Aug 31, 2025

2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

SO 284 Foundations of Social Theory

(4 Credits)
This course provides an introduction to social theory, with emphasis on the founding fathers of sociological theory: Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim. Students will learn how to read and apply social theory, as well as the content of the major theorist’s arguments. In the second half of the course, students will explore the work of theorists working in the tradition of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, examining how the theoretical arguments are adapted to address issues that arise in the post-modern world and will be introduced to more contemporary theoretical traditions in sociology.