SOC 395 Special Topics in Sociology

This course will function as an advanced seminar focusing on the research interests of the Sociology Department's faculty. Topics vary.

Sociology of the Southern U.S.

What, and where, is the South? Who is a southerner? What do they do down there, and why do they do what they do? Are the South and southerners still distinctive? By looking at all aspects of Southern life this course will unravel the enigma of the region while pondering a more inclusive and nuanced appreciation of "many Souths" and "southern cultures" including senses of regional identity and allegiance, and in representations of, and cultural stereotypes from and about, the South. Core Requirement Met: United States Diversity.

Visualizing Gentrification: Bridging Land Use Data and Ethnography

Students are challenged with the myths and realities of gentrification in an immersive discussion. The proposed course weaves urban planning, mapping and data research with qualitative analysis to recognize gentrification drivers, examine the pending experiential trauma of displacement and the community's aspirations and resistance. The course examines the communities of Northeast Los Angeles as they face three colossal planning projects that utilize gentrification as a catalyst and justification for their development.

In a holistic examination of the landscape, course participants will embed with community and other partners to explore the social networks and their relationship to research data. Course discussions will include developing metrics from an activist and documentary perspective to establish the observable community. Students will operate in small teams in developing data and fostering outcomes that reveal the human narrative. They can be visual in nature from ethnographic studies to data visualization, but also critical analysis and policy recommendations of the conditions on the ground. Core Requirement Met: United States Diversity.