SOC 215 Social Class

Examines the centrality of social class in contemporary society. Topics include: conceptions of class, class structure, class consciousness, class inequality and social mobility, worker alienation and exploitation, ideology, the relations between class and culture, the role of money and power elites in politics, the role of transnational corporations in the world, and class-based social movements and revolutions.

Credits

4

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Apply analytical skills to social phenomena in order to understand human behavior. Students learn to analyze a fundamental social phenomenon that lies at the core of much social and individual behavior
2. Apply knowledge and experience to foster personal growth and better appreciate the diverse social world in which we live. Students learn how to use their understanding of class to better understand their own life, and the lives of their families, friends, and community members
3. Understand the role of individuals and institutions within the context of society. Students learn to understand how individuals are affected by class, and how class affects individuals
4. Assess different theories and concepts, and understand the distinctions between empirical and other methods of inquiry. Students learn and critique competing conceptualizations and theories of class, and see applied various sociological research methods used in the study of class and related social inequalities
5. Utilize appropriate information literacy skills in written and oral communication. Students learn to read and understand conceptually, theoretically, and historically complex materials on the course subject, and to critically assess and respond to the readings and course lectures and discussions
6. Understand the diversity of human experience and thought, individually and collectively. Students understand the varied and contentious historical and contemporary forms of social class
7. Apply knowledge and skills to contemporary problems and issues. Students learn how to study class structures and class struggles, and how to analyze and strategize proposed solutions