Course Descriptions - Undergraduate Calendar 2022-2023

An introduction to the basic concepts and frames of reference of sociological investigation and interpretation. Topics for analysis will include communities, associations and institutions, classes and status groups, crowds and publics, social processes, and social change. Special attention is given to Canadian society.

An introduction to the basic concepts and frames of reference of sociological investigation and interpretation. Topics for analysis will include communities, associations and institutions, classes and status groups, crowds and publics, social processes, and social change. Special attention is given to Canadian society.

An introduction to the sociological perspectives on marriage and the family in urban-industrial societies. Special attention is given to marriage and the family in Canada. Comparisons with U.S. and Britain will be undertaken.

This course will examine the substance of victimization: the scientific study of victims, the process, etiology, and consequences of victimization. Topics will include victims and politics, the victims' movement, victim-precipitation, the victimization of women, and family violence.

An examination of the nature and function of sociological theory and the types of theory that founded the discipline in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The social definitions of adolescence in cross-cultural and historical perspective. Social roles of adolescents in the institutional structures of urban-industrial societies with special emphasis on the family, education, and the economy. The relationship of adolescents' social roles to processes of social change and stability.

The specific social problems discussed will vary but will include problems of well-being, problems of inequality and power, and problems related to modernization.

The focus of this course is on the sociological study of education in Canadian society. This course applies classical and contemporary theoretical approaches to study education systems and the relationship between school and society.

The focus of this course is on the sociological study of education in Canadian society. This course applies classical and contemporary theoretical approaches to study education systems and the relationship between school and society.

This course examines sport in modern societies and the distinctive features of Canadian sport. Attention is directed to the relationship between sport and other institutions, including the economy and political system. Contemporary issues, including racial and gender inequality and controversies over violence and drugs are also considered.

An introduction to the central role of surveillance in shaping power relations and knowledge across a range of social and cultural contexts. Foundational historical, theoretical, and empirical texts that define the field of surveillance studies will be explored.

An introductory survey of the research techniques commonly employed by sociologists, criminologists, and legal studies researchers. The formulation of research designs appropriate to various kinds of intellectual problems in social science is stressed.

A systematic analysis and criticism is presented of biological, psychological, psychoanalytical, and sociological theories of juvenile delinquency. Attention is given to statistics and contemporary research with special emphasis on the distribution and types of delinquent subcultures.

The deviance-making process is examined in a variety of social contexts. This course examines the emergence of rules and control agencies, the processes by which people become involved in deviant activities, and the contingencies affecting their careers as deviants.

The deviance-making process is examined in a variety of social contexts. This course examines the emergence of rules and control agencies, the processes by which people become involved in deviant activities, and the contingencies affecting their careers as deviants.

A sociological analysis of poverty in contemporary Canada as it underlies a multiplicity of interlocking social problems.

This course examines games, gamers, and gaming culture as entry points to understanding the social implications of digital media technologies.

An examination of the major theories of crime causation and their implications for the development of social policy. Both historical and contemporary theories will be discussed.

Decisions to process offenders and the role of social factors in the Canadian criminal justice system are critically examined. Focal issues include police discretion, the legal profession, and prison systems.

Sociological analysis of research and theory on selected criminal activities. Motivation, modus operandi, and the social characteristics of offenders will be examined in relation to such specific crimes as drug and sexual offenses, theft, robbery, murder, organized crime, and/or other criminal activities.

An in-depth analysis of research in selected topics in Sociology.

This course examines how forms of society influence technological developments and, reciprocally, how society is influenced by technology. It covers such topics as the de-skilling of work, technocracy, communications technology, and cyberspace, from an historical perspective, looking for the unifying features of technologies ranging from Stone Age tools to the microprocessor.

This course offers an introduction to the study of terrorism, with a primary focus on sociological approaches. The course examines the history, causes, and diversity of forms of terrorist groups and the process of radicalization, suicide terrorism, and some aspects of the counter-terrorism response of states.

This course is an introduction to the study of work and occupations including labour market trends, professions and the professionalization process, how work is experienced, balancing work and family, and the impact of work on lifestyles, leisure, and retirement.

This course provides an introduction to the social processes and functions of mass media communication - with particular reference to the Canadian context. Emphasis is focused on the relationship between mass communication and the ongoing reconstruction of social reality.

This course discusses health, illness, and the distribution of disease in society. It introduces concepts such as social determinants of health, population health, and culturally competent care. The strength and the limitations of the Canadian health care system will be examined through a sociological lens.

An examination of sociological research and theory in the field of mental disorders particularly as they apply to issues of law and social control. Topics include mental health legislation, the medical model of mental "illness," the epidemiology of mental disorder, family processes and psychiatric hospitalization, public attitudes and social stigma, and specific forms of mental disorder.

Through the analysis of multiple aspects of city life, this course examines the larger question of a city's uniqueness, identity, and culture. Approaches may include case studies, comparative analyses, and theoretical accounts of city life.

An introduction to the study of human population, with a focus on mortality, fertility, migration, and spatial distribution in Canada. Methods and measures used in demographic research, sources of demographic data, and the health and social implications of the major demographic trends are discussed.

Relations between different racial and cultural groups, analysis of majority-minority group status with special reference to Canada.

An examination of the nature and causes of episodes of mass violence inspired by apocalyptic beliefs. This course will use historical and contemporary case studies and theoretical discussions of the social and psychological factors precipitating violence.

This course examines the nature of religion, spirituality, and non-religion in society and their impact on many aspects of social and political life in North America and Europe. We will also consider how religion, spirituality, and non-religion can be sources of social stability and peace as well as of social change and conflict.

This course examines various cults and new religious movements (e.g., Scientology, Krishna Consciousness, Neo-paganism) and places them within the context of our sociological knowledge of their emergence, who joins and why, and other issues.

An examination of select criminal organizations in North America. Particular attention will be given to the social history of "the mafia" and the development of legal tools for policing criminal organizations. Additional themes for discussion include enterprise and economic crimes, corruption, and the role of women in organized crime.

This course examines different international migration flows, including irregular immigration, refugees and asylum seekers, and low- and high-skilled labourers. Drawing on migration theories, it critically examines why people move, how states respond to different flows, and how migration controls intersect with gender, race, class, and nationality.

An analysis of the Mennonites as a social movement, their transition to a sectarian community, transformation to a religious-ethnic society, and present pluralistic profile. Case studies of/and field visits to area Mennonites included.

A basic course in statistics used in social science research including sampling, central tendency, probability, and covariance, as illustrated in specifically sociological and criminological data.

An examination of the nature and functioning of sociological theory in the 20th and 21st centuries, with a focus on selected types of theory that have been influential in shaping the discipline.

This course explores the complex interactions between media and crime. Topics to be addressed may include news reporting of crime; moral panics; signal crimes; media constructions of crime, offenders, and victims; "reality" crime shows; citizen journalism and the new media; surveillance and social control.

An introduction to privacy as a socio-legal concept and to major debates surrounding privacy in contemporary contexts. National and international frameworks for the regulation of privacy will be examined and may include analysis of major cases in privacy law.

An examination of theories of juvenile justice, juvenile law, and the structure and operations of juvenile systems, especially in Canada.

A study of problems arising from the interplay between institutionalized education and the forces of rapid social change in the contemporary society. It emphasizes the changing roles of the learners and instructors and social dimensions of newer learning theories and programs.

A survey of applications of the concept of the network in studying social structures. Examples will be drawn from diverse areas, such as interpersonal relations, community studies, social support, interorganizational relations, elites, deviant groups, etc.

An examination of the social character of the development of science and the production of scientific knowledge. Specific topics will include defining science, cultural influences on the rise of science, the social nature of scientific institutions, selective bias in scientific procedures, and the social construction of scientific facts.

This course examines causes of and responses to critical social problems in different world regions with a focus on how these problems intersect with processes of globalisation. Topics include global economic inequality, global health, gender inequality, the environment, and war.

This course provides a critical evaluation of research techniques in sociology, criminology, and legal studies with an emphasis on learning and applying qualitative fieldwork approaches.

This course examines how digital play represents and structures social interaction and how games develop social norms, influence social consensus, and respond to deviance.

Despite the commonly held belief that sexuality is nothing more than "doing what comes naturally," cultural definitions, including prohibitions against specific forms of conduct, impinge upon the most private or intimate of acts. This course examines the social construction and control of sexuality through law.

A critical criminological and sociological examination of theories and practices of punishment. This course will examine transformations in penal theory, penal management, and penal institutions and their social and policy implications.

A critical examination of the police as social control agents in contemporary democratic societies. Topics include the historical evolution of policing; police recruitment, training, and education; police/community relations; the occupational subculture of the police; police authority and discretion; private policing; and police deviance and criminality.

An examination of the causes and impact of the illegal traffic in goods and services in Canada and internationally. Topics may include human trafficking, trade in illicit drugs and weapons, money laundering and financing of terror, and the relationship between trafficking and state political violence.

The course examines the relationship between the framing of (in)security and policing as a dominant approach to govern risk in our modern era. Topics may include the policing of political protest, the Anthropocene, and the Internet. Students will analyze what's at stake with the diffusion of security in social life.

An in-depth analysis of research in selected topics in Sociology.

An examination of the policy-making process in liberal democratic societies, and an evaluation of the tools employed by policy analysts to understand that process.

This course introduces students to key concepts and case study research on the regulation of human migration and its exclusionary practices. It examines how state policies, laws, and international organizations control the mobility of migrants and refugees across regions and borders.

The analysis of varieties of social movements and their relationships to social organization and social change.

This course explores theoretical perspectives and empirical studies on development and the related field of migration studies. Specific themes may include history and colonialism, seasonal and labour migration, forced migration, immigration policies and their social and economic implications, and transnationalism and diasporas.

An introduction to individual and population aging. Topics discussed include: aging from a historical and comparative perspective; aging in subcultures; aging and the social structure; aging and social processes; aging and the environment; work and retirement; and aging and leisure patterns.

This course discusses health care systems around the world from sociological perspectives and introduces health care system evaluation criteria to examine different nations' health care models, including health care delivery and financing. Some basic research methods for health care systems studies will be introduced.

An examination of contemporary parent-child relations in terms of a reconceptualization of power. Special attention will be given to contemporary interpretive (e.g., hermeneutic) approaches to a reformulation of the relation between power and action.

A critical examination of special issues and topics bearing on the nature of Canadian society and/or the interrelationship of Canada with other aspects of the international community. Topics will vary according to the instructor's interests, but may include such issues as multiculturalism, immigration, national unity, globalization, poverty, and industrial development and policy.

This course examines how our contemporary concern with community is connected with the rise of modern society and the development of the urban-rural debate. Our anxieties about community will be shown to be connected to our anxieties about family. Special attention will be given to the interpretive approach to these issues.

This course examines the social construction of law and its administration as a social process. Topics will include law as an instrument of social control and social change, legal culture, the identification and evaluation of criminal suspects, the trial process and the rights of special groups. The specific laws highlighted will vary.

This course will deal with selected topics in sociology. Subjects will be dependent upon the research and/or instructional interests of faculty.

Ethnomethodology is a study of the methods and practices people use to produce and recognize social actions. Topics may include greetings, the sex/gender distinction, science and common sense, breaching experiments, and jury deliberation.

The societal context of policing, courts, and corrections is examined to understand how social control and the law are used in the criminal justice system. Special emphasis is placed on the socio-economic, legal, political, and situational environment that shapes responses to different categories of offenders and offences.

An independent in-depth study of a selected area of concern to the student within the discipline of sociology. Available to individuals or small groups of third- or fourth-year Social Development Studies majors and arranged with one of the faculty members from the program.

An independent in-depth study of a selected area of concern to the student within the discipline of sociology. Available to individuals or small groups of third or fourth-year Social Development Studies majors and arranged with one of the faculty members from the program.

An examination of sociological theories of gender and gender relations. Emphasis is placed on tracing historical changes in interpretations of gender, with a particular consideration of contemporary theoretical debates. Approaches to be considered include feminist theories as well as political economy and cultural studies.

This course examines key substantive, theoretical, and methodological issues in the field of sociology of religion. Students will critically analyze high-profile media and legal cases surrounding the role of religion, spirituality, and secularity in Canadian society. Students will also further their knowledge by completing their own projects in this thematic area, developing both their research and written skills.

This seminar undertakes to develop a general theory of the relation of social thought to social action, comparative value systems and the role of the scientist, artist, and intellectual in society.

An analysis of selected original writings by the major figures in the classical sociological tradition of the 19th and early 20th centuries and selected critical literature.

An analysis of selected original writings by influential figures in contemporary theory (i.e., mid-20th century onwards) and selected critical literature.

We examine the development of sociological theory in Canada by focusing on major historical and contemporary figures and theories representative of English-language sociology. We examine, in addition, sociologically important scholars and schools of thought in history and political economy as well as selected developments in French-language Canadian sociology.

This course deals with recent controversies in sociological theory; e.g., Giddens' theories of structuration and the state; critical theory, including the works of Habermas on communicative action; postmodernist theory; the positivist/interpretive debate; and varieties of psychoanalytic theory.

An examination of the way monitoring technologies alter and shape social life in terms of security, fear, control, and vulnerability.

An examination of the major theoretical explanations and practices in education. Topics include an analysis of the various social processes that have been developed to define and transmit knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and power relations from one generation to the next. The role of state-sponsored formal education systems in the context of world economic systems will be explored.

This course examines the relationship between higher education and society. Topics include: major trends, student culture, how and why students are stratified across fields of study and various kinds of postsecondary institutions, and the relationship between education and the labour market.

This course will critically assess contemporary approaches to the study of culture and media in sociology and related fields. The course will examine the production, mediation, and consumption of cultural artifacts, images, and spaces, and the problems of culture as ideology, reproduction, and resistance.

This course examines contemporary issues in policing. Topics may include police response strategies in different models of policing, economics of policing, use of discretion, police accountability, and the changing functions and activities of the police.

This course provides students with the tools and vocabulary to understand inequality - how it is produced, how it is experienced and how it is contested in Canada and globally. Students will acquire knowledge about the historic foundations of contemporary inequalities, such as settler colonialism, and will examine proposed technological, political, and institutional solutions that sometimes mitigate inequalities of race, gender, and social class, and sometimes wind up reproducing them instead. Students will deepen their knowledge and expertise of these topics via discussion, research, writing, and class presentations.

This course examines contemporary issues in terrorism studies. Topics may include the history and comparative analysis of political and religious forms of violent extremism, the process of radicalization and recruitment, the analysis of different forms of terrorist activity, and the counter-terrorism policies and practices.

This seminar examines the peer influence perspective in criminology. Key theoretical, methodological, and substantive issues and challenges are addressed.

This interdisciplinary course will cover current issues and debates in health, health care, health care systems, and the socio-cultural aspects of population health and wellbeing. Students will 1) examine health, illness, and health care through a social determinants of health perspective; 2) gain a thorough understanding of the Canadian health care system, especially its strength and shortcomings with a global perspective; and 3) learn to compare and critically analyze different nations' health care policies.

This seminar-style course, positioned at the intersection of sociology and law, examines illicit cross border activity such as terrorism, piracy, drugs, trafficking, and illegal immigration. Each cross-border activity will be examined, along with the way states respond to it politically and legally at a national and international level. Ethnographic research on the activity will provide for rich descriptions of how and why people participate in such activities.

This course examines in depth the process and results of criminal sentencing. Topics include types of sentences for criminal and quasi-criminal offences, objectives of sentences, factors affecting sentences, the process of sentencing, the administration and effectiveness of sentences, and unresolved debates in sentencing.

In this seminar course, students will have the opportunity to learn about a particular topic in the area of sociology or an interdisciplinary field. Students will gain in-depth analysis skills in this selected area of research.

An examination of science as being constituted by practices which are inevitably social and cultural, as well as of scientific expertise in contemporary issues of new technology, biomedicine, and environmental conflict.

In this interdisciplinary course, students will examine social policy and learn how to conduct policy analysis. Students will develop an understanding of the importance of social policy and evidenced-based policymaking, a familiarity with key concepts in the field of social policy (including social justice, social equity and equality, and distributional issues and stakeholders), and how to effectively apply sociological perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches in policy content analysis. Students will also acquire and apply critical thinking and debate skills in social policy analysis and policy critique, as well as in research-policy translation.

A critical examination of science and technology in law and criminal justice. Focus will be on topics such as the histories, politics, and cultural representations of forensic sciences and technologies used in evidence collection, surveillance, policing, criminal courts, and incarceration.

This course examines the social attributes and surrounding conditions associated with at-risk youth. It will focus on the development of youth in three major institutions - education, criminal justice, and mental healthcare. This course will focus on the attributes of youth themselves, but also to changing institutional definitions and practices. This course may include an experiential learning component outside regular classroom hours.

An examination of theoretical perspectives and empirical developments surrounding cybercrime, digitally-mediated harms, and associated regulatory responses. A range of topics may be explored, including hacking, technology facilitated abuse, (dis)information, censorship, human rights, and cybersecurity.

This seminar examines the relation between well-being, culture, alcohol consumption, and regulation from an interpretive focus. Topics addressed may include health, Alcoholics Anonymous, addiction vs. dependence, prohibition, and social discourses around alcohol consumption.

The explosion of digital data is revolutionizing the way we learn about the world. This course focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for doing high-quality social scientific research with digital data. Students will be introduced to the programming language Python, and will learn to collect and analyze digital data using computational methods.

Senior seminars may include weekly readings, individual and/or group projects, class presentations and discussions, research proposals, essay/literature reviews, assignments, midterms, and final exams. Consult departmental listings for topics and prerequisites for the current year.

This course explores theoretical perspectives on development through an examination of the social and cultural consequences of development efforts across the globe. It offers an approach through cases and themes that may include conflict and inequalities, cultural constructions of peoples and places, global aid governance, and alternative approaches to development.

This course explores the theoretical and historical background of humanitarianism, and offers an approach to this field through specific cases and themes that may include the paradoxes of humanitarian intervention, war and humanitarianism, genocide and refugees, gendered bodies, and social justice activism.

This seminar examines major theoretical perspectives and issues in the sociology of work.

This seminar course examines contemporary legal regimes surrounding transnational organized crime, terrorism and organized crime, and international money laundering.

An independent, in-depth study, based on empirical research and/or extensive reading in sociology under the direction of individual instructors in sociology. Available to individuals or small groups of Social Development Studies majors and arranged with one of the faculty members from the plan. The project must be approved by the academic supervisor of the course prior to registration.

Denoting a preprofessionalization experience, this course provides selected students with an opportunity to work [to a maximum of 8 hours per week over one term] as an apprentice with a specific instructor on a research project in which the instructor is currently engaged.

Selected study and assignments under the direction of a faculty member.

Directed reading and research in a selected area of sociology inquiry.

Directed reading and research in a selected area of sociology inquiry.