Department of Culture, Society and Justice
Brian Wolf, Chair (101 Archie Phinney Hall 83844-1110; phone 208-885-6751).
The department provides students with three interrelated disciplines in which they can pursue a B.A. or B.S. degree: Anthropology, Sociology, and Criminology. Our department is an ideal academic home for students interested in developing their understanding of people, society and justice, cultural and social diversity, intercultural and global relations, and issues of justice, crime, and society. These programs give students the tools and perspectives necessary to understanding themselves and others in social and cultural contexts, and systems of justice. The educational experience in anthropology, criminology, or sociology - including ample opportunity for interactions with faculty - provides a foundation from which students can better appreciate the challenges they face in their professional and personal lives.
Anthropology is the comprehensive study of the human condition, from humanity’s evolutionary past to its biological diversity, from the prehistoric and historic past to modern cultural and linguistic diversity, from rural societies to urban societies. While the program at the University of Idaho considers the breadth of these topics and issues, its primary focus is on Indigenous peoples and international development, contemporary U.S. culture, historical archaeology, archaeological conservation and stabilization, and the archaeology and ethnography of the Indian Tribes of the North American Plateau. Graduates of the program are able to apply the anthropological skills and knowledge with an eye toward making a difference. Graduates go on to experience successful careers or pursue advanced programs of graduate studies.
Criminology is the study of the causes and consequences of crime. Coursework in criminology includes a comprehensive understanding of explanations of crime, research methods used to scientifically measure and study crime, the evaluation of crime control policies, and a consideration of the broader social and political context of crime and justice. Elective courses will acquaint students with various types of crime and norm violation such as juvenile delinquency, social deviance, violent crime, white collar crime, and terrorism. In addition, institutional responses through policing and punishment are also considered. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the problems of crime and the criminal justice system. Students may pursue their criminology degree, either entirely, or in part, in our online criminology program.
Sociology is the scientific study of human behavior, with an emphasis on understanding social interaction, groups, and organizations. It is an ideal major for students who are curious about themselves and the world they live in; the goal of sociology is to help students develop a "sociological imagination," the ability to understand how individual experiences, behaviors, and opportunities are influenced by the historical moment and social forces beyond the immediate control of any one person. In the criminology emphasis, students study the causes, consequences, and social responses to crime. The sociology program's strengths include, U.S. and global diversity, globalization, social inequalities, criminology, deviance, policing, and applied research. The program provides students opportunities to gain practical work experience through internships and service learning. Students leave prepared for careers in social services, human resources, criminal justice, non-profit positions, community organizing, and applied research and provides a foundation for graduate education in sociology, criminology, social work, and law.
The department offers the academic certificate in Equity and Justice. The purpose of the certificate in Equity and Justice is to provide students with specific training in intercultural skills. The certificate recognizes competency in understanding a broad range of diversity issues (race, physical ability, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, social class, etc.) and their relevance in social life and the workplace. The certificate provides students with a focused and work-related credential so they may be more competitive and effective in the job market.
The Archaeological Technician Program is designed to offer students a solid understanding of the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary to be qualified for an entry level position in government or cultural resource management (CRM). Participants must complete the entire training program with emphases in field survey, excavation, and laboratory methods. All three areas of the Certificate program include practical experience in the field and lab with academic and/or professional evaluations that include appropriate readings and examinations.
Graduate study in anthropology is offered in areas such as American Indian studies, prehistoric and historical archaeology, sociocultural anthropology, and physical anthropology. The program offers both a thesis and a non-thesis MA. Both programs include class work, seminars, directed studies, independent research, and a thesis (with public defense) or final project. The curriculum provides sound training in general anthropology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and ethnology. Departmental research specialties include historical archaeology, prehistoric Plateau archaeology, Plateau Indian ethnography, contemporary American culture, human evolution, and indigenous peoples of South America. Anthropologists in the department also regularly collaborate with the university’s history department in support of a joint Ph.D. degree in history with an emphasis on historical archaeology. Graduates of the MA program have successfully gone on to pursue additional graduate work and professional careers in anthropology. Interested students should contact the department for the application procedures.
Questions concerning the department and its programs should be addressed to the department chair (208-885-6751).
ANTH 100 Introduction to Anthropology (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science
Basic theories, methods, and findings of human paleontology, prehistory, and culture.
ANTH 101 Biological Anthropology (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science
Evidence for primate and human evolution; processes of human variation and adaptation; techniques of biological anthropology; human population biology.
ANTH 102 Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, International
Explores the global diversity of cultures and the variety of ways humans organize and understand their world
ANTH 103 Introduction to Archaeology (3 credits)
Archaeological techniques for interpreting past lifeways from material remains; includes both prehistoric and historical archaeology.
ANTH 200 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 203 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 204 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 241 Introduction to the Study of Language (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ENGL 241 and EDCI 241
Surveys of sound patterns, morphological processes, and syntactic structures; questions of language acquisition, variation, and history; exercises from a variety of languages, with emphasis on American English.
ANTH 261 Language and Culture (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, International
Language as an aspect of culture; the relation of habitual thought and behavior to language.
ANTH 299 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 314 Tribal Sovereignty and Federal Policy (3 credits)
Cross-listed with AIST 314
The Tribal Sovereignty and Federal Policy course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how colonial and Federal Indian Policies have impacted the lives of Tribes and their surrounding communities. Through a survey of the changing eras of policy (conquest, pre-Revolutionary approaches, the Marshall Trilogy, the Treaty Era, Allotment and Termination, and Self-Determination), students will learn about the forces that have shaped tribal communities, and a deeper appreciation for tribes’ efforts to restore and exercise their sovereignty. Tribal Sovereignty as it applies to land management, natural resources and community development will be a focal area.
ANTH 321 (s) Tribal Elders Series (3 credits, max 9)
Cross-listed with AIST 321
This course is intended to share information from the neighboring tribes surrounding the University of Idaho. Elders from these communities will share a tribal epistemology that each tribe considers to be essential to an education of an adult. Such educational perspective may often be missing/misrepresented or misunderstood in current university pedagogy. This class will place an emphasis on contemporary indigenous voices. This course will have a subtopic heading to incorporate the possibility of having many neighboring tribes participate.
ANTH 327 Belief Systems (3 credits)
Cross-listed with RELS 327
Method and theory of comparative anthropological study of religion.
ANTH 329 Contemporary North American Indians (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, American Diversity
Cross-listed with AIST 329
Histories, cultures, and practices of contemporary North American Indians.
ANTH 350 Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, American Diversity
Cross-listed with SOC 350
Examines the structural and cultural implications of eating and producing food in a global world. Utilizing a social scientific framework, it explores the history of particular foods and examines how food systems are racialized, classed and gendered. Primary foci include the social history of food holidays and taboos, the relationships between food and identity, the impact of agricultural production practices on food systems and food security, and forms of resistance to these impacts. Recommended Preparation: ANTH 220 or a 200-level sociology course. May include field trips.
Prereqs: SOC 101.
ANTH 400 (s) Seminar (3 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 403 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 404 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 409 Anthropological Field Methods (1-8 credits, max 8)
Field training in archaeology and/or social anthropology.
ANTH 411 Human Evolution (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 511
Human origins in light of the fossil record and evolutionary theory. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Recommended Preparation: ANTH 100. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
ANTH 416 Qualitative Social Science Methods (3 credits)
Cross-listed with SOC 416
Joint-listed with ANTH 516
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect qualitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Additional work required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Varies.
ANTH 417 Social Data Analysis (3 credits)
Cross-listed with SOC 417
Joint-listed with ANTH 517
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect quantitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Additional work required for graduate credit.
ANTH 420 Anthropological History and Theory (3 credits, max 9)
Historical development of anthropology along with theoretical debates as presented in the anthropological literature.
Prereqs: Upper-Division standing
ANTH 422 Contemporary Pacific Northwest Indians (3 credits)
General Education: American Diversity
Cross-listed with AIST 422 and RELS 422
Joint-listed with ANTH 522
This course is intended to impart and understanding of the vitality and rich diversity of contemporary Pacific Northwest American Indian societies, their histories, and their literatures, e. g. , in the arts and expressive culture, in governmental affairs both indigenous and external, in economics, ecological relations and natural resources, in health care, and in family, social and religious life, in oral traditions, in world views and cultural values. This understanding is inclusive of both indigenous cultural, as well as contact-historical, expressions. An understanding of Tribal sovereignty and its varied meanings is key to this outcome. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
ANTH 425 Popular Culture and Consumerism (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 525
An interdisciplinary survey of the contemporary study of popular culture. Reviews contemporary theoretical approaches to mass, popular, folk, and fan cultures using material culture, texts, media, and cultural practices. Focus on critical analysis and understanding the significance of popular culture to society and how its consumption shapes everyday lives. Additional work required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Fall (Odd Years).
ANTH 428 Social and Political Organization (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 528
Bases of social and political organization; kin based units; non-kin units; political units through primitive states. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: Upper-Division standing
ANTH 430 Archaeological History, Ethics, and Theory (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 530
This course explores the history of the archaeological discipline, theoretical trends within the field, and ethical implications of archaeological practice. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: ANTH 103 or Permission
ANTH 431 Historical Archaeology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 531
Investigation of the techniques of historical archaeology as well as an introduction to historic material culture and the theories that inform historical archaeology research. Additional projects/assignments reqd for grad cr. ANTH 531 is a cooperative course available to WSU degree-seeking students.
Prereqs: ANTH 100
ANTH 432 Historical Artifact Analysis (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 532
An overview and detailed study of the major classes of material culture commonly recovered on historical sites. Course emphasizes the identification of historical materials and introduction of a variety of analytical tools used in historical archaeology.
ANTH 433 Applied Cultural Resource Management (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 533
Introduction to the practice of archaeology in the field of Cultural Resource Management (CRM). This course emphasizes and exposes students to skills needed in today’s world of CRM. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 434 Stranger than Fiction: Pseudoarchaeology and Myths of the Past (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 534
How has popular culture like Indiana Jones, Ancient Aliens, and The Davinci Code shaped popular understandings about the past? This course examines popular myths about archaeological sites around the globe. Case studies include Stonehenge, Atlantis and Mu, the Nazca Lines, Ancient pyramid construction, cannibalism in the Donner Party, and other archaeological mysteries. Particular attention is given to understanding how pseudoarchaeological claims gain traction as popular folklore and on learning the true histories of these sites and people using archaeological science. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 449 Lithic Technology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 549
Manufacture and analysis of stone implements, theory of rock fracture, nonhuman productions of pseudo-artifacts. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: ANTH 103 or Permission
ANTH 451 Forensic Anthropology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 551
This course examines the process of identifying unknown contemporary skeletal material and its medicolegal ramifications. It covers the analysis and measurement of the human skeleton, including skeletal variation based on age, sex, stature, and ancestry. It also discusses the idiosyncratic skeletal features and pathological conditions that can help lead to a positive identification of the decedent. Additionally, students learn the basics of how to identify skeletal trauma and taphonomy, as well as how forensic anthropologists handle skeletal identifications in various contexts, such as human rights atrocities, natural disasters, mass fatality events, and military exhumations and identifications. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 452 Bioarchaeology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 552
This course provides students with a more in-depth look at the study of archaeology from the perspective of dealing with human skeletal remains. The course examines how historic and prehistoric skeletal material provides information about the health, status, living conditions, culture, trauma, demographics, and economics of past peoples. It also discusses mortuary and funerary traditions and considers the ethical considerations involved in studying skeletal remains. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 455 Anthropology Senior Research (3 credits)
General Education: Senior Experience
Anthropology Senior Research is designed to provide the resources and guidance necessary for anthropology seniors to complete an independent research project focused in one or more of the sub-fields of anthropology.
Prereqs: ANTH 416 or ANTH 417; and Senior Standing and Major in Department of Sociology and Anthropology; or Permission
ANTH 456 Anthropology of Modern War and Conflict (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 556
This course examines what the careful study of human remains, material culture, history, and cultural context can illuminate about modern warfare and contemporary conflict. The course also investigates the role material and skeletal evidence plays in understanding historical context, subverting cultural and political hegemony, contributing to social and institutional memory and memorialization, and promoting/negating nationalist and ethnocentric narratives. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 462 Human Issues in International Development (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, International
Cross-listed with LAS 462
Joint-listed with ANTH 562
Course content includes the historical and political contexts that shape development, development theories and approaches, along with the global challenges of poverty, social inequalities, and environment. Culture as an important consideration in development is emphasized. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. (Alt/years)
ANTH 463 Contemporary Issues Affecting Men & Masculinities (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 563
This course introduces the interdisciplinary studies of Anthropology, Sociology, and Gender Studies through focus on the social science scholarship of men and masculinities. Theoretical developments challenge stereotypes by stressing how masculinities are produced within specific historic and cultural domains, replacing ideas of men’s power by revealing that men wield and access power differently depending on their race, class, sexuality, and location. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Spring (Even Years).
ANTH 498 (s) Internship (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 499 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 500 Master's Research and Thesis (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 501 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 502 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 503 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 504 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 505 (s) Professional Development (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 509 Anthropological Field Methods (1-8 credits, max 8)
Individual field work in approved areas.
Prereqs: Permission
ANTH 511 Human Evolution (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 411
Human origins in light of the fossil record and evolutionary theory. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Recommended Preparation: ANTH 100. Cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
ANTH 516 Qualitative Social Science Methods (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 416, SOC 416
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect qualitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Additional work required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Varies.
ANTH 517 Social Data Analysis (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 417, SOC 417
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect quantitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Additional work required for graduate credit.
ANTH 518 Anthropology of Tourism (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 418
Across the globe, tourism has been touted as a route to economic sustainability and both national and local prosperity. As one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the modern world, tourism can supply wealth and growth opportunities to poverty stricken communities - but at what cost? In this course, we will examine both the advantages and disadvantages to a variety of forms of tourism: sex tourism, "primitive" tourism, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and nature tourism, to name a few. Additional work required for graduate credit.
ANTH 521 Contemporary Issues in Anthropological Theory (3 credits)
In-depth exploration of contemporary theoretical issues within anthropology.
Prereqs: ANTH 420 or equivalent, or Permission
ANTH 522 Contemporary Pacific Northwest Indians (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 422, AIST 422, and RELS 422
This course is intended to impart and understanding of the vitality and rich diversity of contemporary Pacific Northwest American Indian societies, their histories, and their literatures, e. g. , in the arts and expressive culture, in governmental affairs both indigenous and external, in economics, ecological relations and natural resources, in health care, and in family, social and religious life, in oral traditions, in world views and cultural values. This understanding is inclusive of both indigenous cultural, as well as contact-historical, expressions. An understanding of Tribal sovereignty and its varied meanings is key to this outcome. ANTH 422 is cooperative: open to WSU degree-seeking students.
ANTH 525 Popular Culture and Consumerism (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 425
An interdisciplinary survey of the contemporary study of popular culture. Reviews contemporary theoretical approaches to mass, popular, folk, and fan cultures using material culture, texts, media, and cultural practices. Focus on critical analysis and understanding the significance of popular culture to society and how its consumption shapes everyday lives. Additional work required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Fall (Odd Years).
ANTH 528 Social and Political Organization (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 428
Bases of social and political organization; kin based units; non-kin units; political units through primitive states. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: Upper-Division standing
ANTH 530 Archaeological History, Ethics, and Theory (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 430
This course explores the history of the archaeological discipline, theoretical trends within the field, and ethical implications of archaeological practice. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: ANTH 103 or Permission
ANTH 531 Historical Archaeology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 431
Investigation of the techniques of historical archaeology as well as an introduction to historic material culture and the theories that inform historical archaeology research. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Cooperative: WSU degree-seeking students.
Prereqs: ANTH 100
ANTH 532 Historical Artifact Analysis (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 432
An overview and detailed study of the major classes of material culture commonly recovered on historical sites. Course emphasizes the identification of historical materials and introduction of a variety of analytical tools used in historical archaeology.
ANTH 533 Applied Cultural Resource Management (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 433
Introduction to the practice of archaeology in the field of Cultural Resource Management (CRM). This course emphasizes and exposes students to skills needed in today’s world of CRM. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 534 Stranger than Fiction: Pseudoarchaeology and Myths of the Past (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 434
How has popular culture like Indiana Jones, Ancient Aliens, and The Davinci Code shaped popular understandings about the past? This course examines popular myths about archaeological sites around the globe. Case studies include Stonehenge, Atlantis and Mu, the Nazca Lines, Ancient pyramid construction, cannibalism in the Donner Party, and other archaeological mysteries. Particular attention is given to understanding how pseudoarchaeological claims gain traction as popular folklore and on learning the true histories of these sites and people using archaeological science. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 549 Lithic Technology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 449
Manufacture and analysis of stone implements, theory of rock fracture, nonhuman productions of pseudo-artifacts. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
Prereqs: ANTH 103 or Permission
ANTH 551 Forensic Anthropology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 451
This course examines the process of identifying unknown contemporary skeletal material and its medicolegal ramifications. It covers the analysis and measurement of the human skeleton, including skeletal variation based on age, sex, stature, and ancestry. It also discusses the idiosyncratic skeletal features and pathological conditions that can help lead to a positive identification of the decedent. Additionally, students learn the basics of how to identify skeletal trauma and taphonomy, as well as how forensic anthropologists handle skeletal identifications in various contexts, such as human rights atrocities, natural disasters, mass fatality events, and military exhumations and identifications. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 552 Bioarchaeology (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 452
This course provides students with a more in-depth look at the study of archaeology from the perspective of dealing with human skeletal remains. The course examines how historic and prehistoric skeletal material provides information about the health, status, living conditions, culture, trauma, demographics, and economics of past peoples. It also discusses mortuary and funerary traditions and considers the ethical considerations involved in studying skeletal remains. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 556 Anthropology of Modern War and Conflict (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 456
This course examines what the careful study of human remains, material culture, history, and cultural context can illuminate about modern warfare and contemporary conflict. The course also investigates the role material and skeletal evidence plays in understanding historical context, subverting cultural and political hegemony, contributing to social and institutional memory and memorialization, and promoting/negating nationalist and ethnocentric narratives. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit.
ANTH 562 Human Issues in International Development (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 462 and LAS 462
Course content includes the historical and political contexts that shape development, development theories and approaches, along with the global challenges of poverty, social inequalities, and environment. Culture as an important consideration in development is emphasized. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. (Alt/years)
ANTH 563 Contemporary Issues Affecting Men & Masculinities (3 credits)
Joint-listed with ANTH 463
This course introduces the interdisciplinary studies of Anthropology, Sociology, and Gender Studies through focus on the social science scholarship of men and masculinities. Theoretical developments challenge stereotypes by stressing how masculinities are produced within specific historic and cultural domains, replacing ideas of men’s power by revealing that men wield and access power differently depending on their race, class, sexuality, and location. Additional projects/assignments required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Spring (Even Years).
ANTH 570 (s) Materiality and Human Cultures (3 credits)
This graduate seminar focuses on a variety of archaeological topics studied by contemporary archaeologists. Subject matter will vary from year to year.
ANTH 571 (s) Cultural Complexity (3 credits)
This graduate seminar focuses on a variety of cultural, ethnographic, folkloric, and linguistic topics studied by contemporary anthropologists. Subject matter will vary from year to year.
ANTH 572 (s) Topics in Biological Anthropology (3 credits)
This graduate seminar focuses on a variety of human evolutionary, human health, forensic, and bioarchaeological topics studied by contemporary biological anthropologist and bioarchaeologists. Subject matter will vary from year to year.
ANTH 598 (s) Internship (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
ANTH 599 (s) Non-thesis Master's Research (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged Research not directly related to a thesis or dissertation.
Prereqs: Permission
CRIM 101 Introduction to Criminology (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science
This course provides a general introduction to the study of crime, deviance, and crime control. Course material will cover crime measurement, patterns, and trends as well as major theoretical explanations for crime. Criminal justice institutions such as police, courts, and corrections will be considered along with specific topics as they relate to criminology. These topics include social deviance, violence, white collar crime, terrorism, vice, drug use, organized crime, mental health issues, racial inequalities, women and crime, and the depiction of crime in popular media and culture. Specific crime control policies are also considered.
CRIM 204 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
CRIM 301 Criminological Theory (3 credits)
Review and assessment of common explanations of crime, deviant behavior, and control. May include field trips.
Prereqs: CRIM 101
CRIM 302 Research Methods in Criminology (3 credits)
This course will prepare students to conduct criminological research using a range of social science methods. The course is divided into four sections. In the first section, the class will explore the logic and process of social scientific research, with a focus on the connection between theory and methods, strategies of research design, the ethical responsibilities of researchers, and issues in sampling and measurement. The second section of the course examines some of the common data gathering techniques used by criminologists, such as experimental research, survey design, policy analysis, evaluation research, secondary analysis, crime mapping, and network analysis. The third section of the course examines the logic of qualitative research methods, including focus groups, interviewing, and ethnography. In the final section of the course, students use social science data to examine key strategies and techniques in quantitative data management and analysis.
CRIM 320 Deviant Behavior (3 credits)
This course is a critical examination of the relationship between deviance and social control. It will investigate how and why certain forms of behavior come to be known as deviant, analyze the nature of formal and informal responses to deviance, and explain the interaction of different social control institutions. Specific topics may include corruption, drug use, prostitution, criminal violence, gangs, corporate crime, and heroic deviance.
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 325 Family, Violence, and Society (3 credits)
Sociological analysis of the family, its relationship to other social institutions, and the ways that the family is intersected by conflict, violence and systems of justice. Special attention is given to exploring the causes and impacts of family violence, strategies for its prevention, treatment of those abused, and intervention strategies for abusers.
CRIM 329 Homicide (3 credits)
This course provides an analysis of the dynamics and processes associated with various types of homicides, as well as the theoretical explanations of homicide. Topics may include familial homicide, serial homicide, homicide associated with cults, and gang-related homicide, among others. Issues related to criminal justice processing of offenders are also discussed.
Prereqs: SOC 101.
CRIM 330 Juvenile Delinquency (3 credits)
Extent, causes, and control of juvenile delinquent behavior.
Prereqs: CRIM 101
CRIM 332 Sociology of Punishment (3 credits)
This course will provide an introduction to the history of criminal punishment, as well as the moral rationales for criminal punishment. The remainder of the course will focus on contemporary issues in crime, criminal punishment and imprisonment. Throughout the course, particular attention will be given to the ways that decisions about punishment affect and are affected by American culture and social structure. May include field trips.
Prereqs: SOC 101.
CRIM 333 Elite and White Collar Crime (3 credits)
The costs, causes, and control of crime by and against businesses and other organizations; the relationship between trust and white collar crime; the impact of the media in shaping perceptions of white collar crime.
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 334 Police and Social Control (3 credits)
History, development, and role of the police as a component of the justice system, with particular attention to the relationship of the police to community, society, and related institutions of social control; societal control of the police as well as the influences of social change and urban decay and disorder on methods of policing. May include field trips.
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 335 Terrorism, Society and Justice (3 credits)
Analysis of the concepts, issues and dilemmas related to domestic and international terrorism. Terrorist tactics within the context of the global world-system are considered. Examines counterterrorist strategies and the media and government response to terrorism.
CRIM 336 Comparative Criminal Justice Systems (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, International
Comparative study of justice systems in selected foreign countries. (Alt/years)
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 337 Violence and Society (3 credits)
Explores the sources and types of violence, victims of violence, impact of firearms on violence, responses to violence by intergovernmental, national criminal justice systems, and non-state actors, and ways to reduce violence in society.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
CRIM 338 Regulation of Vice (3 credits)
This course explores the intersection of morality, law, and criminal justice through the examination of “vice” crime, such as illegal drug use, gambling, and sex work. The goal of the class is to explore the socially constructed nature of vice and examine the different socio-legal strategies that have been mobilized to control vice, such as criminalization, decriminalization, regulation, and harm reduction. The class will pay particular attention to the intended and unintended consequences that different social control schemes can have on the lives of racial and ethnic minorities, the poor, and urban communities.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
CRIM 339 Crime and the Media (3 credits)
Cross-listed with JAMM 339
Critical evaluation of the media portrayals of crime and the criminal justice system; analysis of how the media help to shape public understanding and public policy.
CRIM 340 Sex Crimes (3 credits)
This course explores various aspects of sexual crimes, offenders, and deviance. Topics may include, but are not limited to, historical and current perspectives of sex offender legislation, victimization issues, theoretical explanations, and processing offenders in the criminal justice system. Special focus will be placed on sexual offenses and sexual deviance in various locations and settings.
Prereqs: CRIM 101
CRIM 404 (s) Special Topic (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
CRIM 415 Citizen's Police Academy (3 credits)
Offered only in the spring term, students are acquainted with the activities of a local police department in a community-learning style course. This experience is an opportunity for applied learning in the field. Limited space available. Instructor permission required. Pass/Fail
CRIM 420 Substance Use and Society (3 credits)
This course reviews the current theory, empirical research, and controversies in relation to substance use in American society. It focuses on current and historical trends in substance use, definitions of substance use and abuse, the effects of substance use, cultural understandings and media portrayal of drugs and their use, and alcohol and drug policy.
CRIM 421 Gender and Crime (3 credits)
This course uses sociological and criminological theories to explore the relationship between gender and crime. Topics explore adult and juvenile females and their entry into the criminal justice system as victims and offenders. The course examines the challenges faced by females working in criminal justice (policing, courts, and corrections). Gender is also discussed by considering issues faced by the LGBT community in terms of how particular behaviors are criminalized, how LGBT individuals are treated within and by the criminal justice system.
Prereqs: SOC 101.
CRIM 435 Psychopathy and Crime (3 credits)
This course provides a general introduction to psychopathy. Emphasis is placed on the perceptions, misconceptions, and the realities of the relationship between psychopathy and crime. In addition, the course explores the historical development of psychopathy, key diagnostic criteria, and the biological and psychological correlates of the disorder.
Prereqs: CRIM 101
CRIM 436 Mental Health and Crime (3 credits)
This course examines the historical and contemporary relationships between mental health and criminal/deviant behavior. Emphasis is placed on the criminalization of mental illness, the reciprocal influence between mental health and criminal offending, and the role of clinical diagnoses in the criminal justice system.
Prereqs: CRIM 101
CRIM 439 Inequalities in the Justice System (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, American Diversity
Critical focus on the issues of race, class, and gender and their consequences for the operation of the justice system; the role of the justice system in the history and experience of various minorities, theories of minority crime, and issues of selective enforcement, sentencing disparity, and disproportionate incarceration; the role of gender considered through the examination of offenders, victims, and criminal justice professionals.
Prereqs: SOC 101 and a 3-credit lower-division SOC course; or SOC 301 or ANTH 301.
CRIM 461 Capstone:Justice Policy Issues (3 credits)
General Education: Senior Experience
Justice Policy Issues is designed to provide the resources and guidance necessary for sociology seniors to complete an independent or collaborative policy-oriented research project.
Prereqs: CRIM 101 or SOC 101; and Senior Standing and Major in Department of Sociology and Anthropology; or Permission
CRIM 462 Senior Practicum (3 credits)
Cross-listed with SOC 462
General Education: Senior Experience. This course will involve an applied, on-site experience with an organization or group. The applied experience will be the basis for a thesis that will analyze the applied experience by incorporating theory, methods and knowledge gained from previously-taken sociology classes. In addition, the practicum will include class meetings covering topics related to the applied experience and career paths for majors in Sociology. Typically Offered: Varies.
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 464 Criminology Abroad (3 credits)
General Education: Senior Experience
Criminology Abroad combines a 10-day intensive study abroad experience (typically a faculty-led trip over spring break), along with instruction in comparative criminology. Besides an experience abroad, a student completes a directed research project related to criminology in the visited country.
Prereqs: SOC 101
CRIM 466 Inside Out (3-6 credits, max arranged)
Inside Out is a prison exchange class that takes place within a correctional institution in Idaho. The course focuses on a variety of topics ranging from philosophical perspectives of justice to historical perceptions of biology and crime. The class includes both university and incarcerated students and emphasizes peer learning and collaboration.
Prereqs: CRIM 101 or SOC 101; Instructor Permission required
CRIM 498 (s) Internship (1-6 credits)
Supervised professional field experience in a criminology-related organization.
CRIM 499 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Intended to accommodate a wide variety of criminological topics.
Prereqs: Criminology Major
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing. Basic theories, concepts, and processes involved in scientific study of society; includes socialization process, social inequality, the family, religion, deviance, population, the environment, and social change. Typically Offered: Every semester.
SOC 200 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
SOC 201 Introduction to Inequity and Justice (3 credits)
General Education: American Diversity
An interdisciplinary and historical study of social inequities and inclusion in a cross-cultural global context. The course examines multiple forms of diversity and stratification including, but not limited to, culture, class, race/ethnic, gender/sexuality, religious diversity, and political ideology in an effort to raise students' ability to interact with and understand others in our increasingly multicultural world. Courses may vary in their emphasis on United States’ or international experiences. May include service learning.
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 203 (s) Workshop (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
SOC 204 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
SOC 211 Development of Social Theory (3 credits)
Development of social theory from classical roots through contemporary schools; biographical accounts and original works in sociological theory.
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 230 Social Problems (3 credits)
General Education: Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing. Contemporary social issues and personal deviations; crime and delinquency, poverty and wealth, drugs, sexual variations, racism, sexism, and the environment.
SOC 299 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
SOC 309 Social Science Research Methods (3 credits)
This course introduces students to quantitative and qualitative research methods employed in the social sciences. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Typically Offered: Fall and Spring.
Prereqs: STAT 153 or STAT 251; Junior or Senior Standing; SOC, ANTH, CRIM majors or SOC minors only
SOC 327 Sociology of the Family (3 credits)
This class is designed to help students critically evaluate and understand the ways they think about families and the role of the families. In this course we will examine families as social institutions that vary across time and culture, the ways that families shape and are constrained by structural conditions, and the interactions between the family and other social institutions.
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 340 Environmental Sociology and Globalization (3 credits)
This course introduces students to sociological understanding of environment and globalization, demonstrating the importance of connecting questions of environmental concern to global processes. Area emphasis within the study of environmental sociology and globalization will vary depending on instructor.
SOC 341 Science, Technology, and Society (3 credits)
This course situates science and technology in the social context. The course draws from Sociology of Science and Science and Technology Studies to examine the nature of scientific expertise, processes of knowledge creation, interrelationship between science and technology, impacts of science and technology on society, and science policy. Students will develop the ability to ask important questions about how the human world affects science and technology, and how science and technology affects the human world.
SOC 342 Gender and Science (3 credits)
This course examines the growing body of scholarship that analyzes the intersections of gender, sexuality, science, and technology. Throughout the course, students will explore the various barriers of expertise, the production of scientific knowledge, and the effects of technological developments. Students will participate in a learning community that allows them to shape their own directions of inquiry and develop their skills as scholarly investigators.
SOC 343 Power, Politics, and Society (3 credits)
Examines the relationship between political and social institutions, the distribution of power and authority in society, the origins and expansion of the modern state, social and cultural basis of political behavior, and characteristics of transnational and global governance. Recommended Preparation: SOC 230.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
SOC 344 Urban Sociology (3 credits, max 3)
This course seeks to explore the city over time, examining in detail the economic, social, cultural, and political forces that shape the city and its character. It is an interdisciplinary course drawing not only from the fields of urban sociology and criminology, but also of literature, cultural studies, planning, and philosophy. In this course we will explore the following questions: What processes underlie urban growth patterns? What are the roles of political action, economic forces, and culture (i. e. ideology, consumption, and preferences) in shaping urban forms? How do these urban forms influence and shape the experiences of different social groups? How do processes related to increasing economic globalization create “global cities”? And how do these processes influence and help to create patterns of crime and urban inequality?.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instrucor Permission.
SOC 345 Extremism and American Society (3 credits)
This course explores sociological perspectives on extremism in American society. We will consider the socio-structural factors that contribute to a rise in extremist activism, that motivate people to join these organizations, and that provide political opportunity for organizational growth. The class will also explore the historical and contemporary circulation of extremist discourse and ideology in more mainstream spaces. Finally, the course will examine the impact these organizations have on broader society: culture, ideology, political discourse, etc. To accomplish this, the course will focus on case studies of past and current reactionary groups, including hate groups (KKK, neo- Nazi), militia and patriot groups (Posse Comitatus), terrorist groups, and other examples of extremism.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
SOC 346 Responding to Risk (3 credits)
This course uses risk as a paradigm for a sociological analysis of agency and structure. Students are introduced to various theories and frameworks for modeling risk. The course investigates risk in individual and group behavior, decision making in situations of risk, and risk in the workings of social institutions and social practices, within the areas of crime and deviance, science and technology, health, and the environment.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
SOC 350 Food, Culture, and Society (3 credits)
General Education: Social Science, American Diversity
Cross-listed with ANTH 350
Examines the structural and cultural implications of eating and producing food in a global world. Utilizing a social scientific framework, it explores the history of particular foods and examines how food systems are racialized, classed, and gendered. Primary foci include the social history of food holidays and taboos, the relationships between food and identity, the impact of agricultural production practices on food systems and food security, and forms of resistance to these impacts. Recommended Preparation: ANTH 220 or a 200-level Sociology course. May include field trips.
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 416 Qualitative Social Science Methods (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ANTH 416
Joint-listed with ANTH 516
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect qualitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis. Additional work required for graduate credit. Typically Offered: Varies.
SOC 417 Social Data Analysis (3 credits)
Cross-listed with ANTH 417
Joint-listed with ANTH 517
This course introduces students to social science research methods that collect quantitative data. It will discuss research design and ethics, data collection processes, and data analysis.
SOC 420 Sociology of Law (3 credits)
The course examines law creation and law enforcement in their social, political, and economic context. Discussions include the major theories of the role of law and functioning of the modern state, and through the use of historical and contemporary case studies students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these theoretical perspectives.
SOC 423 Economic (In)Justice in the United States (3 credits)
This course investigates how United States’ institutions create and maintain conditions of economic inequality and injustice. Various angles of inquiry include the unequal distribution of wealth amongst different social groups, the rising power of financial institutions, the prevalence of housing insecurity, the causes and consequences of consumer indebtedness and bankruptcy, and unequal community development.
Prereqs: SOC 101 or Instructor Permission
SOC 424 Sociology of Gender (3 credits)
Historical and comparative analysis of the various roles, statuses, and life opportunities of men and women; emphasis on how gender roles develop in society and their effect on social structure, social institutions, and interpersonal interaction.
SOC 427 Racial and Ethnic Relations (3 credits)
Examination of the social construction of racial categories and meanings; theories of race relations; historical and contemporary experiences of racial/ethnic groups in the U. S. ; contemporary issues and debates.
SOC 428 Self and Society (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of sociological social psychological research examining the significance of the self within the larger society. Specific attention is paid to symbolic interactionism, including its historical and philosophical roots, its key concepts and ideas, and its different theoretical frameworks and methodologies. Various social psychological topics (e. g. , the construction of the self, socialization, deviance, mental health, collective behavior) are examined from a symbolic interactionist perspective.
SOC 460 Capstone: Sociology in Action (3 credits)
General Education: Senior Experience
Sociology in Action is designed to provide the resources and guidance necessary for sociology seniors to complete an independent or collaborative research project.
Prereqs: SOC 101 and Senior standing and major in Department of Sociology and Anthropology; or Permission
SOC 462 Senior Practicum (3 credits)
General Education: Senior Experience. This course will involve an applied, on-site experience with an organization or group. The applied experience will be the basis for a thesis that will analyze the applied experience by incorporating theory, methods and knowledge gained from previously-taken sociology classes. In addition, the practicum will include class meetings covering topics related to the applied experience and career paths for majors in Sociology. Typically Offered: Varies.
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 465 Environmental Justice (3 credits)
This course surveys the history of environmental justice in the United States and globally, and it explores the different sociological perspectives surrounding environmental justice cases and movements. Courses will slightly differ in emphasis depending on the instructor, allowing opportunities to explore more deeply the social philosophies and policies that inform this course topic. Typically Offered: Spring (Odd Years).
SOC 466 Climate Change and Society (3 credits)
This course introduces students to social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of climate change. It considers the global nature of climate change, its causes and effects, and key issues related to climate change communication, adaptation, and mitigation. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to identify several key sociological issues related to climate change (e. g. , human impact on climate change, institutional and political responses, public opinions and skepticism, impact on marginalized communities, challenges to communication, role of emotions in climate change, potential avenues for mitigating negative effects).
Prereqs: SOC 101
SOC 498 (s) Internship (1-6 credits, max arranged)
Supervised professional field experience in human service organizations. Graded P/F.
Prereqs: SOC 101, major in Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and Permission
SOC 499 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged Intended to accommodate a wide variety of sociological topics.
Prereqs: SOC 101 and Permission
SOC 501 (s) Seminar (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged Subjects normally offered: sociological research, social problems, and social theory.
Prereqs: Permission
SOC 502 (s) Directed Study (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged Subjects normally offered: sociological theory, human ecology, and race relations.
Prereqs: Permission
SOC 504 (s) Special Topics (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged
SOC 599 (s) Non-thesis Master's Research (1-16 credits)
Credit arranged