SOAN 101 Freshman Sociology
An introduction to the principles and concepts of sociology to prepare students for majoring in sociology. Students who take this course may not get credit for SOAN 201. Each semester. 
Syllabus
SOAN 103 Reading Other Cultures
An introduction to the study of other cultures drawing on film, ethnographic case studies, and topical debates. This course presents basic concepts in the comparative study of culture, methods of observing and interpreting other cultures, a sense of how knowledge about other cultures is constructed, and tools to develop a critical awareness of one’s own cultural traditions. Note that this course is classified as a humanities, not as a social science course. Students may take it to fulfill the university’s humanities requirement (see p.151) but not the university’s social sciences requirement. Each semester. Syllabus
SOAN 201 Introduction to Sociology
An introduction to the study of social phenomena. Basic concepts, principles, and methods common to the study of society are employed for the analysis of structure and change in society. This course includes the structure and origin of some basic human institutions such as family, kinship, religion, language. A student who has received credit for SOAN 101 cannot receive credit for SOAN 201. Each semester. Syllabus
SOAN 203 Introduction to Anthropology
An introduction to anthropology encompassing the traditional subfields of cultural, physical, linguistic, and archaeological anthropology. The course prepares students for further study in anthropology. Each Semester.
SOAN 210 Research Methods
A survey of the basic techniques and designs of social research, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, the relationship between micro and macro approaches to society, and the interplay between theory and research. Alternate years.
SOAN 211 Analysis of Social Data
A survey of basic statistical techniques used in analyzing social and behavioral data. Students participate in the analysis of research data by applying various analytical techniques using computer packages. They will also interpret research findings and write a research report. Annually.
SOAN 212 Social Anthropology
A general introduction to the theories and methods of anthropology with special attention to the transformation of traditional society; this course examines the primary institutions of family, economy, religion, and politics in relation to technological change and modernization. Annually. Syllabus
SOAN 213 Sociological Theory
A survey of some of the major theoretical perspectives and critical issues of classical and contemporary sociological theory. Special focus is placed on four interrelated dimensions: 1) the nature of sociological theory and its intellectual sources, 2) its classic tradition, particularly the legacies of Marx, Durkheim, and Weber, 3) an exploration of salient contemporary perspectives, 4) the emergence of new theories and/or directions, such as post-modernity and global Alternate years.
SOAN 215 Anthropology of America
A critical examination of conceptions of "mainstream" or "dominant" American culture. Using ethnographic case material, the course explores cultural systems and social structures in the contemporary United States, offering an introduction to anthropological approaches to the study of complex societies. Note that this course is classified as a humanities, not as a social science course. Students may take it to fulfill the university’s humanities requirement (see p.151) but not the university’s social sciences requirement. Alternate years.
SOAN 216 Hands-On Anthropology
An introduction to the techniques, theories, and debates concerning ethnographic fieldwork. What do anthropologists actually do and what is unique about anthropological research? This course explores the politics and ethics of research, kinds of observation, effective interviewing strategies, note-taking, ways of ‘coding’ or indexing information, data analysis, and approaches to writing. Occasionally.
SOAN 217 Anthropology of the Body
An examination of cultural and historical variations in perceptions and experiences of the human body. The course focuses on the ways the human body is culturally constructed and socially experienced, through case studies of labor, sport, health, illness, sexuality, gender, display, and religious ritual. Note that this course is classified as a humanities, not as a social science course. Students may take it to fulfill the university’s humanities requirement (see p.151) but not the university’s social sciences requirement. Annually.
SOAN 218 Anthropology of Medicine and Science
This course explores science and medicine from a cross-cultural and historical perspective. Students examine how scientific and medical practices are imbued with and shaped by social meanings and politics.They explore how the institutions of science and medicine construct truth,reality, nature, disease, health, body and mind and how they connect with markets and other institutions. Occasionally.
SOAN 220 City and Society
An introduction to some of the leading conceptual and methodological perspectives for the study of transformations in human settlements. The course explores issues associated with the evolution of cities, their spatial and cultural features, the social production of “informal” space and the “gendering” of space. Changing trends and patterns in “Third World” urbanization are explored with special focus on the Arab World, global and post-modern cities. Alternate years.
SOAN 221 Political Anthropology
A course examining concepts of power and authority and the evolution of the state from a comparative point of view. A special focus is placed on studies of leadership, law, bureaucracy, and state formation in both traditional and modern systems. Alternate years.
SOAN 222 Family and Kinship
The course examines, from a comparative perspective, different forms of family and kinship organization, their relation to production and systems of exchange. Special focus is placed on processes of initiation and reproduction, and cultural expression of relatedness. Alternate years.
SOAN 223 Social Inequality: Conflict and Consensus
The course explores theories of social inequality. It addresses issues such as class, status, and gender inequalities and points to sources of conflict and consensus. Arguments for and against equality will be canvassed. Alternate years.
SOAN 224 Sexuality and Society
The course provides a comparative conceptual framework to explore the changing nature of sexuality in society. Special focus is placed on the social construction of sexual identities, sex and the body, the place of desire and the changing form of romantic love, erotica and pornography, the commodification of intimacy, sexual ethics and sexual prolifics in a globalized world. The course will also focus on the dynamics of male-female relations in Arab society. Alternate years. Syllabus
SOAN 225 Gender and Culture
An examination of gender holistically and cross-culturally from a social-anthropological perspective. This course examines how meanings of sex variation are constructed and gender is performed by individuals and groups in different societies. It studies the roles of women and men in ritual, in economic and political systems, and in other social arenas. Note that this course is classified as a humanities, not as a social science course. Students may take it to fulfill the university’s humanities requirement (see p.151) but not the university’s social sciences requirement. Annually.
SOAN 226 Religion and Society
A course that examines the relationship between society and religion, including both formal institutions and informal processes, which deal with the supernatural. This course studies the origin and development of ritual and religious functions for both the individual and society. Alternate years.
SOAN 227 Cultural Boundaries and Identities
Analysis of cultural boundaries and identities. A comparative study of ethnicity and other identity categories and related issues such as cultural hybridity and nationalism with emphasis on the Middle East. Alternate years.
SOAN 228 (MCOM 220) Arab Media and Society
An in-depth examination of the political, social, economic, and technological effects of old and new Arab media systems on modern Arab society, with an emphasis on Lebanon and the Arab East region. It focuses on probing the development and current state of print, broadcast, and new media systems in the region. Annually.
SOAN 229 (MCOM 221) Communication Theory
An overview of the ways in which mass communication has been viewed by social scientists and by practitioners, with a focus on the range of issues studied and questions raised, and the schools, approaches, and trends in the field. Alternate years. Syllabus
SOAN 232 Conflict Analysis and Resolution
An overview of the field of conflict analysis and resolution. This course covers the history of conflict studies, theories of conflict, and methods of dispute resolution. Annually.
SOAN 237 Arab Culture and Society
A study of contemporary Arab society: its complexity, diversity, and internal dynamics. This course considers social structures, social groups, cultural patters, and processes, and agents of social and cultural change, and examines current debate on major issues in Arab culture and society. Each semester. Prior to Fall semester 2012-13, listed as SOAN 214
SOAN 238 Special Topics
A course that provides a general overview of an area in the humanistic social sciences that is not normally covered by the department’s offerings. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally.
SOAN 239 Special Topics
A course that provides a general overview of an area in the humanistic social sciences that is not normally covered by the department’s offerings. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally.
SOAN 240 Seminar in Human Rights and Cultural Differences
A seminar that provides students with an introduction to the history, concepts, institutions, and applications of human rights. Although drawn mainly from a Western perspective, applications will be canvassed from the Middle East as well. Discussions cover philosophical foundations of human rights law; discrimination, xenophobia, and racism; civil, political, social, and economic rights; women’s rights; children’s rights; rights of minorities and indigenous people; and migrant workers’ rights. Alternate years. Syllabus
SOAN 241 Seminar in the Sociology of Deviance
The seminar explores the role of leading theoretical perspectives for understanding the changing meanings, nature, and forms of deviance in a cross-cultural context. Primary concern is to identify conceptual, meth odological, moral, and political issues in the study of substantive social problems such as violent crime, alcoholism and drug abuse, prostitution, homosexuality, suicide, mental disorders, corporate crime, and other emerging forms of global deviance. Alternate years.
SOAN 242 Seminar in Globalization and Migration
An introduction to a range of issues related to theories of migration with particular emphasis on the peculiarities of contemporary globalization. Theoretical considerations include assumptions and case studies from sociology, economics, political economy, and anthropology. Concepts such as network theory, transnationalism, and the international division of labor are used to illuminate issues such as citizenship and identity, refugees, forced migration, nationalism, and ethnicity as they relate to the migratory experience. Alternate years.
SOAN 243 (MCOM 261) Seminar in Media Studies
An undergraduate seminar on the role of communication in society. The content areas may change. May be repeated for credit. Annually.
SOAN 245 Seminar in Transitional Justice
The seminar is an exploration of the strategies and courses of action societies confront as they consider legacies of past human rights abuses or atrocities. Consistent with the perspectives and premises of transnational justice, the seminar examines the ways in which states and the international community attempt to achieve justice in periods of political transition. Some of the leading theories and applied dimensions will be critically assed in the light of the operation of international and domestic criminal justice, historical and administrative justice. Annually.
SOAN 250 Seminar in Art and Culture
A cross-cultural exploration of art as an idea, an object, a history, and a way of interacting with the world. How is art a universal category? This course applies anthropological theories to the study of art and art theories to the study of human society. Particular attention is be paid to local resources and archives. Note that this course is classified as a humanities, not as a social science course. Students may take it to fulfill the university’s humanities requirement (see p.151) but not the university’s social sciences requirement. Occasionally.
SOAN 251 Seminar in Anthropological Thought
An investigation of the major theories guiding anthropological thinking today, through a historically contextualizing overview. This course introduces students to a range of theoretical propositions concerning such topics as agency, structure, subjectivity, power, and the politics of representation by reading primary texts from landmark figures in culture anthropology. Occasionally.
SOAN 252 Cannibals, Liars, Spies: Controversies in the Study of Humans
An investigation of the cases that have shaken the discipline of anthropology, this course provides an exciting but serious entry into some of the core issues that anthropologists are concerned with: the politics of depiction, the ethics of fieldwork, the possibility of cultural translation, the status of anthropology as a science, and the ultimate goals of studying humanity. Occasionally.
SOAN 290 Special Topics Seminar
SOAN faculty or visiting professors and recognized scholars might be invited to offer seminars to explore relevant dimensions of their research in progress. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally. Syllabus
SOAN 299 Directed Study (3-6cr)
A tutorial course offered to SBS students with an average of 85 or above in their major at the beginning of their senior year. This tutorial consists of independent research, original creative compositions, or directed reading, and includes the presentation of a report or thesis on the work. Occasionally.