Course

Introduction to Social Theory

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Sociology
Course code
SOCI 2235
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course introduces classical and contemporary social theories by examining their social and historical development. The connection between sociological research and the development of sociological theories is emphasized as well as the relevance of theory to the critical examination of current social issues.
Course content

 

Topics will include some or all of the following:

  1. Introduction: the aims of Sociology and the role of theory within the discipline
  2. The origins of social theory (i.e. Auguste Comte; Harriet Martineau)
  3. Colonialism's impact on modern social theory
  4. Emile Durkheim and the origins of functionalism
  5. Karl Marx
  6. W.E.B. DuBois
  7. Max Weber
  8. Classical and contemporary interactionism
  9. Contemporary functionalism
  10. Neo-Marxism
  11. Classical and contemporary feminism
  12. Critical race theory
  13. Theories of modernity
  14. Post-Structuralism
  15. Postmodernism
  16. Theories of globalization

 

Learning activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some or all of the following:

  • Formal lectures
  • Class discussions
  • Audio-visual presentations
  • Guest speakers
Means of assessment

Evaluation will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific criteria during the first week of classes. Instructors may use a student’s record of attendance and/or level of active participation in the course as part of the student’s graded performance. Where this occurs, expectations and grade calculations regarding class attendance and participation will be clearly defined in the Instructor Course Outline.

 An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

Three Exams

 60%

Research Outline

  5%

Term Paper Assignment

 25%

Class Participation

 10%

Total

100%

Students may conduct research with human participants as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans.

 

Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:

  1. Outline the historical development of sociological theory.
  2. Distinguish between the different schools of thought within sociological theory.
  3. Identify major sociological theorists and the theoretical concepts associated with them.
  4. Compare and contrast different types of sociological theory.
  5. Evaluate and discuss sociological theories critically.
  6. Analyze sociological concepts and issues using various forms of sociological theory.
  7. Discuss the relevance of sociological research to the development of sociological theory and vice versa.

 

Textbook materials

Examples of textbooks that may be used in this course include:

  • Ritzer, G. (2022). Contemporary Social Theory and Its Classical Roots. New York: McGraw-Hill
  • Bhambra, G. and Holmwood, J. (2021). Colonialism and Modern Social Theory. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • Sears, A. and Cairns, J. (2015) A Good Book in Theory: Making Sense Through Inquiry. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

 

Requisites

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for SOCI 2235
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU SOC 101 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU SOCI 2235 (3)
North Island College (NIC) NIC SOC 2XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU SA 250 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU SOCI 3200 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU SOCI 2XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) DOUG SOCI 1125 (3) & DOUG SOCI 2235 (3) = UBCO SOCI_O 111 (3) & UBCO SOCI_O 121 (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO SOCI_O 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG SOCI 1155 (3) & DOUG SOCI 2235 (3) = UBCV SOCI_V 100 (6)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV SOCI_V 1st (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG SOCI 1125 (3) & DOUG SOCI 2235 (3) = UBCV SOCI 100 (6)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG SOCI 1125 (3) & DOUG SOCI 2235 (3) = UBCV SOCI_V 100 (6)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG SOCI 1155 (3) & DOUG SOCI 2235 (3) = UBCV SOCI 100 (6)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC SOSC 2XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV SOC 201 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC SOCI 210 (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU SOCI 2nd (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025