This course will focus on how to think “sociologically” about the
world around you.  We will talk about what sociology is (and what it
isn’t), how sociologists actually do sociology, and what sociology
can teach you that other disciplines cannot.  You will gain an
understanding of the basic theories and findings of sociology, but
more importantly, you will hopefully develop an enthusiasm for
thinking about the social world you live in.  To build this
enthusiasm, we will cover a wide variety of topics, and encourage
you to suggest issues from everyday life that we can examine with
our new sociological tools.  The discipline to keep up with the
readings and the regular short response essays is required; the
ability to think about society with awareness and imagination is
recommended.