An exploration of timely, often policy-oriented and/or interdisciplinary issues in sociology. A specific topic will be addressed each time the course is offered. Topics might include Principles of Population, Social Inequalities, and other topics. May be repeated with different topics. Prerequisite: one course in SOC or permission of instructor.
| Distribution Area | Prerequisites | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite: one course in SOC or permission of instructor. | 1/2-1 course |
This course explores how modern digital technologies are used to track, control, and modify human behavior. What does the new surveillance apparatus look like, and how does it work? Who built it, and to what ends? And crucially, what does this mean for the future of democracy and freedom in the 21st century? We will approach these timely and thought-provoking questions from a historical and interdisciplinary lens, shedding light on both the technical aspects of modern surveillance and its social implications. Topics of special consideration will include: the relationship between decarceration and "mass supervision"; the privatization of the Internet and the rise of "surveillance advertising"; digital surveillance in the workplace; the collusion between Big Tech and the national security state; and the tradeoff between privacy and convenience.
This course approaches art as a sociological subject. The course covers a wide range of topics related to art and civil society, from contexts of creativity to production and reception, in addition to marketing, interpretation, and politics. The syllabus is divided into three units. In Unit 1, we will examine how artworks are produced, evaluated, and exchanged in the traditional "art market." Unit 2 focuses on the objects and genres of art, developing our sociological mindfulness of exclusion and hierarchy in the art worlds. Digging deeper into the question of exclusion and hierarchy, Unit 3 asks how art can move us in so many creative ways. We will look at communities of artists traditionally marginalized by the mainstream art market. After taking this course, students are expected to be able to apply their sociological imagination to the art worlds, systematically analyze art as a social and political object, and engage in creative collective actions for social justice.