Courses

Course ID	Title	Offered
SOC 1101	Introduction to Sociology This course is a broad introduction to the field of sociology. Course materials are designed to illustrate the distinctive features of the sociological perspective and to start you thinking sociologically about yourself and the broader social world. To think sociologically is to recognize that being embedded in the world constrains behavior, and that individuals are both social actors and social products. To think sociologically is also to recognize that our contemporary world, with its enduring cultural, political, and economic institutions, is as much a social product as we are. We will begin by covering theoretical and methodological foundations of the sociological perspective. We will go on to explore the concept of social stratification and will survey primary axes of social difference. In the second half of the course we will look more closely at how individuals relate to each other, how social inequality is enacted and reinforced in everyday life, and at the way in which the organization of social life shapes individuals and groups, such as through social networks, residential neighborhoods, schooling, families, and on-line communication. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 1101 - Introduction to Sociology	Fall, Spring, Summer.
SOC 2030	Population and Public Policy Population and Public Policy exposes students to the logic and skills of demographic research and policy analysis. The course emphasizes the nature, collection, and interpretation of demographic data, the application of demographic techniques, the major components (i.e., fertility, mortality, and migration) of national and global population change, and contemporary population problems (e.g., population aging, teen childbearing, the rise in non-marital childbearing, immigrant adaptation). The course also emphasizes public policies that can influence demographic change. The format primarily involves lectures and class discussion. Students are expected to attend each class and be prepared to discuss assigned materials. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2030 - Population and Public Policy	Multi-semester course: Spring, Summer.
SOC 2100	What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology This course introduces some central ideas in the field of S&TS. It is aimed at students from any background who are challenged to think more critically about what counts as scientific knowledge and why, and how science and technology intervene in the wider world. It also serves as an introduction to majors in Biology and Society or in Science and Technology Studies. The course mixes lectures, discussions, writing, and other activities. The discussion sections are an integral part of the course and attendance is required. A series of take-home written assignments and quizzes throughout the semester comprise the majority of the grade. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2100 - What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology	Spring.
SOC 2150	Introduction to Organizations In modern society, we all spend much of our lives participating in or interacting with organizations. Most of us are born in organizations, educated in organizations, and work in organizations. The ubiquity and variability of organizations result in a myriad of organizational challenges we regularly face. The goal of this introductory course is to help students gain understandings of the origins, structure, and dynamics of organizations and their relationships to their environment. It is designed to provide an exposure to multiple theories of organizations and within the context of changing technological, social, and political/legal environments and the globalization of the world economy. We will also apply organizational theories to a variety of empirical cases. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2150 - Introduction to Organizations	Spring, Summer.
SOC 2190	Introduction to Economic Sociology Economic sociology extends the sociological approach to the study of economic life. The aim of the seminar is to understand the relationship between social structure, organizational form and economic action. We explore social processes embedded in economic exchange and knowledge spillover and economy. Why do individuals cooperate with strangers? Why is trust important in economic life. Why is social exchange the foundation of sustainable economic action? At the macro-level, the course addresses the question of why and how institutions enable, motivate and guide economic action; the social dynamics of institutional change; and explore the role of norms and networks in the capitalism of the United States and China. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2190 - Introduction to Economic Sociology	Spring.
SOC 2208	Social Inequality This course reviews contemporary approaches to understanding social inequality and the processes by which it comes to be seen as legitimate, natural, or desirable. We address questions of the following kind: what are the major forms of stratification in human history? Are inequality and poverty inevitable? How many social classes are there in advanced industrialism societies? Is there a "ruling class"? Are lifestyles, attitudes, and personalities shaped fundamentally by class membership? Can individuals born into poverty readily escape their class origins and move upward in the class structure? Are social contacts and "luck" important forces in matching individuals to jobs and class positions? What types of social processes serve to maintain and alter racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination in labor markets? Is there an "underclass"? These and other questions are addressed in light of classical and contemporary theory and research. Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2208 - Social Inequality	Spring, Summer.
SOC 2310	Sociology of Sexualities This course introduces the field of sexuality studies to advanced undergraduates by examining the social, cultural, political, and historical dimensions of sexuality. We will read theoretical and empirical research with an emphasis on sociological perspectives and methods. We will develop an understanding of sexuality as a socially constructed system of stratification that is shaped by race, gender, class, and ability. Topics include sexual identity, behavior, and desire (such as heterosexuality and homosexuality), queer theory, the body, healthism, reproductive justice, and human rights. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) Full details for SOC 2310 - Sociology of Sexualities	Fall, Spring.
SOC 2370	Race, Racism, and Public Policy Public policy is a fundamental mechanism for addressing the most vexing and important social problems of our time. Racial inequality and structural racism are chief among such problems. Policy is thus widely understood and frequently touted as a means for redressing the harms of racism. Yet, public policy has also been identified as a channel through which racism flows. These seemingly paradoxical understandings of the relationships between racism and public policy raise critical questions about equality, democracy, the economy, and politics. This course examines such questions. questions. We begin by theoretically grounding key concepts such as "race" "racism" and "public policy." We then consider the historical record, highlighting the fundamental role of racism in shaping politics and policy. Next, we build on these conceptual and historical foundations through thematic investigation of core policy elements (e.g., policy design, policy implementation, policy feedback), key policy institutions (e.g., legislatures, parties) and significant policy actors (e.g., social movement organizations, interest groups). Finally, the class wraps up with a series of policy "deep dives" involving close examination of specific policy domains (e.g., housing, health, the enviornment). This course provides students with the knowledge and analytical tools necessary to better understand the realities and complexities of race, racism, and public policy in the United States. Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2370 - Race, Racism, and Public Policy	Fall, Spring.
SOC 2710	US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics This course aims to explore and answer a single question about America's promise-of success if you work hard and do well in school: Why do we have such substantial and long-standing inequality in the U.S.? In answering this central question, we will investigate the goals, roles, and outcomes of formal educational institutions in American society and the legal and policy environment in which they operate. Specifically, we will review historical state and federal policy, trace the $700 million spent, and interrogate the sociological functions of public and private K12 schools, including the successes, failures, and enigmas of school organization and policy at the local, state, and national level. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 2710 - US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics	Spring.
SOC 2800	Social Movements Full details for SOC 2800 - Social Movements
SOC 3060	High Tech Regions in Comparative Perspective This course focuses on the sociological histories of regional-based technology clusters. The construction and life course of the technology cluster is a prevalent form of contemporary economic development. Students enrolled in the course will regularly provide in-class presentations of select case studies of particular regions and industries. Case studies will include regional high-tech clusters in the following locations: Silicon Valley, Boston, Israel, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Great Britain, Austin, Seattle, Portland, Albany-New York, Rochester-NY, Buffalo-NY, North Carolina, Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City-Cornell Tech, and regions and industries selected by students enrolled in the course. The course will utilize classical sociological themes as a guiding conceptual framework including: structuration, community, culture, social networks, and inequalities (gender/race/class). Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 3060 - High Tech Regions in Comparative Perspective	Spring.
SOC 3170	Nationalism and Identity Full details for SOC 3170 - Nationalism and Identity
SOC 3180	Health Disparities This course will examine how health disparities are defined and measured, sources of health disparities, and strategies to reduce health disparities. During the course students will learn of the complexities of factors that influence patterns of disease and health at multiple levels by analyzing studies of health outcomes, the social conditions that are related to the health of populations, and some of the mechanisms through which these patterns are produced. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 3180 - Health Disparities	Spring.
SOC 3490	How do Social Structures Emerge? An Introduction to the Micro-Macro Problem Where do social structures come from? Social structures emerge from interaction between individuals. But not all interactions create durable structures. In this course, we will explore several micro-mechanisms through which the intended and unintended consequences of interdependent action create macro-level structures that we care about. How can small initial difference blow-up into large macro-level inequality? Will interpersonal influence alleviate or aggravate inequality? Why do individual actors engage in collective action to create public goods, when everyone will enjoy the benefits of such goods regardless of one's participation? How large an in-group bias is needed to create segregated neighborhoods? These are examples of questions that we will explore in this seminar. Exploring these questions will lead us to topics in interpersonal influence, diffusion, collective action, and emergence of norms, hierarchies, and segregation patterns, among others. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 3490 - How do Social Structures Emerge? An Introduction to the Micro-Macro Problem	Spring.
SOC 3580	Big Data on the Social World This course showcases frontier research that uses big data and graphical analysis to understand our social world. Topics include inequality and opportunity, success in higher education, the gender wage gap, taxing the rich, Chinese censorship, the spread of false news, online dating, and other issues relevant to contemporary society. Catalog Distribution: (SDS-AS, SSC-AS) (OPHLS-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 3580 - Big Data on the Social World	Spring.
SOC 3710	Comparative Social Inequalities This course offers a sociological understanding of social inequality and the social construction of difference. Designed from the perspective of comparative historical analysis, we will examine the ways in which class, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, and sexuality differences work across place and time within a shared set of global dynamics. The course will pay special attention to how difference is constructed, institutionalized, and experienced. Thus, the course will not only address inequality based on economic and labor relations, but also emphasize complicated notions of difference and identity to offer an analysis that links inequality to power and forms of rule. Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 3710 - Comparative Social Inequalities	Spring.
SOC 4110	Religion and Social Life Global conflicts, raising children, electing presidents, praying for a loved one: from the mundane to the extraordinary, religion plays a significant role in social life, regardless of whether or not one considers oneself "religious." In this course we will investigate religion and its impacts in society from a sociological perspective. Questions we will ask include: How does religion "fit" into society? What are the contours of contemporary religion in the United States and around the world? How do religious identities interact with other aspects of social life, including gender, race and politics? In what ways have religions and religious life changed over time? As social scientists, how can we best study religion? The course will use examples from a variety of religious and secular traditions to help us understand religion's sociological significance in the contemporary world. Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS) (D-AG) Full details for SOC 4110 - Religion and Social Life	Spring.
SOC 4160	The Ethnography of Poverty and Inequality This course explores poverty and inequality in American society through the lens of ethnographic and other field-based research. We will read classic and contemporary texts which have shaped our understanding of how social inequality and exclusion constrain people's daily lives and how groups develop innovative responses to these constraints. Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG) Full details for SOC 4160 - The Ethnography of Poverty and Inequality	Spring.
SOC 4320	Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics Is there a "culture war for the soul of Amerca"? This seminar will explore the definition, types, causes, dynamics, diffusion, and consequences of partisan cultural alignment. Readings will include theoretical models and empirical studies of opinion cascades, identity politics, motivated reasoning, network homophily, echo chambers, filter bubbles, social contagion, conformity, and cultural cognition. What is polarization? Is it the disappearance of a consensual middle ground or the tendency for substantively unrelated opinions to become correlated? Did polarization emerge from the top down, beginning with political and cultural elites, or from the bottom up, through the self-reinforcing dynamics of network homophily and peer influence? Do social media and cable news contribute to polarization or merely reflect it? Can polarization be reversed, and if not, what are the implications for democratic institutions? Catalog Distribution: (SDS-AS, SSC-AS) Full details for SOC 4320 - Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics	Spring.
SOC 4910	Independent Study This is for undergraduates who wish to obtain research experience or to do extensive reading on a special topic. Full details for SOC 4910 - Independent Study	Fall, Spring, Summer.
SOC 4950	Honors Research Students choose a sociology faculty member to work with on research to write an honors thesis. Candidates for honors must maintain a cumulative GPA at least an A- in all sociology classes. Full details for SOC 4950 - Honors Research	Multi-semester course: Fall, Spring.
SOC 4960	Honors Thesis: Senior Year Continuation of SOC 4950. Continue to work with honors supervisor and work on and write an honors thesis. Full details for SOC 4960 - Honors Thesis: Senior Year	Fall, Spring.
SOC 5020	Basic Problems in Sociology II Continuation of SOC 5010. Emphasis is on the logical analysis of theoretical perspectives, theories, and theoretical research programs shaping current sociological research. The course includes an introduction to basic concepts used in the logical analysis of theories and examines their application to specific theories and theoretical research programs. Theoretical perspectives include functionalism, social exchange, and interactionism. Full details for SOC 5020 - Basic Problems in Sociology II	Spring.
SOC 5190	Workshop on Social Inequality This course provides a forum in which students and others can present, discuss, and receive instant feedback on their inequality-related research. Its primary goals is to help students advance their own research; its secondary goal is to introduce selected debates in the contemporary inequality literature in a more comprehensive fashion that is possible in the introductory graduate-level seminar on inequality. Full details for SOC 5190 - Workshop on Social Inequality	Fall, Spring.
SOC 5710	US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics This course aims to explore and answer a single question about America's promise-of success if you work hard and do well in school: Why do we have such substantial and long-standing inequality in the U.S.? In answering this central question, we will investigate the goals, roles, and outcomes of formal educational institutions in American society and the legal and policy environment in which they operate. Specifically, we will review historical state and federal policy, trace the $700 million spent, and interrogate the sociological functions of public and private K12 schools, including the successes, failures, and enigmas of school organization and policy at the local, state, and national level. Full details for SOC 5710 - US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics	Spring.
SOC 6020	Intermediate Statistics for Sociological Research This course provides the second part of a two-semester introduction to quantitative methods in sociological research. It is designed for first-year graduate students in sociology. The course covers intermediate topics in linear regression, and provides an introduction to models for categorical and count data, the analysis of time data, and longitudinal data. We'll also discuss data-related issues such as missing data and weighting, and data that are complicated by issues of non-random design. While statistical modeling is the focus of the course, we proceed with the assumption that models are only as good as the theoretical and substantive knowledge behind them. Thus, in covering the technical material, we will spend considerable time discussing the link between substantive knowledge and statistical practice. Full details for SOC 6020 - Intermediate Statistics for Sociological Research	Spring.
SOC 6030	Graduate Research Practicum This course is designed to assist the student's professional development on a "learning by doing and feedback" basis. The course is organized around presentation and discussion of ongoing research projects. As a general rule the course welcomes auditors and all members of the sociology community interested in the variety of research being pursued at Cornell, though participation is with the permission of the instructor(s). Full details for SOC 6030 - Graduate Research Practicum	Spring.
SOC 6050	Social Demography The objective of this course is to provide a conceptual overview and technical "tool-kit" for studying population issues and public policies. What is a demographic perspective? And how can it be applied usefully to important domestic and international policy issues of the day (e.g., housing segregation, health and retirement, labor mobility and immigration, and above- and below-replacement fertility, school projections, etc.). The course will introduce students to various demographic data sources (e.g., decennial census and periodic fertility surveys), conventional measures (e.g., fertility rates and measures of poverty/inequality), and conventional demographic techniques (e.g., life tables, rate standardization, and population forecasting) used in social demography. For the most part, the course places the emphasis on the appropriate application of demographic tools and on scientifically-sound interpretations. Full details for SOC 6050 - Social Demography	Spring.
SOC 6080	Proseminar in Sociology Discussion of the current state of sociology and of the research interests of members of the graduate field; taught by all members of the field. Full details for SOC 6080 - Proseminar in Sociology	Fall, Spring.
SOC 6110	Social Network: Theory and Applications Social Network Analysis (SNA), or the mathematical analysis of webs of relationships, is a thriving part of sociology and an active research area for numerous other disciplines. This course is intended to introduce students to the basics of SNA and help them apply it to a variety of research questions. We will discuss the theoretical underpinnings of the area, basic concepts used in SNA analyses, and finally methods for describing and interpreting network data. At the completion of this course students should have a basic understanding of social networks and be able to carry out a variety analyses on their own. Full details for SOC 6110 - Social Network: Theory and Applications	Spring.
SOC 6310	Qualitative Research Methods for Studying Science, Technology, and Medicine In this Graduate seminar we will discuss the nature, politics and basic assumptions underlying qualitative research. We will examine a selection of qualitative methods ranging from interviewing, oral history, ethnography, participant observation, archival research and visual methods. We will also discuss the relationship between theory and method. All stages of a research project will be discussed - choice of research topic and appropriate methods; human subject concerns and permissions; issues regarding doing research; as well as the process of writing up and publishing research findings. Full details for SOC 6310 - Qualitative Research Methods for Studying Science, Technology, and Medicine	Spring.
SOC 6350	Social Change in Theory and Practice Sociology as a discipline formed in the effort to comprehend the emergence of modern society via industrialization, urbanization, and marketization, with concurrent transformation in social beliefs, typical life courses, and social networks. Much of today's sociology is implicitly oriented to a related concern with theorizing quantitative and qualitative change, as can be seen in investigation of online interaction, gender roles and identity, political polarization, modification in organizational forms, and the like. This course examines conceptions of substantive social change by leading sociologists like Daniel Bell, James Coleman, Randall Collins, Alvin Gouldner, John Meyer, Theda Skocpol, Duncan Watts, and Harrison White, and considers how they inform and are enriched by empirical inquiry. Full details for SOC 6350 - Social Change in Theory and Practice	Spring.
SOC 6460	Seminar in Economic Sociology Introduces the field of economic sociology and covers major topics addressed by sociologists studying the intersection of economy and society. We begin with classic statements on economic sociology and then move to the invigoration of the field in recent years, reading works that have been instrumental in this invigoration. Consideration is given to the several variants of "institutionalism" that have informed the sociological study of markets, organizations, and economic exchange. Full details for SOC 6460 - Seminar in Economic Sociology	Spring.
SOC 6520	Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics Political and cultural polarization have steadily increased in the three decades since Patrick Buchanan declared a "cultural war for the soul of America." Concerns include echo chambers, filter bubbles, and increasingly vitriolic discourse, with the cumulative potential to erode democratic institutions. The first half of the semester explores the definition, types, measures, dynamics, and consequences of partisan cultural alignment. The second half addresses the causes, diffusion, and consequences of polarization. Readings will include theoretical models and empirical studies of opinion cascades, identity politics, motivated reasoning, network homophily, echo chambers, filter bubbles, social contagion, conformity, and cultural cognition. Weekly discussions will grapple with a range of questions, including: What is polarization? Is it the tendency for opinions to be extreme, with the disappearance of a consensual middle ground, or is it the tendency for substantively unrelated opinions to become correlated? Did polarization emerge from the top down, beginning with political and cultural elites, or from the bottom up, through the self-reinforcing dynamics of network homophily and peer influence? Do social media and cable news contribute to polarization or merely reflect it? Can polarization be reversed, and if not, what are the implications for democratic institutions? Full details for SOC 6520 - Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics	Spring.
SOC 6910	Independent Study For graduates who wish to obtain research experience or to do extensive reading on a special topic. Permission to enroll for independent study is granted only to students who present an acceptable prospectus and secure the agreement of a faculty member to serve as supervisor for the project throughout the semester. Full details for SOC 6910 - Independent Study	Fall or Spring.
SOC 6950	Spatial Demography "Spatial Demography" introduces core concepts and techniques for analyzing spatially referenced population data. Students learn about the spatial structure of social phenomenon and how to analyze and account for spatial relationships in formal analyses. We draw from examples in housing, health, and education to evaluate how populations are spatially distributed. The course covers methods for addressing spatial dependence and heterogeneity, as well as tools for describing spatial relationships (including various indices of segregation). A substantial portion of the course is also dedicated to practical skills for managing and presenting spatial data using GIS software, including geographic projections, geoprocessing, geocoding addresses, spatially joining layered data, and distance buffering. Full details for SOC 6950 - Spatial Demography	Spring.
SOC 8920	Graduate Research Work with a faculty member on a project that is related to your dissertation work. Full details for SOC 8920 - Graduate Research	Spring.
SOC 8960	Thesis Research Work with chair of your committee on your dissertation work. Full details for SOC 8960 - Thesis Research	Spring.

SOC 1101

Introduction to Sociology

This course is a broad introduction to the field of sociology. Course materials are designed to illustrate the distinctive features of the sociological perspective and to start you thinking sociologically about yourself and the broader social world. To think sociologically is to recognize that being embedded in the world constrains behavior, and that individuals are both social actors and social products. To think sociologically is also to recognize that our contemporary world, with its enduring cultural, political, and economic institutions, is as much a social product as we are. We will begin by covering theoretical and methodological foundations of the sociological perspective. We will go on to explore the concept of social stratification and will survey primary axes of social difference. In the second half of the course we will look more closely at how individuals relate to each other, how social inequality is enacted and reinforced in everyday life, and at the way in which the organization of social life shapes individuals and groups, such as through social networks, residential neighborhoods, schooling, families, and on-line communication.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 1101 - Introduction to Sociology

Fall, Spring, Summer.

SOC 2030

Population and Public Policy

Population and Public Policy exposes students to the logic and skills of demographic research and policy analysis. The course emphasizes the nature, collection, and interpretation of demographic data, the application of demographic techniques, the major components (i.e., fertility, mortality, and migration) of national and global population change, and contemporary population problems (e.g., population aging, teen childbearing, the rise in non-marital childbearing, immigrant adaptation). The course also emphasizes public policies that can influence demographic change. The format primarily involves lectures and class discussion. Students are expected to attend each class and be prepared to discuss assigned materials.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2030 - Population and Public Policy

Multi-semester course: Spring, Summer.

SOC 2100

What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology

This course introduces some central ideas in the field of S&TS. It is aimed at students from any background who are challenged to think more critically about what counts as scientific knowledge and why, and how science and technology intervene in the wider world. It also serves as an introduction to majors in Biology and Society or in Science and Technology Studies. The course mixes lectures, discussions, writing, and other activities. The discussion sections are an integral part of the course and attendance is required. A series of take-home written assignments and quizzes throughout the semester comprise the majority of the grade.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2100 - What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology

Spring.

SOC 2150

Introduction to Organizations

In modern society, we all spend much of our lives participating in or interacting with organizations. Most of us are born in organizations, educated in organizations, and work in organizations. The ubiquity and variability of organizations result in a myriad of organizational challenges we regularly face. The goal of this introductory course is to help students gain understandings of the origins, structure, and dynamics of organizations and their relationships to their environment. It is designed to provide an exposure to multiple theories of organizations and within the context of changing technological, social, and political/legal environments and the globalization of the world economy. We will also apply organizational theories to a variety of empirical cases.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2150 - Introduction to Organizations

Spring, Summer.

SOC 2190

Introduction to Economic Sociology

Economic sociology extends the sociological approach to the study of economic life. The aim of the seminar is to understand the relationship between social structure, organizational form and economic action. We explore social processes embedded in economic exchange and knowledge spillover and economy. Why do individuals cooperate with strangers? Why is trust important in economic life. Why is social exchange the foundation of sustainable economic action? At the macro-level, the course addresses the question of why and how institutions enable, motivate and guide economic action; the social dynamics of institutional change; and explore the role of norms and networks in the capitalism of the United States and China.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2190 - Introduction to Economic Sociology

Spring.

SOC 2208

Social Inequality

This course reviews contemporary approaches to understanding social inequality and the processes by which it comes to be seen as legitimate, natural, or desirable. We address questions of the following kind: what are the major forms of stratification in human history? Are inequality and poverty inevitable? How many social classes are there in advanced industrialism societies? Is there a "ruling class"? Are lifestyles, attitudes, and personalities shaped fundamentally by class membership? Can individuals born into poverty readily escape their class origins and move upward in the class structure? Are social contacts and "luck" important forces in matching individuals to jobs and class positions? What types of social processes serve to maintain and alter racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination in labor markets? Is there an "underclass"? These and other questions are addressed in light of classical and contemporary theory and research.

Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2208 - Social Inequality

Spring, Summer.

SOC 2310

Sociology of Sexualities

This course introduces the field of sexuality studies to advanced undergraduates by examining the social, cultural, political, and historical dimensions of sexuality. We will read theoretical and empirical research with an emphasis on sociological perspectives and methods. We will develop an understanding of sexuality as a socially constructed system of stratification that is shaped by race, gender, class, and ability. Topics include sexual identity, behavior, and desire (such as heterosexuality and homosexuality), queer theory, the body, healthism, reproductive justice, and human rights.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS)

Full details for SOC 2310 - Sociology of Sexualities

Fall, Spring.

SOC 2370

Race, Racism, and Public Policy

Public policy is a fundamental mechanism for addressing the most vexing and important social problems of our time. Racial inequality and structural racism are chief among such problems. Policy is thus widely understood and frequently touted as a means for redressing the harms of racism. Yet, public policy has also been identified as a channel through which racism flows. These seemingly paradoxical understandings of the relationships between racism and public policy raise critical questions about equality, democracy, the economy, and politics. This course examines such questions. questions. We begin by theoretically grounding key concepts such as "race" "racism" and "public policy." We then consider the historical record, highlighting the fundamental role of racism in shaping politics and policy. Next, we build on these conceptual and historical foundations through thematic investigation of core policy elements (e.g., policy design, policy implementation, policy feedback), key policy institutions (e.g., legislatures, parties) and significant policy actors (e.g., social movement organizations, interest groups). Finally, the class wraps up with a series of policy "deep dives" involving close examination of specific policy domains (e.g., housing, health, the enviornment). This course provides students with the knowledge and analytical tools necessary to better understand the realities and complexities of race, racism, and public policy in the United States.

Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2370 - Race, Racism, and Public Policy

Fall, Spring.

SOC 2710

US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics

This course aims to explore and answer a single question about America's promise-of success if you work hard and do well in school: Why do we have such substantial and long-standing inequality in the U.S.? In answering this central question, we will investigate the goals, roles, and outcomes of formal educational institutions in American society and the legal and policy environment in which they operate. Specifically, we will review historical state and federal policy, trace the $700 million spent, and interrogate the sociological functions of public and private K12 schools, including the successes, failures, and enigmas of school organization and policy at the local, state, and national level.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 2710 - US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics

Spring.

SOC 2800

Social Movements

Full details for SOC 2800 - Social Movements

SOC 3060

High Tech Regions in Comparative Perspective

This course focuses on the sociological histories of regional-based technology clusters. The construction and life course of the technology cluster is a prevalent form of contemporary economic development. Students enrolled in the course will regularly provide in-class presentations of select case studies of particular regions and industries. Case studies will include regional high-tech clusters in the following locations: Silicon Valley, Boston, Israel, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, South Korea, Great Britain, Austin, Seattle, Portland, Albany-New York, Rochester-NY, Buffalo-NY, North Carolina, Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City-Cornell Tech, and regions and industries selected by students enrolled in the course. The course will utilize classical sociological themes as a guiding conceptual framework including: structuration, community, culture, social networks, and inequalities (gender/race/class).

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 3060 - High Tech Regions in Comparative Perspective

Spring.

SOC 3170

Nationalism and Identity

Full details for SOC 3170 - Nationalism and Identity

SOC 3180

Health Disparities

This course will examine how health disparities are defined and measured, sources of health disparities, and strategies to reduce health disparities. During the course students will learn of the complexities of factors that influence patterns of disease and health at multiple levels by analyzing studies of health outcomes, the social conditions that are related to the health of populations, and some of the mechanisms through which these patterns are produced.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 3180 - Health Disparities

Spring.

SOC 3490

How do Social Structures Emerge? An Introduction to the Micro-Macro Problem

Where do social structures come from? Social structures emerge from interaction between individuals. But not all interactions create durable structures. In this course, we will explore several micro-mechanisms through which the intended and unintended consequences of interdependent action create macro-level structures that we care about. How can small initial difference blow-up into large macro-level inequality? Will interpersonal influence alleviate or aggravate inequality? Why do individual actors engage in collective action to create public goods, when everyone will enjoy the benefits of such goods regardless of one's participation? How large an in-group bias is needed to create segregated neighborhoods? These are examples of questions that we will explore in this seminar. Exploring these questions will lead us to topics in interpersonal influence, diffusion, collective action, and emergence of norms, hierarchies, and segregation patterns, among others.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 3490 - How do Social Structures Emerge? An Introduction to the Micro-Macro Problem

Spring.

SOC 3580

Big Data on the Social World

This course showcases frontier research that uses big data and graphical analysis to understand our social world. Topics include inequality and opportunity, success in higher education, the gender wage gap, taxing the rich, Chinese censorship, the spread of false news, online dating, and other issues relevant to contemporary society.

Catalog Distribution: (SDS-AS, SSC-AS) (OPHLS-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 3580 - Big Data on the Social World

Spring.

SOC 3710

Comparative Social Inequalities

This course offers a sociological understanding of social inequality and the social construction of difference. Designed from the perspective of comparative historical analysis, we will examine the ways in which class, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, and sexuality differences work across place and time within a shared set of global dynamics. The course will pay special attention to how difference is constructed, institutionalized, and experienced. Thus, the course will not only address inequality based on economic and labor relations, but also emphasize complicated notions of difference and identity to offer an analysis that links inequality to power and forms of rule.

Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS, SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 3710 - Comparative Social Inequalities

Spring.

SOC 4110

Religion and Social Life

Global conflicts, raising children, electing presidents, praying for a loved one: from the mundane to the extraordinary, religion plays a significant role in social life, regardless of whether or not one considers oneself "religious." In this course we will investigate religion and its impacts in society from a sociological perspective. Questions we will ask include: How does religion "fit" into society? What are the contours of contemporary religion in the United States and around the world? How do religious identities interact with other aspects of social life, including gender, race and politics? In what ways have religions and religious life changed over time? As social scientists, how can we best study religion? The course will use examples from a variety of religious and secular traditions to help us understand religion's sociological significance in the contemporary world.

Catalog Distribution: (SCD-AS) (D-AG)

Full details for SOC 4110 - Religion and Social Life

Spring.

SOC 4160

The Ethnography of Poverty and Inequality

This course explores poverty and inequality in American society through the lens of ethnographic and other field-based research. We will read classic and contemporary texts which have shaped our understanding of how social inequality and exclusion constrain people's daily lives and how groups develop innovative responses to these constraints.

Catalog Distribution: (SSC-AS) (D-AG, SBA-AG)

Full details for SOC 4160 - The Ethnography of Poverty and Inequality

Spring.

SOC 4320

Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics

Is there a "culture war for the soul of Amerca"? This seminar will explore the definition, types, causes, dynamics, diffusion, and consequences of partisan cultural alignment. Readings will include theoretical models and empirical studies of opinion cascades, identity politics, motivated reasoning, network homophily, echo chambers, filter bubbles, social contagion, conformity, and cultural cognition. What is polarization? Is it the disappearance of a consensual middle ground or the tendency for substantively unrelated opinions to become correlated? Did polarization emerge from the top down, beginning with political and cultural elites, or from the bottom up, through the self-reinforcing dynamics of network homophily and peer influence? Do social media and cable news contribute to polarization or merely reflect it? Can polarization be reversed, and if not, what are the implications for democratic institutions?

Catalog Distribution: (SDS-AS, SSC-AS)

Full details for SOC 4320 - Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics

Spring.

SOC 4910

Independent Study

This is for undergraduates who wish to obtain research experience or to do extensive reading on a special topic.

Full details for SOC 4910 - Independent Study

Fall, Spring, Summer.

SOC 4950

Honors Research

Students choose a sociology faculty member to work with on research to write an honors thesis. Candidates for honors must maintain a cumulative GPA at least an A- in all sociology classes.

Full details for SOC 4950 - Honors Research

Multi-semester course: Fall, Spring.

SOC 4960

Honors Thesis: Senior Year

Continuation of SOC 4950. Continue to work with honors supervisor and work on and write an honors thesis.

Full details for SOC 4960 - Honors Thesis: Senior Year

Fall, Spring.

SOC 5020

Basic Problems in Sociology II

Continuation of SOC 5010. Emphasis is on the logical analysis of theoretical perspectives, theories, and theoretical research programs shaping current sociological research. The course includes an introduction to basic concepts used in the logical analysis of theories and examines their application to specific theories and theoretical research programs. Theoretical perspectives include functionalism, social exchange, and interactionism.

Full details for SOC 5020 - Basic Problems in Sociology II

Spring.

SOC 5190

Workshop on Social Inequality

This course provides a forum in which students and others can present, discuss, and receive instant feedback on their inequality-related research. Its primary goals is to help students advance their own research; its secondary goal is to introduce selected debates in the contemporary inequality literature in a more comprehensive fashion that is possible in the introductory graduate-level seminar on inequality.

Full details for SOC 5190 - Workshop on Social Inequality

Fall, Spring.

SOC 5710

US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics

This course aims to explore and answer a single question about America's promise-of success if you work hard and do well in school: Why do we have such substantial and long-standing inequality in the U.S.? In answering this central question, we will investigate the goals, roles, and outcomes of formal educational institutions in American society and the legal and policy environment in which they operate. Specifically, we will review historical state and federal policy, trace the $700 million spent, and interrogate the sociological functions of public and private K12 schools, including the successes, failures, and enigmas of school organization and policy at the local, state, and national level.

Full details for SOC 5710 - US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics

Spring.

SOC 6020

Intermediate Statistics for Sociological Research

This course provides the second part of a two-semester introduction to quantitative methods in sociological research. It is designed for first-year graduate students in sociology. The course covers intermediate topics in linear regression, and provides an introduction to models for categorical and count data, the analysis of time data, and longitudinal data. We'll also discuss data-related issues such as missing data and weighting, and data that are complicated by issues of non-random design. While statistical modeling is the focus of the course, we proceed with the assumption that models are only as good as the theoretical and substantive knowledge behind them. Thus, in covering the technical material, we will spend considerable time discussing the link between substantive knowledge and statistical practice.

Full details for SOC 6020 - Intermediate Statistics for Sociological Research

Spring.

SOC 6030

Graduate Research Practicum

This course is designed to assist the student's professional development on a "learning by doing and feedback" basis. The course is organized around presentation and discussion of ongoing research projects. As a general rule the course welcomes auditors and all members of the sociology community interested in the variety of research being pursued at Cornell, though participation is with the permission of the instructor(s).

Full details for SOC 6030 - Graduate Research Practicum

Spring.

SOC 6050

Social Demography

The objective of this course is to provide a conceptual overview and technical "tool-kit" for studying population issues and public policies. What is a demographic perspective? And how can it be applied usefully to important domestic and international policy issues of the day (e.g., housing segregation, health and retirement, labor mobility and immigration, and above- and below-replacement fertility, school projections, etc.). The course will introduce students to various demographic data sources (e.g., decennial census and periodic fertility surveys), conventional measures (e.g., fertility rates and measures of poverty/inequality), and conventional demographic techniques (e.g., life tables, rate standardization, and population forecasting) used in social demography. For the most part, the course places the emphasis on the appropriate application of demographic tools and on scientifically-sound interpretations.

Full details for SOC 6050 - Social Demography

Spring.

SOC 6080

Proseminar in Sociology

Discussion of the current state of sociology and of the research interests of members of the graduate field; taught by all members of the field.

Full details for SOC 6080 - Proseminar in Sociology

Fall, Spring.

SOC 6110

Social Network: Theory and Applications

Social Network Analysis (SNA), or the mathematical analysis of webs of relationships, is a thriving part of sociology and an active research area for numerous other disciplines. This course is intended to introduce students to the basics of SNA and help them apply it to a variety of research questions. We will discuss the theoretical underpinnings of the area, basic concepts used in SNA analyses, and finally methods for describing and interpreting network data. At the completion of this course students should have a basic understanding of social networks and be able to carry out a variety analyses on their own.

Full details for SOC 6110 - Social Network: Theory and Applications

Spring.

SOC 6310

Qualitative Research Methods for Studying Science, Technology, and Medicine

In this Graduate seminar we will discuss the nature, politics and basic assumptions underlying qualitative research. We will examine a selection of qualitative methods ranging from interviewing, oral history, ethnography, participant observation, archival research and visual methods. We will also discuss the relationship between theory and method. All stages of a research project will be discussed - choice of research topic and appropriate methods; human subject concerns and permissions; issues regarding doing research; as well as the process of writing up and publishing research findings.

Full details for SOC 6310 - Qualitative Research Methods for Studying Science, Technology, and Medicine

Spring.

SOC 6350

Social Change in Theory and Practice

Sociology as a discipline formed in the effort to comprehend the emergence of modern society via industrialization, urbanization, and marketization, with concurrent transformation in social beliefs, typical life courses, and social networks. Much of today's sociology is implicitly oriented to a related concern with theorizing quantitative and qualitative change, as can be seen in investigation of online interaction, gender roles and identity, political polarization, modification in organizational forms, and the like. This course examines conceptions of substantive social change by leading sociologists like Daniel Bell, James Coleman, Randall Collins, Alvin Gouldner, John Meyer, Theda Skocpol, Duncan Watts, and Harrison White, and considers how they inform and are enriched by empirical inquiry.

Full details for SOC 6350 - Social Change in Theory and Practice

Spring.

SOC 6460

Seminar in Economic Sociology

Introduces the field of economic sociology and covers major topics addressed by sociologists studying the intersection of economy and society. We begin with classic statements on economic sociology and then move to the invigoration of the field in recent years, reading works that have been instrumental in this invigoration. Consideration is given to the several variants of "institutionalism" that have informed the sociological study of markets, organizations, and economic exchange.

Full details for SOC 6460 - Seminar in Economic Sociology

Spring.

SOC 6520

Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics

Political and cultural polarization have steadily increased in the three decades since Patrick Buchanan declared a "cultural war for the soul of America." Concerns include echo chambers, filter bubbles, and increasingly vitriolic discourse, with the cumulative potential to erode democratic institutions. The first half of the semester explores the definition, types, measures, dynamics, and consequences of partisan cultural alignment. The second half addresses the causes, diffusion, and consequences of polarization. Readings will include theoretical models and empirical studies of opinion cascades, identity politics, motivated reasoning, network homophily, echo chambers, filter bubbles, social contagion, conformity, and cultural cognition. Weekly discussions will grapple with a range of questions, including: What is polarization? Is it the tendency for opinions to be extreme, with the disappearance of a consensual middle ground, or is it the tendency for substantively unrelated opinions to become correlated? Did polarization emerge from the top down, beginning with political and cultural elites, or from the bottom up, through the self-reinforcing dynamics of network homophily and peer influence? Do social media and cable news contribute to polarization or merely reflect it? Can polarization be reversed, and if not, what are the implications for democratic institutions?

Full details for SOC 6520 - Culture Wars in the Age of Tribal Politics

Spring.

SOC 6910

Independent Study

For graduates who wish to obtain research experience or to do extensive reading on a special topic. Permission to enroll for independent study is granted only to students who present an acceptable prospectus and secure the agreement of a faculty member to serve as supervisor for the project throughout the semester.

Full details for SOC 6910 - Independent Study

Fall or Spring.

SOC 6950

Spatial Demography

"Spatial Demography" introduces core concepts and techniques for analyzing spatially referenced population data. Students learn about the spatial structure of social phenomenon and how to analyze and account for spatial relationships in formal analyses. We draw from examples in housing, health, and education to evaluate how populations are spatially distributed. The course covers methods for addressing spatial dependence and heterogeneity, as well as tools for describing spatial relationships (including various indices of segregation). A substantial portion of the course is also dedicated to practical skills for managing and presenting spatial data using GIS software, including geographic projections, geoprocessing, geocoding addresses, spatially joining layered data, and distance buffering.

Full details for SOC 6950 - Spatial Demography

Spring.

SOC 8920

Graduate Research

Work with a faculty member on a project that is related to your dissertation work.

Full details for SOC 8920 - Graduate Research

Spring.

SOC 8960

Thesis Research

Work with chair of your committee on your dissertation work.

Full details for SOC 8960 - Thesis Research

Spring.

Courses by semester

Courses for Spring 2025