SOC-360

An introduction to the sociology of face-to-face interaction, communication, and the social construction of reality. Areas covered include: symbolic interaction and dramaturgy, ethnomethodology, qualitative research methods and ethnography, the presentation of self, feeling rules, boundary work, stigma management, and studies of social space. Students will read canonical pieces of sociology as well as contemporary case studies as they work to see patterns of social behavior in everyday situations. Student assessment is based on in-class participation, tests, and a semester-long qualitative research project. Prerequisite: at least two credits of prior work in sociology or consent of instructor.