Sociology and Anthropology

ANTH 1000. Anthropology at Northeastern. (1 Hour)

Intended for first-year students in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. Introduces students to liberal arts; familiarizes them with their major; develops the academic skills necessary to succeed (analytical ability and critical thinking); provides grounding in the culture and values of the University community; and helps to develop interpersonal skills—in short, familiarizes students with all skills needed to become a successful university student.

ANTH 1101. Peoples and Cultures. (4 Hours)

Surveys basic concepts in cultural anthropology by looking at a range of societies and the issues they face in a globalizing world. Examines the manner in which cultures adapt to, reject, or modify all of the changes they face. These changes impact everything from traditional family structure, to religion, gender, all the way to patterns of joking and concepts of beauty the world over.

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture

ANTH 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 2302. Gender and Sexuality: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. (4 Hours)

Explores concepts of “sex” and “gender” in a cross-cultural framework as they pertain to social status, work, the body, intersexuality, third or alternative genders, and intersectionality. Problematizes normative assumptions about femininity and masculinity; the relations between men and women; and the meanings and implications of being a woman, man, or an other-gendered person. Examines how social constructions of gender contribute and interact with other systems of categorization and structures of inequality such as race, class, and ethnicity.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 2305. Global Markets and Local Culture. (4 Hours)

Examines selected topics in the socioeconomic transformation of other cultures, including urbanization, industrialization, globalization, commodity production, and international labor migration. Focuses on the impact of global capitalist development on contemporary developing and postcolonial societies as well as local responses and/or resistances to those changes.

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture

ANTH 2315. Religion and Modernity. (4 Hours)

Introduces a cross-cultural, comparative perspective on religious practice and belief. Explores theoretical definitions of and methodological approaches to the study of religion, as well as more specific concepts of ritual, myth, healing, and identity. Select case studies allow for an in-depth look at the unique formations of a few religious practices and groups.

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 2485. Environment, Technology, and Society. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the connections between the development of modern nation-states and the control of nature. Explores the role human societies play in such events as climate change, tsunamis, and droughts. Studies how industrialization and the process of science and technology development are related to our transforming environmental conditions, as well as how the social sciences, the sciences, and engineering are transforming to address these issues. Draws on social theory, environmental history, anthropology, sociology, art, design, and open-source technologies to investigate theoretically and methodologically the sources, experiences of, and solutions for environmental health questions.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 2991. Research Practicum. (2-4 Hours)

Involves students in collaborative research under the supervision of a faculty member. Offers students an opportunity to learn basic research methods in the discipline. Requires permission of instructor. May be repeated once for up to 4 total credits.

ANTH 3100. Gender, Social Justice, and Transnational Activism. (4 Hours)

Introduces key issues, themes, and debates in feminist transnational theory, practice, and activism in contemporary contexts and how it has changed under socioeconomic, political, and cultural processes of globalization. Examines differences among women relating to race, class, sexuality, national identity, and political economy in reckoning with possibilities for sustainable social justice. Students interrogate the relationship between the local and global; the production of knowledge in different regional spaces; the pragmatics of political mobilization; the varying contours of “social justice”; and other key issues. Offers students an opportunity to discuss the impact of globalization, neoliberalism, and state and intimate violence on gendered politics and relations and to contend with the politics of difference, to debate its challenges, and to imagine possible futures for transnational gender justice.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 3200. Cities in Global Context. (4 Hours)

Examines the roots of the urbanization process, major ways of thinking about it, and the development of world cities and megacities. The twenty-first century will be a century in which urbanism is a central problem and opportunity. Considers the economic, political, cultural, and environmental dimensions of urbanism across the globe. Includes specific case studies from around the world. Encourages students to develop a knowledge of particular cities in order to examine the key themes of the course. INTL 3200, ANTH 3200, and SOCL 3200 are cross-listed.

ANTH 3410. Ethnographic Field Experience. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to experience fieldwork while studying current ethnographic methods and theory and to design a semester-long ethnographic field research project. Field sites may include public and outdoor spaces, online communities, cultural centers, schools, immigrant neighborhoods, sports organizations, social service agencies, nonprofit groups, religious institutions, etc.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Analyzing/Using Data, NUpath Integration Experience

ANTH 3417. Political Anthropology. (4 Hours)

Examines the anthropology of politics, focusing on the anthropology of the state. Studies the history of political anthropology with its roots in British structural-formalism and contextualizes it within the anthropology of Africa and witchcraft. Explores the linkages between the nation and the state, using classic works of Benedict Anderson on nationalism, before commencing an in-depth study of the problems of the state, classical theories of the state and statecraft, and how these ideas are traced to contemporary ethnographies of politics. Students interested in the study of resistance, displacement, social exclusion, citizenship, state violence, and communities may find this course relevant to their interests.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 3418. Wired/Unwired: Cybercultures and Technopolitics. (4 Hours)

Explores the impacts of technology and new media on politics, society, and culture. Emphasizes the socioeconomic and political frameworks within which technologies are embedded as well as the role of technology and the Internet in contemporary political and cultural movements. Topics may include the political and cultural effects of the census, the radio, and the camera; the history of the Internet; virtual worlds and communities; online politics and activism; as well as blogging, gaming, and social networking.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture

ANTH 3421. Foundations of Anthropological Theory. (4 Hours)

Introduces the foundations of anthropological theory. Examines recurring themes surrounding structure and agency, culture and power, and the tension between the individual and society. Addresses these questions by returning to anthropology’s Enlightenment roots, early evolutionary thought, classic and contemporary theories, as well as ongoing critiques of the discipline. Explores different schools of thought, including functionalism, structural functionalism, symbolism, interpretivism, and more recent theoretical developments that address history, political economy, reflexivity, poststructuralism, and feminism, as well as transnational/global and activist approaches. Requires prior completion of two ANTH courses numbered 1000 or above.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

ANTH 3441. Medical Anthropology. (4 Hours)

Examines core concepts of medicine as a cultural system, then moves to anthropology of the body as it has been understood and shaped within healing systems. Medical anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that uses the four-field approach to examine cultural concepts and experiences of health, illness, treatment, and power cross-culturally. Emphasizes history and construction of biomedicine. Surveys traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Voudon, Mayan curanderos, and other folk healing systems around the world. Explores medical pluralism, the common practice of seeking out and utilizing more than one therapeutic treatment style at one time; structural violence; and how healing systems interact with broader political and social systems globally.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of C or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of C

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 3442. Anthropology of Law. (4 Hours)

Examines the institutions, history, and practices of modern law, including the contradictions of liberal law, its co-emergence with narratives of “the primitive” and “the civilized”, its relationship to Christianity and science, and its most pervasive myths and cultural assumptions. No prior knowledge of law is required.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 4100. Making Anthropology Public. (4 Hours)

Reflects on the social, economic, ecological, and cultural value of anthropology as a field, as well as an experiential learning space for transforming anthropological research into material understandable by the general public. Offers students an opportunity to learn methodologies across visual, collaborative, and engaged anthropologies, as well as to study the ethical considerations and specific skills necessary to communicate effectively in a variety of modalities.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of B-

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience, NUpath Creative Express/Innov, NUpath Integration Experience

ANTH 4200. Anthropology of Rural America. (4 Hours)

Considers how rural areas are socially, geographically, and culturally constructed by political, social, and racialized forces through both isolationist and extractive practices. Confronts rurality as a political image, showing how it takes on both meanings of belonging and otherness depending on its context and usage. Explores the theoretical concept of rurality and its relationship to colonialism; regional case studies; and intersectional issues of gender, sexuality, race, class, and social inequality. Offers students an opportunity to explore essential topics in and related to the anthropology of rural studies.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture

ANTH 4210. Anthropology of Eastern Europe. (4 Hours)

Explores the societies, cultures, and politics of Eastern Europe, focusing on social upheaval and cultural change after the fall of state socialism. Examines themes including capitalist transition, European integration, ethnic and religious conflict, nation-building, and state contestation, maintaining a focus on the everyday realities of Eastern Europeans. Covers key theoretical debates about East-West geopolitical polarity, drawing on decolonial and postcolonial perspectives to challenge representations of Eastern Europe as transitional, peripheral, or backwards.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 4220. South Asian Diasporas. (4 Hours)

Seeks to provide an understanding of South Asians as one of the largest migrant communities globally, coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. Concentrates on the diaspora as a heterogeneous group comprising multiple nationalities, religions, castes, classes, languages, and genders. Examines the history, opportunities, and challenges of South Asian mobility and migration. Draws from texts in sociocultural anthropology, Asian American studies, history, and transnational feminist studies to trace the emergence of a new global regime on migration and citizenship through the unprecedented mobility of South Asians in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 4350. Ethnography of Southeast Asia. (4 Hours)

Offers a seminar on the societies and cultures of Southeast Asia. Uses an interdisciplinary approach to this diverse and dynamic geopolitical region, with readings from anthropology, history, political science, and literature. Covers the major political and cultural changes that have shaped Southeast Asia in relation to the world—from the age of colonial expansion, to the rise of nation-states, to the present global era. Examines central questions in the ethnography of Southeast Asia, emphasizing the postcolonial legacies of Southeast Asia, states and violence, culture and mobility, and pressing contemporary issues in globalizing Southeast Asia. ANTH 4350 and INTL 4350 are cross-listed.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 4410. Neoliberalism in Asia. (4 Hours)

Introduces key definitions and theories of neoliberalism and situates these ideas through Asian experiences of neoliberalism. Emphasizes the relationship between neoliberal processes and state-led development, as well as the relationship between neoliberal thought and bottom-up societal changes. Combines films, theoretical readings, and ethnography to explore hallmarks of anthropological analyses of neoliberalism in debates over cultural agency, locality, values, and politics in East, South, and Southeast Asian countries. Critically examines topics such as English-language dominance in the Asian region, the rise of plastic surgery, youth unemployment and political consciousness, and real estate speculation in Asian megacities.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 4500. Latin American Society and Development. (4 Hours)

Explores the processes of social, economic, and cultural change in Latin America. While concentrating on the present, traces class formation, agrarian structures, ethnic identity, ceremonial organization, gender roles, and political conflict since the colonial era in a range of countries. Emphasizes the relationship of communities and national political and economic systems. May emphasize Central America and Mexico or countries in South America through case studies. ANTH 4500 and INTL 4500 are cross-listed.

Prerequisite(s): (SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- ); (ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Writing Intensive

ANTH 4510. Anthropology of Africa. (4 Hours)

Explores Africa’s changing place in the world. Studies the history of Africa and explores the role of ethnography in the making of colonial Africa and the cultural transformations and continuities produced by the emergence of African cities during and after colonialism. Studies postcolonial Africa to critically and comparatively engage with contemporary issues facing African societies. Considers the efflorescence of new cultural forms of music, art, film, and literature, in conjunction with new sources of identity such as nationality, religion, ethnicity, consumption, and migration. AFRS 4510, ANTH 4510 and INTL 4510 are cross-listed.

Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- ); (ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Writing Intensive

ANTH 4515. Culture and Politics in Modern India. (4 Hours)

Introduces the histories, cultures, and peoples of India. Seeks to convey a sense of how knowledge has been constructed about the region and how the subcontinent has been shaped by its engagements with the world through such processes as colonization, state building, and globalization. Uses readings, films, and class discussions to examine themes and topics that include Orientalism, postcolonialism, caste and community, gender and sexualities, conflict and violence, development and resistance, and transnational structures and processes. Critically evaluates some commonly held assumptions, including classical understandings of tradition and modernity, cohesion and conflict, and nation and identity. ANTH 4515 and INTL 4515 are cross-listed.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Societies/Institutions, NUpath Writing Intensive

ANTH 4520. Chinese Society and Culture. (4 Hours)

Introduces students to changes in society and economy in contemporary China. Examines changes in family, gender relations, rural life, work, and international relations. Draws on literature from a range of disciplines including sociology, political science, anthropology, and economics.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

ANTH 4580. Special Topics in Anthropology. (4 Hours)

Designed as a specialized themes course for students with prior experience in anthropology and/or sociology. Offers unique opportunities—visiting guests, special thematic interests—which are not part of the regular curriculum. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 4600. Senior Seminar. (4 Hours)

Designed to deal with anthropological theory and work with students who are asked to apply these theories to some of their own work. Content may vary.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience, NUpath Writing Intensive

ANTH 4970. Junior/Senior Honors Project 1. (4 Hours)

Focuses on in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. Combined with Junior/Senior Project 2 or college-defined equivalent for 8-credit honors project. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 4971. Junior/Senior Honors Project 2. (4 Hours)

Focuses on second semester of in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. May be repeated without limit.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 4970 with a minimum grade of D-

ANTH 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

ANTH 4992. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)

Offers independent work under the direction of members of the department on a chosen topic. Course content depends on instructor. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 1000. Sociology at Northeastern. (1 Hour)

Intended for first-year students in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. Introduces students to liberal arts; familiarizes them with their major; develops the academic skills necessary to succeed (analytical ability and critical thinking); provides grounding in the culture and values of the University community; and helps to develop interpersonal skills—in short, familiarizes students with all skills needed to become a successful university student.

SOCL 1101. Introduction to Sociology. (4 Hours)

Explores diverse social phenomena, from how people try to look their best in face-to-face interactions; to how race, gender, and class shape identities and social conditions; to how industrial capitalism came to dominate the world. Offers students an opportunity to gain a grasp of key sociological theories and empirical research on topics such as social order, social conflict, and social change, as well as learn to identify social forces that shape human behavior, explain how these forces affect individuals and social groups, and make valid predictions about how they may shape future behavior or events.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1102. Sex, Gender, and Popular Culture. (4 Hours)

Examines how femininities, masculinities, and different forms of sexual identity are produced and represented within popular culture. Using theories and concepts from both feminist/sexuality studies and popular culture studies, analyzes popular texts and media for their treatment of gender and sexuality and the intersection of those categories with racial and class identities. Explores the visual representation of women (and men) and analyzes how visual and textual media shape our attitudes and identities. Required reading and assignments include close readings of texts, film screenings, class discussions and activities, writing assignments, and creative projects.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Interpreting Culture

SOCL 1235. Social Psychology. (4 Hours)

Studies the relationship between society and the individual. Focuses on three theoretical perspectives—symbolic interactionism, social structure and personality, and group processes—in order to understand how human behavior is tied to social and cultural contexts and how individuals shape and are shaped by group interaction. Topics may include socialization and how people develop a “social sense of self”; cross-cultural differences in interactional styles; pressures to conform to roles and stereotypes; deviance and mental health; inequality based on race/ethnicity, social class, and gender; identity formation and change, attitudes, and behavior, including prejudice and discrimination; and collective behavior, including social movements.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1245. Sociology of Poverty. (4 Hours)

Analyzes American poverty in historical perspective, drawing on comparisons with other countries. Critically evaluates sociological research and theories relating to poverty. Considers causes and effects of poverty as well as societal responses to poverty and its consequences. Suitable for students in applied fields, such as nursing, criminal justice, education, allied health, premed, and prelaw.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1246. Environment and Society. (4 Hours)

Examines the social, political, and economic forces behind the global environmental crisis. Topics include such issues as global warming and climate disruption, world resource availability and the global economic crisis, environmental justice and social inequities in the exposure to ecological hazards, science and technology, environmental degradation in the Third World, globalization and unfair trade, state power and the role of the polluter-industrial complex in the United States, the history of the environmental movement, and exemplary environmental policies and programs. This theoretically oriented course also involves practical experience in environmental problem solving.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1255. Sociology of the Family. (4 Hours)

Provides a comparative approach to the study of families as social institutions, with particular emphasis on the changing patterns of family life.Introduces questions such as what families need and how the family is affected by other social institutions, political and economic forces, or cultural concerns.Considers how inequality (broadly defined) affects contemporary families.Substantive topics may include dating and marriage, cohabitation, health, and housing.Critically evaluates the methods that sociologists use to study changing practices of cohabitation, marriage, and divorce; interracial relationships; and changes in household composition, including same-sex or gender-nonconforming households.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1260. Sociology of Gender. (4 Hours)

Considers why and how gender is socially constructed in U.S. society and looks at different theories of gender. Explores gender as an institution as well as different (cultural) expressions of masculinities and femininities. Includes topics of gender in everyday life as well as gender as an organizing principle in the institutions of families, education, workplaces, sexualities, religion, the media, politics, and forms of gender violence. SOCL 1260 and WMNS 1260 are cross-listed.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1280. The Twenty-First-Century Workplace. (4 Hours)

Analyzes the transformation of work since the advent of industrial capitalism. Emphasizes the organization and experience of work since World War II and the contemporary shifts underway in the wake of deindustrialization, the rise of service work, the emergence of the internet, the platform revolution, and the globalization of business organizations. Topics include the shifting nature of authority relations at work; changing forms of labor control; types of workplace culture in traditional and high-tech settings; and efforts to identify and reduce bias against women, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community. Addresses dilemmas arising from the introduction of advanced technologies.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1295. Drugs and Society. (4 Hours)

Focuses on historical and contemporary drug issues through the lens of classic sociological concerns. Rather than looking at only the legal/illegal discourse or historical/contemporary production, distribution, and use of drugs, the course frames drug topics around issues of class, race and ethnicity, age, and gender, asking the question of which drugs are used by whom and why at certain life stages. Specific topics include the high incarceration rates for nonviolent drug offenders; the role of drugs in death and dying via death penalty drugs and/or hospice care; mental health and drug treatment; and the potential perfidy of global drug testing and management.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 2205. Law and Social Justice. (4 Hours)

Analyzes the impact of the legal system on the creation and perpetuation of criminality in contemporary American society. Devotes particular attention to the study of the creation of criminal law, the judicial process, and the role of law in the gap between crime and social justice. Suitable for students in prelaw, criminal justice, political science, and allied fields.

SOCL 2225. Sociology of Disability. (4 Hours)

Examines how the social model of disability has challenged the predominant medical model defining disability as simply biological impairment and abnormality. Offers students an opportunity to explore how the sociological perspective contributes to understanding lived experiences of disability and how disabilities are deeply interlinked to experiences of racial-ethnic, gender, and class inequality. According to the World Health Organization, some 15 percent of the world’s population lives with disability. Yet what exactly is a disability? Successful students are expected to become conversant with theories of the social-historical construction of disabilities, the differences between visible and invisible impairments, the contributions of disability rights activism, and the bioethical questions about difference raised by medical technologies.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Ethical Reasoning

SOCL 2270. Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the social construction of race and ethnicity and the nature of dominant/minority relations in the United States. Emphasizes the peculiar evolution of race relations in U.S. history, the political and economic conditions that have transformed race relations, and the nature of contemporary racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Topics include immigration, ethnic and racial identity, discrimination, and race-based policies (e.g., residential restrictive codes, Jim Crow segregation). Offers students an opportunity to develop a critical lens from which to observe and interpret contemporary debates over structural racism.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2280. Sociology of Mental Health. (4 Hours)

Explores how mental health and illness are socially constructed. Compares perspectives to illustrate how population mental health is shaped by social, political, and economic conditions. Substantive topics may include the medicalization of deviant behavior, changing definitions of mental illness across time and cultures, the social determinants of mental illness, and the responses by the mental health care system.

SOCL 2303. Gender and Reproductive Justice. (4 Hours)

Introduces the social, legal, and economic barriers to accessing reproductive healthcare domestically and internationally. Draws on various theoretical and analytic tools including critical race theory, critical legal theory, sociology of science, human rights, feminist theory, and a range of public health methods. Access to reproductive health services, including abortion, is one of the most contested political, social, cultural, and religious issues today. Covers domestic, regional, and international legal and regulatory frameworks on sexual reproductive health. HIST 2303, SOCL 2303, and WMNS 2303 are cross-listed.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2320. Statistical Analysis in Sociology. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to obtain knowledge and skills essential for understanding the theory and practice of social statistics commonly used in social research. Topics covered include the operationalization of abstract concepts; descriptive statistics; correlation; bivariate regression; central limit theorem; confidence intervals; hypothesis testing; and key concepts such as association, causation, and spurious relationships. Statistical software is used to complete assignments.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Analyzing/Using Data

SOCL 2321. Research Methods in Sociology. (4 Hours)

Introduces students to the range of research methods used by sociologists. Covers experimental research, field research, survey research, and historical-comparative research. Sampling, the rules of evidence in empirical research, research ethics, and the place of values are discussed.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Analyzing/Using Data

SOCL 2323. Ethnographic Methods. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the practical, ethical, and theoretical issues underlying qualitative field research. Emphasizes firsthand experience with participation, observation, interviewing, note-taking, data analysis, and ethnographic writing.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- ; SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Analyzing/Using Data, NUpath Integration Experience

SOCL 2355. Race, Identity, Social Change, and Empowerment. (4 Hours)

Introduces and sensitizes students to the forms, practices, and effects of racism and discrimination on the various populations in the United States and presents frameworks for understanding and working with people with histories of discrimination and different cultural identities. Pays special attention to human services with diverse populations in schools, prisons, and employment assistance programs.

Prerequisite(s): ENGW 1102 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity

SOCL 2358. Current Issues in Cities and Suburbs. (4 Hours)

Introduces students to pressing urban issues: urban sprawl, poverty, education, transportation, economic development, and housing, through an intensive analysis of the Boston metropolitan area. The course is cotaught by university faculty and practitioners in government, community, and nonprofit organizations throughout the metropolitan area. Offers students the opportunity to analyze Boston data, go on outings to see development in progress, talk with urban practitioners about what they do, and conduct research on an urban issue of their choice.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2359. Current Issues in Cities and Suburbs Abroad. (4 Hours)

Introduces students to pressing urban issues—urban sprawl, poverty, education, transportation, economic development, and housing—through an intensive analysis of the metropolitan area. Taught by university faculty and local practitioners in government, community, and nonprofit organizations. Offers students an opportunity to analyze urban data, to go on outings to see development in progress, and to talk with urban practitioners about what they do in urban contexts outside of the United States. To be taken as part of a Dialogue of Civilizations. May be repeated without limit.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Integration Experience, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2365. Latinx Youthhood in the United States. (4 Hours)

Surveys topics related to Latinx youthhood. Includes historical, social, and cultural roots of Latinx youthhoods in the United States and how Latinx youthhood has been shaped within colonial, transnational, and global contexts. Emphasizes understanding the ways in which social institutions found in and across the United States and Latin American sending communities have structured Latinx youthhoods in relation to race, gender, class, and citizenship, as well as how Latinx youths have exercised agency to contest the social inequalities resulting from the practices and policies of these social institutions.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2485. Environment, Technology, and Society. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the connections between the development of modern nation-states and the control of nature. Explores the role human societies play in such events as climate change, tsunamis, and droughts. Asks how industrialization and the process of science and technology development are related to our transforming environmental conditions, as well as how the social sciences, the sciences, and engineering are transforming to address these issues. Draws on social theory, environmental history, anthropology/sociology, art/design, and open-source technologies to investigate theoretically and methodologically the sources, experiences of, and solutions for environmental health questions.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2500. Race and Global Human Mobility. (4 Hours)

Examines the relationship between race and the movement of people around the globe. Offers students an opportunity to acquire a concrete understanding of how race and ethnicity (as social constructions) have developed as people have migrated (under free will or forced circumstances) within and across geopolitical territories (e.g, colonies, countries) in the past (1400s) and through the present. Ethnoracial-related conflicts connected to migration (e.g., rebellions by the enslaved during the Atlantic slave trade, Rwandan genocide, Syrian civil war) may also be explored.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 2991. Research Practicum. (2-4 Hours)

Involves students in collaborative research under the supervision of a faculty member. Offers students an opportunity to learn basic research methods in the discipline. Requires permission of instructor. May be repeated once for up to 4 total credits.

SOCL 3200. Cities in Global Context. (4 Hours)

Examines the roots of the urbanization process, major ways of thinking about it, and the development of world cities and megacities. The twenty-first century will be a century in which urbanism is a central problem and opportunity. Considers the economic, political, cultural, and environmental dimensions of urbanism across the globe. Includes specific case studies from around the world. Encourages students to develop a knowledge of particular cities in order to examine the key themes of the course. INTL 3200, ANTH 3200, and SOCL 3200 are cross-listed.

SOCL 3241. Violence and Society. (4 Hours)

Examines the notion of violence and its pervasive presence in the social institutions we create and maintain every day. Addresses key debates and findings in sociological literature on violence, drawing on other disciplines as they prove helpful. Sociology tells us that the beliefs, values, and norms that characterize the United States legitimize the preference for violence, largely through the obvious venues of the mass media that glorify violence but also in the subtler structural arrangements collectively constructed and maintained in our everyday behaviors. Offers students an opportunity to understand how the structure of our society and its social institutions inhibit or facilitate violent behavior.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 3270. Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the social construction of race and ethnicity and the nature of dominant/minority relations in the United States. Emphasizes the peculiar evolution of race relations in U.S. history, the political and economic conditions that have transformed race relations, and the nature of contemporary racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Topics include immigration, ethnic and racial identity, discrimination, and race-based policies (e.g., residential restrictive codes, Jim Crow segregation). Offers students an opportunity to develop a critical lens from which to observe and interpret contemporary debates over structural racism.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 3300. Social Theory. (4 Hours)

Reviews the dominant theoretical traditions in classical and contemporary sociology, showing the links between the social thought of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and current social thought.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- ; (ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 3407. The Immigrant Experience: Ethnicity, Race, and Inequality in America. (4 Hours)

Presents the sociological study of immigration in the United States. Emphasizes the ways U.S. institutions (e.g., federal, state, and local governments; the legal system; the economy; schools; families) have shaped immigrant integration and incorporation and vice versa. Presents theories and concepts that explain how experiences of integration and incorporation differ for disparate groups of immigrants and their children due to their associated social categories including race, class, gender, sexuality, and citizenship. Examines how local and state institutions (Boston and Massachusetts, respectively) have shaped immigrant integration in recent years.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 3441. Sociology of Health and Illness. (4 Hours)

Offers a substantial overview of the sociology of health and illness. Medical sociology is an important subfield of sociology with important links to public health, social psychology, psychology, and other medical fields. Emphasizes several critical areas: society and disease; theoretical understandings of health inequalities; medicalization and social control; healthcare professions and professionalization; and the American healthcare system. Offers students an opportunity to obtain analytical frameworks to explore other topics in medical sociology not covered in this course.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions, NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 3450. Class, Power, and Social Change. (4 Hours)

Explores theories and research on the institutionalized forms of inequality that have accompanied the rise of advanced capitalism in Western society. Major topics include the competing definitions of class that have developed among social scientists; the relation between class and race in the United States; how class and gender have intersected historically; and the link between workers' movements, political systems, and the forms that capitalist development has assumed in Western Europe and the United States. Students conduct projects in which they explore the conceptions of social justice held by members of subordinate groups.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 3468. Social Movements. (4 Hours)

Introduces the social, cultural, and political dynamics that surround social movements, both historically and in the contemporary world. Emphasizes theory and research on national and transnational social movements, including studies of revolutions and political upheavals, racial justice and demands for civil and human rights, movements for gender equality, and other instances of movements for social and political change. Focuses on how structural factors shape social movement emergence and development and how social movements in turn shape the structure of societies.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 3487. Applied Sociology: Practice and Theory. (4 Hours)

Offers the academic component of the experiential education requirement for sociology majors; to be taken after students have completed the experiential component. Provides a seminar format in which students will reflect upon their approved experience (that is, co-op, internship, community service, and so on) and integrate it into a research project. Students who have completed study abroad or a service-learning course in the department may not have to take this course.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

SOCL 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 4485. Sociology of Education. (4 Hours)

Examines the ways in which schools and societies are interconnected. More specifically, introduces the educational practices and policies that reproduce or challenge social stratification, social mobility, and adult socio-economic success. Explores the relationships among social actors including teachers, students, and parents, as well as educational policies and practices that shape educational equity and opportunity. Focuses on curriculum development and implementation, ability grouping and tracking, teacher preparation and professional development. Explores how these and other educational policies and practices may differ due to race, class, gender, and citizenship.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 4520. Race, Class, and Gender. (4 Hours)

Considers the intersection of race, class, and gender in social structure, institutions, and people’s lives. Utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to focus on the socially constructed nature of these concepts and how they shape and create meaning in individual lives. Difference with an emphasis on inequality and varying life chances is central for understanding our society and is central to our work. Requires a significant amount of reading. Class format is like a seminar; students are expected to participate, take responsibility, and write a paper. SOCL 4520 and WMNS 4520 are cross-listed.

Prerequisite(s): (SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- ); (ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C ) or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C

Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 4522. Environmental Justice. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to engage in advanced social science research on topics relating to environmental justice, citizen science, and environmental health. Examines various environmental justice topics with the goal of producing a research project or paper. Case studies examined include the impacts of toxic waste dumping on human health and the environment, the role of global climate change in creating new waves of migration around the world, the rise of the Slow Food movement, and the relationship between environmental and data justice. Studies how to redesign research methods, tools, and processes to support environmental justice.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 2400 with a minimum grade of D- or (HUSV 2401 with a minimum grade of D- or ENVR 2401 with a minimum grade of D- ) or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or PHIL 1180 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1246 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- ; (ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions, NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 4523. Sexualities. (4 Hours)

Offers a primarily sociological overview of the field of sexuality studies. Explores how sexual behaviors and identities are shaped by social norms, values, and expectations; the meanings and statuses ascribed to sexual acts, behaviors, identities, and communities; and the processes by which sexualities are achieved. Applies an intersectional framework to understand how sexuality interacts with categories of gender, race, nation, and class. Substantive topics may include LGBTQ+ identities, power, sex work, socialization, pornography, and politics.

Prerequisite(s): (ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- ); (ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 4526. Afro-Asian Relations in the Americas. (4 Hours)

Examines the comparative racialization of Blacks and Asians in the Americas and relations between these communities. Introduces sociological theories of race/ethnicity, a chronology of Afro-Asian relations in the United States, and the impact of 1970s deindustrialization and post–1965 Asian immigration. Covers the internationalism of Black and Asian leaders (e.g., W.E.B. du Bois and Mao Tse-Tung) in the developing nations and the overlapping Civil Rights, Black Power, and Asian American movements.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 4528. Technology and Society. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the social and political context of technological change and development. Through readings, course assignments, and class discussions, offers students an opportunity to learn to analyze the ways that the internet, artificial intelligence, and other technological advances have required a reworking of every human institution—both to facilitate the development of these technologies and in response to their adoption.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Societies/Institutions

SOCL 4600. Senior Seminar. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge of the discipline by building on completed course work and conducting original research on a topic of their choice. Requires students to produce a research paper due at the end of the semester. This seminar operates as an intellectual workshop in which students share the process, as well as the results, of their research with the group. The class comes together to inform, guide, critique, and support one another’s research efforts in a collaborative fashion. Students are expected to make constructive comments on the work of others and to freely exchange ideas.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience, NUpath Writing Intensive

SOCL 4970. Junior/Senior Honors Project 1. (4 Hours)

Focuses on in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. Combined with Junior/Senior Project 2 or college-defined equivalent for 8-credit honors project. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 4971. Junior/Senior Honors Project 2. (4 Hours)

Focuses on second semester of in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. May be repeated without limit.

Prerequisite(s): SOCL 4970 with a minimum grade of D-

SOCL 4973. Special Topics in Sociology. (4 Hours)

Designed as a specialized themes course for students with experience in sociology and/or anthropology. Takes advantage of unique opportunities—visiting guests, special thematic interests—which are not part of the regular curriculum. May be repeated up to three times.

Prerequisite(s): ANTH 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or CRIM 1100 with a minimum grade of D- or HUSV 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or INTL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1140 with a minimum grade of D- or POLS 1160 with a minimum grade of D- or SOCL 1101 with a minimum grade of D- or WMNS 1103 with a minimum grade of D-

SOCL 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 4991. Research. (4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct research under faculty supervision. May be repeated once.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience

SOCL 4992. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)

Offers independent work under the direction of members of the department on a chosen topic. Course content depends on instructor. May be repeated without limit.

SOCL 4994. Internship. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity for internship work. May be repeated without limit.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience

SOCL 5240. Feminist Resistance. (4 Hours)

Engages students in the study of a variety of forms of feminist resistance in recent history, emphasizing the United States in the context of cross-cultural examples. Examines key feminist texts and manifestos and studies feminist activism in coalition with other social movements. Students identify and analyze unique features of gender-based activism in itself and in its intersections with other social movements, including movements and activism focused on race, class, sexuality, and physical ability.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions