This course introduces the history of Islamic cultures through their most vibrant material signs: the religious architecture that spans fourteen centuries and three continents — Asia, Africa, and Europe. The course presents Islamic architecture both as a historical tradition and as a cultural catalyst that influenced and was influenced by the civilizations with which it came in contact.

How do"welfare to work' programs such as the New Deal take into account and shape people's personal lives? This unit looks at how participation in, and drop-out from,"workfare' programs are interpreted within different theoretical perspectives, and uses two case studies to connect the theory with the reality of people's lives.

An adaptation of OpenStax's Introduction to Sociology 2e

Word Count: 186247

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

An adaptation of OpenStax's Introduction to Sociology 2e

Word Count: 149475

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

This is an introductory course that gives students an overview of the major social media sites and provides examples as to how individuals are using social media. Social media (Twitter, Facebook, blogging, podcasting, etc.) are relatively accessible technologies that enable individuals, almost instantaneously, to create, publish, edit, and/or access messages intended for audiences; students will learn how to explore the possibilities and limitations of various social media.
Social media has profoundly impacted the world of communications both among consumers as well as with businesses. Despite the rapid shift in marketing and communications, many organizations are still learning to adjust to this new paradigm. The purpose of this course is to provide the practical knowledge and insights required to establish objectives and strategies, properly select the social media platforms to engage consumers, and measure these results in a manner that is meaningful for businesses.

The class will break down broad concepts about social media into meaningful segments that could be applied to serve strategic priorities for businesses. This includes an overview of the necessary tools, the impact on traditional marketing, quantifying success, and reputation management. These concepts will help provide important insights into sales and marketing, public relations, customer service, and other areas of the organization.

Course Outcomes:
1. Build a Professional or Personal Brand and Voice.
2. Define Social Media Communities.
3. Create and manage Social Media accounts and tools.
4. Create Social Media Metric strategies.

This course provides students with a foundation that enables them to identify and analyze ethical issues in relation to social media. Students will explore the legal responsibilities associated with social media.

Course Outcomes:
1. Define Intellectual Property.
2. Discuss the liability issues associated with privacy and social media boundaries.
3. Define Social Media professional networking.

This course will assist students in developing effective and successful social media marketing campaigns. Students will have the opportunity to formulate a social media marketing plan with an appropriate target market using relevant social media channels and metric analysis and maintenance.

Course Outcomes:
1. Describe video utilization in Social Media.
2. List methods for search engine optimization.
3. Discuss emerging Social Media technologies.

Unit 10 – Social ChangeChapter 21 – pages 481 – 4961.     Define “Collective Behavior."2.     Define “Social Movements.”3.     Causes of Social Change: Technology, Social Institutions, Population, and the Environment.4.     How did Hurricane Katrina bring about Social Change? 

Chapter 1, pages 5-20Define “Sociology.” What are the differences between psychology and sociology? Textbook: page 96 “Sociology or Psychology: What’s the Difference?”What is the “Sociological Imagination”?The development of Sociology as a science.Pioneers of Sociology: Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber.Macro versus Micro-sociologyThe three theoretical perspectives of sociology: Functionalist, Conflict, and Interactionist.Chapter 4 “Emile Durkheim and Functionalism” pages 80 - 81"Karl Marx and Conflict Theory” pages 81 – 83“Max Weber and Interactionism” page 83 

Unit 2 – Culture -  Chapter 3 pages 51-67Definition of Society. What constitutes a society?Definition of Culture.  What are the basic, universal elements of culture? Language (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis), Norms (versus deviance), Mores & Folkways, Sanctions, and Values.  Definition of  Dominant IdeologyDefinition of Status QuoHow do our public schools maintain the status quo?:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpfMD9gWNf8Cultural Variations: Subculture and CountercultureAttitudes towards cultural variations: Ethnocentrism and cultural relativismMcDonaldization of Society  (page 127 )https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdy1AgO6Fp4You Tube: McDonaldization Theory of George RitzerTheoretical Perspectives of Culture 

Unit 3 – Science and Sociological ResearchChapter 2 pages 30 – 441.      The Scientific Method2.      Different types of research methodology: Surveys, Field Research, Experiments, Secondary Data Analysis3.      Ethics and Sociological Research

Unit 5 - Pages 115-117 & 85-86Page 86 “Roles and Status”Pages 115-117 “Introduction to Groups (Theoretical Perspectives of Groups)"Types of Groups”Definition of and basic elements of Social Structure: Status, Social Roles, Groups, Social Networks and Social Institutions (e.g. Family, Religion, Education, Government).  What is meant by “Total Institution”?Does social structure control social interactions? How does Stanley Milgram’s and Philip Zimbardo’s experiments support this idea?Psychology: The Stanford Prison Experiment – BCC Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV9AqhvZtewThe Social Construction of Reality - page 85 “Social Constructions of Reality”Brain Games and Social Conformity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8BkzvP19v4 

Unit 6 – Deviance and Social ControlRead: Chapter 7 pages 136 – 138Definition of Deviance. - The effects of deviance on society: Promotes social solidarity by distinguishing “us” from “them;” Helps people adjust to change and ease the shock; Provides a way in which some individuals and groups introduce their agenda to the rest of society.  Are there any universal laws?  It seems that in every society murder is a crime-- (But there are a very wide set of circumstances under which killing is permitted.  What one society considers to be murder, another will consider a justifiable homicide example, in one society in the middle east a woman can be beheaded for adultery.  What American court would levy this sentence?!)Identify methods of social control - Conformity vs. ObedienceSociological Theoretical Perspectives of Deviance: Functionalist Perspective, Conflict Perspective and Interactionist Perspective of DevianceSociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Read:  Page 199 - 200 Table 7.1 “Theory Snapshot: Summary of Sociological Explanations of Deviance and Crime” Specific Theoretical Perspectives of Deviance: Durkheim’s Function of Deviance, Robert Merton’s Anomie Theory of Deviance, Subculture Theory of Deviance, Social Control Theory, Feminist Perspective, Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory, Labeling TheorySociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Read: Pages 200-210

Unit 7 – Stratification and Social Mobility in the United StatesChapter 9 – pages 185 – 201Define “Stratification.”Open versus closed stratification.  Is the stratification system in the United States open or closed? Is there social mobility in the United States?Social classes in the United States: upper, middle and lower class.  What is the social stratification of your family tree?  Has your family’s intergenerational social class altered?Watch: Wealth Inequality in America - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM4.      Theoretical Perspectives on Social StratificationRead: Chapter 8.2 “Explaining Stratification” - http://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/8-2-explaining-stratification/ 

Unit 8 -  Stratification by Race and EthnicityChapter 11 – pages 229 – 247 & 471-4721.      What is a “Racial group”? 2.      What is an “Ethnic Group”?3.      What is a “Minority Group”?4.      Stereotypes versus Prejudice versus Discrimination. 5.      Theoretical Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity6.      Patterns of Intergroup Relations:  Genocide, Expulsion, Segregation, Pluralism, Assimilation, Amalgamation7.      Race and Ethnicity in the United States (Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, & Arab Americans)8.      What is “Environmental Racism”? ( pages 471-472)

Unit 9 – Stratification by GenderChapter 12 – pages 255 – 2651.  Differentiate between Sex and Gender.2.  Influence of Socialization on Gender RolesWatch: Gender Stratification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GtwNW4oca8Watch: Lifting the Veil, Women in Afghanistan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64Z2HFeshvkWatch: Why Afghan Women Set Themselves on Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjw7IFirXuM3. Class Discussion: Review definition and examples of social institutions. How is gender stratification embedded in social institutions in Afghanistan?4.  What is meant by the “Feminization of Poverty”?Watch: Meet the Press: The Shriver Report Female Poverty in America: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/meet-the-press/5047098#540470985.  What does the “Glass Ceiling” refer to?Watch: In US Women Still Face Glass Ceiling:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiQnDtjrBcE     

Ethnic and racial groups in the U.S. and social factors leading to prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes. Four major ethnic groups (Blacks, Asians, Native Americans, and Latinos) examined with emphasis placed on historical experiences, contemporary circumstances and future trends.

This syllabus is for a course that offers a systematic and in-depth introduction to the sociology of social problems. We will examine some of the more commonly identified social problems in contemporary society with an anti-racist lens. The class will introduce core concepts and methods that sociologists use to study social problems incorporating an anti-racist lens. We will apply these concepts of systemic racism and intersectionality to topics including poverty, food scarcity, residential segregation and gentrification, gender and sexual violence, health and environment, incarceration, the school to prison pipeline, mass media stereotypes, family and welfare. The end-of-semester projects will let students choose a social problem of interest to them, explore it in great detail, and then teach classmates about it.

Contemporary sociological approaches to racism center on explaining the well-documented persistence of racial inequality and racial discrimination in an era of declining overtly racist attitudes. This assignment provides students an opportunity to teach classmates about the manifestations of racism in some of the most pressing social problems of our times. Furthermore, students can share the most effective ways of combatting racism when it shows up in these pervasive but often less visible ways.