SOC 3440 - Sociology of Sexuality

Credits: 4
Sexuality is a fascinating topic because it is in us, between us and all around us. How do we come to know ourselves as sexual beings? How do individuals make sexual choices, define and enact their own sexuality? How do social institutions and organizations influence understandings of human sexuality over time? In this course, we explore how sexuality is socially constructed and examine theories, concepts, and cultural ramifications of a range of sexual practices and identities. Though it is often assumed that sexuality is primarily a biological experience, sociologists reflect on how sexuality is grounded in a social context largely shaped by social norms, values and expectations. Patterns of sexual behavior are institutionalized in a set of cultural and organizational arrangements that vary over time and place. During different historical periods, sexuality has been conceptualized as sin, as a means of fostering alliances between powerful families, as perversion, as a means to pleasure, as a symbol of love, and as personal identity. This course will provide an introduction to many issues related to human sexuality such as socialization, power, gender, violence, committed relationships, sexual education, pornography, child sexuality, sex work, homosexuality, and transgender issues.
McDaniel Plan: Multicultural; Social, Cultural, and Historical Understanding