Hone your writing and public speaking skills while exploring the multifaceted and diverse nature of contemporary American identities. This course will use students' own experiences as an introduction to the sociology of race, class, and linguistics, while also challenging students to conceptualize and communicate their own vision for America. Students will be expected to complete writing and peer editing assignments, but can expect extensive critical feedback and guidance from the instructor.

Under what circumstances do governments crumble? Is anarchy necessarily chaotic? When is it moral to pursue institutional demise? This class will be a two hour seminar exploration of the themes of anarchy and revolt, with emphasis on application in students' everyday lives.

What determines how we experience reality? Or rather, who? This seminar-style class will examine who the wielders of symbolic power are in contemporary society, ask how they came to hold such power, and equip students with the tools to begin to challenge the status quo and accumulate their own.

One of the founding tenants of the United States of America is separation of Church and State - however, we have arguably the most religious population of the developed world. The Arab Spring and the rise of religion in Asia make us question the role of religion modern life and the public sphere. Come for an examination of some critical approaches to these questions and a small group discussion about the role of religion in our civic and personal lives.