Sociology

This course examines problem solving in the community and society from social welfare perspective. This course develops capacity of social entrepreneurship in the social welfare context that offer solutions to social problems in an innovative way. It reviews concept of community, theoretical frameworks for understanding community, definitions of community welfare and community practice, and community practice models (locality development, social planning, social action etc.) for promoting community welfare, typical problem solving phases to strengthen community welfare, and new approaches and tasks in promoting community welfare. 

Due to the international diffusion of Korean culture, the interest for Korean language and culture has increased. In order to understand in depth Korean language and culture it is important to acquire knowledge related to the character and status of Korean language, the current situation and development of its teaching and the Korean culture connected to language. Moreover, by means of this deep understanding of Korean language and culture, students research independently about the relation between Korean and other Eastern Asian languages and the connection between Korean culture and Eastern Asian cultures.

This course explores concepts of globalization and the advantages and disadvantages of globalization for such developing countries as Ghana, India, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Honduras, and Malaysia. It studies four different selections of literature that have been developed around the concept of globalization. The first set of selections defines the concept in terms of its relationship to the changing work force, technology and communications, culture, and finance. A second set debates the novelty of the various processes encoded in the concept of globalization. Another set debates the changing role and nature of the state in an era of globalization. A final set debates the issue of whether the economic prospects of the developing world indeed hinge on their full participation in the globalization process. The course also explores economic, political, and cultural perspectives on globalization.

This course examines everyday ethical questions through the lens of different scales of human relationships. It will examine five key relationships through cross-cultural perspectives: (1) with oneself—including self-care, self-forgiveness, and conscience; (2) with friendship and dating; (3) with one’s immediate community—including family and professional life; (4) the larger society in which one lives—including social media and the politics of respect; and (5) with the transcendence of mystery, the divine, and the sacred—including urban space and the ecological other with which we participate.

The course introduces the global trend of population aging and its far-reaching impact on society, especially in China. It reviews the global population aging process, and predicts trends based on perspectives from the areas of biology, psychology, sociology, economics, culture, and public policy.

This course examines key social challenges the world is grappling with such as power and inequality, human security, human mobility, human rights, and globalization. It explores the lived experience of people and cultures around the world and how they make meaning.