Spring 2017

Analysis of race and the economic, political, gender, and social dimensions of contemporary Los Angeles including topics such as residential segregation, economic inequality, and city politics.

Examination of the constructions of American ethnicity/race in film.

A comprehensive investigation of problems stemming from changing composition of the workforce, urban decline, new technologies, inequalities, ethnic relations, government deficits. Prospects for continued growth.

Exploration of the major social, political, economic, religious, and philosophical disagreements that exist between scholars, leaders, and citizens concerning today's most serious environmental issues and problems. Not available for credit to environmental studies majors and minors.

Examination of ethical issues in environmental context:systematic analysis of problems associated with protection and useof selected environments.

U.S. motion pictures as both a response to and comment upon major events, problems, and themes in 20th century America.

Historical perspective for current debates on evolution, investigating the contexts for the emergence and development of evolutionary theory and its subsequent impact on society.

Basic concepts of world affairs for non-majors. Development ofcompetency to understand and critically evaluate global relationsand international events, stressing empirical approaches. Not available for major credit.

Historical background and responses to the Holocaust, withspecial emphasis on ethical implications.

Interaction between law and politics; overview of the American legal system; value conflicts and public policy questions which arise within it.

Overview of human rights controversies across the globe. Introduction to techniques of analysis for social issues, interdisciplinary research methods, and interpretation of complex political problems.

Introduction to the causes and effects of contemporary race relations in a diverse U.S. society. Exploration of racial conflict at the personal and institutional levels.

Examination of the immigrant experience in the United States. Comparative analysis of social context of migration, formation of immigrant communities, and social integration of immigrants.

The peculiarity of the "modern" Western family system in historical and cross-cultural perspective; focus on the "postmodern" family crisis in the United States.

Investigation of health as a social category and the varied ways that social and cultural factors shape bodies and health.

Sociological and demographic concepts focusing on the causes of disease, health and wellness. Empirical analysis of population composition and its connection to health.

This course examines globalization through social and economic processes and its consequences for social conflict, economic development, human rights, social movements, and national identity.

The influence of sustainability science on public policy and vice versa in the context of social/ethical theories, analytical methods and solutions.

Identification and examination of social and cultural conflicts through the lens of gender, and comparison of such conflicts across cultures, regions, and historical periods.