Fall 2024

Critical approaches to social and cultural changes stemming from disruptive innovations in the arts, science, technology, communications, new media, politics and business. Open only to Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation students.

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.

An introduction to cultures and people in the Americas; the social, historical, economic and cultural formations that together make up the Latino/a American imaginary.

Introduction to American studies and ethnic studies. Provides an overview of major theories, concepts, and issues.

Overview of Native American studies, including Indigenous intellectualism and resistance through language revitalization, film-making, and the recognition of one another.

Examines the politics of interracial marriage and intimacy, mixed race identities, and trans-racial adoption.

This course examines black social movements for freedom, justice, equality, and self determination. Beginning with Reconstruction, movements include labor, civil rights, radical feminism, socialism, reparations, Black Nationalism, prisoners' rights, and Hip Hop.

The body, illness and healing from a cultural perspective, including comparative studies of folk healing systems, curing rituals and Western biomedical practices.

An exploration of the nature and contributions of pre-Columbian high civilizations (Maya, Aztecs, etc.) and their descendants as they resist and assimilate to the modern world.

Introduction to sociocultural anthropology, emphasizing the study of human values and social structures across diverse examples. Readings in ethnography and social analysis. Gateway course for the Anthropology Major.

Archaeology as the means of investigating our shared human past, from the origins of humanity to the foundations of current civilization.

An anthropological approach to examine social and cultural practices of media production, circulation and consumption, engaging with a variety of multimedia.

Introduces students to anthropological inquiry into human relationships with the environment and provides foundational training in qualitative research methods to investigate environmental issues.

Concepts of social anthropology, using filmic representations of societies throughout the world. Gateway course for the Anthropology major.

Role of Native Americans in American public life from colonial times to the present; Native American societies and governments and their relations to the U.S.

Everyday life, politics, social transformations, and cultural practices in the People's Republic of China, from cultural studies and social science perspectives.

Exploration of illness, disability, and healing narratives, how narratives are culturally shaped, and their significance for western biomedical practices.

An introduction to the field of food studies, as a historical and cross-disciplinary study of the place of food in culture and society.

Introduction to the history of premodern science and the social and intellectual processes and practices that have shaped the work of scientists.

Main patterns of change in modern China, Japan, and Korea;historical framework and the insights of geography, economics,political science, and other disciplines.

Gateway to the majors and minors in environmental studies. Provides students with an overview of how government agencies and societal institutions address (or fail to address) the interrelated social and scientific aspects of environmental problems and policies.

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.

How psychologists study thinking, memory, emotions, personality, and behavior, and how people change in these throughout adulthood to old age.

Individual and collective human action as it shapes and is shaped by economic organizations, political institutions, and broad social and cultural settings. (Satisfies GE-C, Social Analysis) Open only to Freshmen.

The causes and consequences of social phenomena; quantitative and qualitative methods of the social sciences; how people behave and influence the world through cultural forms. Offered by a professional school.

Examines the origins of the idea of race and how this idea influenced the development of the United States from the colonial period to the present day.

History and science of anthropogenic climate change; climate dynamics; carbon cycle; climate modeling; fossil fuel economy; climate denial and political tactics; group research of solutions.

Business history of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong) as related to culture, politics, and society.

Comparison of national and international differences in health status as influenced by cultural practices and lifestyles within geographic, economic, and political environments.

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.

Comprehensive introduction to contending theoretical and analytical approaches; development of critical, evaluative, cognitive, and analytical competencies regarding historical and contemporary issues.

Jewish beliefs, practices, and history from the biblical period to the present; Judaic contributions to Western civilization.

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

An investigation into inter-ethnic, interracial, and inter-religious marriage in the 21st century.

Discourse patterns among diverse social groups in institutional and interpersonal settings; interrelationships among language practices and gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity; social structures and cultural values as reflected in language policies and practices.

Theoretical, institutional, and functional aspects of American national, state, and local government and politics; contemporary issues. Recommended for freshmen and sophomores.

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.

Review of legal and ethical traditions of citizenship withemphasis on the latter; consideration of implications for currentpractice of public policy-making and management.

The urban context for planning and policy decisions. Socioeconomic, physical and spatial structure of cities; and the underlying demographic, economic and social processes that drive their ongoing transformation.

Scientific perspective of close relationships: intimate relationships, friendships and others, evolutionary and biological bases of attraction and love, historical, social , cultural influences. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. (Duplicates credit in PSYC 359)

Introduction to psychological, biological and behavioral processes affecting physical health, including stress, coping with disease, health behaviors and socioeconomic and cultural influences on health.

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

Basic concepts of sociology with special reference to group life,social institutions, and social processes.

Science and technology change society and how we understand ourselves. In turn, social struggles influence science. We will explore the interplay between these forces.

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

Theory and history behind the ideal of "the local, grassroots volunteer": a direct link between theory and research using Los Angeles as a case study.

Historical and contemporary approaches to sociological theory; analysis of conceptual frameworks applied to the study of society and social interaction.

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

The role of food systems in human nutrition and environmental health, and system transformations needed to achieve good health, equity and sustainability.

Introduction to the complex relationship between human development and natural hazards, which are increasingly causing damage and displacement to human populations throughout the world.

Exploration of identity development in terms of social, political, and cultural constructs; examination of collegiate athletics and the contributions of women of color.

Multidisciplinary survey of gender assumptions in relation to sexuality, mental health, social and political relations, and artistic expression.