LASS 954 (SOCI*227) Contemporary Social Problems and Institutions

Division of Liberal Arts

3 credits 45.0 hours
300 level undergraduate course

Social problems are conditions in society that are perceived as undesirable and capable of being ameliorated, if not resolved. Obvious examples include such things as suicide, crime, poverty, divorce, drug abuse, war, and unemployment. In this course, we will examine particular social problems in contemporary American society only after having first considered their institutional contexts from a sociological perspective. The semester will be devoted to: (1) the institution of social class and the problems of inequality and poverty; (2) the institution of the family and the problems of marriage and fatherlessness; (3) the institution of education and the problems of student achievement and college attainment.

Prerequisites LACR*102 or LACR*103

This course is not repeatable for credit.