May 10, 2024

Course Catalog 2021-2022

Course Catalog 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

Students planning a program of study or concentration are urged to review program requirements and course descriptions before meeting with their advisors. Not all courses listed here are taught every year, and students should consult the Course Schedule on the Wheaton website for information about offerings in a particular semester. Courses are numbered to indicate levels of advancement as follows: 100–199, elementary or introductory; 200–299, intermediate; 300 and above, advanced. Departments often design new courses, either to be offered on a one-time basis or an experimental basis, before deciding whether to make them a regular part of the curriculum. These courses are numbered 098, 198, 298 or 398.

Information is available online through WINDOW about prerequisites that must be completed before enrolling in a course, as well as the curriculum and general education requirements that a course fulfills. Most courses are offered for one course credit; a course credit at Wheaton is the equivalent of four semester hours.

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Religion
	REL 357 - Indigenous Religions An exploration of the rituals, myths and symbols of indigenous religions and the interconnection between these religious forms and native ways of life. Focuses on Native North American religious traditions, but indigenous religions in Africa, Australia and Latin America will also be considered. Prerequisites One 200-level REL course or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with ANTH 357 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	REL 365 - Smells and Bells: The Sensual Dimension of Religions This course is devoted to acquiring both “book knowledge” and experiential knowledge about the meaning of the sensual dimension of religion. Thus we will study the religious use of smell in rabbinic Judaism, sight in Hindu devotion, taste in medieval Christian and Jewish piety, sound in Muslim music and Qur’an recitation, and touch across different religious traditions. And we will also engage in performance related activities both inside and outside of class to gain “experiential knowledge” about what goes into a ritual. Prerequisites At least one Religion or Neuroscience course preferred although not required Credits 1 Area Humanities Connection 23002 Division Arts and Humanities Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities
	REL 399 - Independent Study Advanced students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities
	REL 401 - Seminar Selected topics will be chosen to integrate and supplement the work done in the major. Each member of the seminar will write a paper and will present an oral report to majors and members of the Religion Department. Prerequisites Required of all Senior Majors, others by Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities
	REL 499 - Independent Research Offered to selected majors at the invitation of the department. Credits 1
	REL 500 - Individual Research Open to majors by invitation of the department for work culminating in a senior honors thesis. Credits 1
Russian
	RUSS 099 - Independent Study Students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Credits .5
	RUSS 101 - Russian Folklore A general, interdisciplinary introduction to Russian culture with special emphasis on folklore, from pre-Christian times to the present. The course will center on the study of folk tales, fairy tales, and epics; folk beliefs, traditions and superstitions; the heritage of folklore in Russian literature, theatre, music and art. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English Area Humanities Connection 23020 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 110 - Beginning Russian I The principal elements of the Russian language, including reading, writing, speaking and cultural awareness. Emphasis is placed on colloquial language and the ability to converse in Russian. Class work is supplemented by one hour per week of language laboratory work. Credits 1 Notes Course requires one hour lab with Language Assistant Area Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language
	RUSS 111 - Beginning Russian II A continuation of RUSS 110 with further emphasis on grammar and conversation. Class work is supplemented by one hour per week of language laboratory work. Credits 1 Notes Course requires one additional lab hour Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language
	RUSS 198 - Russian Arts and Culture An overview of Russian art, primarily but not solely painting. (Also quick look at ballet and opera, and classical as well as bard and underground rock music.) We will cover medieval icons, traditional folk art and wooden architecture; Realism and socially engaged canvases; Soviet political propaganda and monumental art, unofficial dissident art, and pay special attention to the Avant-Garde. Credits 1
	RUSS 199 - Independent Study Students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Credits 1
	RUSS 200 - Russian Literature: Icons to Revolution A broad survey course with primary emphasis on the classics of the 19th century. The study of strong passions and clashing beliefs in 19th-century Russian literature and culture. Focus on love and social commentary in the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Pavlova, Chekhov, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Cultural materials include icons and Russian wooden architecture, the myths of St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia’s expansion into the Caucasus and Siberia, 19th-century music, and trends in 19th-century painting. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English and all course materials are in English Area Humanities Connection 23019 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 201 - Revolution, Sci-Fi, Dystopia The study of Russian literature and culture in the 20th century, from the turmoil of the Revolution through the terror of Stalin’s Soviet Union to the momentous changes of the 1990s. The focus will be on literature and art, grappling with aesthetic concerns amid censorship, purges and rapid political change. Readings might include: Akhmatova, Babel, Zamyatin, Nabokov, Gorky, Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn, Bitov, Baranskaia, Tokareva, Petrushevskaia. Cultural materials cover the avant-garde, Soviet theatre and ballet, samizdat and other unofficial art, glasnost and the new trends of the past few years. (Previously Russian Literature: From Revolution to the Present) Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English and all course materials are in English Area Humanities Connection 23019 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 203 - Russian Drama A survey of modern Russian theatre, including some opera and ballet. The course includes a brief history of Russian theatre and its traditions in directing and set/costume design. Readings include a variety of short to full-length plays by such writers as Pushkin, Gogol, Ostrovsky, Chekhov, Kharms, Gippius, Erdman, Shvarts, Aitmatov, Petrushevskaia and Nina Sadur. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English Area Humanities Connection 20074, 23019 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 210 - Intermediate Russian I Written and spoken Russian. More fundamentals of Russian grammar, with emphasis on oral practice, comprehension and composition. Class work is supplemented by one hour per week of language laboratory work. Credits 1 Area Humanities Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors
	RUSS 211 - Intermediate Russian II Continuation of RUSS 210 . Written and spoken Russian. More fundamentals of Russian grammar, with further emphasis on oral practice, comprehension and composition. Class work is supplemented by one hour per week of language laboratory work. Credits 1 Area Humanities Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors
	RUSS 240 - Advanced Russian I Review of Russian grammar. Russian roots and word formation. Russian syntax and composition. Emphasis on vocabulary building. Credits 1 Area Humanities Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors
	RUSS 241 - Advanced Russian Composition and Conversation Review of Russian grammar. Russian style and syntax, with emphasis on composition and conversation. Prerequisites RUSS 211 or equivalent or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Area Humanities Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors
	RUSS 242 - Advanced Russian Conversation and Grammar Review of Russian grammar. Emphasis on oral comprehension and verbal proficiency. Credits 1 Area Humanities Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language
	RUSS 243 - Advanced Russian: Grammar, History, Politics Review of Russian grammar. Emphasis on verbal proficiency and Russian cultural/political vocabulary. Prerequisites RUSS 240 or above or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Area Humanities Connection 20064 Foundation Foreign Language Compass Attributes Foreign Language
	RUSS 281 - Russian Arts and Culture Begins with a brief survey of Russian political history, then focuses on Russian and Soviet art, including some non-Russian works from former republics of the Soviet period (Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Central Asia). Includes ballet and theatre, cinema and classical music as well as bard music and formerly underground rock, some literature and poetry, and art from the icons to the avant-garde to unofficial and official art. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English Area Humanities Connection 23020 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities
	RUSS 282 - Modern Russian Film The course will acquaint you with the culture of modern Russia through its cinema. Lectures with discussion and analysis of a series of Russian films from Eisenstein to current productions, emphasizing content and moral/political issues as well as artistic technique. Credits 1 Notes Course will be taught in English. Area Humanities Connection 23014, 23018, 23020 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 284 - Women in Russian Culture A historical survey of the cultural and political impact of women in Russia, with emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. Works by and about women, including works by Russian women in politics and mathematics, literature and poetry, theatre and painting. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English. Cross-listed with WGS 284 Area Humanities Connection 23020 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 285 - Russian Jewish Culture This course discusses Russian Jewish culture and its extraordinary role in Russian literary and social history. The Jews of Russia created an original culture that combined profound religious piety with extreme secularism, and political and aesthetic conservatism with daring experiments in literature, arts and film. The course will cover the most important issues of Russian-Jewish coexistence and will focus on the cultural, linguistic and ideological transformation of Russian Jews in the late 19th and 20th centuries, from pious Yiddish-speaking shtetl dwellers to secular Russian-speaking urbanites. Literary works of major 19thand 20th-century Russian writers, and guest lectures on art, religion, history and political history, will provide the primary material for discussion. Taught with the Department of Religion. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English. Cross-listed with REL 285 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities
	RUSS 287 - Russia’s East: Literature and Culture Much of Russia and the former Soviet Union sits right at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Islamic world. Russia once absorbed large territories with indigenous peoples, among them Mongols, Koreans, Persians, Chechens, Uzbeks, Yakuts, and Buryats. To this day, these cultures maintain much of what makes them distinctive. This course will examine the mix of cultures that makes “Russia’s East” so particular. Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Humanities, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 299 - Independent Study Students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Credits 1
	RUSS 300 - Russian Literature: Icons to Revolution-Advanced Advanced version of RUSS 200 Prerequisites Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English Area Humanities Connection 23019 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 301 - Revolution, Sci-Fi, Dystopia-Advanced Advanced version of RUSS 201 Credits 1 Area Humanities Connection 23019 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars, Writing
	RUSS 305 - Topics in Russian Literature Topics will vary to meet student demand and interest and might include: the Russian novel, the Silver Age, Soviet classics, Russian women writers or others. Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Humanities
	RUSS 343 - Advanced Russian: Grammar, History, Politics Review of Russian grammar. Emphasis on verbal proficiency and Russian cultural/political vocabulary. Prerequisites RUSS 240 or above or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Connection 20064 Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 351 - Selected Prose Writers The study in Russian of selected prose works by some of the following writers of the 19th and 20th centuries: Pushkin, Lermontov, Pavlova, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Teffi, Chekhov, Zamyatin, Zoshchenko, Bunin, Solzhenitsyn and Tokareva. Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors, Humanities, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 352 - Russian Poetry A survey in Russian of poets from the early 19th century to the present. Emphasis both on analysis and on reading/performance of poetic works. Prerequisites RUSS 20 or above or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 370 - Russian for the Arts, Business and Politics A study in Russian of the special terms, jargon and style used in specific professional fields, including the art world and museums, international business and politics. Also includes a brief survey of Russian computer terminology. Prerequisites RUSS 240 or above or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Foreign Language, Global Honors, Humanities
	RUSS 384 - Women in Russian Culture Advanced See RUSS 284 for course description Prerequisites Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Notes Course taught in English. Cross-listed with WGS 384 Area Humanities Connection 23020 Division Arts and Humanities Compass Attributes Global Honors, Humanities, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 387 - Russia’s East: Literature and Culture Advanced Much of Russia and the former Soviet Union sits right at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Islamic world. Russia once absorbed large territories with indigenous peoples, among them Mongols, Koreans, Persians, Chechens, Uzbeks, Yakuts, and Buryats. To this day, these cultures maintain much of what makes them distinctive. This course will examine the mix of cultures that makes “Russia’s East” so particular. Credits 1 Area Humanities Division Arts and Humanities Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Humanities, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	RUSS 399 - Independent Study Students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Credits 1
	RUSS 401 - Senior Seminar Integration of the student’s work in previous courses through independent work chosen with the approval of the department. Credits 1 Notes Open to Seniors and Juniors
	RUSS 402 - Senior Seminar Integration of the student’s work in previous courses through independent work chosen with the approval of the department. Credits 1 Notes Open to Seniors only
	RUSS 499 - Independent Study Students, in consultation with the appropriate instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings. Prerequisites Permission of Instructor. Credits 1
	RUSS 500 - Individual Research Open to senior majors by invitation of the department. Credits 1
Social Innovation Internship
	SIC 226 - Research on Social Issues Students will engage in team-based community research projects and will meet with leading social innovators from diverse fields and backgrounds. Students also will participate in skill-building and reflective workshops designed to accelerate self-awareness, problem-solving ability, and larger societal issues. Prerequisites Permission of Program Director Credits 1 Notes Wheaton Semester Away Compass Attributes Sophomore Experience
	SIC 236 - Social Innovation and Change This course will introduce students to different approaches to social change and social innovation. Students will learn social science methodologies for data collection and analysis, and will be exposed to experts in a variety of issue areas. This course will use case studies and discussions with leading change-makers — as well as the emerging academic literature on social innovation — to illuminate different pathways to change. Prerequisites Permission of Program Director Credits 1 Notes Wheaton Semester Away Compass Attributes Sophomore Experience
	SIC 336 - Practicum in Social Innovation Students will do a practicum placement with a nonprofit, social mission business or government agency four days a week, for 14 weeks. Every placement will be a little different, but in each case the student will have a dedicated mentor. Students will gain 420 hours of work-based experience, allowing them to learn more about themselves and their passions while also building their skills and their networks. Prerequisites Permission of Program Director Credits 1 Compass Attributes Sophomore Experience
Sociology
	SOC 099 - Selected Topics An opportunity to do independent work in a particular area not included in the regular courses. Credits .5
	SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology This course invites students to explore key questions about society. How do the societies in which we live shape us? And how do our actions in turn shape, reinforce, or change these societies? Why do people conform to social rules most of the time, and how do we respond when they deviate? How do large groups organize and coordinate work, family, decision-making, and other realms of collective life? How do they distribute wealth, income, and other valuable resources? How and why do they create inequalities on the basis of class, race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality? This course introduces students to sociological thinking and research on these questions and many more. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 102 - Introduction to LGBT+ Studies Sexuality is an important part of human life and society, but despite claims that we were all “born this way,” its meanings and social significance have changed over the course of history. This class offers an introduction to that history, looking at the rise of sexuality-based classifications in law and medicine, the development of sexual identity politics, and the intersections of sexuality with gender, race/ethnicity, and class. We will examine the history of social movements for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other minority gender/sexuality groups’ rights, and we will ask how that history shapes LGBT+ politics in the U.S. today. This course is cross listed with WGS 102 . Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 102 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 104 - Contemporary Social Problems This course will focus on the distressing, harmful, and threatening social situations that plague many societies, which include poverty, social inequality, crime, drug addiction, unemployment, terrorism, and so on. We will investigate these social problems from the point of view of general theoretical approaches as well as from the point of view of specialized theories. Particular attention will be given to the social construction of social problems. Consideration will also be given to social policy, or the set of official strategies intended to manage specific social problems. Finally, we will also discuss the practical steps, the forms of service, that may be taken to alleviate these troublesome situations. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 111 - Criminology This course provides a multidisciplinary approach to understanding crime and criminal behavior. The individual actor, the social environment, the law and the criminal justice system will be examined in order to better understand violent crime, juvenile delinquency, gangs, organized crime, white-collar crime, etc. We will also focus on the alternative of restorative justice. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 141 - Statistics for Social Sciences The purpose of this course is to introduce one to the quantitative methods that the social sciences use while researching and analyzing the surrounding social world. The course is designed to center itself around the creation of a statistical tool-belt made up of conceptual tools and methodological skills which quantitative researchers utilize and implement during the research process. In this light, this course is an introduction to the application and the interpretation of quantitative research design and analysis. Several core areas of quantitative sociology will be explored at the descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate level. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Foundation Quantitative Analysis Compass Attributes Quantitative Analysis, Social Science
	SOC 175 - Media and Society The role and influence of the media in contemporary societies, with specific attention to questions regarding: the influence of the media over people’s lives in “mass society,” the political ideology inherent in mass media messages, the organization of media industries and the media as means for subcultural expressions. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with FNMS 175 Area Social Sciences Connection 20088, 20095 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 190 - Self and Society This course examines theoretical modes of sociological inquiry and empirical research through an in-depth study of the self and society. Through classical and contemporary readings, five areas are explored: the construction of the self; socialization and sexuality; the power of social structures and circumstances; deviance; and globalization and social change. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 20092 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 199 - Independent Study An opportunity to do independent work in a particular area not included in the regular courses. Credits 1
	SOC 200 - Social Movements The course examines national liberation movements, social revolutions, and labor and environmental justice movements. The course explores the local and global impact of colonialism and capitalism and struggles to confront deepening forms of oppression, injustice and inequality. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 20041, 23011 Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 201 - Sociology Theory The primary objective of this course is to provide a broad overview of the major sociological theorists and theories. Accordingly, the student will become familiar with the classical (pre-World War II) as well as with the contemporary (post-World War II) theoretical paradigms in sociology. Students will cultivate their sociological imaginations as they learn to apply the theories. (Previously SOC 301 ). Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 202 - Research Methods in Sociology This course is designed to introduce students to the practical tools of doing both quantitative and qualitative research. Students will examine the relationship between theory and methods, develop an understanding of the logic of social research, and learn to critique and design research on social issues. This course will prepare students to design and carry out the capstone research project. (Previously SOC 302 ). Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 204 - Contemporary Social Problems This course will focus on the distressing, harmful, and threatening social situations that plague many societies, which include poverty, social inequality, crime, drug addiction, unemployment, terrorism, and so on. We will investigate these social problems from the point of view of general theoretical approaches as well as from the point of view of specialized theories. Particular attention will be given to the social construction of social problems. Consideration will also be given to social policy, or the set of official strategies intended to manage specific social problems. Finally, we will also discuss the practical steps, the forms of service, that may be taken to alleviate these troublesome situations. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 210 - Inequality What is social “class” and how do we understand class inequality? How does one’s “class” position shape one’s social standing and life’s chances? The course focuses on class analysis from various perspectives and investigates social stratification, inequality, mobility, poverty, wealth, power, domination and commodification in the globalized world. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 215 - Working: Society and the Meanings of Work What role does work play in people’s lives? Why is work organized the way that it is? Should it or can it be changed? How does work affect the way that people treat each other? Can work be controlled and managed? This course will address these questions while investigating the social, political and cultural forms of work in the U.S. and Japan. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 220 - Sociology of the Body As social actors, we all have bodies that shape our experiences in society, signaling who we are and how we may be treated. Social norms and institutions shape our very bodies and how we use them: medical technologies, fitness and beauty ideals, and social norms for polite manners—all products of human societies—influence the appearance and functioning of our bodies. The primary goal of this class is to learn to think about the body sociologically: in everyday interactions, in organizations, and in society at large. We’ll also ask how studying the body can enhance our understanding of society. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 221 - Deviance and Social Control The primary objective of this course is to develop a sociological and critical analysis of various types of deviant behaviors and deviant statuses, including criminality, delinquency, alcoholism, mental illness, physical defects, etc. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 225 - Health and Medicine This course will examine medicine as an institution and explore the consequences of its organization for public policy. Should doctors control health care? Should medicine be socialized? Has medicine made us healthier? Does our system of health care devalue women? The course will investigate these and other questions. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 230 - Race and Ethnicity This course focuses on historical and contemporary issues of race and ethnic inequalities in the United States. Our goal is to examine sociological theories of race and ethnic relations and to understand how the social construction of race, and racism have influenced organizations, institutions and identities. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 20094, 20099, 23007, 23010, 23011 Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 235 - Families in Transition Has the obituary for the American family been written prematurely? How can we better understand contemporary families by studying families cross-culturally and in diverse social and racial/ethnic groups? How does a social scientific analysis illuminates the nature of gender, dating, marriage, parenting, violence and divorce? We explore the changing nature of the family as an institution as well as the transitions individual families undergo. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 239 Area Social Sciences Connection 20078 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 240 - Conflict and Genocide The course offers a comparative study of genocides, which are examined in relation to modernity, colonialism, nation-building, wars and postcolonialism. It also investigates why some cases of mass killings have not been acknowledged as genocides. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 20096 Division Social Sciencs Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 245 - How Organizations Work Organizations structure much of our lives from birth (in hospitals) to education (in schools) to employment (in government, corporate, academic, or nonprofit) to death. They record our existence and track our spending habits. Understanding how organizations work is central to understanding modern society. We will explore: organizational structure and process, including leadership, power, decision-making and communication; organizational culture; policies, and the diversification and globalization of contemporary organizations. The course is infused with questions around the operations of race, class and gender in contemporary organizatons. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 255 - Living in Cities: Urban Sociology This course introduces students to sociological theories related to urban environments. Contemporary issues such as poverty, gentrification, segregation, and displacement will be examined. Students will also look at the use and control of public spaces, including how a ”digital divide” impacts people’s experiences on the ground. In addition to studying urban problems, students grapple with how to make our cities and urban spaces more sustainable and equitable. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 260 - Gender Inequality How do we learn to be women and men? How are our cultural beliefs and social institutions gendered? How do different sociological and feminist theories illuminate gender relations? How can we better understand the perpetuation of inequality by examining images of women in the media, sexism in language and violence against women? How is sexism related to racism, class stratification and heterosexism? Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 260 Area Social Sciences Connection 20008m 23004 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 262 - Mapping Society: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) This course will introduce students to Geographic Information systems (GIS), a powerful software for mapping and spatial analysis. It will focus on mapping and analyzing environmental and socioeconomic data. The topical focus of the course will vary from year to year, and may include: Growth and Development in the greater Boston area and The Human and Environmental Impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.
	SOC 264 - Environmental Sociology We live in a world where we find ourselves locked into powerful political, cultural, social, and economic systems that significantly effect and are affected by the natural environment. This course will explore these interactions that occur between these systems and the environment. To do so, we will examine the social processes which define, create, maintain, and threaten our relationship with the natural environment. In particular, we will investigate and analyze several important topics, such as: What exactly is “the environment?”; What relationships do we have with the environment?; How can we theorize about these relationships?; Is there anything that we can do in relation to issues we see in the environment? Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 265 - Food and Society Few things are said to be more important for our sustenance than food. This course explores the social contexts in which food is situated. We will examine numerous topics in relation to what we eat, including the variety of ways in which food can be produced, the implications of an increasingly globalized food system, how food can distinguish individuals and cultures, and the consequences of our current mode(s) of food consumption. The course will include material from a variety of scientific and popular culture sources through several different mediums, including text, podcast, and documentary film. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 270 - Immigration There are currently massive and rapid movements of people across national borders for jobs, residence, political asylum, family integration, trade, business and tourism. This course explores multiple causes and consequences of immigration. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Global Honors, Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 272 - Telling Stories with Data Have you ever wondered whether the population is growing too fast? How many of us are poor? How ethnically diverse are we? Is the American family falling apart? These questions are debated all the time in the media. But are they telling the whole story? This teamtaught course will provide the key to analyzing descriptive statistics”-including how they are constructed, displayed and disseminated”-to illuminate the stories that lie hidden behind the headlines. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Foundation Quantitative Analysis Compass Attributes Quantitative Analysis, Social Science, Writing
	SOC 275 - Disability and Difference Disability Studies examines the societal treatment and lived experiences of people with disabilities. While disability is often seen as a deviation from “normal” functioning, it is a near-universal human experience. This class takes a critical approach to disability, asking questions like: To what extent is disability “natural,” and to what extent is it mediated by cultural norms, medicine, and politics? What does disability, in combination with gender, class, race, and age, reveal about power and inequality in society? And how might we work toward a future in which more people can be meaningfully included in the life of our society? Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 275 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 290 - Sociology of Sexualities Sex and sexuality appear to be purely private matters, experienced as internal and personal. We often assume that our experience of sexuality is a “natural’ expression of our nature or biology. Yet sexual expressions and identifications follow certain patterns that vary historically and across cultures. This course is designed to provide you with the analytic tools to explore sexual meanings and practices and to uncover the ways in which social structure and power are implicated in our experience of sexuality. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 291 Area Social Sciences Connection 20078 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 295 - Globalization What does it mean to be living in a globalizing world? Which global forces and how have they continually re-shaped our world? This course will examine ‘globalization’ as a set of processes and practices that breakdown borders and barriers. We will study how globalization processes continuously push and pull, create and destroy, and unmake and remake our sociocultural, economic, ecological, and political landscapes. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Global Honors, Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 298 - Inside Out: Using, Interpreting, and Communicating Data In this course students will engage with social scientific data, learning how to make sense of patterns that emerge from quantitative and qualitative data. The class will practice Interpreting and critiquing the use of data in popular and scholarly contexts and students will learn strategies to communicate research findings in a clear and intelligible manner. This course will be taught inside the Old Colony Correctional Center. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with PSY 298
	SOC 298 - Queer and Trans Health and Health Policy This course will explore public health topics as they pertain to queer and trans populations over the life course. Following a social science rather than epidemiological or medical perspective, this course will cover historical and current queer and trans health topics; an introduction to theories and research methods pertinent to the study of queer and trans health; and the practice of advocacy and policy around queer and trans health in the United States. We will celebrate the humanity and resilience of queer and trans populations through a strengths-based perspective and an active focus on diverse experiences among these populations. Credits 1 Notes Course cross-listed with PH 298
	SOC 298 - Racism in the US Media This course explores racialized narratives in the U.S. media ecosystem. We will examine how media has historically shaped our perceptions of racial tensions in the 20th century U.S. context, how the introduction of new media forms has fractured this once more streamlined process, and what opportunities and challenges this presents for both producers and consumers of media. In order to produce quality, social-justice oriented digital content, the course will also dedicate time to learning the techniques of audio production: ethical considerations, story outlines, recording equipment, interviews, and postproduction. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with FNMS 298
	SOC 298 - Sociology in Real Life This course will revolve around: a. (re-)identify the tools that sociology offers to facilitate one to be a better citizen of the world, b. (re-)examine some of the places where people are putting sociology to use in the real world, and c. most importantly, we ourselves we will bring our (re-)discovered tools and use them in the real world. The theme that will hold the course together will revolve around sustainability – where we will work towards utilizing sociology to address our collectively identified issue of sustainability. Credits 1
	SOC 298 - Sociology of Education This course is geared toward not only those thinking about education as a future profession but also anyone interested in issues of social justice and social change more broadly. Through readings, film, critical discussion of current events, and reflexive analysis of our own schooling to date, we will explore such questions as: What are the functions of education in society? Are schools sites of liberation or social control? How do race, class, gender, gender identity, sexuality, immigration or indigenous status, and disability affect educational outcomes? In what ways does education reflect, reproduce, and even deepen existing inequalities in society? And how can education be used to interrupt, challenge, or break down existing inequalities? Credits 1
	SOC 298 - Sociology of Mental Illness Mental illness is commonly understood through a biomedical and/or psychological framework. In this course, we will apply a sociological imagination to the topic and interrogate the ways in which mental illness, often seen as among the most private of “personal troubles,” is also a “public issue.” In other words, we will examine social structural contributors to mental illness, as well as the social aspects of changing interpretations of and responses to mental illness. How do gender, class, race, and other factors play into how mental illness is perceived, treated, and experienced? Are anxiety, depression, and other diagnoses really disorders situated purely in the individual? We will use personal narratives, news stories, and films, in addition to scholarly readings, to explore these and other questions. Credits 1
	SOC 298 - Sociology of Militarism: Race, Gender, Class and US Empire What is national security? Who gets to feel safe? Which bodies are deemed worthy of protecting and which bodies are marked as the enemy? In this introduction to the sociology of militarism, we will examine how the ideology of militarism operates through the military industrial complex–a system that produces and maintains security through state violence under capitalism. We will think about the military industrial complex as a global process that is deeply shaped by gender, race, and class as well as sexuality, ability, citizenship and other systems of power through the lens of US empire-building. This course will explore the sociology of militarism through critical engagement with academic readings, news and policy briefings, film, photography, podcasts, and poetry. Students will gain an understanding of the military industrial complex as a geographic, political, economic and ideological institution and practice since its formal emergence in the 20th century. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 298
	SOC 299 - Independent Study An opportunity to do independent work in a particular area not included in the regular courses. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences
	SOC 302 - Research Methods in Sociology An introduction to the scientific method and its application to sociological research. Topics include formulation of research problems, sampling, measurement, data collection and analysis. Emphasis is on research design. Prerequisites Two courses in Sociology Credits 1 Notes Required of Majors in their Junior year. Open to Urban Studies Minors and others by Permission of Instructor Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 305 - Community in the Digital Age This course examines enduring questions about social behavior and relationships in light of rapidly changing technologies that enable communication across time and space. We will work to define community and uncover the lived reality of communities in our contemporary world. We will also explore social networks, social capital and collective action. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 310 - Gender, Race, and Nation This is a course on feminist epistemology. It examines how various forms of feminist knowledge are constructed and deconstructs notions such as “woman,” gender, gender oppression, patriarchy, women’s liberation, women’s rights and sisterhood. The course examines contentious debates about and among Western, Third World, global, postcolonial, poststructural and transnational feminisms. Prerequisites Two course in either Women’s Studies and/or Sociology Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 310 Area Social Sciences Connection 23006 Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 311 - Violence against Women This seminar explores the nature of violence against women, focusing on current research on woman battering, rape, child sexual abuse and pornography. Students will compare theoretical approaches and will critically examine empirical research. The impact of race, ethnicity and class on the abuse experience are considered. A major part of the seminar involves original research by students on an issue of their choice. The semester will culminate in a symposium on violence against women organized by seminar members. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with ANTH 311 and WGS 311 Permission of Instructor. Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 315 - Society, Technology and the Environment Have our cities created a way of life that is impossible to sustain? Is our technology out of control? How should we relate to our environment? We will consider these and other questions in an exploration of the impact that our social relations and technological systems have had on the conditions of human existence in contemporary society. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 23009 Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 317 - Queer Theory Developed partly in response to the AIDS epidemic and to make sense of the continued marginalization of people who were not heterosexual, queer theory is a field of inquiry aimed at understanding difference and inequality. The central subjects of queer theory are people marginalized due to their gender or sexuality. Queer theory also asks how “queer” can help us understand a broad range of stigmatized differences: as resistance to the “normal.” This course examines both the intellectual roots of queer theory and its branches into areas like transgender studies, disability studies, and more. Prerequisites One Women’s and Gender Studies course or Permission of Instructor Credits 1 Notes Cross-referenced with WGS 317 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 320 - Race, Gender and Poverty This course is designed to enable students to think critically about the causes and consequences of poverty and the complex and dynamic intersections of race, gender and social class. We will cover key sociological theories of stratification, mobility and persistent poverty, with a particular focus on the dynamics of race and gender. Credits 1 Notes Cross-listed with WGS 320. Open to Juniors and Seniors or by Permission of Instructor Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 322 - Sociology of Law This course examines the interrelations between law and various aspects of society. It employs a comparative and historical approach and addresses such questions as: How and why does law develop? Under what social conditions does a differentiated legal system emerge? How do legal systems vary with different forms of social institutions? Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 345 - How Organizations Work: Internship Organizations structure much of our lives from birth (in hospitals) to education (in schools) to employment (in government, corporate, academic, or nonprofit) to death. They record our existence and track our spending habits. Understanding how organizations work is central to understanding modern society. We will explore: organizational structure and process, including leadership, power, decision-making and communication; organizational culture; policies, and the diversification and globalization of contemporary organizations. The course is infused with questions around the operations of race, class and gender in contemporary organizations. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality
	SOC 350 - Asians and America What is the place of Asians in America’s cultural and political imagination? This course will examine the construct of ‘Asia’ as America’s ‘Orient’ and how Asians are Orientalized in America’s social landscape. The course will explore the social, cultural and political landscape that ‘Asians’ have come to occupy in the process of making the United States as a modern nation/state. The course will look at historical and sociological analyses, textual and personal narratives, films, music, dance, and other forms of visual representations. (Previously Sociology 280) Prerequisites At least one 200-level Sociology or Social Sciences course Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Connection 20041 Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science
	SOC 385 - Latinx Community The course will examine the various Latino populations in the United States: Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, etc. Issues that are unique to these populations will be considered: culture (normative and esthetic), bilingualism, the immigrant experience, family life, the church, education and so on. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Foundation Beyond the West Compass Attributes Social Science, Structure/Power/Inequality, Taylor and Lane Scholars
	SOC 398 - Field Work in Communities This course introduces students to qualitative methods used in social science research. Students will observe the world around them by attending closely to social phenomena, descriptively and analytically. The course is structured as a seminar and research workshop. Experiential learning and collaboration are emphasized. Readings include case studies of empirical work and at least one ethnography. Credits 1
	SOC 398 - Sociological Imagination This course is intended to teach students three initiatives for “doing sociology.” The first it to teach them to use information and develop reason to understand what is going on in the world and what is happening within themselves. The second is to teach students how to engage in a reflective style of work that will guide them in observing and experiencing their everyday social lives. The third is to teach students to employ some of the main concepts in sociology (e.g., modernity, rationalization, structure/agency, social constructionism, intersectionality, social control, etc.) in making sense of social life. Credits 1
	SOC 398 - Sociology of Development What is the meaning of ‘development’? How did the world become divided into ‘developed,’ ‘developing’ and ‘underdeveloped’ regions and nations? What brings about ‘development’? Can development occur without underdevelopment? What are the main processes and actors involved in the development process? Do culture, geography and ecology matter in the development process? We will explore the sociological literature to examine and reflect upon these questions. Credits 1
	SOC 399 - Selected Topics An opportunity to do independent work in a particular area not included in the regular courses. Credits 1 Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences
	SOC 402 - Senior Seminar A semester of directed research in which students receive individual attention while carrying out an empirical study. The seminar offers guidance and a framework for the many stages of the research process. Students will be expected to produce a thesis and present it publicly in February. Credits 1 Notes Required of all Senior Major Area Social Sciences Division Social Sciences Compass Attributes Social Science, Writing

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Course Descriptions

REL 357 - Indigenous Religions

REL 365 - Smells and Bells: The Sensual Dimension of Religions

REL 399 - Independent Study

REL 401 - Seminar

REL 499 - Independent Research

REL 500 - Individual Research

RUSS 099 - Independent Study

RUSS 101 - Russian Folklore

RUSS 110 - Beginning Russian I

RUSS 111 - Beginning Russian II

RUSS 198 - Russian Arts and Culture

RUSS 199 - Independent Study

RUSS 200 - Russian Literature: Icons to Revolution

RUSS 201 - Revolution, Sci-Fi, Dystopia

RUSS 203 - Russian Drama

RUSS 210 - Intermediate Russian I

RUSS 211 - Intermediate Russian II

RUSS 240 - Advanced Russian I

RUSS 241 - Advanced Russian Composition and Conversation

RUSS 242 - Advanced Russian Conversation and Grammar

RUSS 243 - Advanced Russian: Grammar, History, Politics

RUSS 281 - Russian Arts and Culture

RUSS 282 - Modern Russian Film

RUSS 284 - Women in Russian Culture

RUSS 285 - Russian Jewish Culture

RUSS 287 - Russia’s East: Literature and Culture

RUSS 299 - Independent Study

RUSS 300 - Russian Literature: Icons to Revolution-Advanced

RUSS 301 - Revolution, Sci-Fi, Dystopia-Advanced

RUSS 305 - Topics in Russian Literature

RUSS 343 - Advanced Russian: Grammar, History, Politics

RUSS 351 - Selected Prose Writers

RUSS 352 - Russian Poetry

RUSS 370 - Russian for the Arts, Business and Politics

RUSS 384 - Women in Russian Culture Advanced

RUSS 387 - Russia’s East: Literature and Culture Advanced

RUSS 399 - Independent Study

RUSS 401 - Senior Seminar

RUSS 402 - Senior Seminar

RUSS 499 - Independent Study

RUSS 500 - Individual Research

SIC 226 - Research on Social Issues

SIC 236 - Social Innovation and Change

SIC 336 - Practicum in Social Innovation

SOC 099 - Selected Topics

SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology

SOC 102 - Introduction to LGBT+ Studies

SOC 104 - Contemporary Social Problems

SOC 111 - Criminology

SOC 141 - Statistics for Social Sciences

SOC 175 - Media and Society

SOC 190 - Self and Society

SOC 199 - Independent Study

SOC 200 - Social Movements

SOC 201 - Sociology Theory

SOC 202 - Research Methods in Sociology

SOC 204 - Contemporary Social Problems

SOC 210 - Inequality

SOC 215 - Working: Society and the Meanings of Work

SOC 220 - Sociology of the Body

SOC 221 - Deviance and Social Control

SOC 225 - Health and Medicine

SOC 230 - Race and Ethnicity

SOC 235 - Families in Transition

SOC 240 - Conflict and Genocide

SOC 245 - How Organizations Work

SOC 255 - Living in Cities: Urban Sociology

SOC 260 - Gender Inequality

SOC 262 - Mapping Society: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

SOC 264 - Environmental Sociology

SOC 265 - Food and Society

SOC 270 - Immigration

SOC 272 - Telling Stories with Data

SOC 275 - Disability and Difference

SOC 290 - Sociology of Sexualities

SOC 295 - Globalization

SOC 298 - Inside Out: Using, Interpreting, and Communicating Data

SOC 298 - Queer and Trans Health and Health Policy

SOC 298 - Racism in the US Media