SOC 1041 - Sociology of Social Problems

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture None Lab None
Course Description: This course is a survey of the sociology of a selected set of social problems in the U.S. and globally, e.g. crime and violence, poverty, unemployment, war and terrorism, environmental degradation, and population growth. The social-structural and cultural sources of these problems are critically analyzed, and structural and cultural solutions following from such analyses are examined. This course meets the requirements for Elective B: Social Inequality and Stratification for the MN State Sociology Transfer Pathway AA.
MnTC Goals
5 History/Social/Behavioral Science, 9 Ethical/Civic Responsibility

Prerequisite(s): Course placement into college-level English and Reading OR completion of ENGL 0950  with a grade of C or higher OR completion of RDNG 0940  with a grade of C or higher and qualifying English Placement Exam OR completion of RDNG 0950  with a grade of C or higher and ENGL 0090  with a grade of C or higher OR completion of ESOL 0051  with a grade of C or higher and ESOL 0052  with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content

1. Problems of Social Inequality (such as Class, Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality, or Age)
2. Problems of Social Institutions (such as Education, Criminal Justice, Family, Health Care, or Military)
3. Social Movements and Social Change
4. Sociological Concepts and Theories
5. Sociological Research Methods
6. Specific Social Problems (such as unemployment, population, war, terrorism, and the environment)

1. Analyze the relationship between many social problems and social inequality in society using a sociological perspective.
2. Describe the causes of various social problems.
3. Apply critical thinking skills to analyze core concepts, theories, and research findings related to the study of social problems.
4. Connect theoretical perspectives on social problems to concrete realities of everyday life and the social world.
5. Evaluate solutions to various social problems.
6. Sociological Perspective:
   1. articulate the process by which stratification affects individuals.
   2. apply founding theoretical traditions and concepts in Sociology to specific processes of stratification.
7. Stratification:
   1. articulate how processes of stratification create and reproduce social hierarchies and inequalities in human society.
   2. identify empirical patterns and effects of social inequality.
8. Social Change:
   1. describe how cultural, social, political and economic changes affect social inequality.
   2. articulate how social movements contribute to social change.

05. 03. Use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories.

05. 04. Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues.
Competency 2 (7-10)
09. 01. Examine, articulate, and apply their own ethical views.

09. 02. Understand and apply core concepts (e.g. politics, rights and obligations, justice, liberty) to specific issues.

09. 04. Recognize the diversity of political motivations and interests of others.

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