David Karp Department of Sociology
Introduction to Sociology McGuinn 426
Spring, 2008 Phone: 552-4137
karp@bc.edu
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY AS A CORE COURSE
Because this introductory course fulfills one of the university's core requirements in the
social sciences it necessarily contains certain elements common to all university core
courses. Among these elements are the following:
1. A concern with the perennial questions about human existence. Virtually by
definition, an introduction to sociology deals with fundamental questions about what it
means to be a human being living in a society at a given moment in history. In this
course we will confront such basic questions as: What is the nature of human nature?
What is the place of biology and culture, respectively, in shaping human behavior?
Why do human beings commit themselves to a society? Why do persons normally
conform to the demands of society? Do we have free will? What is the basis for social
order? How does one become a functioning human being in society? Why is there so
much human conflict? What are the forces that create group life and sometimes
generate intolerance among groups? What is the character of the social self? What is
the role of community in sustaining a personal sense of well being? The purpose of our
discussion will not be to answer definitively such questions, but to suggest the way a
sociological perspective approaches them.
2. An attention to the role of history in human affairs. The view taken in this course is
that one's place in history shapes the kind of consciousness it is possible to have. In
this regard, I do not see sociology as producing immutable "laws" that transcend history
and culture. Rather, the task is to understand how humans' understanding of
themselves and their societies shifts over time. In fact, sociology itself was a response
to the transformations created by the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century.
We will, therefore, consider how such "classical" sociological theorists as Karl Marx,
Emile, Durkheim, and Max Weber considered the effects of society's transition from an
agrarian to an urban order. In this discussion, as throughout the course, we will
consider how the strength of the "social bond" between the individual and the larger
society changes over time. Since American society continues to evolve, we will
consider, as well, how the current movement of American society from a production-
based economy to a service-based economy is once again transforming human
relations.
3. An attention to cultural diversity. Two additional and basic premises of this course
are that ultimately all knowledge is comparative and that all human values must be
considered in cultural context. Wherever possible, cross cultural comparisons and
