School of Sciences and Humanities
School of Sciences and Humanities
School of Sciences and Humanities
Тарих, философия және дін департаменті
History is the study of the past. Yet the point of history is not merely to establish what happened or to memorize a long list of dates and names. Rather, historians study the past to understand how societies function. For example, looking at the history of agriculture, we can analyze the relationship between the natural environment, technology, and politics. Similarly, examining interethnic relations in the past, we can learn why people identify with particular ethnic groups or explore how multilingual societies work. More broadly, studying history helps you develop key skills that you can apply to other subjects and in your future careers. In history classes, you will learn to critically assess sophisticated scholarly arguments and to advance your own views in a clear and convincing manner. You will also learn how to search for information to draw your own conclusions about key social, cultural, and political issues. History is closely linked to other humanities and social sciences. You will discover yourself that what you learn in anthropology, economics, or even in your natural science electives may shed light on a specific aspect of the past.
Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions arising in everyday life. In Philosophy classes we ask questions about profound subjects such as: What is the nature of reality? What is the good, and what does it mean to be ethical? What is the nature of the mind, and of knowledge? What does it mean to be scientific? What does it mean for individuals and states to behave justly? The goal of philosophy is not to master facts but to ask questions, analyze arguments, think clearly, and write persuasively about important issues.
Religious Studies is the study of the role of religion in human societies and history. Religion is a major force in human experience, both in the past and the present. Using approaches from the humanities and social sciences, students learn how to talk about religion in a knowledgeable, rigorously critical, and responsible way. By approaching religious traditions comparatively and in their own terms, we seek to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions arising in everyday life. In Philosophy classes we ask questions about profound subjects such as: What is the nature of reality? What is the good, and what does it mean to be ethical? What is the nature of the mind, and of knowledge? What does it mean to be scientific? What does it mean for individuals and states to behave justly? The goal of philosophy is not to master facts but to ask questions, analyze arguments, think clearly, and write persuasively about important issues.
Religious Studies is the study of the role of religion in human societies and history. Religion is a major force in human experience, both in the past and the present. Using approaches from the humanities and social sciences, students learn how to talk about religion in a knowledgeable, rigorously critical, and responsible way. By approaching religious traditions comparatively and in their own terms, we seek to better understand ourselves and the world around us.
History
- Integrate fundamental theoretical underpinnings and concepts when addressing both research and real-world problems in biological sciences.
- Apply scientific methods, including formulating a hypothesis, designing studies, laboratory-based techniques, and drawing conclusions to address both research and real-world problems in biological sciences.
- Evaluate biological data using mathematical and statistical techniques.
- Recognize the limitations of scientific processes including experimental and data-analytical methods when synthesizing biological knowledge.
- Critically analyse and discuss primary literature in biological sciences.
- Communicate clearly biological information in oral and written formats to both lay and scientific audiences applying for the latter scientific formats commonly used in biological sciences.
- Exercise ethical and professional conduct when conducting research in biological sciences.
SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology
This course will introduce you to the field of sociology, which is the study of human groups and the societies they build. Sociology helps us to understand our own experiences in the context of broader societal and historical processes and institutions or, in the words of sociologist C. Wright Mills (1959), to connect our "personal troubles" with "public issues." In addition to acquainting you with a few among the vast array of topics that sociologists study (from interactions at the "micro" level to systemic processes at the "macro" level) the course will also introduce you to some of the tools (theory and research methods) that sociologists use in answering questions about society.
SOC 115: Global Social Problems
"Global Social Problems," is a sociology course with an emphasis on the influence of the global on our everyday lives. Throughout the course of the semester we will examine sociological explanations of international social problems such as world hunger and global inequality. Sociologists are interested in trying to describe the influence of society on individual behavior and, in turn, the influence of individual behavior on society. There is not one simple explanation put forth by sociologists concerning individual behavior, so we will be exploring various theories and research about how sociologists explain international social problems. The first half of the course is devoted to understanding theories of global inequality in many dimensions. In the second half of the course we will investigate different issues, such as women's education, terrorism, and democracy to better understand the possible social aspects related to them.
SOC 201: Social Science Research Methods
Social Science Research Methods is designed as an introduction to basic concepts in both quantitative and qualitative research such as research design, measurement, sampling, and analysis. The course will also provide background on a variety of social research methods such as survey, experimental methods, interviewing and observation.
SOC 203: Quantitative Methods in Sociology
Quantitative Methods provides students hands on experience with quantitative data analysis. They will have the opportunity to learn basic statistical approaches to social data. Students will improve their statistical thinking abilities (identifying appropriate statistical techniques, computing required statistics, and interpreting the results) as well as learn applied techniques.
SOC 210: Gender and Society
Gender, a set of social practices, is one of the organizing principles of society; it shapes our identities and behavior as individuals, our social interactions, and social institutions (such as education, work, religion, and the family). This course will introduce you to this subfield of sociology, including the frameworks for studying gender, the differences between sex and gender, gender socialization, gender in interactions, "gendered" institutions, inequality based on gender, and the relationship between gender and other social divisions, including race/ethnicity, social class, and age.
SOC 211: Social Justice in a Global Society
Throughout this course students will gain a practical understanding of globalization, and the ability to define and apply key concepts in the study of social justice, including topics such as human rights, development, oppression, racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, inequality, poverty, dependency, and freedom. This course gives an appreciation for the multiple ways that societies and cultures differently conceptualize and apply ideas about social justice and human rights.
SOC 212/ANT 285: Food and Society
This course explores the relationships among society, population, food production, and politics. We will study cross-cultural views about food and how various systems of food production such as foraging, shifting cultivation, and intensive agriculture, are altered by society, government, and industrialization. Some of the many topics explored during the class are the Great Leap Forward, the Green Revolution, GMOs, sustainability and food production, "ethical food" movements, and issues regarding social inequality and access to food.
SOC 213: Work and Society
Work is an essential and time-consuming part of our lives, whether it is paid or unpaid, in the formal or informal economies. As an introduction to one of the major subfields within sociology, work and employment, this course will begin with an historical overview of work in pre-industrial and early industrial societies, followed by an exploration of what blue collar workers do, the work of managers and people in the professions, and work in the service industry. Next, we'll focus on the important ways in which the social divisions of gender, race/ethnicity, social class and migration status shape work and workers' experiences, and the role that labor unions have played in protecting workers' rights. Finally, we'll take a brief look at the issue of "work-family balance" and the effects of globalization on the workplace.
SOC 214: Qualitative Methods
"Qualitative Research Methods" is a course that will teach you about qualitative research methods, as indicated by the title, and give you a chance to practice conducting and analyzing your own research. Although the topic sounds far removed from your daily lives, in fact, you do research- gather information, interpret facts, and share the information with others- every day. We will look at formal ways of doing these same things in a scientific manner in this course. Throughout the course you will be responsible for participating in a class research project- collecting data, analyzing the data, and presenting the findings.
SOC 215: Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
This course is a general introduction to the sociology of race and ethnicity. We will begin to understand the concepts of race and ethnicity not as static, but as changing phenomena. We will address the following questions: How do race and ethnicity shape our social life? What does it mean to study race and ethnicity from a sociological perspective? And how do race and ethnicity intersect with other systems of inequality (class, gender) and significant social institutions (education, employment, media etc.)? In our exploration of these questions, we will begin by reading a collection of key readings in racial and ethnic studies that lay out central concepts, theories, and historical contexts. We will then utilize these concepts as we read a collection of case studies. Throughout the course, students will work to expand their critical thinking and reflection skills, make meaningful connections between sociological ideas and everyday experience, and better understand how their personal experience of race/ethnicity interacts with larger social and historical forces.
SOC 218: Introduction to Social Policy
What is Social Policy? The course will introduce students to the concepts, terminology, main theories, debates, and approaches to social policy. The course will provide an overview of the main theories and empirical developments in welfare state and social policy analysis. Major topics (e.g., poverty, disability, aging, immigration) will be discussed. The discussion of social policy will be linked, when possible, to social issues relevant to Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
SOC 220: Science, Technology, and Society
The aim of this course is to present an overview of the relationship between science, technology, and society: from the practice of science, to the production of scientific truth, to the development of technologies, and to the impact of technologies on social life. Key themes include the differences between scientific and lay knowledge, the social shaping of science and technology, and the relationship between science, technology and politics. This course is aimed primarily at two different groups: first, students in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences who are interested in exploring the social dimensions of science and technology; second, students in the School of Science and Technology who are interesting in gaining a socially grounded understanding of science and technology.
SOC 221: International Migration
This course reviews the main theories, and explanations of international migration. Throughout the course, theoretical approaches and empirical studies from different disciplinary traditions are discussed, explaining migration and the integration of first-generation immigrants at micro, meso, and macro-levels of analysis. The emphasis of the course is on comparative empirical research examples, strategies and findings. The course assesses social, economic, political and demographic consequences of population migrations in countries of origin and destination. It examines important themes in sociological research, including race, ethnicity, gender, transnational processes, social networks, political institutions and the state. The course also draws on theories of "straight-line" and segmented assimilation and queries challenges to immigrant integration into the host society.
SOC 223: Social Movements: How People Make Change
This course builds a critical analysis of social movements or organized attempts by disempowered groups to demand and enact social change. We read and discuss interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks that will help us to better understand the dynamics shaping historical and contemporary social movements, how social movements are formed and why they meet with varying levels of success.
SOC 225: Environment and Society
This course is designed to provide students with a thorough basic understanding of the key theories, literature, and issues in environmental sociology. During the semester students will explore the relationship between human societies and the larger natural environment of which they are a part. This course focuses on modern society, especially contemporary Asian society, but is not limited to that geographical region. Students will also review the history of resource use, wilderness preservation, pollution, various environmental movements, and other developments with significant ecological implications. To further broaden their perspective, students will look at ecological regimes in other societies and actually participate in how the natural environment interacts with the society where they live.
SOC 301: Classical Sociological Theory
In this introduction to classical sociological theory, we will read and discuss the original works of some of the social theorists who shaped the intellectual course of the discipline of sociology, including: Karl Marx (1818 -1883, along with his collaborator, Friedrich Engels, 1820 -1890), Emile Durkheim (1858 -1917), and Max Weber (1864 -1920). These theorists analyzed the dramatic changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution, both in society as a whole and in people's daily lives. Although the world has changed substantially since the Industrial Revolution, these theorists' ideas and concepts continue to be of relevance to contemporary researchers in analyzing the modern social world.
SOC 310: Social Inequality
Societies around the world are characterized by the unequal distribution of wealth, prestige and power. In this course we will examine how societies are socially stratified and the ways in which inequality is shaped by class, race/ethnicity and gender, among other social divisions. We will also look at how social institutions, including the family, the educational system, the economy and workplace, and the media are key in both creating and reproducing inequalities. Finally, we will examine the role of the state, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in reducing social inequality.
SOC 314: Organizations and Society
The goal of the course is to familiarize students with contemporary frameworks for analyzing organizations at the meso and macro levels, and to provide them an opportunity to apply these theories to studying social problems and issues of concern. The main theories and topics covered by the course will include organizational ecology, resource dependence theory, (neo)institutional theory, organizational change, organizational learning, leadership, and inter-organizational relationships.
SOC 317: Economy and Society
The aim of this course is to present an overview of the relationship between economy and society: from the production of goods and services, to their distribution, and their consumption. Additionally, the course aims to provide students with a sociologically informed understanding of the structure of the economy more generally: networks, markets, and institutions. This course is aimed primarily at two different groups: first, students who are interested in understanding the social world and thus interested in exploring the importance of understanding economic life to this broad endeavor; second, students who are interested in understanding the economy in a holistic and socially grounded manner.
SOC 318: Sexuality and Gender in a Transnational World
This course will introduce students to transnational and woman/queer of color perspectives at the advanced undergraduate level. After exploring the theory and praxis of transnational feminism, we will explore how constructions of gender and sexuality are 1) culturally specific and 2) have been historically implicated in geopolitical projects, including past colonizations and present-day imperialisms. Through reading and analyzing a variety of interdisciplinary materials, including but not limited to ethnography, literature, postcolonial literary criticism, and various strands of feminist theory, we will build an analysis of how gender and sexuality have historically been conceptualized in diverse contexts and what these conceptualizations mean for gender- and sexuality-based rights activism in a global and interconnected world.
SOC 321: Applied Policy Analysis: Tools and Perspectives
The aim of this course is to present an overview of policy analysis: from perspectives and approaches to the policy process to practical tools and methods relevant to the analysis of policy. The course opens by examining public policy: what it is and what its goals are. The remainder of the course is split into two halves. The first half considers the process through which policy is created. What constrains policy change? Why do certain issues get on the policy agenda and other remain absent? What role does evidence play? What role do government actors play? What power do external actors exercise over this process? The second half supplies a practical approach to the process of policy analysis: from problem definition, to the specification of policy alternatives, to the evaluation of these alternatives, and finally to making recommendations. The second half of this course aims at equipping students with the practical tools necessary to undertake policy analysis. Students will complete the subject with knowledge of key perspectives on the policy making process, the capacity to locate policy processes within broader social contexts, and a practical understanding of tools and methods that can be used to analyze policy.
SOC 399: Special Topics in Sociology
The exact topic of this course will change each time it is offered. It is used to explore new or unusual topics for which another course does not already exist.
SOC 400-404: Research Assistance in Sociology
The aim of this course is to allow students to assist in the research projects of faculty in the Sociology and Anthropology Department. The precise area and nature of research assistance will vary between faculty and their research projects. It is envisaged that students will participate in one or more of the following: the preparation of research materials; the collection of data; the management of databases; the analysis of data; the writing of research output. This course is aimed primarily at advanced anthropology majors who wish to gain experience in the research process.
SOC 415: Social Problems and Issues in Eurasia
Throughout the course of the semester we will examine contemporary social problems in Eurasia with a sociological lens. We will look into old and emerging issues and policy responses in the socioeconomic and political context of the Eurasian region. Some of the issues of interest include rising inequality, changing demographics, health and gender issues, migration, and environmental problems.
SOC 450/550: Contemporary Central Asia
In this course the students will learn about the five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
SOC 498: Capstone Seminar Part I
Capstone seminar is a year-long course which is a fundamental feature of the Sociology BA program. It serves to culminate, solidify and provide clear demonstration of the capabilities that students have acquired previously in the course of the program. Capstone seminar consists of two consecutive courses: SOC 498, taught in the Fall semester, and SOC 499, taught in the Spring semester. In their fourth year in the program, students will have an opportunity to design, conduct, and present their research projects broadly falling within the fields of Sociology and Anthropology. In this process, they will consolidate and further develop their knowledge in sociology, anthropology and related disciplines as well as research, writing, communication, and presentation skills. At the beginning of the Fall semester, students will be asked to choose one of the two tracks for their Capstone seminar: Track One: An independent academic research and undergraduate thesis. Track Two: Community-engagement participatory research project and project report. During the Fall semester, students will design their research projects, develop research instruments, review relevant literature, obtain ethics review approval from the SHSS ethics review committee, and start data collection.
SOC 499: Capstone Seminar II
Capstone seminar is a year-long course which is a fundamental feature of the Sociology BA program. It serves to culminate, solidify and provide clear demonstration of the capabilities that students have acquired previously in the course of the program. Capstone seminar consists of two consecutive courses: SOC 498, taught in the Fall semester, and SOC 499, taught in the Spring semester. In their fourth year in the program, students will have an opportunity to design, conduct, and present their research projects broadly falling within the fields of Sociology and Anthropology. In this process, they will consolidate and further develop their knowledge in sociology, anthropology and related disciplines as well as research, writing, communication, and presentation skills. At the beginning of the Fall semester, students will be asked to choose one of the two tracks for their Capstone seminar: Track One: An independent academic research and undergraduate thesis. Track Two: Community-engagement participatory research project and project report. During the spring semester, students will analyze the collected data, write up their results, present their findings through a public conference. Track One students must write and publicly present an original research paper. Additionally these students will be asked to find avenues to disseminate their work widely including publishing in academic journals or presenting their work at a recognized academic conference. Track Two students will be also asked to present their research findings to their communities (organizations) in the form of an oral presentation, an exhibition, or using social media tools.
SOC 514/PLS 514/EAS 506: Qualitative Research Methods
How to interview people and how to observe the world around us? These are important skills that can be used in social science research and beyond. This course will teach you about qualitative research methods and give you a chance to practice conducting and analyzing your own research. Through readings and class discussions, you will become familiar with the basic tools and concepts of qualitative social research. You will design and conduct your own research to examine the question that you select. You will also have an opportunity to acquire and practice research skills in applying qualitative research methods. Throughout the course, you will develop your own research project, and at the end of the term you will present the findings in a final paper.
SOC 515: Social Problems and Issues in Eurasia
Throughout the course of the semester we will examine contemporary social problems in Eurasia with a sociological lens. We will look into old and emerging issues and policy responses in the socioeconomic and political context of the Eurasian region. Some of the issues of interest include rising inequality, changing demographics, health and gender issues, migration, and environmental problems.
SOC 518/ANT 580: Gender, Power and Social Change in South Asia
This course will explore gender and sexuality in South Asia since the events leading up to the partition of British India in 1947. After examining how "the woman question" in the nationalist movement advanced a particular interpretation of gender and women, we will explore the contemporary intersections of gender and sexuality in the context of the changes resulting from privatization policies beginning in the early 1990s. Our course materials will draw upon ethnographic studies, literature, and theoretical critiques exploring how globalization is an important structure that has transformed the constitution of gender and sexuality. While these critiques explore global processes, we will focus on South Asia to explore how these processes interact with local histories and understandings of gender, sexuality and feminist advocacy. We will also explore the linkages between global capitalism and development funding for NGOs to examine how NGOs present both possibilities and pitfalls towards their stated goal of promoting meaningful social change.
This course will introduce you to the field of sociology, which is the study of human groups and the societies they build. Sociology helps us to understand our own experiences in the context of broader societal and historical processes and institutions or, in the words of sociologist C. Wright Mills (1959), to connect our "personal troubles" with "public issues." In addition to acquainting you with a few among the vast array of topics that sociologists study (from interactions at the "micro" level to systemic processes at the "macro" level) the course will also introduce you to some of the tools (theory and research methods) that sociologists use in answering questions about society.
SOC 115: Global Social Problems
"Global Social Problems," is a sociology course with an emphasis on the influence of the global on our everyday lives. Throughout the course of the semester we will examine sociological explanations of international social problems such as world hunger and global inequality. Sociologists are interested in trying to describe the influence of society on individual behavior and, in turn, the influence of individual behavior on society. There is not one simple explanation put forth by sociologists concerning individual behavior, so we will be exploring various theories and research about how sociologists explain international social problems. The first half of the course is devoted to understanding theories of global inequality in many dimensions. In the second half of the course we will investigate different issues, such as women's education, terrorism, and democracy to better understand the possible social aspects related to them.
SOC 201: Social Science Research Methods
Social Science Research Methods is designed as an introduction to basic concepts in both quantitative and qualitative research such as research design, measurement, sampling, and analysis. The course will also provide background on a variety of social research methods such as survey, experimental methods, interviewing and observation.
SOC 203: Quantitative Methods in Sociology
Quantitative Methods provides students hands on experience with quantitative data analysis. They will have the opportunity to learn basic statistical approaches to social data. Students will improve their statistical thinking abilities (identifying appropriate statistical techniques, computing required statistics, and interpreting the results) as well as learn applied techniques.
SOC 210: Gender and Society
Gender, a set of social practices, is one of the organizing principles of society; it shapes our identities and behavior as individuals, our social interactions, and social institutions (such as education, work, religion, and the family). This course will introduce you to this subfield of sociology, including the frameworks for studying gender, the differences between sex and gender, gender socialization, gender in interactions, "gendered" institutions, inequality based on gender, and the relationship between gender and other social divisions, including race/ethnicity, social class, and age.
SOC 211: Social Justice in a Global Society
Throughout this course students will gain a practical understanding of globalization, and the ability to define and apply key concepts in the study of social justice, including topics such as human rights, development, oppression, racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, inequality, poverty, dependency, and freedom. This course gives an appreciation for the multiple ways that societies and cultures differently conceptualize and apply ideas about social justice and human rights.
SOC 212/ANT 285: Food and Society
This course explores the relationships among society, population, food production, and politics. We will study cross-cultural views about food and how various systems of food production such as foraging, shifting cultivation, and intensive agriculture, are altered by society, government, and industrialization. Some of the many topics explored during the class are the Great Leap Forward, the Green Revolution, GMOs, sustainability and food production, "ethical food" movements, and issues regarding social inequality and access to food.
SOC 213: Work and Society
Work is an essential and time-consuming part of our lives, whether it is paid or unpaid, in the formal or informal economies. As an introduction to one of the major subfields within sociology, work and employment, this course will begin with an historical overview of work in pre-industrial and early industrial societies, followed by an exploration of what blue collar workers do, the work of managers and people in the professions, and work in the service industry. Next, we'll focus on the important ways in which the social divisions of gender, race/ethnicity, social class and migration status shape work and workers' experiences, and the role that labor unions have played in protecting workers' rights. Finally, we'll take a brief look at the issue of "work-family balance" and the effects of globalization on the workplace.
SOC 214: Qualitative Methods
"Qualitative Research Methods" is a course that will teach you about qualitative research methods, as indicated by the title, and give you a chance to practice conducting and analyzing your own research. Although the topic sounds far removed from your daily lives, in fact, you do research- gather information, interpret facts, and share the information with others- every day. We will look at formal ways of doing these same things in a scientific manner in this course. Throughout the course you will be responsible for participating in a class research project- collecting data, analyzing the data, and presenting the findings.
SOC 215: Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
This course is a general introduction to the sociology of race and ethnicity. We will begin to understand the concepts of race and ethnicity not as static, but as changing phenomena. We will address the following questions: How do race and ethnicity shape our social life? What does it mean to study race and ethnicity from a sociological perspective? And how do race and ethnicity intersect with other systems of inequality (class, gender) and significant social institutions (education, employment, media etc.)? In our exploration of these questions, we will begin by reading a collection of key readings in racial and ethnic studies that lay out central concepts, theories, and historical contexts. We will then utilize these concepts as we read a collection of case studies. Throughout the course, students will work to expand their critical thinking and reflection skills, make meaningful connections between sociological ideas and everyday experience, and better understand how their personal experience of race/ethnicity interacts with larger social and historical forces.
SOC 218: Introduction to Social Policy
What is Social Policy? The course will introduce students to the concepts, terminology, main theories, debates, and approaches to social policy. The course will provide an overview of the main theories and empirical developments in welfare state and social policy analysis. Major topics (e.g., poverty, disability, aging, immigration) will be discussed. The discussion of social policy will be linked, when possible, to social issues relevant to Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
SOC 220: Science, Technology, and Society
The aim of this course is to present an overview of the relationship between science, technology, and society: from the practice of science, to the production of scientific truth, to the development of technologies, and to the impact of technologies on social life. Key themes include the differences between scientific and lay knowledge, the social shaping of science and technology, and the relationship between science, technology and politics. This course is aimed primarily at two different groups: first, students in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences who are interested in exploring the social dimensions of science and technology; second, students in the School of Science and Technology who are interesting in gaining a socially grounded understanding of science and technology.
SOC 221: International Migration
This course reviews the main theories, and explanations of international migration. Throughout the course, theoretical approaches and empirical studies from different disciplinary traditions are discussed, explaining migration and the integration of first-generation immigrants at micro, meso, and macro-levels of analysis. The emphasis of the course is on comparative empirical research examples, strategies and findings. The course assesses social, economic, political and demographic consequences of population migrations in countries of origin and destination. It examines important themes in sociological research, including race, ethnicity, gender, transnational processes, social networks, political institutions and the state. The course also draws on theories of "straight-line" and segmented assimilation and queries challenges to immigrant integration into the host society.
SOC 223: Social Movements: How People Make Change
This course builds a critical analysis of social movements or organized attempts by disempowered groups to demand and enact social change. We read and discuss interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks that will help us to better understand the dynamics shaping historical and contemporary social movements, how social movements are formed and why they meet with varying levels of success.
SOC 225: Environment and Society
This course is designed to provide students with a thorough basic understanding of the key theories, literature, and issues in environmental sociology. During the semester students will explore the relationship between human societies and the larger natural environment of which they are a part. This course focuses on modern society, especially contemporary Asian society, but is not limited to that geographical region. Students will also review the history of resource use, wilderness preservation, pollution, various environmental movements, and other developments with significant ecological implications. To further broaden their perspective, students will look at ecological regimes in other societies and actually participate in how the natural environment interacts with the society where they live.
SOC 301: Classical Sociological Theory
In this introduction to classical sociological theory, we will read and discuss the original works of some of the social theorists who shaped the intellectual course of the discipline of sociology, including: Karl Marx (1818 -1883, along with his collaborator, Friedrich Engels, 1820 -1890), Emile Durkheim (1858 -1917), and Max Weber (1864 -1920). These theorists analyzed the dramatic changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution, both in society as a whole and in people's daily lives. Although the world has changed substantially since the Industrial Revolution, these theorists' ideas and concepts continue to be of relevance to contemporary researchers in analyzing the modern social world.
SOC 310: Social Inequality
Societies around the world are characterized by the unequal distribution of wealth, prestige and power. In this course we will examine how societies are socially stratified and the ways in which inequality is shaped by class, race/ethnicity and gender, among other social divisions. We will also look at how social institutions, including the family, the educational system, the economy and workplace, and the media are key in both creating and reproducing inequalities. Finally, we will examine the role of the state, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in reducing social inequality.
SOC 314: Organizations and Society
The goal of the course is to familiarize students with contemporary frameworks for analyzing organizations at the meso and macro levels, and to provide them an opportunity to apply these theories to studying social problems and issues of concern. The main theories and topics covered by the course will include organizational ecology, resource dependence theory, (neo)institutional theory, organizational change, organizational learning, leadership, and inter-organizational relationships.
SOC 317: Economy and Society
The aim of this course is to present an overview of the relationship between economy and society: from the production of goods and services, to their distribution, and their consumption. Additionally, the course aims to provide students with a sociologically informed understanding of the structure of the economy more generally: networks, markets, and institutions. This course is aimed primarily at two different groups: first, students who are interested in understanding the social world and thus interested in exploring the importance of understanding economic life to this broad endeavor; second, students who are interested in understanding the economy in a holistic and socially grounded manner.
SOC 318: Sexuality and Gender in a Transnational World
This course will introduce students to transnational and woman/queer of color perspectives at the advanced undergraduate level. After exploring the theory and praxis of transnational feminism, we will explore how constructions of gender and sexuality are 1) culturally specific and 2) have been historically implicated in geopolitical projects, including past colonizations and present-day imperialisms. Through reading and analyzing a variety of interdisciplinary materials, including but not limited to ethnography, literature, postcolonial literary criticism, and various strands of feminist theory, we will build an analysis of how gender and sexuality have historically been conceptualized in diverse contexts and what these conceptualizations mean for gender- and sexuality-based rights activism in a global and interconnected world.
SOC 321: Applied Policy Analysis: Tools and Perspectives
The aim of this course is to present an overview of policy analysis: from perspectives and approaches to the policy process to practical tools and methods relevant to the analysis of policy. The course opens by examining public policy: what it is and what its goals are. The remainder of the course is split into two halves. The first half considers the process through which policy is created. What constrains policy change? Why do certain issues get on the policy agenda and other remain absent? What role does evidence play? What role do government actors play? What power do external actors exercise over this process? The second half supplies a practical approach to the process of policy analysis: from problem definition, to the specification of policy alternatives, to the evaluation of these alternatives, and finally to making recommendations. The second half of this course aims at equipping students with the practical tools necessary to undertake policy analysis. Students will complete the subject with knowledge of key perspectives on the policy making process, the capacity to locate policy processes within broader social contexts, and a practical understanding of tools and methods that can be used to analyze policy.
SOC 399: Special Topics in Sociology
The exact topic of this course will change each time it is offered. It is used to explore new or unusual topics for which another course does not already exist.
SOC 400-404: Research Assistance in Sociology
The aim of this course is to allow students to assist in the research projects of faculty in the Sociology and Anthropology Department. The precise area and nature of research assistance will vary between faculty and their research projects. It is envisaged that students will participate in one or more of the following: the preparation of research materials; the collection of data; the management of databases; the analysis of data; the writing of research output. This course is aimed primarily at advanced anthropology majors who wish to gain experience in the research process.
SOC 415: Social Problems and Issues in Eurasia
Throughout the course of the semester we will examine contemporary social problems in Eurasia with a sociological lens. We will look into old and emerging issues and policy responses in the socioeconomic and political context of the Eurasian region. Some of the issues of interest include rising inequality, changing demographics, health and gender issues, migration, and environmental problems.
SOC 450/550: Contemporary Central Asia
In this course the students will learn about the five Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
SOC 498: Capstone Seminar Part I
Capstone seminar is a year-long course which is a fundamental feature of the Sociology BA program. It serves to culminate, solidify and provide clear demonstration of the capabilities that students have acquired previously in the course of the program. Capstone seminar consists of two consecutive courses: SOC 498, taught in the Fall semester, and SOC 499, taught in the Spring semester. In their fourth year in the program, students will have an opportunity to design, conduct, and present their research projects broadly falling within the fields of Sociology and Anthropology. In this process, they will consolidate and further develop their knowledge in sociology, anthropology and related disciplines as well as research, writing, communication, and presentation skills. At the beginning of the Fall semester, students will be asked to choose one of the two tracks for their Capstone seminar: Track One: An independent academic research and undergraduate thesis. Track Two: Community-engagement participatory research project and project report. During the Fall semester, students will design their research projects, develop research instruments, review relevant literature, obtain ethics review approval from the SHSS ethics review committee, and start data collection.
SOC 499: Capstone Seminar II
Capstone seminar is a year-long course which is a fundamental feature of the Sociology BA program. It serves to culminate, solidify and provide clear demonstration of the capabilities that students have acquired previously in the course of the program. Capstone seminar consists of two consecutive courses: SOC 498, taught in the Fall semester, and SOC 499, taught in the Spring semester. In their fourth year in the program, students will have an opportunity to design, conduct, and present their research projects broadly falling within the fields of Sociology and Anthropology. In this process, they will consolidate and further develop their knowledge in sociology, anthropology and related disciplines as well as research, writing, communication, and presentation skills. At the beginning of the Fall semester, students will be asked to choose one of the two tracks for their Capstone seminar: Track One: An independent academic research and undergraduate thesis. Track Two: Community-engagement participatory research project and project report. During the spring semester, students will analyze the collected data, write up their results, present their findings through a public conference. Track One students must write and publicly present an original research paper. Additionally these students will be asked to find avenues to disseminate their work widely including publishing in academic journals or presenting their work at a recognized academic conference. Track Two students will be also asked to present their research findings to their communities (organizations) in the form of an oral presentation, an exhibition, or using social media tools.
SOC 514/PLS 514/EAS 506: Qualitative Research Methods
How to interview people and how to observe the world around us? These are important skills that can be used in social science research and beyond. This course will teach you about qualitative research methods and give you a chance to practice conducting and analyzing your own research. Through readings and class discussions, you will become familiar with the basic tools and concepts of qualitative social research. You will design and conduct your own research to examine the question that you select. You will also have an opportunity to acquire and practice research skills in applying qualitative research methods. Throughout the course, you will develop your own research project, and at the end of the term you will present the findings in a final paper.
SOC 515: Social Problems and Issues in Eurasia
Throughout the course of the semester we will examine contemporary social problems in Eurasia with a sociological lens. We will look into old and emerging issues and policy responses in the socioeconomic and political context of the Eurasian region. Some of the issues of interest include rising inequality, changing demographics, health and gender issues, migration, and environmental problems.
SOC 518/ANT 580: Gender, Power and Social Change in South Asia
This course will explore gender and sexuality in South Asia since the events leading up to the partition of British India in 1947. After examining how "the woman question" in the nationalist movement advanced a particular interpretation of gender and women, we will explore the contemporary intersections of gender and sexuality in the context of the changes resulting from privatization policies beginning in the early 1990s. Our course materials will draw upon ethnographic studies, literature, and theoretical critiques exploring how globalization is an important structure that has transformed the constitution of gender and sexuality. While these critiques explore global processes, we will focus on South Asia to explore how these processes interact with local histories and understandings of gender, sexuality and feminist advocacy. We will also explore the linkages between global capitalism and development funding for NGOs to examine how NGOs present both possibilities and pitfalls towards their stated goal of promoting meaningful social change.
You can map your pathway through our program based on either the topics of your interest or skills you would like to acquire.
Thematic Pathways
Our sociology program offers a variety of courses that span in multiple sub-fields. Some of the sub-fields that our faculty specialize in include economic sociology, the sociology of development, the sociology of gender and sexuality, political sociology, social policy, organizational sociology, the sociology of race and ethnicity, the sociology of work and labor, and the sociology of science. Some of the methods that faculty use include statistical analysis, interview analysis, ethnography, textual analysis, and policy analysis. In addition to a research focus on Kazakhstan, our professors' research is international in scope: India, South Korea, New Zealand, to name a few.
For students interested in Applied Sociology
In addition to a variety of sub-fields, our program helps students gain marketable skills.
Quantitative and Statistical Skills
Thematic Pathways
Our sociology program offers a variety of courses that span in multiple sub-fields. Some of the sub-fields that our faculty specialize in include economic sociology, the sociology of development, the sociology of gender and sexuality, political sociology, social policy, organizational sociology, the sociology of race and ethnicity, the sociology of work and labor, and the sociology of science. Some of the methods that faculty use include statistical analysis, interview analysis, ethnography, textual analysis, and policy analysis. In addition to a research focus on Kazakhstan, our professors' research is international in scope: India, South Korea, New Zealand, to name a few.
For students interested in Applied Sociology
- Applied Policy Analysis: Tools and Perspectives
- Introduction to Social Policy
- Quantitative Methods in Sociology
- Qualitative Methods in Sociology
- Organizations and Society
- Social Science Research Methods
- Global Social Problems
- Gender and Sexuality in a Transnational World
- Approaches to Global Development
- Gender, Power, and Social Change in South Asia
- Social Movements
- Gender, Power, and Social Change in South Asia
- International Migration
- Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- Social Inequality
- Gender and Sexuality in a Transnational World
- Contemporary Central Asia
- Research Assistance in Sociology
In addition to a variety of sub-fields, our program helps students gain marketable skills.
Quantitative and Statistical Skills
- Quantitative Methods in Sociology
- Research Assistance in Sociology
- Social Science Research Methods
- Qualitative Methods
- Research Assistance in Sociology
- Environment and Society
- Economy and Society
- Classical Sociological Theory
- Global Social Problems
- International Migration
- Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- Science, Technology, and Society
- Food and Society
- Capstone Seminar in Sociology
- Introduction to Sociology
- Introduction to Social Policy
- Food and Society
- Social Science Research Methods
Our sociology students gain valuable transferable skills that help them pursue a variety of careers in the fields of education, business, government organizations, international organizations, nonprofit organizations, and more.
Our program helps students develop communication, research, organizational, and problem-solving skills. In our classes students learn how to collect and critically analyze information using both quantitative (statistical analysis) and qualitative (in-depth interviews, ethnography, focus groups, textual analysis) methods. These skills can subsequently lead students to pursue careers in marketing, education, research, policy analysis, data analytics, counselling, journalism, social work, and more.
Our alumni work and study in the fields of journalism, HR, public policy, public health, education, administration and management, and more.
Job Titles for Sociology Majors and Minors Business and Industry
Our students have interned or sought jobs in the following companies in Kazakhstan:
Market Research
Our program helps students develop communication, research, organizational, and problem-solving skills. In our classes students learn how to collect and critically analyze information using both quantitative (statistical analysis) and qualitative (in-depth interviews, ethnography, focus groups, textual analysis) methods. These skills can subsequently lead students to pursue careers in marketing, education, research, policy analysis, data analytics, counselling, journalism, social work, and more.
Our alumni work and study in the fields of journalism, HR, public policy, public health, education, administration and management, and more.
Job Titles for Sociology Majors and Minors Business and Industry
- business analyst
- consumer relations specialist
- human resources manager
- market analyst
- merchandiser/purchaser
- project manager
- quality control manager
- technical writer
- public relations manager
- employee specialist
- foreign service officer
- human rights officer
- legislative aide
- personnel coordinator
- program supervisor
- special agent
- urban planner
- admissions counselor
- affirmative action counselor
- extension service specialist
- public health educator
- teacher
- census researcher
- consumer researcher
- criminology researcher
- data analyst
- interviewer
- market researcher
- social researcher
- statistician
- survey research technician
- child development specialist
- environmental organizer
- family planning worker
- hospital administrator
- housing coordinator
- career counselor
- public health supervisor
- public outreach coordinator
- substance abuse counselor
Our students have interned or sought jobs in the following companies in Kazakhstan:
Market Research
- BISAM
- Brif
- TNS Central Asia
- Центр Исследования Общественного Мнения (ЦИОМ)
- Nazarbayev Intellectual School
- Nazarbayev University
- Spectrum International School
- Bilim Media Group
- Haileybury
- The Executive Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- The Office of the Prime Minister
- Ministry of Information and Communications
- Ministry of Culture and Sport
- Ministry of Education and Science
- Ministry of Religious Affairs and Civil Society
- Ministry of Labour and Social Protection
- Ministry of National Economy
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Akimats of regions and Astana and Almaty cities
- Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan
- Samruk Kazyna Corporate University
- Khabar
- National news agency KAZINFORM
- Radio Azattyq
- АО "Информационно-аналитический центр"
- Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Institute of Parliamentarism of NDP "Nur Otan"
- Center of Study of Public Opinion (CIOM)
- The UN Women Kazakhstan Multi-Country Office
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- UN Development Program
- UNICEF
- UNESCO
- Corporate
- Samruk-Energo
- Samruk-Kazyna
- Astana Expo 2017