Introduction to Sociology:

Introduction/Theory-

Be Familiar with:

1) The difference between the social and individual approach.

2) The importance of the sociological imagination and how it is used.

3) What the role of theory is in social sciences.

4) Emile Durkheim's work on suicide and its importance to sociology.

5) The main premise of Marxist, Weber, Structural Functionalism, & Symbolic Interactionism thought. Be able to compare and contrast these.

Methods-

Be Familiar with:

1) The difference between and purpose of qualitative and quantitative methods

2) The ways to collect data, being able to argue which approach is better in which circumstance

3) The steps in the methodological process

Socialization-

Be Familiar with:

1) The socialization process, including the contributions of Mead and Goffman. Be able to provide examples and identify key concepts in these works.

2) How role theory explains social interaction.

3) The importance of impression management and its usefulness in studying social media.

4) Agents of socialization and the purpose of each.

Race-

Be Familiar with:

1) The difference between essentialism and social constructions.

2) The difference between race and ethnicity.

3) The explanation of race as a social construct.

4) Theories about race.

5) Institutionalized racism, individual racism, & racial profiling.

6) What is meant by a post-racial society.

Culture & Media

Be Familiar with:

1) The difference between material and nonmaterial culture, being able to provide examples.

2) The role of ideologies in creating cultural narratives.

3) The work of Norman Denzin's Cinematic Society, and its influence on mass culture.

4) Ways that sexism and racism are perpetuated in the media.

Gender & Sexuality-

Be Familiar with:

1) The difference between sex, gender, and sexuality and why sociologists make this distinction.

2) The importance of the LGBT movement in constructing current ideas of sexuality.

3) Comparing and contrasting theories of sexuality.

4) The paradigm for analysis on sex work and its impact on the workers.

5) The tracing of gender theory and how they build off of/or reject each other.

6) The importance of hegemonic masculinity and femininity and Connell's work on masculinities in general.

7) How to use a gendered lens to understand gender inequalities in education, violence, work, and socialization.