Fall 2021 | SOC 3701 Section 001: Social Theory (21683)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 4 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F or Audit
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021Mon, Wed 09:05AM - 10:45AMUMTC, West BankBlegen Hall 317
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (53 of 55 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim to contemporary theories of postmodernism and globalization. We will examine a range of theories with particular attention to their treatments of core sociological questions and concerns. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F
- Class Notes:
- 15 seats reserved for Soc majors Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?lyimo002+SOC3701+Fall2021
- Class Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim to contemporary theories of change, action, identities, and the social self. We will work to understand the social and historical environments in which these theories have developed and focus on how theoretical inquiry can serve as a guide for scientific explanation of human behavior. Some of the questions explored will include: What holds societies together? How do societies reproduce themselves? How does social change take place? How are social identities created, maintained, and transformed? What are features of modern social life and where is society headed in the future?
Social theory has two sides, the analytical and the normative. The analytical seeks to define the principles by which the social world works. The normative seeks to criticize society for its faults and indicate how to correct them, so as to better fulfill human needs and potentials. Sometimes the two sides work well together; other times they draw apart with hopes running faster than evidence. In any case, no matter how much theorists and students may come to sociology out of a desire to fix social problems, their ideas still have to be held to the standard of evidence. That's why sociology is a science and not a set of ethics. If you want to improve society, it helps to first know how society works. But this is not so easy. Society is often pretty confusing and complicated. Even an idea about how society works is basically a theory. To state a problem, why have many societies confined women to household work? Some people might theorize that its due to biological differences from men, but others would counter that its due to cultural norms created by male desire for power. Here are two theories. Which is correct? We would have to look at detailed studies to find the answer. Testing theories is not so much the job of this course. Rather, the job is getting to know the range of theoretical ideas and how they have evolved over time. These ideas have provided the starting points for many long courses of research.
- Who Should Take This Class?:
Soc majors/minors and any one interested in the core sociological questions about how society works? What holds society together? How do societies reproduce themselves? How does social change take place? How are social identities created, maintained, and transformed. prereq: 1001 recommended.
- Learning Objectives:
The objective of the course is to understand the intellectual and social environment within which various theories and theorists emerged in explaining social change and how society works. The point for us will be to understand the key concepts and ideas from different theorists, not just memorize them. Understanding is when something goes "click!" in your mind and you suddenly see the world in a new way. The "aha!" moment. The aim here is to be able to use various concepts/theories to understand social problems/issues and our own lived experiences outside classroom situation.
- Grading:
- 1 Midterm (25%), two quizzes (30%) 6 Reading Responses (30%), In-class assignments/Participation (15%)
- Exam Format:
- The mid-term exams will be a combination of multiple-choice, and short answers. The mid-term will cover content from course readings, lectures, films, and in-class discussions and activities. It will cover materials for up to Week 4. The quizzes will cover materials from Week 5 to Week 8. There will not be a final exam.
- Class Format:
- Class sessions will consist of online lectures, video excerpts, and in-class exercises (through breakout rooms). We will frequently use small-group discussions to give you a chance to discuss the readings in a less structured environment and help you understand the material as we proceed.
- Workload:
- In addition to weekly reading assignments, students in this class are expected to submit 6 reading responses over the course of the semester. These reading responses are one-paragraph-long reflections that demonstrate your understanding of the assigned material and help you create the habit of forging connections between various readings and ideas. The reading responses will also be used for participation
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/21683/1219
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 8 April 2021
Fall 2021 | SOC 3701 Section 002: Social Theory (18903)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 4 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F or Audit
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021Mon, Wed 12:20PM - 02:00PMUMTC, West BankAnderson Hall 250
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (79 of 83 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim to contemporary theories of postmodernism and globalization. We will examine a range of theories with particular attention to their treatments of core sociological questions and concerns. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F
- Class Notes:
- 15 seats reserved for Soc majors Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?jvanheuv+SOC3701+Fall2021
- Class Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim to contemporary theories of change, action, identities, and the social self. We will work to understand the social and historical environments in which these theories have developed and focus on how theoretical inquiry can serve as a guide for scientific explanation of human behavior. Some of the questions explored will include: What holds societies together? How do societies reproduce themselves? How does social change take place? How are social identities created, maintained, and transformed? What are features of modern social life and where is society headed in the future?
- Exam Format:
- Short answer; essays
- Class Format:
- Classes will consist of a mixture of lecture and discussion
- Workload:
- 30-75 pages reading per week
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/18903/1219
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 18 March 2021
Fall 2021 | SOC 3701 Section 003: Social Theory (22412)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 4 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F or Audit
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- In Person Term Based
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021Wed 05:00PM - 08:20PMUMTC, West BankHubert H Humphrey Center 25
- Enrollment Status:
- Open (53 of 55 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim to contemporary theories of postmodernism and globalization. We will examine a range of theories with particular attention to their treatments of core sociological questions and concerns. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F
- Class Notes:
- 10 seats reserved for Soc majors Click this link for more detailed course information: http://classinfo.umn.edu/?pharr004+SOC3701+Fall2021
- Class Description:
This course provides a broad overview of the major paradigms of social thought. While we will initially focus on classical theory and the "Big Three"
of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, the emphasis of this course will be on how contemporary thinkers draw upon and modify the classics for modern contexts. With the help of such thinkers, we will tackle such core sociological questions as: What is social theory? How does it differ from the theories applied in "hard" sciences such as physics and biology? What holds society together? How do social networks and institutions endure over time? What is the relationship between the individual and society? How is human thought and behavior shaped by social interaction? What is power, who holds it, and how is it exercised? What are the primary axes of social change? What defines the modernity? Are we living in a post-modern era? Over the course of the semester our goal will be to not only understand a diverse range of theories and thinkers, but to apply them to our own lives and social contexts. In addition to lectures and in-class activities, students will engage in weekly online discussions to hone their own critical sensibilities by identifying and interrogating the key arguments and assumptions of the texts.- Grading:
- 60% Quizzes25% Final Exam15% General Participation (in-class and online)
- Exam Format:
- Multiple choice; essay
- Workload:
- 30-45 pages reading per week12 quizzes submitted on Canvas1 final exam submitted on Canvas
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/22412/1219
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 19 August 2021
Fall 2021 | SOC 3701 Section 301: Social Theory (23390)
- Instructor(s)
- Class Component:
- Lecture
- Credits:
- 4 Credits
- Grading Basis:
- A-F or Audit
- Instructor Consent:
- No Special Consent Required
- Instruction Mode:
- Completely Online
- Class Attributes:
- College of Continuing Education
- Times and Locations:
- Regular Academic Session09/07/2021 - 12/15/2021Off CampusVirtual Rooms ONLINEONLY
- Enrollment Status:
- Closed (35 of 35 seats filled)
- Also Offered:
- Course Catalog Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim to contemporary theories of postmodernism and globalization. We will examine a range of theories with particular attention to their treatments of core sociological questions and concerns. prereq: 1001 recommended; soc majors/minors must register A-F
- Class Notes:
- For course syllabus and details, see https://ccaps.umn.edu/oes-courses/social-theory.
- Class Description:
- This course provides an introductory overview of major social theories ranging from the foundational sociological theories of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim to contemporary theories of change, action, identities, and the social self. We will work to understand the social and historical environments in which these theories have developed and focus on how theoretical inquiry can serve as a guide for scientific explanation of human behavior. Some of the questions explored will include: What holds societies together? How do societies reproduce themselves? How does social change take place? How are social identities created, maintained, and transformed? What are features of modern social life and where is society headed in the future?
- Exam Format:
- Short answer; essays
- Workload:
- Other Workload: book essay
- Textbooks:
- https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/23390/1219
- Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
- 6 July 2015
ClassInfo Links - Fall 2021 Sociology Classes
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