Page 4 of Albion College Departments and Courses Catalog by Albion College Michigan
Society and the Individual
220 Animals and Human Societies (1) Spring
Prerequisite: A S 105 or permission of instructor.
A comparative and cross-cultural exploration of how humans have interacted with, thought about, identified with, and represented nonhuman animals. Readings include classic anthropological approaches as well as more contemporary ethnographic and historical works.
Specific topics include gender ideologies and natural history, medieval perceptions of animals, pets as a social phenomenon, animal rights
controversies, biodiversity, representations of animals in mass media (e.g., King Kong), and animals as commodities. Mullin.
222 Sociology of Childhood (1) Fall
Prerequisite: A S 101 or permission of instructor.
Provides an introduction to theoretical, research and applied issues in the sociology of childhood. Examines how children have been viewed
historically inside and outside the United States, while focusing on the impact of gender, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status in
children's lives (e.g., their identity, socialization, status, etc.). Addresses both macro-level (i.e., the education system and its impact on
children) and micro-level (i.e., the nature of children's peerinteractions) issues with a particular emphasis on social psychological
perspectives to understand the lives of children. Melzer.
225 Criminology (1)
A sociological approach to the study of crime, criminals, victims and the criminal justice system. Staff.
226 Deaf Culture and American Sign Language (1) Spring
Introduces students to the language and culture of the deaf world. Explores the history of the deaf community in America and its cultural
attributes, as well as deaf literature and arts, the education of deaf children, policy issues, international deaf communities, and health care
implications. Offers a basic introduction to American Sign Language. Provides a deeper understanding of how difference and disability are
constructed in our society. Terstriep.
230 Men and Masculinities (1) Spring
Prerequisite: A S 101 or permission of instructor.
Examines how biological males are transformed into boys/men who interact in the social world through shared gendered meanings.
Analyzes various socio-historical constructions of masculinity both in the United States and beyond, paying particular attention to how
these differ over time, across cultures and within subcultures. Focuses on gender as a central organizing principle of society, and how this
socially constructed characteristic affects individuals (men and women), society and, quite literally, the world. Also examines relational
aspects of gender including women and femininities, as well as comparing masculinities by race, ethnicity, class, age, sexual orientation,
etc. Discusses structural inequalities, cultural similarities and differences, and individual issues related to masculinities. Melzer.
310 The Anthropology of Art (1) Spring
Prerequisite: A S 101 or 105 or permission of instructor.
Anthropologists have often worked in societies without indigenous categories that clearly translate into "art" and "artist." Do such societies
still produce "art"? This course explores the significance of labels such as "art," "craft," "artifact," "tradition" and "trash." It also considers
some of the ways anthropologists and scholars in related disciplines have attempted to document and understand art, art markets, aesthetics
and taste, particularly in relation to gender, class, race and national identity. Mullin.
313 Death and Dying in World Religions (1) Fall
Same as Religious Studies 313. Raj.
332 The Anthropology of Sex and Gender (1) Fall, Spring
Prerequisite: A S 105 or permission of instructor.
A cross-cultural consideration of sex and gender, drawing on ethnographic research conducted in a wide variety of societies, including
societies in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. The course covers key theoretical approaches that have informed anthropological
research on sex and gender. Specific topics include gendered divisions of labor, the cultural construction of sexuality, gender in colonial
encounters and the politics of reproduction. Mullin.
336 Social Psychology: Sociological Perspectives (1) Spring
Prerequisite: A S 101 or 105 or permission of instructor.
The study of the relationship between personal experiences and society. Explores how our sense of self, identity, subjective experience,
feelings, beliefs, and relationships to and interactions with others are shaped by and influence social life. Focuses on theoretical traditions
and trends within micro-sociology and their applications and usefulness for empirical research. Special attention will be paid to connecting
the micro-workings of social life to larger institutional, cultural and political processes and issues. Melzer, Staff.
360 Intimate Violence (1) Fall
Prerequisites: A S 101, 224 (or Psychology 204) or permission of instructor. Examines violence between intimates, primarily (but not
solely) within the United States, covering a range of interpersonal relationships (children, parents, spouses, partners, acquaintances,
siblings, etc.) as well as various forms of abuse (emotional, physical, neglect, sexual assault/rape, etc.) Traces intimate violence sociohistorically, including theoretical, methodological, empirical and applied issues and debates within the field. Analyzes the incidence and
prevalence of intimate violence, and, in the process, attempts to identify causes and solutions. Focuses on the importance of structural
gender inequality in shaping individuals' violent behavior and the degree to which gender inequality influences various forms of violence.
Page 4 of 6
Albion College Catalog 2005-2006 Anthropology and Sociology
5/10/2006
http://www.albion.edu/academics/catalog/departments/anthsoc.asp
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