SOC101: Introduction to Sociology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

• describe America's class structure;
  
• define stratification;
  
• describe several types of social mobility;
  
• apply functionalist, conflict theory, and interactionist perspectives to social stratification;
  
• describe global stratification;
  
• describe the modernization and dependency theory perspectives on global stratification;
  
• explain the difference between race and ethnicity;
  
• distinguish the differences between stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination;
  
• compare and contrast the different experiences of various ethnic groups in the United States;
  
• define and differentiate between sex and gender;
  
• distinguish between the meanings of transgender, transsexual, and homosexual identities;
  
• describe different attitudes associated with sex and sexuality;
  
• discuss theoretical perspectives on sex, gender, and sexuality;
  
• explain the difference between senior age groups (young-old, middle-old, and old-old);
  
• examine aging as a global issue; and
  
• compare and contrast sociological perspectives on aging.