Introduction to Social Problems

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The United States is beset by many serious social problems, such as crime and deviance, drug abuse and addiction, domestic violence, hunger and poverty, and racial/ethnic discrimination. How do we think about these problems in ways that lead to helpful solutions? Sociology offers concepts, theories, and empirical research useful for understanding and addressing important problems in society. This course illuminates key social problems by introducing basic sociological concepts, theories and research, and applying them to specific problems, such as poverty and economic inequality, racial segregation, gender and educational inequality, and the decline of social capital. Students will learn to take a sociological perspective not only in examining the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of society's most troubling social problems, but also in developing their critical analysis of key social problems.