Teaching (Plug in descriptions of each course from syllabi and add links to full syllabi)

Social Movements (graduate, SOC 582): What are social movements?  How do we study them and how do we understand their form, how they function and their impact on society?  In addressing these questions we will look at the importance of mobilizing resources, creating and exploiting political opportunities, and manipulating rhetorical frames, as well as the role of the state, organizational processes and cultural values in shaping movement dynamics.  Social movements are one form of collective action and social change, and their study is applicable to a wide range of settings.  As such, we’ll try and approach the semester with an eye towards how the understanding of how social movements can inform related areas of study in which many of you have more specific interests (e.g. political sociology, education, environmental sociology, Work and Occupations). To view a full syllabus click here.

Introduction to sociology (undergraduate, SOC 101): This course is designed to provide a broad introduction to Sociology. The first section of the course will provide an introduction to the sociological perspective and the disciplines’ application of scientific logic and methods. The second section will examine culture, social structure, and socialization. In the final section of the course, we will explore in more depth two core interests of sociology: deviance and stratification. Throughout the semester students will have opportunities to practice important writing, critical thinking, and quantitative literacy skills. To view a full syllabus click here.

Capstone Course in Social Research (undergraduate SOC 497): This course is designed for students to obtain experience working as part of an ongoing academic research project.  The experience of participating on an active research project in your field of study is a major advantage of attending a large state research university (Boyer Commission 1998), as expressed in the WSU advertising tagline “World Class, Face to Face.”  This semester you will participate on my National Science Foundation funded database development project, designed to assemble comparative and over-time data on environmental civil society groups in a cross-national context.  To view a full syllabus click here.

Research Assistantship (undergraduate, SOC 498): I regularly work with undergraduates and graduate students on various research projects. Look through the links to the left and explore some of my recent research areas. If you are interested in working on one of my research projects, and you are a current WSU student, please use this link to fill out an application. Students typically go through a training period, then work on their own and give regular reports on their progress. I usually hold weekly meetings to discuss problems, track progress, and keep everyone involved. I’m particularly interested in working with students with an interest in continuing their studies in grad school, who might want to do a thesis related to any of my research projects, who’d like to stay involved for a while, or those with some particular technical skills. No one has all these things simultaneously, so if you’re not sure, please apply anyway, or contact me with questions