Selected Topics

Three credits · Undergraduate

The topic for 2026-2027 is Therapeutic Culture and the Wellness Industry. This course introduces you to the scholarship on therapeutic culture, a concept sociologists use for the rise and influence of the language of therapy, emotions, and psychology in everyday life. We will analyze the origins, expressions, and implications of therapeutic culture in a range of contexts, such as personal relationships, workplaces, schools, social movements, and politics. In each case, we will consider the intersections of therapy culture with selfhood, power, and social inequality. Prerequisite: 12 credits SOCI or permission of the instructor. Three credits.