Sociology

Some say that being in love is the human condition. What is love? Is it an abstract feeling or could there be some science behind it? This short course explores the science behind attraction, intimacy, and love. The course examine the concept and experience of love from social, historical, physiological, and psychological perspectives.

This course examines cultural psychology and focuses on how it is relevant in an increasingly globalized world. It covers colonialism and how it shaped our psychological understanding of ourselves and others; how racism and stereotyping are psychological phenomena that interfere with successful globalization today; and how cultures’ different set of moral values often conflict with one another.

This course introduces students to the study of crime and its prevention. It begins by considering the challenges with how we define and measure crime, and the implications these have for interpreting key crime trends. Special attention is devoted to how crime patterns manifest in space and time, and how they can be analyzed. Next, the key sociological, psychological, and ecological theories relating to criminal behavior are critically examined. Lastly, the formal structures and machinery in place to respond to crime and security problems are outlined. This includes the role and functions of the police, courts, and corrections as the chief components of the criminal justice system, as well as the role of government in setting crime policy. Students are encouraged to critically assess the strength of different theoretical approaches throughout the course.

This course analyzes group dynamics, teamwork, conflict management, and strategies for negotiation and integration in small and large groups. It examines the current psycho-social perspective used to study groups.