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| Ryerson Home > Current Students > Academic Calendars > Full-Time Undergraduate Calendar |
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM CALENDAR 2003-2004 |
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Sociology Courses
SOC 011 Sociology: The Social World Lect: 3 hrs. This course introduces students to the basic sociological frameworks used to investigate social behaviour, culture, and institutions. It involves an examination of culture, work, inequality, social class, education, mass communication and ideology, the state, and the impact of technology and change in modern society in a socio-historical context. The course assumes that knowledge of social structure and process is essential for understanding human experience. (PR) Exclusions: Students who complete SOC 011 may not take or receive credit in SOC 103 or SOC 104.
SOC 021 Sociology: Canadian Families in a Changing World Lect: 3 hrs. Family life is a pivotal human experience, currently being transformed by social forces such as work, gender relations, an aging population, new technologies, and legal and social policies. This course uses contemporary theory and research to analyze the diversity of Canadian families and the changes occurring to them by structural, interpersonal, historical, and cross-cultural factors. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 025 Sociology: Media and Society Lect: 3 hrs. The relationship between media and contemporary society is complex and important. The structure, power and influence of dominant mass media is examined with a particular focus on film and TV. Special attention is paid to issues of imagery and the definition of reality, the construction and significance of the news and advertising, concentration of ownership, the production of spectacle and diversion, the ‘wired’ society, narrative and the construction of reality, and the globalization of media. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or permission of the Instructor.
SOC 028 Sociology: Women, Power and Change Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the condition of women in Canadian society, using critical feminist theory. Issues of diversity in race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and disability frame the exploration of the growth of feminist theory and practice. Emphasis is placed upon the working and family concerns of women, the social control of women through the patriarchal policies and practices of the state and other institutions, and violence against women as an issue of human rights. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 031 Sociology: Sociology of Health Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines fundamental topics which relate to health and health care in our society. It uses historical, cross-cultural and contemporary perspectives to examine theoretical issues and research strategies, the relationship between social structures, health and health care, and health care professions and occupations. It also focuses on such important issues as the individual and health, occupational and environmental health, health issues in the Third World, women and health care, and health and health care in the future. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or permission of the Department.
SOC 102 Sociology: Human Origins Lect: 3 hrs. This course is a general survey of the prehistoric record of humankind. It emphasizes those aspects of the record— anthropological, archaeological, paleontological, and biological—which promote a greater understanding of contemporary societies and the future of the species. Topics include: the principles of evolution, food production and the rise of civilization, the nature of “human nature”, sex and gender, racial and cultural diversity, and conflict and cooperation. (LL)
SOC 103 Sociology: How Society Works Lect: 3 hrs. This course provides an introduction to some of the major issues in sociology. It examines how societies come into existence, how they are organized and maintained, and how they change. The major sociological perspectives are used to understand the relationship between culture, institutions and social behaviour; the process of socialization; globalization and the political-economic structure of Canadian society; and the resulting social inequalities of class, race and gender. (LL) Exclusions: Students who complete SOC 103 may not take or receive credit in SOC 104 or SOC 011.
SOC 104 Sociology: Understanding Society Lect: 3 hrs. This course provides an introduction to some of the major issues in the discipline of sociology. Topics include: the major theoretical debates of classical sociology; research methods and problems; culture and socialization; the evolution of human societies; and the structure of Canadian society. Professionally-related examples are used throughout the course. (PR) Exclusions: Students who complete SOC 104 may not take or receive credit in SOC 011 or SOC 103.
SOC 202 Sociology: Popular Culture Lect: 3 hrs. This course brings sociological insights to popular culture in its complex and multiple dimensions. Focussing on electronic media, popular music, film, fashion, and cyberspace it examines how contemporary sights, sounds and images impact on human beings and their awareness. Special attention is given the cult of the celebrity, popular culture and social control, and the mediated event. (LL)
SOC 203 Sociology: Social Class and Inequality Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the distribution of power and wealth in society. As a social reality, inequality leaves no one untouched, whether or not we are conscious of it. This course traces the origins of social inequality and reflects on the various interpretations of social stratification. At the macro level, analysis examines how patterns of inequality are reproduced and altered over time. At the micro level, analysis considers how inequality shapes individual career choices and other experiences. (LL)
SOC 300 Sociology: The Sociology of Diversity Lect: 3 hrs. This course is an examination of the rapid increase in cultural, racial, ethnic and national diversity in Canada. We are living in a world undergoing a double-facetted process. On one hand, there is the development of expanding globalization and its attendant pressures toward social and cultural homogeneity. On the other hand, there is the reaction to these pressures manifested in the growing significance of primordial loyalties - those based on traditional variables such as racial, ethnic or gender identity, regional or national membership, and parochial religious affiliation. This tension between globalization and insular communalism often results in considerable political economic and cultural uncertainty; both socially and individually it is potentially disruptive and fraught with conflict, competing demands and much misunderstanding. (PR) Exclusion: SOC 507.
SOC 302 Sociology: The City and Society Lect: 3 hrs. The origins and significance of the city in human history are explored in the context of contemporary sociological theories of urban development. From this basis the course examines such issues as the rise of differing forms of social inequality, the rural/urban split, the global city, democratic process, urban growth/decay, and their impact on social life. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104 (or permission of Dept. for students in AARA 3/4, AARB3/4, AARL 3/4, AARM3/4, ENVH/ENVO).
SOC 305 Sociology: Sociology of Deviance Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines various explanations of deviance. Definitions of what constitutes “normal” and “abnormal” are discussed from a cross-cultural and historical perspective. Specific attention is given to the labelling process and societal reaction to labelling people “deviant”. Areas to be examined include sexuality, mental illness, substance use, and crime. These areas are examined from a critical sociological perspective, emphasizing social class as a key variable. (LL)
SOC 319 Sociology: Sociological Perspectives on Crime Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the social context of crime in Canadian society. Issues include the social construction of crime, problems of measuring crime, the major sociological explanations of crime, and the social role of the police professional. (PR)
SOC 402 Sociology: The City and Social Problems Lect: 3 hrs. The city today exists in crisis and promise. The sociological perspective sheds light on issues and problems that face cities both locally and globally. Issues covered include: homelessness and poverty; immigration and physical mobility; the ecological crisis; economic development vs. decline; housing; segregation; crime; and the meaning of community in an urban context. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 500 Sociology: Youth and Society Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines youth in contemporary society, their behaviour, roles, hopes, expectations and attitudes. It places young people within a sociological framework that emphasizes contemporary social, economic and political realities. The variables of social class, race and ethnicity, and gender are stressed; and key issues such as youth and media, the law, the family, employment and education are explored in depth. (PR)
SOC 501 Sociology: Sociology of Work Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines work as a central social activity. Particular emphasis is given to problems and conflicts arising from present forms of organization and authority in industrial and other workplaces. Topics include: historical develop-ment and effects of the division of labour; alienation and anomie, with special attention to work satisfaction and dissatisfaction. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology. Exclusion: SOC 180.
SOC 502 Sociology: Violence and the Family Lect: 3 hrs. This course explores the nature of violence, its manifestations in family life, its root causes, its consequences, and the social reaction to this violence. The family is viewed as a major social institution that is affected by the changes that occur within society. The primary goal is to facilitate students’ understanding of violence and its relationship to family life within the socio-cultural context. (PR) Prerequisites: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 503 Sociology: Sociology of Education Lect: 3 hrs. This course analyzes the functions of schooling and training in contemporary society. Using sociological frameworks, this course explores such topics as the history of education, society’s impact on access to education, the relationship of opportunity to education, the content of curriculum, pedagogical styles and their impact on learning, the role of teacher, parent and learner in an educational environment, and the future of education in Canada. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 504 Sociology: Children and Society Lect: 3 hrs. Children are at the centre of many social institutions and forces. Families, schools and media have a direct effect on children’s lives. The power of these institutions on children is examined within the larger social contexts of culture and class. Children, however, are not merely passive witnesses of social life; they are also participants, so their perceptions, interests and experiences will be explored. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 505 Sociology: Sociology of Sport Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines sociological issues related to the nature of play, games, and sport in contemporary society. The course focuses on current structures of sport as both liberating and limiting human social possibilities. Sociological theories are used to analyze such topics as: the relationship between sport and social institutions such as the family, the state, and the economy; the social organization of sport; sport and violence; sport and gender relations; and sport and racism. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 506 Sociology: Medicine, Health and Society Lect: 3 hrs. The health care system in Canada is in crisis. Using relevant contemporary sociological theory, this course examines the historical evolution of modern medicine and the medical model, and their implications for society, health, and health care today. Topics include: the distribution of health and illness within Canadian society, environmental and occupational health, aging and health, gender issues in health care, and medical technology and ethics. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 507 Sociology: Race and Ethnicity in Canada Lect: 3 hrs. This course provides an introduction to the concepts, theories and research methods most relevant to the study of racism and ethnicity in everyday life. The development of multicultural societies and the historical context of “racial” and ethnic groups in Canada are examined. The role and impact of governmental and non-governmental policies (on immigration, employment and affirmative action, for example), will be discussed in the context of a variety of social institutions such as schools and the judicial system. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology. Exclusion: SOC 300.
SOC 525 Sociology: Media and Images of Inequality Lect. 3 hrs. This course examines the relationship between the representation of inequality on film an television and contemporary social structure. Students will study media, culture, socialization, power and inequality, critically examining images of disability, race, age, ethnicity, gender, social class and sexual orientation. Strategies and responses of various groups will be considered along with an analysis of cultural and social change. (PR)
SOC 590 Sociology: Aging in Canadian Society Lect. 3 hrs. Adults in middle age, and older, represent an increasing proportion of the Canadian population. This course provides an introduction to the social analysis of individual and population aging, incorporating historical, comparative, demographic, micro- and macro-structural approaches. It provides a compre-hensive introduction to the social structural diversities of an aging society, including such variables as gender, race and ethnicity. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 104
SOC 595 Sociology: Women and Aging Lect. 3 hrs. This course analyzes issues concerning middle-aged and older women in a changing society. The course focuses on women’s experiences of family life, work, intergenerational relations, widowhood, poverty and health in the context of social class, ethnicity, and race, as well as age and gender. (PR)
SOC 600 Sociology: Globalization and Health Lect: 3 hrs. What effects will globalization have on population health? How will it affect the delivery of health care for providers and consumers? These questions are examined in the context of an emerging literature of medical and political sociology. Three theoretical frameworks will be used to explore multi-national corporations and the main agents of globalization—The World Trade Organization, The International Monetary Fund, and The North American Free Trade Agreement—and the impact of their agendas on health. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 104 or any other lower level course in Sociology.
SOC 601 Sociology: Sociology of Occupations Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the major trends affecting the structure of occupations in Canada. Topics include: occupational control and career patterns; occupations and social power; professionalization; and the relationship of the labour movement to the rise of new professional and semi-professional occupations. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 603 Sociology: Sociology of Gender Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the historical and cross-cultural expressions of gender inequality, and its consequences for both men and women. Emphasis is also placed on issues related to gender inequality in contemporary Canada, including gendered divisions in the workplace and the family, the role of governments in equity issues, and the process of socialization. The course concludes with an examination of prospects for the future. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 606 Sociology: Work and Families in the 21st Century Lect: 3 hrs. A central issue at the beginning of the 21st century is integration of family life and employment responsibilities. This course introduces social, historical and theoretical backgrounds to address diversity of family structures, the provision of care to dependent children and adults, the effects of care-giving on family providers, new trends in policies affecting families, and the emerging roles of public and private supports for families. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 104 or any other lower level course in Sociology.
SOC 700 Sociology: Men and Masculinities in the 21st Century Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines cross cultural contemporary forms of masculinity in the 21st century. It critiques the relationship between biology and cultural expressions of maleness and the consequence for men and their relationships with other men, women and children. Topics include male power; militarization and globalization; sports and war; sex, sexuality and violence; race and hierarchies of masculinities; and the male gendering of political and economic processes, healthcare, education, city planning, and media. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 104 or any other lower level course in Sociology.
SOC 701 Sociology: Introduction to Change: Canadian Perspectives Lect: 3 hrs. This course deals with the general characteristics and underlying causes of social change. The focus is on the historical emergence of, and development within, capitalist societies, especially Canada, and the concerns around which social movements have arisen seeking to bring about social change. These include increased militarization and the rise of the peace movement, the adoption of new technologies in industry and the response of labour, economic and social crises worldwide and the development of the “New Right”. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 702 Sociology: Anatomy of Human Conflict Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the central question of why humans war. Analysis critically explores the conventional wisdom regarding the nature of human aggression and destructiveness, and provides some alternative explanations. Biological and social theories are explored. The analysis will make extensive use of materials from a variety of disciplines. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 703 Sociology: Women and Development Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the role of women in developing societies. Women’s roles and responsibilities, stresses and problems, are examined within a cross-cultural and historical framework, using sociological models to explain contemporary realities for women in the non-industrial world. Topics include: women and the family; women and the economy, in agriculture and newly emerging industry; women and education and health; and women’s role in policy and future transformations. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 704 Sociology: Aging, Culture and Society Lect: 3 hrs. Aging is a social as well as a biological phenomenon. This course uses social, historical, legal, ethical and literary insights to examine four main themes: the meaning of aging, the personal experience of aging, the societal phenomenon of aging, and the future of an aging society. A humanistic approach provides an understanding of aging and the issues which arise in the face of aging and death. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 705 Sociology: Law and Justice Lect: 3 hrs. In our highly regulated society, law has become an increasingly significant element. The course analyses the nature and functions of law in society, how law influences social behaviours, and how social values and actions shape law. The degree to which justice is served by law is a central question. The course focuses primarily on Canadian law but comparative materials are also used. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 706 Sociology: Sociology of the Global Economy Lect: 3 hrs. This course will contribute to the comprehension of the global economy and international economic relations by using recent sociological theories of social change to analyze socio-economic processes, social relations, social structures, and global economic institutions. Topics discussed will include post-industrial, post-fordist, and post-modern society; patterns of restructuring the economy and the state; the global city; global and local cultures; the global consumer; and fragmentation and inequality in global space. (PR) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104.
SOC 707 Sociology: Religion, Meaning, and Power Lect: 3 hrs. How has religion in Canada changed? What do we know about our increased religious diversity? How has Judeo-Christian religion become secularized, and what does it mean? How does religion construct social meanings? These questions are examined through contemporary readings. The course analyzes classical and current expressions of religious experience and institutions. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 800 Sociology: Theories of Society Lect: 3 hrs. The sociological tradition includes many different theories of society. Ranging from micro- to macro-level, from modernist to postmodernist and postcolonial, theories have conceptualized power, inequality, conflict, solidarity, community, communication and ideology in varying ways. Contemporary theories highlight diversity, relativism, pluralism, subjectivity and the body, reflecting the vitality and relevance of sociological thought in a constantly changing world. This course explores sociological theory form Adam Smith and Vilfredo Pareto to Dorothy Smith and Bell Hooks, focusing on these themes. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 801 Sociology: Social Change: International Perspectives Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the process of social change as it is occurring in the Third World. The focus is on the origins and consequences of underdevelopment, and how responses to it affects both the underdeveloped and developed nations. Discussion covers the impact of imperialism and neo-colonialism as well as the growth of national liberation movements. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 802 Sociology: Issues in War and Peace Lect: 3 hrs. This course familiarizes students with current issues regarding peace and conflict in the world today. The course also examines economic and political structures that relate to militarism. Finally, countervailing pressures for peace in society are presented and explored. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 808 Sociology: Food and Foodways Lect: 3 hrs. This course reviews complex cultural, economic, and political arrangements in production, distribution, and consumption of food. Examining the diversity in historical and cultural arrangements in “foodways” the course offers insights into broader social and economic structures, class and gender relations, politics and ideologies of access to food and images and discourses of food. Table manners, food taboos, diets, food crazes and fast food are some of the topics to be studied. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any other lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 902 Sociology: Hollywood and Society Lect: 3 hrs. This course will explore ideas and issues related to Hollywood as both a centre of cultural production and a general cultural idea and ideal. The history, structure and organization of the motion picture industry and its relationship to prevailing cultural, ideological and institutional forces will be examined. The Hollywood “system” with its emphasis on celebrity, globalization, film images, audience responses, and production itself are just some of the topics to be considered. (UL) Prerequisite: SOC 011 or SOC 104 or any lower level Liberal Studies course in Sociology.
SOC 931 Sociology: Western Perspectives on Consumerism Lect: 3 hrs. This course provides a forum for exploring the rise of consumerism in Western culture and its broader social, environmental, economic, and political implications. Topics include: the historical development of department stores, shopping malls, and advertising; the integration of personal identity formation with consumer goods; the relationship between capitalist economic systems and consumerism; the growing practice of utilizing consumption as a political tool; and the effect of increasing rates of consumption on the degradation of the environment. (PR)
SOC 932 Sociology: The Entertainment Industry Lect: 3 hrs. This course explores the socio-economic structure that shapes and controls the entertainment industry, with specific focus on the relation between social structure and the marketing and production of materials in film, music, television, popular literature, popular journalism, and web-based forms. Attention is paid to consumerism, class, and inequality as shaping factors that affect the way our entertainment culture is produced and enjoyed. (PR)
SOC 941 Sociology: Race, Ethnic and Aboriginal Studies Lect: 3 hrs. This course reviews concepts, theories, ideologies, discourses, and policies dealing with race and ethnic relations in Canada. The course will focus on social and cultural policies affecting aboriginal peoples, founding cultures, immigrants, and visible minorities through reviewing various historical examples. Various social forces, structures, and institutional arrangements and their impact on ethnic and racial relations in Canada will be examined in historical and cross-cultural context. (PR)
SOC 942 Sociology: Women and Structural Change Lect: 3 hrs. This course examines the condition of women, focusing on structures of power and processes of change. Historical and cross-cultural expressions of sexual inequality are explored, although emphasis will be placed on current issues facing women in Canadian society, including their relationships with men, children and other women. Policy formation and institutional change in heath care, media, education, and other areas will be studied. (PR)
SOC 943 Sociology: Poverty Issues Lect: 3 hrs. This course will examine the distribution of power and wealth in Canada and the persistence of poverty within industrial capitalism despite its creation of unprecedented wealth. Among the issues to be discussed are: technical problems of defining poverty; various explanations of the causes of poverty and its persistence; the experience of poverty; and global perspectives on poverty and underdevelopment. Attention will be given to low- and no-income populations and gener-ational differences. (PR)