Two Special Sociology Offerings in 17S

Religion and Political Economy

Sociology 49.17 at the 11 hour, Dist: SOC; WCult: W.

What is religion’s role in the wealth and poverty of nations? Is there really a “Protestant ethic” and a “spirit of capitalism?” Or is human prosperity completely independent of religious belief, institutions, and “spirit”? How do Western and non-Western societies seeking their place in the modern world reconcile religious traditions with the demands of economic globalization? This course will explore a wide gamut of past and present perspectives on this important, controversial subject. H. Clark.

Human Rights

Sociology 49.24 at the 2A hour, Dist: SOC/INT; WCult: NW.

In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights called on the world’s nations to respect the “inherent dignity and…the equal inalienable rights” of all people. But while the declaration helped globalize human rights, the world continues to experience genocide, torture, slavery, discrimination, and the wide-scale displacement of people. The course seeks to gain a greater appreciation of the complex social forces that impede human rights while also imagining new strategies to address current-day human rights challenges. Students will critically examine human rights case law, develop a non-governmental organization, and participate in a simulation of the United Nations Security Council. Salam.