO s16. Crime and Deviance in the American Civil War.
This course examines deviant behavior through a historical lens, focusing on the American Civil War (1861-1865), and primarily drawing on movies, texts, discussion, and visits to local landmarks and museums. Students discuss what types of deviance and crime occurred during wartime and use a sociological lens to analyze why the behaviors occurred and what consequences they had. They apply current thinking in criminology and sociology to understanding crime and deviance in the 1860s. The course is an exploration of how wartime shapes our attitudes, behaviors, and life chances. Enrollment limited to 15. (Community-Engaged Learning.) (History: Modern.) (History: United States.) [HS] M. Rocque.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
SOC s26. Life Course and Aging.
This course explores the aging experience, focusing on early adulthood, middle age, and late life. Students are introduced to the social forces shaping the aging experience, paying particular attention to how race and ethnicity, gender, and social class influence the life course. Topics include key transitions in the life course produced by the intersection of individual lives with institutions such as family, health care, and the workplace. The course applies the theoretical perspectives and methodological techniques of life-course sociology to an exploration of life trajectories and the meanings of age. Enrollment limited to 20. (Community-Engaged Learning.) H. Taylor.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations