Sociology

A. Rafik Mohamed, Ph.D., Chair
Michelle Madsen Camacho, Ph.D.
Erik D. Fritsvold, Ph.D.
Judith Liu, Ph.D.
Belinda Lum, Ph.D.
Thomas E. Reifer, Ph.D.
John Joe Schlichtman, Ph.D.

The Sociology Major

The degree program in sociology provides students with the analytical tools to help them understand the links between individual experiences and the larger society. In examining social life and social change, the department focuses on questions of power, culture, and inequality in the U.S. and at the global level, combining a comparative-historical perspective with the scientific and humanistic vantage points of the social sciences. All students are exposed to classical and contemporary sociological theories and learn to apply both quantitative and qualitative approaches to sociological research.

The complexity of the field of sociology is reflected in the wide range of courses offered in the department, and in the varied interests and backgrounds of the faculty. Students may elect to pursue a generalist approach to the discipline or to specialize in one of the complementary areas of concentration. These concentrations include: Communities, Urbanization, and Culture; Power and Inequality in Comparative Historical Perspective; and Crime, Justice, and Law and Society.

We share in USD’s mission to work towards peace and social justice, with a special emphasis on the Catholic intellectual and social tradition. Strong community service-learning components and field experience placements in community agencies provide an opportunity for students to link abstract sociological concepts to concrete social issues in the search for solutions to pressing societal problems.

Preparation for the Major

SOCI 101; 100, 110, 215, or 294; and 160 (9 units)

Major Requirements

24 upper-division units in a sociology concentration chosen in consultation with the advisor, to include:
SOCI 322 or 323 (3 units)
SOCI 324 (3 units)
18 additional upper-division units selected from a
concentration. Students who wish to have a generalist perspective must select two courses from each of the three concentrations.

At least 15 of the 24 upper-division units must be taken at USD. No more than 6 non-USD units taken abroad will be accepted for credit toward the sociology major.

The Social Science Teaching Credential

Students wishing to earn a social science teaching credential may do so while completing a major in sociology. The specific requirements for the teaching credential differ from the general requirements of the sociology major. Students interested in pursuing a social science teaching credential should consult the bulletin for the liberal studies major.

The Sociology Minor

18 units of sociology including SOCI 101 and at least 9 upper-division units.

Students are required to complete SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology, SOCI 100: Introduction to Ethnic Studies, SOCI 110: Contemporary Social Issues, or SOCI 215: Perspectives on the City prior to enrolling in any upper-division Sociology course. Students are also required to have completed 45 undergraduate units before enrolling in upper-division sociology courses. These prerequisites may be waived with consent of the instructor.

Area Concentrations

Community, Urbanization, and Culture

With an emphasis on social change and social justice, this concentration examines community structures, processes, and problems, with a focus on urban environments in a globalizing world. Immigration, racial, ethnic, and national diversity, inequality, spatial segregation, community activism and leadership, and schooling and public education are all issues addressed, along with the impact of popular culture. Students will learn to develop creative strategies to address the issues facing urban centers and communities today as global forces increasingly challenge our traditional notions of city and community. The concentration will be of particular interest to those students considering careers in city planning, human services/relations, or social welfare, as well as those contemplating graduate work or professional training in urban planning, public health, urban sociology, geography, and related fields.

SOCI 311 – Popular Culture
SOCI 320 – U.S. Society
SOCI 345 – Social Psychology
SOCI 348 – Juvenile Delinquency
SOCI 350 – Social Institutions
SOCI 352 – Catholic Culture and U.S. Society
SOCI 353 – Marriage and the Family
SOCI 363 – Urban Sociology
SOCI 370 – Sociology of Education
SOCI 388 – Sport in Social Context
SOCI 400 – Urban Planning
SOCI 450 – Culture and the Metropolis
SOCI 464 – Community, Consensus, and Commitment
SOCI 494 – Special Topics

Power and Inequality in Comparative Historical Perspective

In this globally interconnected age of increasing diversity and widening disparities, power, difference, and inequality are at the heart of sociological inquiry. Focusing on the interweaving of structure and agency in comparative historical and global perspective, power and inequality are analyzed from a variety of theoretical vantage points, including that of historical political economy, with an emphasis on race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. Topics addressed include the global expansion of European capitalism, worldwide responses to this, as well as democracy, law, citizenship, and the role of organizations and social movements in social change. Transnational corporations and social movements, urbanization, sustainable development, the environment, and issues of war and peace are also addressed, with a particular emphasis on the Catholic social and intellectual tradition. This concentration will be of interest to those students interested in careers in social change, in the labor movement, public policy, human services/resources, business, as well as for students interested in pursuing graduate work or careers in law, teaching, and related professional fields.

SOCI 311 Popular Culture
SOCI 320 U.S. Society
SOCI 348 Juvenile Delinquency
SOCI 350 Social Institutions
SOCI 353 Marriage and the Family
SOCI 363 The Modern Urban Community (formerly Urban Sociology)
SOCI 364 Work and Labor
SOCI 370 Sociology of Education
SOCI 388 Sport in Social Context
SOCI 400 Urban Planning
SOCI 425 The Black Atlantic
SOCI 450 Culture and the Metropolis
SOCI 455 Cities in a Global Context
SOCI 464 Community, Consensus, and Commitment
SOCI 494 Special Topics (approval of dept. chair required)

Crime, Justice, and Law and Society

This concentration is for students who want to develop theoretical and empirical understandings of crime, the criminal justice system, and law. Through a sociological lens, courses in the concentration focus on the manifestations, causes, and consequences of criminal behavior and the mechanisms of justice, from street level to white-collar crime. Courses also examine how society shapes our understanding of crime, the way individuals and society respond to crime, and changes in the context of globalization. This concentration will be of particular interest to those students considering careers in law, government, criminal justice, law enforcement, or social service, as well as those contemplating graduate work or professional training in related fields.

SOCI 347 Criminology
SOCI 348 Juvenile Delinquency
SOCI 349 Social Control
SOCI 354 Drugs and U.S. Society
SOCI 355 Corrections
SOCI 356 Crime as Entertainment
SOCI 358 Political Sociology
SOCI 368 Social Deviance
SOCI 472 Law and Society
SOCI 473 Rights, Justice, Law and Inequality
SOCI 494 Special Topics (approval of dept. chair required)
POLI 321 or 322 (only one of these two courses may be applied to the major and the course will not apply to any concentration other than crime, justice, law and society)

Sociology Courses (SOCI)

90 Developing Scholarly Undergraduates / 1 UNIT
Using the “sociological imagination,” this course will help students to: 1. develop strong college performance skills and practices for academic success; 2. develop community involvement in USD and local communities; and 3. develop awareness of university services and programs. This course counts for “work-load credit” only. That is, its units are counted as part of the student’s load during the semester/session in which it is taken, and the grade earned in the course is included in the computation of the student’s grade point average, but it does not satisfy any core curriculum requirement, or for the major or minor in sociology, and it does not count toward the 124 units required for graduation. (Summer)

100D Introduction to Ethnic Studies / 3 UNITS
An interdisciplinary introduction addressing key issues regarding identity and definition among diverse cultures. The emphasis is on African-Americans, Chicanos/Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, but includes discussion of other groups in the United States as well. A comparative, historical framework is used to examine such topics as language, family interactions, spirituality, economic and social locations, political aspirations, self definition, and values. (cross listed as ETHN 100D)

101D Introduction to Sociology / 3 UNITS
This course introduces students to basic concepts of sociology: groups, race and ethnicity, class, gender, nation, citizenship, status, role, society, behavior patterns, and social institutions. The approach is broadly comparative, historical, and global in orientation and focus, with an emphasis on the U.S. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, inequality, war, peace, social change, and social justice. (every semester)

110D Contemporary Social Issues / 3 UNITS
This course is an analysis of contemporary social issues and social controversy from a sociological perspective. The course examines what constitutes a social issue, how social issues arise, the various claims-making activities that frame the debates surrounding a particular social issue, and possible ways to alleviate that issue. (every semester)

160 Social Statistics / 3 UNITS
An introduction to the use of quantitative methods with emphasis on measures of central tendency and variability, statistical inference, including the normal curve, elementary probability, sampling, and correlation. (fall semester, every year)

215 Perspectives on the City / 3 UNITS
(Formerly SOCI 115) This course introduces students to the core approaches utilized to investigate the city. Students will explore various theoretical perspectives as they examine the defining debates of urban sociology and other closely related fields. This course also creates a foundation for further study in the departments community, urbanization, and culture concentration.

294 Special Topics in Contemporary Sociology (lower division) / 3 UNITS
An overview and analysis of selected contemporary topics in sociology, with specific content to be determined by particular interest of instructor and students. May be repeated for credit with different course content. (Offered on demand)

311 Popular Culture / 3 UNITS
An examination of the material and other cultural artifacts of everyday life in our society. Included for analysis are: popular literature, films, television, and other mass media forms; popular icons such as children’s toys and adults‚ automobiles as reflections of underlying cultural values and beliefs; and the promotion of “the good life” through popular advertising.

320 U.S. Society / 3 UNITS
An introduction to U.S. society within historical and social perspectives. Transitions and transformations in U.S. culture and values are considered in a social context. Topics explored include industrialization, capitalism, social stratification, and the interplay of freedom, democracy, individualism, and volunteerism with the U.S.’s social structure, political institutions, and cultural framework.

322 Classical Sociological Theories / 3 UNITS
omte to George Herbert Mead. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing. (fall semester, alternate years)

323 Contemporary Sociological Theories / 3 UNITS
Development of sociological theories of contemporary European and U.S. sociologists. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing. (fall semester, alternate years)

324 Methods of Social Research / 3 UNITS
An introduction to a broad range of concepts and methods for the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of sociological data. Conceptual models, research design, empirical methods, and the special problems of measurement, analysis, and interpretation are stressed. Prerequisite: SOCI 160. (spring semester, every year)

331D Race and Ethnic Relations / 3 UNITS
An introduction to theory and research relative to minority group relations in the United States, with particular emphasis upon patterns, problems, and consequences of social interaction and cultural diversity among different racial, national, religious, and socioeconomic groups.

347 Criminology / 3 UNITS
An examination of crime and society, with special emphasis on theories of criminality, types and trends in crime, and current controversies in criminology.

348 Juvenile Delinquency / 3 UNITS
This course provides an empirical description and sociohistorical analysis of the complex social problem of juvenile delinquency. Toward this goal, the course examines the historical circumstances and legal heritage out of which the social construction of juvenile delinquency has emerged. The emphasis of the course is on the process through which juvenile behavior becomes juvenile delinquency and the process through which juveniles become juvenile delinquents. This course also explores theoretical explanations for deviance and law-violating behavior committed by juveniles.

349 Social Control / 3 UNITS
An examination and analysis of the various strategies and techniques utilized to combat deviant and criminal behavior. Attention will be focused on the organization and operation of the U.S. criminal justice system.

350 Social Institutions / 3 UNITS
A comparative analysis of the basic structuring of human societies, utilizing the perspective of social systems theory. Topics for discussion will include such fundamental institutionalized processes as social allocation and social power, as well as the development of total societies from simple to complex forms of organization.

351 China in the 21st Century / 3 UNITS
This course analyzes the historical and social development of the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to the present. Topics explored include: the problems of post-revolutionary institutionalization, the role of ideology, the tension between city and countryside, Maoism, major social movements, socialist education, the urban work force, and the status of women.

353 Marriage and the Family / 3 UNITS
Analysis of the family as a social institution and as a social group, with emphasis on the impact of industrialization on traditional family functions, courtship, role expectations, child rearing, and family stability. The course will examine changes in work patterns, marriage, divorce, and cohabitation over time. Race, ethnicity, and gender differences will also be addressed.

354 Drugs and U.S. Society / 3 UNITS
This course provides a sociohistorical analysis of the cultural, economic, and political forces that have driven anti-drug movements throughout U.S. history. Toward this goal, the course examines the historical circumstances and legal heritage that have contributed to the rise and fall of drug panics and the current disease model of addiction. The implications of the medicalization of deviance are explored, as are the influences of past drug policies and the casualties of the current “war on drugs.”

355 Corrections / 3 UNITS
This course is a critical evaluation of America’s historic and contemporary use of the correctional system as the primary response to crime and many social problems. This seminar is more about ideology than structure; of paramount interest are the social, political and economic contexts of prisons and the “tough on crime” movement that have produced the largest prison system in the world.

356 Crime as Entertainment / 3 UNITS
This course explores the depiction of crime and the criminal justice system in media with a specific but not exclusive emphasis on “old” news and entertainment media (film and television). Particular focus will be placed on the entertainment media’s role in shaping the general public’s ideas of crime and justice. This course also examines the increasingly blurred lines between news and entertainment; the roles film and television play in educating the public about crime and justice; and entertainment media’s role in creating a distorted image of crime and justice. Issues of race, class, and gender will also be explored in the context of entertainment media and crime.

357 Inequality and Stratification / 3 UNITS
An analysis of the structures and dynamics of social inequality, focusing upon competing theoretical explanations and empirical investigations of different arrangements by which wealth, power, and prestige are distributed in human societies.

358 Political Sociology / 3 UNITS
An introduction to the sociological analysis of the theory and practice of power in contemporary societies. Emphasis will be placed upon such topics as the nature of political power, social and cultural foundations of political institutions, sources and patterns of political involvement, and the social consequences of various types of power structures.

359D Gender Through the Prism of Difference / 3 UNITS
This course explores how gender organizes our society. It focuses on how specific institutions affect individual agency; for example, how do the media, corporate industries, and professional organizations differently influence the social construction of femininity and masculinity? What processes of social activism and resistance do individuals engage to challenge such pressures? Analyses also focus on how conceptions of biological determinism affect behavior. Finally, the intersections of race, class, and sexual diversity among men and women are investigated as they relate to social phenomenon such as production, reproduction, identity, and social change.

362 Social Change: Global Perspectives / 3 UNITS
Using sociological perspectives on the roles of cultural beliefs and social practices in shaping people’s lives, this course offers an overview of the organizing principles of society that resulted in the transition of pre-industrial societies to modern industrial states. The goals of the course are to make students aware of the power that social and cultural structures hold over them, of the fact that different societies will necessarily hold disparate views on how societies should be organized, and how to assess social/cultural differences in a non judgmental way. Topics covered include the technological bases of social organization, sex and gender stratification, demography, nationalism, religion, and civil society.

363 The Modern Urban Community / 3 UNITS
(Formerly Urban Sociology) The goal of this course is to expose students to the array of topics that occupy the attention of contemporary urban scholars: political, economic, and cultural issues related to urban transformation, urban inequalities, urban design, urban consumption, urban sustainability, and urban security. It is strongly recommended that students complete Perspectives on the City before enrolling in this course.

364 Work and Labor / 3 UNITS
Examination of work, the labor force, and labor markets are integral to sociological theory and research. This course examines how labor and work impact and structure daily life, social structures, and the political economy. In addition, this course examines the relationship between politics and policy and the labor force in the United States.

368 Social Deviance / 3 UNITS
An analysis of conceptions of deviant behavior, the nature and prevalence of such behavior, and the theories developed to explain deviance. Emphasis is upon the relationship of such behavior to social structure and social processes.

369D Sexualities / 3 UNITS
An analysis of the phenomenon of human sexuality from a sociological perspective. An understanding of the diversity of sexuality, development of sex roles, sexual orientation, historical and cross-cultural views of sexuality, and trends in sexual behavior and attitudes. Topics will include such issues as sexual identity, socialization, social change, and social movements.

370 Sociology of Education / 3 UNITS
An introduction to education as a social process and a social institution. Topics include: the social functions of education; the school as a formal organization and social system; social factors affecting the educational process; and an examination of change and innovation in education.

375D The U.S. Mosaic / 3 UNITS
The examination of selected racial/ethnic groups, social classes, sexual orientations, religions, and nationalities from a sociological perspective. This course focuses on acquiring an understanding of diversity and multiculturalism in modern U.S. society. Topics include such issues as identity, political economy, social organization, social change, and social movements.

380 Collective Behavior / 3 UNITS
An examination of the short-lived, and often extraordinary, non institutionalized behavioral phenomena of crowds, mobs, riots, panics, and crazes that seem to periodically disturb the orderly flow of human societal life. Also examined will be the processes by which these “social aberrations” may become institutionalized, as social movements, as part of a new and emerging sociocultural order.

385 Aging and Society / 3 UNITS
A study of the sociological, psychological, and cultural approaches and problems related to the aging process, with an emphasis on what it means to grow old in U.S. society.

388 Sport in Social Context / 3 UNITS
This course examines of the role of sport in the U.S. and global societies. Topics include sport and social values, socialization into sport, the political and economic aspects of sport, sport and violence, and sport and education. Ultimately, this course is designed to explore the deeper meanings and social significance of sport with particular regard to issues of race, gender, class, history, social mobility, education, and politics.

400 Introduction to Urban Planning / 3 UNITS
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the theories and practices of urban planning. It approaches planning as a technical profession, a visionary field, and a political and governmental function.

420D Black Eyes on America / 3 UNITS
In this course students read works of black fiction to critically examine U.S. society from the late slavery period to the present. The objectives of this course are: for students to gain a more comprehensive understanding of U.S. society; for students to consider the different histories that have been lived in the U.S. based on racial identity; and for students to appreciate the centrality of race and class in the development of American social, political, cultural, and economic institutions.

425 The Black Atlantic / 3 UNITS
With a particular emphasis on Jamaica, this course provides an overview of Caribbean society and culture from the beginning of the trans-Atlantic slave trade to the present. Specific attention will be given to the themes of colonization, slavery, culture, and resistance. Students are asked to consider the role European colonization played in shaping Caribbean societies and culture for the bad and the good, and the role of the world’s most powerful nations in detracting from the self-determination and global competency of less-developed former colonies. This course seeks to engender cultural competence in students and have them use Caribbean cultures as a lens through which they critically evaluate their racial, ethnic, gendered, national, and socioeconomic selves.

450 Culture and the Metropolis / 3 UNITS
This course explores the relationship between culture and the city. It examines the ways in which factors such as migration, development, and politics influence urban culture and, alternatively, how a distinctly urban culture influences life in the city.

455 Cities in a Global Context / 3 UNITS
In this course, we will develop an understanding of cities as critical nodes within a world that is growing ever more socially, politically, and economically connected. We will investigate the causes and effects of this interconnectedness as well as the methods utilized to measure it. We will explore how the global context shapes urban issues, examining the urban networks across which capital, labor, and ideas flow.

460 Immigrant America / 3 UNITS
This course provides an overview of sociological research in the field of international migration. This course focuses on topics including: migration flows into gateway cities such as San Diego, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami; transnationalism; immigration law and policy; immigrant families; activism, citizenship; and work.

464 Community, Consensus, and Commitment / 3 UNITS
This interdisciplinary course will be useful for students who seek to understand contemporary social issues in a purposeful and strategic manner. The course utilizes theory and practice in order for students to learn the various dimensions of what constitutes community, and how to apply the tools of community organizing, consensus-building, and sustaining commitment in addressing social issues.

472D Law and Society / 3 UNITS
This course examines the relationship between formal law and other social institutions. It begins with an examination of legal theory and theories of law creation. It then explores the role of law in both fostering and remedying social inequality, law as a vehicle for social change, and the many other roles of law in modern U.S. society. The underlying premise is simple, law is a social construct. No matter how it is defined, law is not simply an objective system of do’s and don’ts; rather, it is something that is shaped by history, social conditions, and particular groups in society.

473 Rights, Justice, Law and Inequality / 3 UNITS
The study of rights, justice, and law as social institutions. After being introduced to the sociolegal foundations of U.S. society and the scope of contemporary law, students will be expected to closely and critically examine the role law plays in the establishment and taking away of individual rights and liberties. Students will also be expected to develop an understanding of justice, how the meaning of justice has changed over the course of U.S. history, and the social forces that have played a role in molding new interpretations of justice. This course places special emphasis on the law’s role in both producing and remedying social inequality. Particular attention is given to the subjects of race, gender, class, civil rights, and privacy rights.

493 Field Experience in Sociology / 1-3 UNITS
Practical experience in a field setting under professional and faculty supervision. Each student will complete 40 hours of training and service in an assigned field setting. Students may be required to attend an orientation program prior to their placement. Regularly scheduled meetings with the faculty supervisor and a learning journal of experiences are required from each student. May be taken for one to three units per semester. Field experience courses may not be applied toward fulfillment of requirements for the sociology major. Prerequisite: Consent of faculty supervisor is required prior to registration. Pass/fail option only.

494 Special Topics in Contemporary Sociology / 3 UNITS
An in-depth analysis of selected contemporary topics in sociology, with specific content to be determined by particular interest of instructor and students. May be repeated for credit with different course content. (Offered on demand)

498 Internship in Sociology / 3 UNITS
A practicum course involving a minimum of 120 hours per semester with various community, social service, and criminal justice agencies throughout San Diego County. Students may be required to attend an orientation program prior to their placement. Fieldwork is under the supervision of agency personnel and the faculty supervisor. Regularly scheduled meetings with the faculty supervisor, a learning journal of experiences, and a research paper are required from each student. A maximum of 6 units of credit from internship courses may be applied toward fulfillment of requirements for the sociology major. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and consent of the faculty supervisor are required prior to registration.

499 Independent Study / 1-3 UNITS
Individual study and written research working in close collaboration with a faculty advisor. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and of the department chair.