This course provides an overview of contemporary sociology.  The
readings are organized around five broad topics in sociology –
population, social organization, stratification, culture and social
change.  The readings will try to provide answers to the following
questions:

(a)	Population:  How many people do we have?  Is the population
growing or shrinking?  Is that a   good thing?  Will we run out of
resources?
(b)	Social Organization:  How are people organized?  How do
people coordinate their activities to achieve goals?  What is the
purpose of bureaucracy?
(c)	Stratification:  Who gets the rewards in society?  Why are
some people rich and some poor?
(d)	Culture:  How do our beliefs influence our actions?  What is
the nature of belief systems?
(e)	 Social change:  How do nations and communities change over
time?  When do political revolutions occur?  How do nations make the
transition to “modernity”?

Course grades will be computed from weekly quizzes, two midterms and
a final examination.