This class is intended as an introduction to the field methods of sociological research, with a focus on ethnographic observation and interviewing.  Students will produce original research as part of the course, from data collection through analysis and written results.  Students will also read examples of research relying on field methods.  Throughout the course we will discuss the strengths, limitations, and ethics of field methods.

Course Professor:
Stephen Viscelli

CROSS LISTED: EALC-083 SOCI-530

Although the remarkable economic achievement of South Korea over the last few decades has received the serious attention of academic and policy communities, dramatic social changes Korea has experienced in such areas as occupation, education, family, gender, and population have not been widely discussed. Korea is one of the countries with the highest proportion of young people who have college degrees in the world. Korean women show the lowest level of fertility in the world. Korea surpasses Japan in the speed of population aging. Korea now shows a higher (crude) divorce rate than most North American and European countries except for the U.S. In this course, we will address various issues related to recent social changes in Korea such as: What are the implications of recent rapid population aging for labor supply and immigration policy in near future? What are the consequences of recent rapid increase in divorce rate for children’s well-being? How has women’s economic participation changed along with their increasing levels of educational attainment? How has the expansion of education among Korean women affected the traditional cultural norm surrounding marriage and family? Why are Korean mothers so actively involved in their children’s education?

CROSS LISTED: AFRC-235 

Beginning with discussion of various perspectives on social change and law, this course then examines in detail the interdependent relationship between changes in legal and societal institutions. Emphasis will be placed on (1) how and when law can be an instrument for social change, and (2) how and when social change can cause legal change. In the assessment of this relationship, the laws of the United States and other countries as well as international law, will be studied. Throughout the course, discussions will include legal controversies relevant to social change such as civil liberties, gender and the law, and issues of nation-building. A comparative framework will be used in the analysis of this interdependent relationship between law and social change.

CROSS LISTED: URBS-253

This course will explore the political, economic, social, and demographic forces impacting metropolitan areas, with a particular focus on Philadelphia.  We will examine the government policies, economic forces, and social attitudes that affect the way a region grows and develops.  Specific topics to be discussed include the factors that make a region competitive, the city’s changing role in the region, evolving regional housing markets, and the impacts of the recent global financial crisis on American markets, regions, institutions, and neighborhoods.

Course Professor:
Karen Black

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN US
CROSS LISTED: URBS-264

This course is designed to introduce students to current literature on race/ethnic differences in health and mortality in the United States, covering such topics as explanations for why some race/ethnic groups fare better than others, how inner city poverty and residential segregation may contribute to racial/ethnic differences in health outcomes, and health of immigrants versus native-born populations.  Current policy debates and recent policy developments related to health are also briefly discussed. 

The course is organized as a seminar with a combination of lectures and class discussions.  We will meet only once a week.  It is important that students attend seminars regularly and actively participate in class discussions.  There are four short assignments designed around the topics covered in class and students will be required to present data/information, pose questions and lead class discussions as appropriate for each topic.  There will be one in-class exam towards the end of the course.  In addition, students are required to write a research paper (12-15 pages), which will consist of a health profile of a race/ethnic group of a student’s choice and its possible explanations.  There are no prerequisites, although a prior sociology course and familiarity with a spreadsheet program would be useful.

Course Professor:
J Culhane

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN US
SOCIETY SECTOR
CROSS LISTED: URBS-270

Immigration is a controversial issue, dividing Americans from Congress to big cities to small towns.  What’s at stake in these debates?  What does immigration mean for cities and regions?  And what roles should policy makers, planners, and community organizations play in shaping migration and its impacts?  This course examines these questions in the context of immigrant, refugee, and receiving communities in the United States.  It surveys public policy and community and economic development practices related to migration, at the local, regional, and trans-national scale.

Class readings, discussions, and regular visits to a variety of Philadelphia’s immigrant neighborhoods explore themes including labor markets, political mobilization, social and cultural policy, and the built environment.

The first half of the course surveys migration and community development among a broad range of ethnic groups in different parts of the city and suburbs; the second half focuses on specific policy and development initiatives.

Assignments include: an opportunity to work with immigrant-serving organizations.

Course Professor:
D Vitiello

CROSS LISTED: HSOC-275

This course is an introduction to major topics in the sociology of medicine, with an emphasis on current American medical practice.  A primary aim of the course is to use a sociological perspective to investigate our shared/contested understandings of illness and health, as well as the evolving medical responses to these human conditions.  We will discuss the structure of the medical professions, social organization of hospitals, social and cultural influences on doctor-patient communication and decision-making, and the history and social context of bioethics.  The course will trace the influence of race, gender and economics on healthcare as we explore issues of legitimacy, training, professional socialization, patient autonomy, and barriers to access and provision of health services.  We will pay particular attention to the current political debates surrounding the provision of healthcare to the uninsured in the United States.

Course Professor:
Colette Joyce

CROSS LISTED: CRIM-280

Crime varies in time, space and populations as it reflects ecological structures and the routine social interactions that occur in daily life.  Concentrations of crime can be found among locations, with antisocial activities like assaults and theft occurring at higher rates because of the demographic make-up of people (e.g., adolescents) or conflicts (e.g.
competing gangs), for reasons examined by ecological criminology.  Variation in socio-demographic structures (age, education ratios, and the concentration of poverty) and the physical environment (housing segregation, density of bars, street lighting) predicts variations between neighborhoods in the level of crime and disorder.  Both ethnographic and quantitative research methods are used to explore the connections between the social and physical environment of areas and antisocial behavior.

Course Professor:
Staff

Permission Needed From Department

Course Professor:
Staff

Permission Needed From Department

Course Professor:
Staff

AN ACADEMICALLY BASED COMMUNITY SERV COURSE
CROSS LISTED: URBS-403

The purpose of this ABCS course is to examine everyday behavior and public life in the urban environment, with a particular emphasis on understanding face-to-face social interactions among members of the University of Pennsylvania community and local neighborhood residents.  Through assigned readings, intensive classroom discussion, and numerous fieldwork projects, students will explore a range of relevant topics: the uses of small urban spaces, including sidewalks, parks, plazas, and commercial hangouts; local security strategies and the role of the police; and the daily rounds of nightshift workers, the homeless, and the working poor.  In addition, students will conduct several hours per week of service work at the Foundation at the Rotunda, a local nonprofit community arts and performance space that aims to facilitate the growth of meaningful partnerships between the University and the surrounding West Philadelphia community.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN US
CROSS LISTED: AFRC-420 AFRC-620 SOCI-660

Spatial concepts like neighborhood and region, distance and proximity, have always been critical factors for understanding social phenomena, particularly those tied to various aspects of urban poverty and inequality.  This course will help cultivate an integrated approach to social science research that recognizes the importance of location, space, and time to enhancing our understanding of social processes.  Students will be (1) exposed to examples of the integration of spatial thinking into social science research; (2) trained in the fundamentals of geographic information systems (GIS) mapping and a spatial analysis methods; (3) exposed to the vast array of spatial data that are available; (4) and encouraged to think critically about how a spatially integrated social science approach can enhance their own research.  Although students will be trained in the use of the basic tools of GIS, this course is not intended to serve as a GIS methods course.

CROSS LISTED: URBS-473

Power is an ability to create change.  Without access to power that might otherwise come from political, financial or personal networks, community organizing can often serve as the only viable source of power for the oppressed.  Whereas organizing has unfortunately become a partisan buzzword during the 2008 presidential campaign, it has played a central role in US history since the Populist movement of the late 19th century, most notably as
the foundation of the Civil Rights movement.  This course will integrate the history and theories of community organizing in order to develop a praxis for each student to create change in their own communities.  Focused analysis of several key texts, inquiry and problem-posing methods rooted in the student's own context will serve as the primary means of study.

Course Professor:
J Becker

Note on registering for LPS courses:

Courses offered through the College of liberal and Professional Studies are open to students in the College of Arts and Sciences, but LPS imposes some restrictions on registration.  During the pre-registration period, most in LPS classes are reserved for LPS students.  Once all of the non-reserved places are filled, College students will find that they cannot register without permission.  Please be aware that the Sociology Department cannot grant permission and/or override the restrictions LPS has imposed.  These registration restrictions will be lifted on the second day of classes.  At that time, College students will be able to register for any LPS courses that still have openings but must go through LPS to do this.
LPS’S phone number is 215-898-7326.

CROSS LISTED: EALC-083 SOCI-230 URBS-506

Although the remarkable economic achievement of South Korea over the last few decades has received the serious attention of academic and policy communities, dramatic social changes Korea has experienced in such areas as occupation, education, family, gender, and population have not been widely discussed. Korea is one of the countries with the highest proportion of young people who have college degrees in the world. Korean women show the lowest level of fertility in the world. Korea surpasses Japan in the speed of population aging. Korea now shows a higher (crude) divorce rate than most North American and European countries except for the U.S. In this course, we will address various issues related to recent social changes in Korea such as: What are the implications of recent rapid population aging for labor supply and immigration policy in near future? What are the consequences of recent rapid increase in divorce rate for children’s well-being? How has women’s economic participation changed along with their increasing levels of educational attainment? How has the expansion of education among Korean women affected the traditional cultural norm surrounding marriage and family? Why are Korean mothers so actively involved in their children’s education?

REGISTRATION REQUIRED FOR LEC, REC
CROSS LISTED: DEMG-536

A course on statistical methods for social scientists, applying the general linear model (GLM).  Students learn the logic and assumptions underlying the GLM and complete exercises that apply linear modeling techniques using the Stata statistical package to “real-world” data.  Issues covered include the logic of statistical modeling, efficient estimation (i.e., statistical precision), specification errors (i.e., what happens when you make incorrect assumptions about how the world works), analyzing group differences with discrete (qualitative) variables (e.g., looking at differences in social processes by gender, or race), representing social processes with multiple equations (“path analysis”), and nonlinear relationships in linear models.

This course will study social stratification primarily in contemporary societies.  We will examine both the distribution of social rewards as well as process for the allocation of these rewards.  Stratification theory and research on social mobility will be considered.  Topics include the influence of education, race and gender, and structural and organizational factors on individual success.  Acquaintance with stratification theory and quantitative methods would be helpful but not required.

This is a two-semester class which is intended to train graduate students in the key aspects of carrying out a research project using in-depth interviews and participant observation. It will cover all phases of the research: filing an application with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), gaining entre’ to the field, writing field notes, managing one’s role in the field, carrying out in-depth interviews, transcribing interviews, writing analytic memos, carrying out a literature review, modifying and focusing the research question, analyzing the data using Atlas Ti, writing a conference paper, and preparing an article for submission to a journal. Each student is expected to carry out a research project of his or her interest. The project must include at least two months of participant observation in an on-going group; ideally the participant-observation will be for a longer period. The research site should be a group which the student may seek to be part of (e.g., a classroom, work setting, leisure group, or political group). The research cannot be secret; nor should the study take place in a location where the student is a member before the class begins. There will also be in-depth interviews with members of the site and collection of relevant documents. The class also includes selected readings of classic and contemporary ethnographic studies. The primary goal of the class, however, is to function as a workshop intended to help students develop their research skills. Course requirements in the fall semester include an IRB application, six sets of field notes, a critical review of the literature, five in-depth interviews, and assorted exercises. Course requirements in the spring semester are ten sets of field notes, five additional interviews, data analysis exercises, a conference presentation, and a 20 page paper. Students need only begin the class with an idea of what they would like to do. They do not need to have begun the research. The one-year time frame permits the time for students to gain access to the site and carry out the research during the class. Beginning graduate students and advanced graduate students are welcome. Students from education and other departments also may join the class.

Open to Sociology/Demography Graduate Students Only

This graduate seminar for first-year graduate students will be a two-semester course covering the major subfields of sociology – their classical and contemporary theories, current methods and substance.

This is a graduate-level seminar structured around the main theoretical debates of contemporary sociology, including the interplay of rationality and emotion, the relationship between structure and agency, the nature of power, and the role of chance and contingency.  In considering alternative positions on these debates, we will encounter the major theorists of the past fifty years, including Parson, Merton, Goffman, Homans, Schutz, Coleman, Bourdieu, Luhmann, Haberman, Collins, and Giddens.

Requirements include intensive primary source reading, writing, and participation.  The course assumes, and does not provide, prior familiarity with the main theoretical perspectives, and thus does not substitute for the undergraduate theory course (Soci 126).

This course is intended to develop the skills and judgment required to conduct independent research in sociology.  We will discuss the selection of intellectually strategic research questions and practical research designs.  Students will get experience with the process of editing successive drafts of manuscripts, the oral presentation of work in progress, and the preparation of finished research projects.  The course is designed to be the context in which master’s papers are written.