Social Theory Course Descriptions
ST 500 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL THEORY. (3)
Multidisciplinary introduction to social theory for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Overall goal is to substantiate the idea that social theory comprises a set of ontological and epistemological issues about human coexistence which are nondisciplinary-specific. The course will (1) examine what different social fields take as their central theoretical issues and concerns, and (2) conduct multidisciplinary explorations of key problem areas in contemporary social thought such as the nature of objectivity, the construction of gender, the role of space and time in social life, and modernity and postmodernity. Prereq: Either a prior theory course in any social discipline or a prior course in such a discipline that discussed theoretical issues. Exceptions will be permitted only after consultation with the instructor.
ST 600 MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES IN SOCIAL THEORY. (3)
An advanced multidisciplinary seminar in social theory for graduate students taught by a team of faculty members. Topics change from year to year; examples include: individual and society, the social construction of gender, modernity and postmodernity, space and time in social life, objectivity and its other, etc. Focus is on the cross-disciplinary investigation of such issues in the social sciences and humanities. May be repeated to a maximum of nine credits under different subtitles. Prereq: ST 500 or permission of instructors.
ST 610 disCLOSURE EDITORIAL COLLECTIVE. (1)
Course provides editorial experience in the production of disClosure, a multidisciplinary social theory journal operated by students. Activities include: soliciting manuscripts, overseeing the external review process, communicating with authors, accepting and rejecting manuscripts, producing and distributing a single issue. May be repeated to a maximum of three credits. Lecture, two hours per week. Prereq: ST 500 or permission of instructor.
ST 690 TRANSDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES IN SOCIAL THEORY. (3)
An advanced seminar in transdisciplinary social theory, taught jointly by a faculty member representing the humanities and the social sciences, respectively. Social Theory encompasses the theoretical study of social life and the substantive knowledge informed by such theory. Transdisciplinary Social Theory seminars may focus on such topics as Space and Representation, Frankfurt School and Contemporary Critical Theory, or The University in Theory and in a Global Context. In each case, the seminar substantially and theoretically links the articulation of that particular topic as has occurred within both the social sciences and humanities. Prereq: Successful completion of ST 500 or ST 600 or permission of the instructors.