Introduction to Sociology

Harvard FAS

What is society? What is the role of the individual in it? How can we change our societies? This course introduces students to the field of sociology. By surveying social theory as well as empirical studies, students acquire what C. Wright Mills calls the "sociological imagination": the ability to think beyond our personal lives and to connect the experiences of individuals with large social structures. We examine common-sense assumptions about culture, politics, history, and psychology, and…