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Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

SOCI: Sociology


  1. SOCI 111 (3) Introduction to Sociology

    Studies how society influences human behaviour. How is society organized and structured? How does it affect the way we think and act? What is the relationship between individuals and society? What is our social nature? Why is there inequality in the world? [3-0-0]

  2. SOCI 209 (3) Foundations of Sociological Thought

    Foundational ideas in the historical development of sociological thought. Ways in which these ideas have influenced new generations of sociologists. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  3. SOCI 212 (3) Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

    Key concepts and theoretical ideas of race and ethnicity; how race and ethnicity shape power, cultural expressions, identities, and resistance movements. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  4. SOCI 216 (3) Media and Society

    Critical and contextual analysis of the form and content of mass communication. Relationship between culture, social behaviour, and public channels of communication such as print media, advertising, television, film, and popular literature. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  5. SOCI 217 (3) Introduction to Sociology of Gender

    How gender organizes and influences individuals, social interactions, and institutions such as families, media and work; how gender intersects with other structures of inequality. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  6. SOCI 219 (3) Gender and Work: Issues and Controversies

    How gender informs and is informed by power in paid and unpaid labour in a globalized world. Theoretical and empirical studies on the intersection of gender and work; wages; sexual harassment; segregation; work on the margins; resistance to gender inequalities. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 219 or SOCI 295 when on the same topic. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  7. SOCI 226 (3) Work, Technology, and Social Change

    Relationship between work, technological innovation, and social change. Emphasis on industrial and communications revolutions. Effects of technology on work, social stratification, family, gender identity, and politics. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  8. SOCI 228 (3) Sociology of the Anthropocene

    Examination of the "Anthropocene" at the intersections of the environment, colonialism, racialization, gender, and species. Explores the drivers of the Anthropocene, the politics of naming and dating an epoch after humans, as well as environmental justice and Anthropocene futures. Credit will only be granted for one of SOCI 228 or SOCI 295E. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  9. SOCI 246 (3) Sociology of Sports

    Key concepts and theoretical ideas in the sociology of sport. Relationships between sports and socialization, intersectional inequalities (race, class, gender, ability), deviance and violence, health and injuries, politics and social movements, media, nationality and the environment.

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  10. SOCI 249 (3) Crime and Society

    Introduction to crime as a social phenomenon. Changing definitions of crime in relation to social and political change; scope and nature of crime; criminalization; growth of criminology; institutional responses to criminal behaviour by the justice system. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  11. SOCI 263 (3) Political Sociology

    Social and economic basis of political power. State and inter-state relations; ideology and control; alienation and anomie; political movements and social revolutions; political violence and terrorism; the political economy of world conflict. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 263 or SOCI 463. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: Either (a) SOCI 111 or (b) POLI 100 or (c) all of HIST 115, HIST 145.

  12. SOCI 270 (3) Youth, Crime, and Deviance

    Norm-breaking behaviour by youth. Study of victims and perpetrators; youth criminalization and social control; theories of crime and delinquency including intersections of class, race, gender and sexuality. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  13. SOCI 280 (3) Sociology of Aging

    Interplay of social, cultural, political, and individual contexts for older persons. Emphasis on the social construction of aging. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  14. SOCI 291 (3) Fundamentals of Sociological Research

    Overview of quantitative and qualitative research designs and methodologies. Topics include sampling, operationalization, ethics, data collection and analysis, scientific and sociological literacy. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 291 or SOCI 271. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  15. SOCI 295 (3) Current Topics in Sociology

    Examination of selected topics in contemporary sociology. Consult with the department for current offerings. This course may be taken more than once but with different topics. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111.

  16. SOCI 301 (3/6) d Sociology of Development

    Theories of development and post-development. Emphasis on colonialism, globalization, neoliberalism, and resistance and liberation movements. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  17. SOCI 303 (3/6) d Ethnic and Racial Inequality

    Classical and contemporary theories. Emphasis on racialization, racism, and critical analyses of ethnicity. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing

  18. SOCI 305 (3) Sociology of Families

    Theoretical and methodological approaches to family structures and relations. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  19. SOCI 309 (3) Violence in Intimate Relations

    Social, historical, cultural, and political roots of violence in intimate relations. Primary focus on women, children and the elderly. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  20. SOCI 311 (6) Canadian Society

    Critical analyses of social relations and structures in Canada. Topics may include politics, the economy, globalization, First Nations, social inequality, families, crime, welfare systems, immigration, racism, nationalism. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  21. SOCI 313 (3) Advanced Studies in Sociology of Gender

    Critical analysis of current debates on gender. Postmodern challenges; masculinities; femininities; inter-sectionality; bodies. Particular attention paid to institutions, such as sport, education, and media. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 217 and third-year standing.

  22. SOCI 320 (3) Cultural Studies in Sociology

    How culture informs and is informed by social, political, subjective, and aesthetic concerns. Special emphasis on critical and post-colonial theories and methodologies. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  23. SOCI 330 (3) Sociology of Tourism

    Critical analysis of the global tourist industry and the tourist experience; impact of tourism on communities and labour; relationship between tourism and leisure. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  24. SOCI 362 (3/6) d Social Inequality

    Structural and interactional approaches to relations of power that (re)produce inequality with a focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexualities. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  25. SOCI 371 (3/6) d Deviance and Social Control

    The social construction of deviance. Perspectives on social control such as moral regulation, surveillance, and punishment. Theoretical frameworks will be stressed. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  26. SOCI 373 (3) Sociology of Punishment and Captivity

    The prison and its abolition analyzed from critical race, feminist, queer, trans, disability, animal studies, and environmental perspectives. Settler colonialism and slavery as foundational to punishment and incarceration in Canada and the United States. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  27. SOCI 374 (3) Sexuality, Law, and Society

    Examination of how sex and sexuality are regulated through law. Topics may include the social and legal regulation of family forms, pornography, sex work, sexually transmitted infections, sexual violence, and the interplay of technology and law through topics such as online dating. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: Third-year standing.

  28. SOCI 376 (3) Classical Sociological Theory

    Classical sociological theories and their relationship to methodological issues. Emphasis on the procedures by which sociological explanations are made. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 376 or SOCI 375. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 209 and third-year standing.

  29. SOCI 377 (3) Contemporary Sociological Theory

    Contemporary sociological theories and their relationship to methodological issues. Emphasis on the procedures by which sociological explanations are made. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 377 or SOCI 375. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 376 and third-year standing.

  30. SOCI 390 (6) Sociological Methods: Social Survey Design and Analysis

    Introduction to quantitative research. Questionnaire design and interviewing techniques; statistical methods such as sampling and analysis of survey data using SPSS. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and one of SOCI 271, SOCI 291, STAT 121 and third-year standing.

  31. SOCI 395 (6) Sociological Methods: Qualitative Research

    Examination of methods such as ethnography, interviewing, historical and discourse analyses. Theoretical, epistemological, and ethical issues in social research and methods. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  32. SOCI 411 (3/6) d Special Studies in Canadian Society

    Advanced analysis of issues in Canadian society. Consult the department head for frequency of offering and course topic. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  33. SOCI 415 (3) Feminist Theory

    Development of feminist theories and their relationship to sociology. Social and cultural bases of feminism. Special attention to contemporary debates. [1-0-2]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 217 and third-year standing.

  34. SOCI 421 (3) Sociology of Fear

    The role of fear in the production, control, and management of individuals and societies. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  35. SOCI 426 (3) Urban Sociology

    Demographic, behavioural, and organizational aspects of contemporary urban structures, as well as urbanization in different societies and periods. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  36. SOCI 429 (3) Globalization, Social Justice and Human Rights

    Human rights from a political economy approach. The role of the state and international institutions in economic globalization. Consequences of market-oriented policies on human development, with particular focus on problems related to working conditions and rights, land-grabbing, violence, migration, and human trafficking. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 429 or SOCI 496L. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  37. SOCI 430 (3) Labour in a Global Economy

    Relationship between globalization and international labour; impact of global change on the international division of labour; barriers to and possibilities of new organizational strategies for labour solidarity. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  38. SOCI 432 (3) Sociology of Food

    How does food shape social relations (class, gender, race, age)? What is its role in the construction of meaning and identity? How does it connect to the political through civil society and social movements? How is it impacted by globalization? Credit will only be granted for one of SOCI 432 or SOCI 496 when on the same topic. [2-0-1]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  39. SOCI 434 (3/6) d Directed Studies

    An individualized directed reading and/or research project in sociology under the supervision of a faculty member. [0-0-3]

    Prerequisite: Permission of the department head and faculty member. Students must consult with the department head prior to registration.

  40. SOCI 446 (3) Advanced Studies in the Sociology of Sports

    Theoretical debates on sport and society; impact of sport on management and disciplining of populations; sport and capitalism; globalization, nationalism and identity; racialization and gender issues in sport. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 246 and third-year standing.

  41. SOCI 450 (3) Sociology of India

    Historical and geographical overview of contemporary Indian society, including social institutions such as religion, community, family, education, and government. Emphasis on social divisions based on religious heritage, gender, region, language, caste, class, and political ideology. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  42. SOCI 456 (3) Sociology of Elites

    Examines theoretical and empirical studies of elites - who they are; what role they play in society; how they operate. Reviews research countering the prominence of elites in economic, social and political life. Focuses primarily on Canada. Credit will only be granted for one of SOCI 456 or SOCI 496 when on the same topic. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  43. SOCI 465 (3) Nations and nationalisms

    Social bases of nationhood. Sociological examination of issues related to national identities and nationalism: theories of nationalism; social roots and implications of national identity and belonging; nationalism and conflict; nationalism, ethnicity, and genocide. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: Either (a) SOCI 111 or (b) POLI 221 or (c) all of HIST 115, HIST 145. Third-year standing.

  44. SOCI 467 (3/6) d Social Movements

    The origins, development, and impact of social movements in a globalized world with emphasis on current theoretical debates. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  45. SOCI 468 (3/6) d Socialization and Education

    Classroom socialization and curriculum; cultural and social capital; streaming, and credentialism; power and inequality with emphasis on the intersection of class, race, gender, and sexuality. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  46. SOCI 480 (3) Aging, Diversity, and Inequality: Global and Comparative Perspectives

    Comparative examination of aging in an era of globalization with a social justice and intersectional perspective. Emphasis on ageism and issues of power for older adults. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  47. SOCI 485 (3/6) d Sociology of Health and Illness

    The social construction of illness; the medicalization of society; historical rise of medical power and biomedicine; epidemics; colonialism and medicine; gender, race, sexuality and health. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  48. SOCI 486 (3) Student Directed Seminar

    Self-directed, collaborative studies, in a group-learning environment, initiated and coordinated by senior undergraduate students with the supervision of a faculty sponsor. Course structure, enrolment and delivery methods will comply with the Student Directed Seminars Guidelines. At least third-year standing and permission of the Department are required. [0-0-3]

  49. SOCI 492 (3) Surveillance and Society

    Surveillance as a social phenomenon, involving differences in power and visibility. How surveillance is related to governance, control, and privacy. Theories and concepts from the interdisciplinary field of surveillance studies, with an emphasis on social relationships. Credit will be granted for only one of SOCI 492 or SOCI 496V. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.

  50. SOCI 496 (3-9) d Advanced Studies in Sociology

    In-depth examination of selected topics in sociology. Topic may change each time the course is offered. Consult the department for frequency of offering and current course topic. Repeatable for up to 9 credits on different topics during a complete program of study. [3-0-0]

    Prerequisite: SOCI 111 and third-year standing.


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