Splash Biography

How do each of our identities (race, class, gender, sexuality, etc.) intersect to afford us certain privileges and disadvantages in U.S. society? This class will offer a discussion and activity-based approach to understanding issues of inequality and oppression in contemporary U.S. society. Students will be asked to think critically about their own experiences of privilege or oppression, and will then apply these observations to larger social problems.

Sociologists are interdisciplinary scientists who ask questions about how social issues emerge within society. This course will provide an introduction to the issues facing people due to race, gender, class, and other social identities. Students will leave this class with a foundational introduction to sociological concepts and theory, in addition to a deeper understanding of what sociologists can do to alleviate such issues.

What issues of gender inequality do we face as a society? How is gender constructed in contemporary society and why? This course will challenge students to examine gender stereotypes and gendered issues of inequality by taking a closer look at social systems and institutions such as the family, education, and the media. A critical look at how gender inequality and sexuality intersect will be included.