Education and Society

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Sociology Core Topic: Education is a complex social institution that is responsible for a wide-range of individual and societal outcomes. The study of education has deep roots among the founders of sociology, including Emile Durkheim, who considered education "the base of democratic morality." The study of education continues to be a major focus of sociological inquiry, with a frequently debated question of whether education is a tool for social mobility and the realization of one's full potential, or a tool of oppression that reinforces inequality. This course will examine the institution of education using both theoretical and empirical texts, as well as applied examples of current policy issues. This course will also take a deeper dive into two urgent issues that are at the top of the education policy agenda this spring: (1) the current and future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the improvement of civic education to preserve and advance our democracy and democratic institutions.