2024-2025 Catalog

SOSC 11400-11500-11600. Power, Identity, Resistance I-II-III.

“PIR” is a social sciences general education sequence that introduces students to a variety of approaches in the interpretive social sciences. Appreciating this rich history requires openness to the methodological approaches advanced by thinkers of sometimes vastly different political orientations. We explore the philosophical foundations of modern social and political thought through critical, chronological study of original texts. As we begin, students encounter questions about the nature and limits of sovereign power and some of the ways identity and resistance take shape in relation to the state. As we extend our study of social science thematically and historically, the analytics of “power”, “identity”, and “resistance” continue to provide powerful lenses for understanding social institutions.

SOSC 12400-12500-12600. Self, Culture, and Society I-II-III.

“Self, Culture, and Society” introduces students to a broad range of social scientific theories and methodologies that deepen their understanding of basic problems of cultural, social, and historical existence. The sequence starts with the conceptual foundations of political economy and theories of capitalism and meaning in modern society. Students then consider the cultural and social constitution of the self, foregrounding the exploration of sexuality, gender, and race. Finally, students critically examine dominant discourses of science, individuality, and alterity, keeping an eye towards the application of social theory to contemporary concerns.

SOSC 13100-13200-13300. Social Science Inquiry I-II-III.

Quantitative data and mathematical information are abundant features of the social world, found in stock markets, unemployment reports, and inflation measures, in pre-election polls and forecasts of election outcomes, in strategic decisions about corporate takeovers, in the spread of disease, and in assessments of job-market discrimination or police violence. Social Science Inquiry aims to help students understand how quantitative social scientists examine such phenomena, highlighting core questions of design, analysis, and presentation. In the general SSI (SSI-General) sequence, we focus on widely used quantitative social science methods with special emphasis on causal inference, or the logic and methods by which one can ascertain the effect of one social phenomenon on another. In the Fall, we consider questions of research design, including the design of experimental and observational research. In the Winter, we introduce students to quantitative analysis of social data, with a special emphasis on hypothesis testing and regression analysis. In the Spring, students explore research questions of their own choosing in greater depth, culminating in a research paper.

SOSC 13110-13210-13310. Social Science Inquiry: Formal Theory.

Social Science Inquiry: Formal Theory builds on the rich traditions of rational choice scholarship set in place by James Coleman and Gary Becker. Mastering game theoretic and public choice models is an invaluable tool for understanding how interest groups influence politics, how voting takes place in Congress, how matches are made in the dating world, or how neighborhood arrangements are coordinated. More broadly, applications of formal theory to social science include explaining how peace negotiations occur between governments and rebels in the aftermath of civil war, how trade unionists bargain over wages with employers, and even the decisions of autocrats to step down from power and allow for free elections. SSI-Formal Theory will introduce students to the systematic study of social, political, and economic interactions, where the optimal course of one person's action depends on the options and preferences of other people involved in the interaction. Students will learn how to model strategic situations in the language of mathematics and how to make equilibrium predictions.

SOSC 13120-13220-13320. Social Science Inquiry: Spatial Analysis.

Social Science Inquiry: Spatial Analysis deals with the fundamental role of space, place, location, distance, and interaction—crucial to tackling many research questions in the social sciences. This sequence of three courses explores the fundamentals of spatial analysis, a collection of quantitative methods in which space is explicitly accounted for. The three courses explore different concepts of space; how it is measured, represented, and accounted for in social science methodology; and how spatial problems are solved (spatial reasoning).

SOSC 14100-14200-14300. Mind I-II-III.

"Mind" explores subjective experience and behavior through the lens of underlying mental processes, biological mechanisms, and social context. Drawing from research in the social sciences and beyond, the course broadly considers how empirical approaches can shape our understanding of long-standing questions about human experience. Each quarter of Mind is taught by a different group of faculty, and the material in each quarter is arranged into a broad theme that makes connections across quarters. These themes vary from year to year.

SOSC 15100-15200-15300. Classics of Social and Political Thought I-II-III.

"Classics of Social and Political Thought" reads classic texts from Plato and Aristotle to Nietzsche and DuBois in order to investigate criteria for understanding and judging political, social, and economic institutions. What is justice? What makes a good society? This sequence examines such problems as the conflicts between individual interest and common good; between morality, religion, and politics; and between liberty and equality. We examine alternative conceptions of society, law, authority, consent, and dissent that underlie continuing controversies in contemporary political life.

SOSC 16100-16200-16300. Global Society I-II-III.

Global Society is organized around three essential areas for making sense of a globalized world: social thought, population, and social change. The sequence is designed to cultivate an understanding of social science research that extends beyond experiences and processes that are particular to Western civilizations. The curriculum will expose students to a long-standing, globally expansive canon within the social sciences and teach students to distinguish cultural particulars from universal concerns.

SOSC 17100-17200-17300. Religion: Cosmos, Conscience, and Community I-II-III.

“Religion: Cosmos, Conscience, and Community” investigates the contributions made by various religious traditions and literatures to the multiple, often competing ways in which human beings have explained the world, thought about existence, and theorized the human. This sequence asks students not simply to synthesize materials in a single intellectual tradition, but rather to think across traditions, identifying points of convergence and divergence. Students will wrestle with how religious ideas, discourses, and practices inform the construction of knowledge and the formation of modern social scientific inquiry. Finally, this shared exploration affords students the opportunity to ask what the social sciences can and do contribute to issues of pressing or even ultimate concern: How do societies conceptualize good and evil? What is to be done, individually and/or collectively, about suffering and injustice? What constitutes the “good” life? What can we hope for?

SOSC 18400-18500-18600. Democracy: Equality, Liberty, and the Dilemmas of Self-Government I-II-III.

The Democracy sequence examines democracy as it has been practiced around the world since its emergence over two and a half millennia ago. It considers democracy to be not only a particular kind of regime and politics organized around the principle of self-government, but also a kind of social order ostensibly defined by the operation of power among independent equals (sometimes conceptualized as the balance between liberty and equality). Rather than presume self-government and equal liberty to be universal ideals or accomplished realities, this sequence explores how their categorical assertion amid often drastic imbalances of social and political power has produced unequal outcomes and other unintended consequences. To grapple with the analytical challenge posed by democracy requires blending multiple modes of analysis—historical, comparative, institutional, social, political, cultural, conceptual, textual—to bring empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks into mutually reinforcing focus. In addition to the critical reading and analysis of texts traditional to general education at the University of Chicago, the Democracy sequence guides students in the fundaments of independent inquiry through assignments requiring library research and supporting intellectual habits that are essential to social-scientific inquiry and democratic citizenship.

SOSC 19073-19074-19075. Jewish Civilization in Vienna-I-II-III.

Sequence description not available

SOSC 25132. The Politics and Economics of Capitalism. 100 Units.

It is impossible to graduate from college without repeatedly encountering the term "capitalism." But what is it, actually? Is it primarily a political or an economic system? What is the difference and why does it matter? Why are economics and politics taught in different departments at modern universities and why is a major in economics so popular? This course will equip students with the basic conceptual tools to think about these questions. We will try to understand the history and theory of capitalism by reading selections from six of the most important theorists of modern economic life: Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Friedrich List, William Stanley Jevons, John Maynard Keynes, and Friedrich Hayek.

Terms Offered: Summer

SOSC 18100. Topics in Behavioral and Social Sciences Relevant to Medicine. 100 Units.

This course will survey key topics in behavioral and social sciences relevant to training in and practice of medicine. Among the topics addressed will be sensation and perception, cognition, social psychology, and the biological bases of behavior, as well as communications theory, institutional organization, sociology of health choices and outcomes, statistical reasoning, and research design. Grades will be based on a combination of exams and quizzes. There are no prerequisites for this course. It will not count toward major or minor credit in any College program with the exception of the Health and Society minor.

Instructor(s): K. Le Doux     Terms Offered: Autumn Winter
Prerequisite(s): There are no prerequisites for this course.
Note(s): This course is most appropriate for second- and third-year students, preparing for the MCAT.
Equivalent Course(s): HLTH 18100

SOSC 20001. Ancient Near Eastern History and Society I: Egypt. 100 Units.

This course surveys the political, social, and economic history of ancient Egypt from pre-dynastic times (ca. 3400 B.C.) until the advent of Islam in the seventh century of our era.

Instructor(s): Brian Muhs, Robert Ritner     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20001, NEHC 30001

SOSC 20002. Ancient Near Eastern History and Society II. 100 Units.

This course offers an overview of the history of Mesopotamia from its origins down to the Achaemenid and Hellenistic periods, when Mesopotamia became part of larger empires. Weeks 1 to 5, preceding mid-term exam, cover the periods ranging from the late Chalcolithic down to the end of the Middle Bronze age (late fifth to mid-second millennia BCE). Weeks 6 to 10 study the developments of the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, from the period of the archives of El-Amarna in the fourteenth century BCE down to the time of Alexander the Great in the late fourth century BCE.

Instructor(s): Hervé Reculeau     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30002, NEHC 20002

SOSC 20003. Ancient Near Eastern History and Society III. 100 Units.

This course introduces students to the history of ancient Anatolia and its neighbors from the first historical texts around 2000 BCE, with a short detour through prehistory and the appearance of Proto-Indo-European culture, to the arrival of Alexander the Great. Some of the famous ancient Near Eastern civilizations that we encounter include the Assyrians, Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, and Israelites. We will focus on the information provided by inscriptions - especially political and socioeconomic history - as well as the relevant archaeological and art historical records. No prior knowledge of Anatolian or Near Eastern history is required.

Instructor(s): Petra Goedegebuure     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20003, NEHC 30003

SOSC 20004. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and Literature I: Mesopotamian Literature. 100 Units.

This course gives an overview of the richness of Mesopotamian Literature (modern Iraq) written in the 3rd-1st millennium BC. We will read myths and epics written on clay tablets in the Sumerian and Akkadian language in English translation and discuss content and style, but also the religious, cultural and historic implications. Particular focus will be on the development of stories over time, the historical context of the literature and mythological figures. The texts treated cover not only the famous Epic of Gilgamesh, but also various legends of Sumerian and Akkadian kings, stories about Creation and World Order, and destruction. The topics covered range from the quest for immortality, epic heroes and monsters, sexuality and love.

Instructor(s): Susanne Paulus     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20004

SOSC 20005. Ancient Near Eastern Thought & Literature II: Anatolian Lit. 100 Units.

The goal of this class is to get an overview of Hittite literature, as "defined" by the Hittites themselves, in the wider historical-cultural context of the Ancient Near East. Some of the most important questions we can ask ourselves in reading ancient texts are: why were they written down, why were they kept, for whom were they intended, and what do the answers to these questions (apart from the primary content of the texts themselves) tell us about - in our case - Hittite society?

Instructor(s): Petra Goedegebuure     Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20005

SOSC 20006. Ancient Near Eastern Thought & Literature III: Ancient Egyptian Literature. 100 Units.

This course employs English translations of ancient Egyptian literary texts to explore the genres, conventions and techniques of ancient Egyptian literature. Discussions of texts examine how the ancient Egyptians conceptualized and constructed their equivalent of literature, as well as the fuzzy boundaries and subtle interplay between autobiography, history, myth and fiction.

Instructor(s): Margret Geoga     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20006

SOSC 20011. Ancient Empires I: The Hittite Empire. 100 Units.

This course introduces students to the Hittite Empire of ancient Anatolia. In existence from roughly 1750-1200 BCE, and spanning across modern Turkey and beyond, the Hittite Empire is one of the oldest and largest empires of the ancient world. We will be examining their history and their political and cultural accomplishments through analysis of their written records - composed in Hittite, the world's first recorded Indo-European language - and their archaeological remains. In the process, we will also be examining the concept of "empire" itself: What is an empire, and how do anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians study this unique kind of political formation?

Instructor(s): James Osborne     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 15602, NEHC 20011, CLCV 25700

SOSC 20012. Ancient Empires II: The Ottoman Empire. 100 Units.

The Ottomans ruled in Anatolia, the Middle East, South East Europe and North Africa for over six hundred years. The objective of this course is to understand the society and culture of this bygone Empire whose legacy continues, in one way or another, in some twenty-five contemporary successor states from the Balkans to the Arabian Peninsula. The course is designed as an introduction to the Ottoman World with a focus on the cultural history of the Ottoman society. It explores identities and mentalities, customs and rituals, status of minorities, mystical orders and religious establishments, literacy and the use of the public sphere.

Instructor(s): Hakan Karateke      Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): MDVL 20012, CLCV 25800, NEHC 20012, HIST 15603

SOSC 20013. Ancient Empires III :The Egyptian Empire of the New Kingdom. 100 Units.

For most of the duration of the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC), the ancient Egyptians were able to establish a vast empire and becoming one of the key powers within the Near East. This course will investigate in detail the development of Egyptian foreign policies and military expansion which affected parts of the Near East and Nubia. We will examine and discuss topics such as ideology, imperial identity, political struggle and motivation for conquest and control of wider regions surrounding the Egyptian state as well as the relationship with other powers and their perspective on Egyptian rulers as for example described in the Amarna letters.

Instructor(s): Brian Muhs     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20013, HIST 15604, CLCV 25900

SOSC 20101. Introduction to African Civilization I. 100 Units.

Part one considers literary, oral, linguistic, and material sources to investigate African societies and states from the early Iron Age through the emergence of the Atlantic World. Case studies include: the empires of Ghana and Mali, the Swahili Coast, Great Zimbabwe, Nok of Nigeria, and medieval Ethiopia. We also consider religious and spiritual transformation, including Islam in Africa, as well as the origins and effects of European contact, and the emergence of the transatlantic trade in enslaved human beings. Students examine these times and places through primary sources (such as cultural artifacts, visual representations, myths, and memoirs) which illuminate African perspectives on these different places and times. Assignments: oral presentations, document analyses, essays, and team projects.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): CRES 20701, MDVL 10101, HIST 10101, ANTH 20701

SOSC 20202. Introduction to African Civilization II. 100 Units.

This course examines the transformations of African societies in the long nineteenth century. At the beginning of the era, European economic and political presence was mainly coastal, but by the end, nearly the entire continent was colonized. This course examines how and why this process occurred, highlighting the struggles of African societies to manage internal reforms and external political, military, and economic pressures. Students examine these processes through various primary sources (such as visual and material sources, cultural artifacts, and personal accounts) that highlight African perspectives on these processes.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): CRES 20802, HIST 10102, ANTH 20702

SOSC 20203. Introduction to African Civilization III. 100 Units.

African Civilization III examines Africa and the African diaspora in the modern era. Topics may include the end of colonialism and decolonization, the legacies of slavery and its racial logics, identity and cultural expression, theories of personhood, gender and sexuality, migration, governance, and language. Readings vary widely, including primary sources by African and diasporic authors, social theory, and works of art and literature - written, spoken, and performed.

Instructor(s): S. Fury Childs Daly and A. Olugbuyiro     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Note(s): Taking these courses in sequence is recommended but not required.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 10103, ANTH 20703, CRES 20303

SOSC 20206. Qualitative Research: Impact & Insights for Industry. 100 Units.

What distinguishes impactful applied research from academic study? How can qualitative insights not just inform but transform decision making in private, public, and nonprofit organizations? This course is designed for students who are curious about the fields of market research, consulting, and related fields, offering a deep dive into the practical application of qualitative methods in solving real organizational challenges. Through real-world case studies, students will explore a spectrum of contemporary qualitative research techniques. These methods are not just academic tools but catalysts for strategic decision-making in marketing, business, and beyond. The course culminates in a final project where students apply their learnings to a genuine client challenge, transitioning from theory to practice. By centering the course on dynamic, results-oriented research in industry, this course sheds light on the ways that qualitative research is invaluable to organizational strategy and decision making. Students will gain exposure to how qualitative insights can be game-changing in areas ranging from brand equity to new product innovation.

Instructor(s): Kelly Kutas     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): MAPS 30206

SOSC 20210. UX Research Foundations. 100 Units.

User Experience ("UX") is a professional field and practice that aims to understand the core needs of users to positively impact the experience and successful adoption of a product. How we define "product" in UX has great variation and can be physical, digital, or omnichannel-this makes the field of study highly nuanced, complex, and engaging. UX practitioners are present in a variety of industries including Tech, Automotive, Healthcare, Travel, and CPG (consumer packaged goods). UX Researchers specifically contribute to this field by deeply understanding and measuring user outcomes. We report both findings and actionable insights for product, design, insights, engineering, marketing, and business stakeholders. To do so successfully, many user research methodologies are leveraged (both qualitative and quantitative) and findings are socialized in a way that makes product (rather than pedagogical) impact. This course aims to lay a theoretical and methodological foundation for user experience research and reporting. The goal of this course is to equip students who are curious about UXR with the basic foundation needed to enter the job market. Students will gain a deep theoretical and historical understanding of the field of User Experience and its methods, learn basic design principles to help them communicate with colleagues in an applied context, and produce a final project (and supplementary research materials) that can serve as a professional portfolio piece/case study.

Instructor(s): Megan McLean     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): MAPS 30210

SOSC 20416. Semitic Languages, Cultures, and Civilizations I. 100 Units.

This course looks at the attestations of Semitic, the development of the language family and its individual languages, the connection of language spread and political expansions with the development of empires and nation states (which can lead to the development of different language strata), the interplay of linguistic innovation and archaism in connection with innovative centers and peripheries, and the connection and development of language and writing.

Terms Offered: TBD
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30416, NEHC 20416, HIST 15702

SOSC 20417. Semitic Languages, Cultures, and Civilizations II. 100 Units.

This course explores various peoples of the ancient Near East from the third through the first millennium BC. The shared characteristic of those peoples is their use of Semitic languages. The focus is on major cultural traditions that later become of interest for the modern Middle East and for the Western world. This course provides a background to understand contemporary problems in a historical context. This includes a close examination and discussion of representative ancient sources, as well as readings in modern scholarship to help us think of interpretative frameworks and questions. Ancient sources include literary, historical, and legal documents. Texts in English.

Terms Offered: TBD
Note(s): Not open to first-year students
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30417, NEHC 20417, HIST 15703

SOSC 20418. Semitic Languages, Cultures, and Civilizations III. 100 Units.

The course studies how various groups in the Middle East imagined the ancient Semitic heritage of the region. We examine how Semitic languages (in particular, Arabic and Hebrew) came to be regarded as the national markers of the peoples of the Middle East. We likewise explore the ways in which archeologists, historians, novelists, and artists emphasized the connectivity between past and present, and the channels through which their new ideas were transmitted. The class thus highlights phenomena like nationalism, reform, and literary and print capitalism (in both Hebrew and Arabic) as experienced in the Middle East.

Terms Offered: TBD
Note(s): Not open to first-year students
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 15704, NEHC 30418, NEHC 20418, JWSC 21100

SOSC 20501. Islamic History and Society I: The Rise of Islam and the Caliphate. 100 Units.

This course covers the period from ca. 600 to 1100, including the rise and spread of Islam, the Islamic empire under the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs, and the emergence of regional Islamic states from Afghanistan and eastern Iran to North Africa and Spain.

Instructor(s): Ahmed El Shamsy     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): RLST 20501, NEHC 30501, HIST 25704, MDVL 20501, NEHC 20501, ISLM 30500, CMES 30501, HIST 35704

SOSC 20502. Islamic History and Society II: The Middle Period. 100 Units.

This course covers the period from ca. 1100 to 1750, including the arrival of the Steppe Peoples (Turks and Mongols), the Mongol successor states, and the Mamluks of Egypt and Syria. We also study the foundation of the great Islamic regional empires of the Ottomans, Safavids, and Moghuls.

Instructor(s): J. Woods     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Not open to first-year students
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 20502, CMES 30502, MDVL 20502, HIST 25804, NEHC 30502, HIST 35804, ISLM 30600

SOSC 20503. Islamic History and Society III:The Modern Middle East. 100 Units.

This course covers the period from ca. 1750 to the present, focusing on Western military, economic, and ideological encroachment; the impact of such ideas as nationalism and liberalism; efforts at reform in the Islamic states; the emergence of the "modern" Middle East after World War I; the struggle for liberation from Western colonial and imperial control; the Middle Eastern states in the cold war era; and local and regional conflicts.

Instructor(s): Holly Shissler     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Not open to first-year students
Note(s): This course does not apply to the medieval studies major or minor.
Equivalent Course(s): NEHC 30503, HIST 35904, NEHC 20503, HIST 25904

SOSC 21001. Human Rights: Contemporary Issues. 100 Units.

This course examines basic human rights norms and concepts and selected contemporary human rights problems from across the globe, including human rights implications of the COVID pandemic. Beginning with an overview of the present crises and significant actors on the world stage, we will then examine the political setting for the United Nations' approval of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948. The post-World War 2 period was a period of optimism and fertile ground for the establishment of a universal rights regime, given the defeat of fascism in Europe. International jurists wanted to establish a framework of rights that went beyond the nation-state, taking into consideration the partitions of India-Pakistan and Israel-Palestine - and the rising expectations of African-Americans in the U.S. and colonized peoples across Africa and Asia. But from the beginning, there were basic contradictions in a system of rights promulgated by representatives of nation-states that ruled colonial regimes, maintained de facto and de jure systems of racial discrimination, and imprisoned political dissidents and journalists. Cross-cutting themes of the course include the universalism of human rights, problems of impunity and accountability, notions of "exceptionalism," and the emerging issue of the "shamelessness" of authoritarian regimes. Students will research a human rights topic of their choosing, to be presented as either a final research paper or a group presentation.

Instructor(s): Susan Gzesh, Senior Lecturer, (The College)     Terms Offered: Autumn Spring Winter
Equivalent Course(s): DEMS 21001, CHST 21001, HMRT 21001, CRES 21001, HIST 29304, LLSO 21001, LACS 21001

SOSC 21100-21200. Music in Western Civilization I-II.

This two-quarter sequence explores musical works of broad cultural significance in Western civilization. We study pieces not only from the standpoint of musical style but also through the lenses of politics, intellectual history, economics, gender, cultural studies, and so on. Readings are taken both from our music textbook and from the writings of a number of figures such as St. Benedict of Nursia and Martin Luther. In addition to lectures, students discuss important issues in the readings and participate in music listening exercises in smaller sections.

SOSC 21700-21800-21900. Introduction to Linguistics I-II-III.

These courses typically are taken in sequence. This course is an introductory survey of methods, findings, and problems in areas of major interest within linguistics and of the relationship of linguistics to other disciplines. Topics include the biological basis of language, basic notions of syntax, semantics, pragmatics, basic syntactic typology of language, phonetics, phonology, morphology, language acquisition, linguistic variation, and linguistic change.

SOSC 22000-22100-22200. Islamic Thought and Literature I-II-III.

This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. Taking these courses in sequence is recommended but not required.

SOSC 23000-23100. Introduction to the Civilizations of South Asia I-II.

This sequence introduces core themes in the formation of culture and society in South Asia from the early modern period until the present. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. These courses must be taken in sequence.

SOSC 24000-24100-24200. Introduction to Russian Civilization I-II-III.

This three-quarter sequence, which meets the general education requirement in civilization studies, provides an interdisciplinary introduction to Russian civilization. The first quarter covers the ninth century to the 1870s; the second quarter continues on through the post-Soviet period. Working closely with a variety of primary sources—from oral legends to film and music, from political treatises to literary masterpieces—we will track the evolution of Russian civilization over the centuries and through radically different political regimes. Topics to be discussed include the influence of Byzantine, Mongol-Tataric, and Western culture in Russian civilization; forces of change and continuity in political, intellectual and cultural life; the relationship between center and periphery; systems of social and political legitimization; and symbols and practices of collective identity.

SOSC 24001-24002-24003. Colonizations I-II-III.

This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. This three-quarter sequence approaches the concept of civilization from an emphasis on cross-cultural/societal connection and exchange. We explore the dynamics of conquest, slavery, colonialism, and their reciprocal relationships with concepts such as resistance, freedom, and independence, with an eye toward understanding their interlocking role in the making of the modern world.

SOSC 24505. Human Rights in Mexico. 100 Units.

This course is intended to give the student a foundation in understanding human rights as both concept and reality in contemporary Mexico. Subject matter includes an overview of key periods in Mexican history in which concepts of individual and group rights, the relationship between citizens and the state, and the powers of the Church and the state were subject to change. This historical review will form the foundation for understanding human rights issues in contemporary Mexico. The course will also examine modern social movements which frame their demands as human rights.

Instructor(s): S. Gzesh     Terms Offered: Winter 2016
Prerequisite(s): A reading knowledge of Spanish and at least one course on Latin American history or culture are required.
Equivalent Course(s): HMRT 24501, LACS 34501, HMRT 34501, LACS 24501, HIST 39408, HIST 29408

SOSC 24506. The Rights of Immigrants and Refugees in Practice. 100 Units.

This course employs an interdisciplinary approach to examine the work of social justice advocacy for and by non-citizens in the U.S. including asylum seekers, immigrant workers, women as migrants, migrant children, and the undocumented. Our readings will place selected case studies in their local, national, and international context. We will draw on sources from law, history, sociology, political science, and the arts. Texts, films, and guest speakers will address the history of immigrants' rights advocacy in the Chicago and the U.S., with selected global examples. Topics will include the rights of asylum seekers, the problems of migrant workers (guest-workers and the undocumented), women and children as migrants, and the impact of the global pandemic on migration in general. The case studies will illuminate the role of immigrants as leaders and the relationship between impacted communities and the state. We will meet with journalists, elected officials, organizers, academics, artists, lawyers, and immigrant community leaders to discuss distinct approaches to migrants' rights advocacy.

Instructor(s): Susan Gzesh     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): GLST 24506, CHST 24506, INRE 34506, LLSO 24506, HMRT 26813

SOSC 24701. Human Rights: Migrant, Refugee, Citizen. 100 Units.

The fundamental principle underlying human rights is that they are inherent in the identity of all human beings, regardless of place and without regard to citizenship, nationality, or immigration status. Human rights are universal and must be respected everywhere and always. Human rights treaties and doctrines mandate that a person does not lose their human rights simply by crossing a border. While citizens enjoy certain political rights withheld from foreigners within any given nation-state, what ARE the rights of non-citizens in the contemporary world? Students will research a human rights topic of their choosing, to be presented as either a final research paper or a group presentation.

Instructor(s): Susan Gzesh, Senior Lecturer, (The College)     Terms Offered: Autumn Winter
Prerequisite(s): A prior course in Human Rights or a migration-related topic would be desirable but not necessary
Equivalent Course(s): LACS 25303, HMRT 24701, HMRT 34701, LLSO 24701, CRES 24701, SSAD 44701

SOSC 25131. Evolution in Thought, Art, and Culture. 100 Units.

Evolution, as it is understood by biologists and other scientists, refers to the process of generational change in the inherited characteristics of life forms. But it is also a powerful idea with ongoing significance for debates about human nature and the human relationship to nonhuman life and technology. Since its development in the nineteenth century, the idea of evolution has motivated countless writers, scientists, philosophers, and artists to imagine and advocate for diverse visions of the future of human life on earth and beyond. Through materials as diverse as Darwin's own account of his formulation of the theory of evolution to science fiction films like Gattaca, we will consider a variety of engagements with evolutionary thought ranging from the construction of political utopias to programs in genetic manipulation and biohacking to efforts at preserving the past and future of endangered species. In so doing, we will analyze the history of evolutionary speculation, consider the ethical values associated with the various scientific, social, and cultural projects it has inspired, and develop the critical skills needed to tackle questions raised by developments in science and technology.

Terms Offered: Summer

SOSC 25313. Beyond Human: Geniuses, Superheroes and A.I. 100 Units.

This interdisciplinary course will explore what it means to be human by spotlighting cases that push the limits of human cognition. We will study sociological and psychological works that deal with topics ranging from gifted individuals, superhuman abilities, and technological wonders. As we do so, we will bring into conversation the real and the imagined-moving from social experiments to works of fiction and media productions. Questions we will tackle throughout the course include: Why do we look at geniuses with both awe and anxiety? What can superhero movies tell us about morality? Can we trust the machines that we built? Together, we will discuss how different cultural understandings and social contexts shape the answers we give to these questions.

Terms Offered: Summer

SOSC 25314. The Rise and Persistence of "The Top 1%": The Sociology of Economic Advantage. 100 Units.

In many parts of the world, socioeconomic inequality has been on the rise for several decades. Within these countries, the wealth, resources, and power of "the Top 1%" seems to be reaching unparalleled levels. Who comprises this "elite"? How does an individual attain this status? How do they perform and reproduce their status in society? What role can (and should) the members of such an elite play in society? How might all of this be changing in the 21st century? This course explores these questions by turning our sociological lenses on those who are advantaged in structures of equality, and how they acquire, claim, and amass power and resources. Throughout the course, students will learn how to critically read social theory, draw on sociological concepts to debate real world dilemmas, and form their own nuanced and informed opinions.

Terms Offered: Summer

SOSC 25315. The Possibility of Freedom. 100 Units.

Since the eighteenth century, freedom has served as one of the primary ends toward which political life is directed, and perhaps as a result freedom has come to be understood largely in political terms. In this course we will question this association of freedom and politics, both with an eye toward expanding the possible avenues through which freedom can be understood and enjoyed while also identifying the conditions under which freedom can be meaningfully lived in the political realm. We will begin the course by engaging with classic thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Alexis de Tocqueville. We will then move to a consideration of twentieth- and twenty-first century thinkers who have grappled with the question of freedom, including Hannah Arendt, Albert Camus, Simone Weil, Jacques Ellul, E.F. Schumacher, Wendell Berry, Alan Moore, and James C. Scott.

Terms Offered: Summer

SOSC 25411. East Asian Civilization I, Ancient Period-1600. 100 Units.

This course examines the politics, society, and culture of East Asia from ancient times until c. 1600. Our focus will be on examining key historical moments and intellectual, social, and cultural trends with an emphasis on the region as a whole. Students will read and discuss culturally significant texts and be introduced to various approaches to analyzing them.

Instructor(s): K. Pomeranz     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): HIST 15411-15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via three civilization courses. HIST 15411-15412, HIST 15411-15413, or HIST 15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): EALC 15411, HIST 15411

SOSC 25412. East Asian Civilization II, 1600-1895. 100 Units.

The second quarter of the East Asian civilization sequence covering what are now China, Japan, and Korea from roughly 1600 to 1895. Major themes include demographic and economic change; the social and cultural effects of widespread but uneven commercialization; state formation, rebellion, and political change; migration, urbanization, and territorial expansion; changes in family and gender roles; changes in the "natural" environment, particularly as related to agricultural expansion; changes in religion, ideology, and relationships between "elite" and "popular" culture; and increasingly consequential encounters with Western Europeans, Russians, and Americans, especially in the nineteenth century. The course aims to treat East Asia as a single interacting region, rather than as three (or more) sharply separated proto-nations; however, it will also call attention to the enormous diversity both among and within China, Japan, and Korea, treating those differences as constantly evolving and as something to be explained rather than assumed.

Instructor(s): S. Burns & K. Pomeranz     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): HIST 15411-15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via three civilization courses. HIST 15411-15412, HIST 15411-15413, or HIST 15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): EALC 15412, HIST 15412

SOSC 25413. East Asian Civilization III, 1895-Present. 100 Units.

The third quarter of the East Asian civilization sequence covers the emerging nation-states of China, Korea, and Japan in the context of Western and Japanese imperialism and the rise of an interconnected global economy. Our themes include industrialization and urbanization, state strengthening and nation-building, the rise of social movements and mass politics, the impact of Japanese colonialism on the homeland and the colonies, East Asia in the context of US-Soviet rivalry, and the return of the region to the center of the global economy in the postwar years. Similar to the first and second quarters, we will look at East Asia as an integrated region, connected by trade and cultural exchange even when divided into opposing blocs during the Cold War. As much as possible, we will look beyond nation-states and their policies at underlying trends shared by the three East Asian nations, such as demographic change, changes in gender roles, and the rise of consumer culture.

Instructor(s): Y. Dong & J. Eyferth     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): HIST 15411-15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via three civilization courses. HIST 15411-15412, HIST 15411-15413, or HIST 15412-15413 meets the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): EALC 15413, HIST 15413

SOSC 25500. PIR: Contemporary and Research Applications. 100 Units.

In this seminar, students will design and carry out their own research project based on readings and themes from PIR. They will explore other relevant literature, including secondary scholarship, and develop a question to examine through ethnographic, archival, library and/or media-based research. The final product can be a research paper, a Canvas-based web page presentation, or other form. In addition to providing some exposure to qualitative research methods and the use of secondary literature, the course will also introduce students to research resources and projects on campus and beyond through field trips and guest speakers.

Instructor(s): Jennifer Spruill     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): SOSC 11400, SOSC 11500, SOSC 11600
Equivalent Course(s): SOCI 20288, CRES 25500

SOSC 26004. History of City Planning. 100 Units.

This lecture-based course provides a broad survey of the history of city planning. It focuses on the normative: the endeavor to control and design the physical fabric of cities. What are the different ways cities have been envisioned and planned and to what effect? What are the competing theories of good city design that underlie city plans, and how do these plans interrelate to the social, political, cultural, and economic forces shaping cities? The course explores city planning's successes and failures, its tangible effect on urban pattern and form, and the extent to which city planning ideals have changed over time. Though the emphasis is on city planning's history, current debates about city planning within the context of the history of the profession will also be engaged. Emphasis will be on U.S. and European city planning experience, although global practices will also be surveyed.

Instructor(s): E. Talen     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): PBPL 26004, SOSC 36004, ENST 26004, GEOG 26200

SOSC 26006. Foundations for Statistical Theory. 100 Units.

This course is taught at the advanced undergraduate/master level and aims to provide basic mathematical foundations for probability and statistical theory. Students will understand the fundamental concepts on joint, marginal, and conditional probability, Bayes rule, probability distributions, principles of statistical inference, sampling distributions, and estimation strategies. This course will emphasize on the connection between the statistical theory and the routine statistical practice, and can serve as a foundation for more theoretical statistics courses or more advanced quantitative methods courses in social and behavioral sciences.

Instructor(s): Yanyan Sheng     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Basic knowledge of calculus, and specifically differentiation and integration, is necessary to understand the material on continuous distributions, multivariate distributions and functions of random variables
Equivalent Course(s): SOSC 36006

SOSC 26007. Overview of Quantitative Methods in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 100 Units.

The course is designed to present the logic and offer an overview of a wide range of methods developed for rigorous quantitative inquiry in social and behavioral sciences. Students will be familiarized with various research designs, measurement, and analytic strategies, will understand the inherent connections between different statistical methods, and will become aware of the strengths and limitations of each. In addition, this course provides a gateway to the numerous offerings of quantitative methods courses. It is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students at any stage of their respective programs.

Instructor(s): Yanyan Sheng     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): SOSC 36007

SOSC 26008. Principles and Methods of Measurement. 100 Units.

Accurate measurement of key theoretical constructs with known and consistent psychometric properties is one of the essential steps in quantitative social and behavioral research. However, measurement of phenomena that are not directly observable (such as psychological attributes, perceptions of organizational climate, or quality of services) is difficult. Much of the research in psychometrics has been developed in an attempt to properly define and quantify such phenomena. This course is designed to introduce students to the relevant concepts, principles, and methods underlying the construction and interpretation of tests or measures. It provides in-depth coverage of test reliability and validity, topics in test theory, and statistical procedures applicable to psychometric methods. Such understanding is essential for rigorous practice in measurement as well as for proper interpretation of research. The course is highly recommended for students who plan to pursue careers in academic research or applied practice involving the use or development of tests or measures in the social and behavioral sciences.

Instructor(s): Yanyan Sheng     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Course work or background experience in statistics through inferential statistics and linear regression.
Equivalent Course(s): SOSC 36008, CHDV 36008, CHDV 26008, PSYC 36008, PSYC 28962

SOSC 26009. Introductory Statistical Methods. 100 Units.

This course introduces and applies fundamental statistical concepts, principles, and procedures to the analysis of data in social and behavioral sciences. Students will learn computation, interpretation, and application of commonly used descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistical procedures as they relate to social and behavioral research. The course will integrate the use of Stata as a tool for these techniques. This course is equivalent to SOSC 20004/30004 (Statistical Methods of Research I), CHDV 20101/30101 (Applied Statistics in Human Development Research), PSYCH 20100 (Psychological Statistics), and other introductory level applied statistics courses.

Instructor(s): Yanyan Sheng     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): SOSC 36009

SOSC 26011. Fundamentals of Item Response Theory. 100 Units.

This course offers a deep dive into the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of contemporary psychometric theory - item response theory (IRT). It will explore how IRT extends classical test theory (CTT) to enhance scaling precision and instrument quality through latent trait modeling. Through a combination of theoretical lectures, hands-on exercises, and software application sessions using R, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of IRT principles and their real-world implications. Major topics include basic theory, models for handling both dichotomous and polytomous response data, estimation of model parameters, information function and standard error of estimation, model-data fit, test construction, differential item functioning, and test equating.

Instructor(s): Yanyan Sheng     Terms Offered: Spring. Planned for Spring 2025 and future Spring quarters beyond that.
Prerequisite(s): Course work or background experience in linear and generalized linear regressions; basic understanding of psychometric concepts (e.g., SOSC 36008) is also required or consent of instructor
Equivalent Course(s): SOSC 36011

SOSC 26021. Sense & Sensibility & Science @UChicago. 100 Units.

In Sense & Sensibility & Science, you will learn how to better incorporate into your thinking and decision making the problem-solving techniques of science at its best. Many insights and conceptual tools from scientific thinking are of great utility for solving problems in your own day-to-day life and in a democracy. Yet, as individuals, as groups, as whole societies we fail to take full advantage of these methods. The focus in this course is on the errors humans tend to make, and the approaches scientific methodology has developed (and continues to develop) to minimize those errors. The course includes a discussion of the nature of science, what makes science such an effective way of knowing, how both non-scientific thinking and scientific thinking can go awry, and how we can reason more clearly and successfully as individuals, as members of groups, and as citizens of a democracy. The undergraduate course will be simultaneously taught at UC Berkeley, Harvard and UChicago in spring 2024, with an opportunity for students from all three courses to participate remotely in the same deliberative polling capstone experience. UChicago's spring 2024 course premiere builds on a decade of experience developing and teaching the popular course at Berkeley and Harvard's adoption of its own version in 2021.

Instructor(s): Reid Hastie; Jordan Kemp; Eamon Duede     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): PQ: Third or fourth-year standing.
Equivalent Course(s): BPRO 26021, HIPS 26021, SCPD 26021, DIGS 26021, PBPL 26021

SOSC 26100-26200-26300. Introduction to Latin American Civilization I-II-III.

Taking these courses in sequence is not required. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies. This sequence is offered every year. This course introduces the history and cultures of Latin America (e.g., Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands).

SOSC 27521. Energy in World Civilizations I. 100 Units.

This two-quarter course explores the historical roots of climate change and other global environmental problems with a special attention to how energy use shapes human societies over time. Part I covers energy systems across the world from prehistory to the end of the nineteenth century.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn Winter
Prerequisite(s): Parts I and II should be taken in sequence. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): HIPS 17521, CEGU 27521, HIST 17521, ENST 27521

SOSC 27522. Energy in World Civilizations II. 100 Units.

This two-quarter course explores the historical roots of climate change and other global environmental problems with a special attention to how energy use shapes human societies over time. Part II covers energy systems across the world from the early twentieth century to the present, examining themes such as the uneven globalization of energy-intensive lifestyles, the changing geopolitics of energy, and possible futures beyond fossil-fuel dependence.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring Winter
Prerequisite(s): Parts I and II should be taken in sequence. This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): HIPS 17522, CEGU 27522, ENST 27522, HIST 17522

SOSC 27710. Ancient Mediterranean World I: Greece. 100 Units.

This course surveys the social, economic, and political history of Greece from prehistory to the Hellenistic period. The main topics considered include the development of the institutions of the Greek city-state, the Persian Wars and the rivalry of Athens and Sparta, the social and economic consequences of the Peloponnesian War, and the eclipse and defeat of the city-states by the Macedonians.

Instructor(s): J. Hall     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 16700, CLCV 20700

SOSC 27910. Ancient Mediterranean World III: Late Antiquity. 100 Units.

Part III examines late antiquity, a period of paradox. The later Roman emperors established the most intensive, pervasive state structures of the ancient Mediterranean, yet yielded their northern and western territories to Goths, Huns, Vandals, and, ultimately, their Middle Eastern core to the Arab Muslims. Imperial Christianity united the populations of the Roman Mediterranean in the service of one God, but simultaneously divided them into competing sectarian factions. A novel culture of Christian asceticism coexisted with the consolidation of an aristocratic ruling class notable for its insatiable appetite for gold. The course will address these apparent contradictions while charting the profound transformations of the cultures, societies, economies, and political orders of the Mediterranean from the conversion of Constantine to the rise of Islam.

Instructor(s): R. Payne     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): This sequence meets the general education requirement in civilization studies.
Equivalent Course(s): CLCV 20900, MDVL 16900, HIST 16900

SOSC 28001. History of European Civilization I. 100 Units.

The first part of the sequence examines the period from approximately 500 to 1700 in European history. It challenges students to question two-dimensional, rigid narratives about the fall of Rome, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance and Reformation, and the early Enlightenment by reading historical sources with empathy and attention to their authors' own perspectives. For example, we explore the entanglement of the political, economic, and religious by reading a chronicle written by a monk; we examine gender relations and daily life by reading men's and women's personal letters; and we investigate the earliest contacts between Europeans and the peoples of the Americas by reading eyewitness accounts of their interactions. In the process of recovering the lived experiences of medieval and early modern Europeans, the course engages with the sophisticated societies and cultures of premodern Europe, which many subsequent generations post-1700 would come to label backwards and uncivilized.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn Winter
Prerequisite(s): Students must take a minimum of two quarters of European Civilization to fulfill the general education requirement.
Note(s): The two-quarter sequence may also be supplemented by a third quarter, in which students will have the opportunity to explore in greater depth a particular topic in the history of European civilization.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13001

SOSC 28002. History of European Civilization II. 100 Units.

The second part of the sequence examines the period from approximately 1700 to the present in European history. Major topics include the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, industrialization, the world wars, and the European Union. This course challenges students to do more than simply define conceptual terms like imperialism, nationalism, liberalism, capitalism, and communism. We situate these and other grand narratives in new ideas of progress, new technologies and forms of knowledge production, and the material transformations of everyday life. Changes in media (newspapers, radio, films, etc.) and the rise of mass production and consumption in these centuries were both the cause and effect of many of the events we will be discussing. Sources include nineteenth-century novels, eyewitness accounts to revolution and the Holocaust, and speeches and manifestos of the political and cultural avant-garde. Throughout the course, we will continuously examine the paradoxes that have shaped modern Europe: its resilience and fragility, its great experiments in liberty and tragic acts of violence.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring Winter
Prerequisite(s): HIST 13001
Note(s): The two-quarter sequence may also be supplemented by a third quarter, in which students will have the opportunity to explore in greater depth a particular topic in the history of European civilization.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13002

SOSC 28003. History of European Civilization III. 100 Units.

Students who plan to complete a three-quarter sequence register for HIST 13003 in Spring Quarter after completing HIST 13001-13002. In the third part of the History of European Civilization sequence, students will have the opportunity to explore in greater depth a particular aspect of European history. This course will provide an overview of early modern European colonialism, from the Spanish conquest of the New World to the Haitian Revolution. Using exclusively primary documents, we will examine debates in sixteenth century Spain over the treatment of indigenous populations, the mutual formation of property and dispossession in the British American colonies, the transatlantic slave trade and the expansion of plantation economies in the Caribbean, the development of ideas about race and culture in the eighteenth century, and resistance to colonialism at the end of the eighteenth century.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): For the 3-qtr sequence register for HIST 13003 after completing HIST 13001-13002. Only HIST 13001-13002 complete the 2-qtr sequence.
Note(s): Students may not combine HIST 13003 with one other quarter of European Civilization to fulfill the general education requirement. Spring 23 topic: TBD
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13003

SOSC 28110. History of Western Civilization I. 100 Units.

This first course of the History of Western Civilization sequence focuses on the history of classical civilization, beginning with the world of Homer and ending with the world of St. Augustine. Key topics covered through discussions of texts include the development of the Greek Polis and the Peloponnesian War; the Roman Republic and Empire; and the development of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Instructor(s): K. Weintraub, Autumn; J. Boyer, Summer     Terms Offered: Autumn Summer
Prerequisite(s): These courses must be taken in sequence.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13100

SOSC 28210. History of Western Civilization II. 100 Units.

This second course of the History of Western Civilization sequence explores major themes in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation. Key topics explored through discussions of texts include the development of monasticism; the structures of manorialism and feudalism; the consolidation of the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire; and the challenges to these structures seen in the ideas of the humanists and reformers.

Instructor(s): K. Weintraub, Winter, Summer     Terms Offered: Summer Winter
Prerequisite(s): These courses must be taken in sequence.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13200

SOSC 28310. History of Western Civilization III. 100 Units.

This third course of the History of Western Civilization undertakes a detailed study of the French Revolution and charts the rise of liberal, anti-liberal, and post-liberal states and societies in nineteenth- and twentieth-century European history. The sequence closes with an appraisal of the condition of European politics, culture, and society at the end of the twentieth century.

Instructor(s): K. Weintraub, Spring; D. Koehler, Summer     Terms Offered: Spring Summer
Prerequisite(s): These courses must be taken in sequence.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13300

SOSC 28500. America In World Civilization I. 100 Units.

America in World Civilization I examines foundational texts and moments in American culture, society, and politics, from early European incursions into the New World through the early republic of the United States, roughly 1500-1800. We will examine encounters between Native Americans and representatives of imperial powers (Spain, France, and England) as well as the rise of African slavery in North America before 1700. We will consider the development of Anglo-American society and government in the eighteenth century, focusing especially on the causes and consequences of the American Revolution.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): HIST 13600-13700 (II and III) meet the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses. Students who take HIST 13500 (I) must also take HIST 13600-13700 to meet the general education requirement via three civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13500

SOSC 28600. America in World Civilization II. 100 Units.

The nineteenth-century quarter of America in World Civilization explores the confrontation of democracy with inequality. This course focuses on themes and problems that include empire and indigenous-US relations; slavery, antislavery, the Civil War, and emancipation; reform and revivalism; women's rights; and the development of industrial capitalism, consumer culture, and urbanism.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Summer Winter
Prerequisite(s): HIST 13600-13700 (II and III) meet the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses. Students who take HIST 13500 (I) must also take HIST 13600-13700 to meet the general education requirement via three civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13600

SOSC 28700. America in World Civilization III. 100 Units.

The third quarter America in World Civilization focuses on multiple definitions of Americanism in a period characterized by empire, transnational formations, and America's role in the world. We explore the construction of social order in a multicultural society; culture in the shadow of war; the politics of race, ethnicity, and gender; the rise and fall of new social movements on the left and the right; the emergence of the carceral state and militarization of civil space; and the role of climate change and the apocalyptic in shaping imagined futures.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Spring Summer
Prerequisite(s): HIST 13600-13700 (II and III) meet the general education requirement in civilization studies via two civilization courses. Students who take HIST 13500 (I) must also take HIST 13600-13700 to meet the general education requirement via three civilization courses.
Equivalent Course(s): HIST 13700

SOSC 29700. Rdgs: Social Sciences. 100 Units.

TBD

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn,Spring,Winter
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and senior adviser
Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.