Course Syllabus

Course Information：

Year-Semester	Course Number	Course Name	Phase	Credits	Hours	Required/Elective	Instructor	Class	Student NO.	Withdraw	Note
Fall Semester Year 2026	367036	Introduction to sociology	1	2.0	2	△	Chia-Lin Li	Courses for International Students 4IDI2 ISMPE2	37	0	社會與法治向度

Course Plan：

Instructor	Chia-Lin Li
Email	lichialeen@gmail.com
Last Updated	2026-07-21 15:37:32
Course Objective	Course Description: This course is designed to introduce students to the sociological way of thinking by encouraging them to "make the familiar strange and the strange familiar." Through a sociological lens, students will learn to examine the connections between individual experiences and broader social structures. Sociology is a broad and diverse discipline encompassing a wide range of topics and research methods. The course is structured like a funnel: it begins with the most macro-level sociological theories, gradually moves toward the study of social institutions, and ultimately focuses on issues of identity, social roles, and gender inequality. Course Objectives: 1. Develop the Sociological Imagination: Learn to apply sociological concepts to construct well-reasoned arguments and critically analyze contemporary social issues. 2. Master Social Research Methods: Gain an understanding of the theoretical frameworks and research approaches that social scientists use to observe, describe, and explain human behavior. 3. Enhance Academic Reading, Critical Thinking, and Collaborative Discussion Skills: Through reading scholarly journal articles (rather than relying solely on textbooks), students will learn to identify key arguments in sociological literature, exchange perspectives with peers in group discussions, and collaboratively develop well-supported conclusions.
Course Schedule (Week 1-16)	【18-Week Syllabus】 Part I: Sociological Lens and Approaches (Sep. 10) Week 1 • Theme: • Defining Sociology: We will explore the systematic study of groups, societies, and social interactions at both the micro and macro levels. • The Sociological Imagination: Developing an awareness of the relationship between personal behavior and the wider culture. • Theoretical Paradigms: An introduction to structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. • Reading: • CHAPTER 1: An Introduction to Sociology (Sep. 17) Week 2 • Theme: • Defining Culture: Differentiating between material culture (tangible objects) and nonmaterial culture (ideas and beliefs). • Norms and Values: Understanding formal and informal norms, folkways, and mores that structure society. • Cultural Diversity: Examining subcultures, countercultures, and the impact of globalization. • Reading: • CHAPTER 3: Culture (Sep. 24) Week 3 • Theme: • Types of Societies: Tracking societal evolution from preindustrial to postindustrial (information) societies. • Social Construction of Reality: Using the Thomas theorem and habitualization to understand how society is created by humans. • Roles and Status: Distinguishing between ascribed and achieved statuses, and analyzing role conflict and role strain. • Reading: • CHAPTER 4: Society and Social Interaction (Oct. 1) Week 4 • Theme: • The Development of Self: Reviewing Mead’s "generalized other" and Cooley’s looking-glass self. • Agents of Socialization: The influence of family, peer groups, school, and mass media. • Resocialization: Exploring total institutions and the process of stripping and rebuilding identities. • Reading: • CHAPTER 5: Socialization ________________________________________ Part II: The (Re-)Making of the Stratifications and Inequalities (Oct. 8) Week 5 • Theme: • Systems of Stratification: Comparing closed systems (caste) and open systems (class). • Social Mobility: Understanding upward, downward, and intergenerational mobility. • The American Class Structure: Analyzing the upper, middle, and lower classes and the phenomenon of the feminization of poverty. • Reading: • CHAPTER 9: Social Stratification in the United States (Oct. 15) Week 6 • Theme: • Global Classification: Moving beyond "Third World" labels to World Bank classifications based on Gross National Income (GNI). • Global Wealth and Poverty: Differentiating between relative, extreme, and subjective poverty. • Global Perspectives: Comparing Modernization theory with Dependency theory. • Readings: • CHAPTER 10: Global Inequality (Oct. 22) Week 7 • Theme: • Social Construction of Race: Understanding race as a grouping based on physical qualities that society deems significant. • Prejudice and Discrimination: Defining racism, colorism, and systemic racism within social institutions. • Intergroup Relations: Ranging from pluralism and assimilation to the extremes of expulsion and genocide. • Reading: • CHAPTER 11: Race and Ethnicity (Oct. 29) Week 8 • Theme: • Sex vs. Gender: Distinguishing between biological distinctions and the social behaviors attributed to being male or female. • Socialization and Sexism: How the family and media reinforce gender roles and stereotypes. • Theoretical Perspectives: Viewing gender through feminist theory and radical feminism. • Reading: • CHAPTER 12: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality (Nov. 5) Week 9 Midterm Assessment: Group Project Oral Presentation • Students (in groups) will apply one of the three major sociological paradigms—functionalism, conflict theory, or symbolic interactionism—to a chosen contemporary social issue. __
Flexible Learning (Week 17-18)	Category 　 Content 　 Hours 　 Learning Outcomes 　 Assessment Percentage
Evaluation and grading policy	Grading Criteria: 1. Class Attendance & Participation (20%): Includes punctual attendance, asking questions in class, and the level of active engagement in relevant discussions. 2. Reading Reflection Reports (40%): Choose any four weeks of reading texts to write summaries and critical responses. 3. Group Project Oral Presentation (20%): Students (in groups) will apply one of the three major sociological paradigms—functionalism, conflict theory, or symbolic interactionism—to a chosen contemporary social issue. 4. Individual Research Paper (20%): Students will submit a proposal for an original research project, including a defined research question, a brief literature review, and a proposed hypothesis. Course Requirements: 1. Writing Weekly Response: Submit a short memo elaborating on a notion/concept or a text quotation of the textbook. 2. Attendance & Participation: Active engagement in discussions is mandatory. 3. Academic Honesty: All work must be original and cited properly.
Materials	All right reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Foreign-language textbooks:Yes Required Reading: Conerly, T. R., Holmes, K., & Tamang, A. L. (2021). Introduction to Sociology (3rd ed.). OpenStax.
The access to curricular consultation	Instructor's E-mail: lichialeen@gmail.com
Expanding teaching and resources	● 無 (None)
The course corresponds to the SDGs	SDG3：良好健康和福祉（Good Health and Well-being） SDG5：性別平等（Gender Equality） SDG10：減少不平等（Reduced Inequalities） SDG16：和平正義與有力的制度（Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions）
Does the course incorporate AI	● 使用生成式AI作為教學過程的輔助工具（Use generative AI tools as an aid to the teaching process）
Note