SOC101: Introduction to Sociology

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

• define medical sociology;
  
• compare and contrast the cultural meaning of illness, the social construction of illness, and the social construction of medical knowledge;
  
• apply functionalist, conflict theorist, and interactionist perspectives to health issues;
  
• describe social epidemiology;
  
• describe a variety of demographic theories, such as Malthusian, cornucopian, zero population growth, and demographic transition theories;
  
• describe current population trends and patterns;
  
• describe the process of urbanization in the United States from various sociological perspectives;
  
• describe the challenges presented by pollution, garbage, e-waste, and toxic hazards;
  
• discuss real-world instances of environmental racism;
  
• describe different forms of collective behavior;
  
• describe social movements on state, national, and global levels through theoretical perspectives; and
  
• explain how technology, social institutions, population, and the environment can bring about social change.