This course identifies and explores issues that arise because of the impacts of human beings on the environment, and impacts of the environment on human activity. Students will be introduced to social impact assessment as a means for identifying the ways resources exploitation leads to both the development and decline of communities. Food production is used to illustrate these impacts because it plays a significant role in community organization, human survival, and environmental resilience. The requirements of the 4530 course will be the same as the 3530 course EXCEPT that students in the higher course number will complete a semester length field project relevant to the course material.
Prerequisite(s): SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 2530 Population and Environment.
(Normally offered alternate years.)
SOC 1110 Introduction to Sociology (4 hours)
This course is an introduction to using the sociological perspective as a method of social inquiry. Students explore such basic concepts as culture, socialization, social structure, social interaction, and social change. They study and apply the theories and research methodologies used to investigate human social interaction. These concepts are applied to social topics such as race, class, gender, family, crime, population, environment, and others.
(Normally offered each semester.)
SOC 2530 Population and Environment (4 hours)
This course examines the demographic and social dynamics of population size, composition, and distribution. It addresses the relationships between population, human health, development and the environment. Strong cross-cultural emphasis. A major focus is the development of a semester research paper contrasting the status of the Millennium Development Goals, Environmental status and Health in an MDC and an LDC.