Urban Sociology

Last Updated: Wed, 12/17/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
3012
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This course explores the city, urbanization and urbanism, urban change and community development by focusing on evolving social and economic conditions which proved critical in shaping cities across the United States and beyond.   The formation of urban centers has been historically the outcome of globalized circuits of finance, transportation, migration, and related forces.  Furthermore, cultural factors are increasingly playing an important role in influencing the social relations and political economy of cities.  Competition has forced extensive infrastructural investments which in turn have created social stresses, often exemplified in areas like housing, school reform, crime and transportation.  Scholars have reached a consensus that the most recent period of urban change is qualitatively different - different enough that it can be distinguished by the term, globalization.  In this course, we will examine the contours of these transformations and consider decentralization, economic development, regionalism and the broader transition from production to consumption.  In the end, we are not only concerned about the physical realm and the way that cities grow but also about the influences of city life on the human experience. 

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):
  • This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.
  • Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
  • This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: How do I understand human experiences and connections?
  • Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes: Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social or geographic relationships develop, persist or change.
  • Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: Intercultural Competence, Perspective-Taking, Persuasion.
Instructor first name:
Costas
Instructor last name:
Spirou
Section:
A
CRN
34976
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

Environmental Sociology

Last Updated: Wed, 12/31/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
2017
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This course examines theories about how human society impacts the natural world through economic, political, and social systems.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area. 

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.  

  

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: 

  • How do I understand human experiences and connections?  

  

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: 

  • Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.  

  

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: 

  • Intercultural Competence
  • Perspective-Taking
  • Persuasion  
Instructor first name:
Kate Pride
Instructor last name:
Brown
Section:
A
CRN
34955
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

Social Theory & Structure

Last Updated: Tue, 12/16/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
3102
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This class introduces students to both classical and contemporary sociological theories. It focuses on several theorists who have had a profound impact on contemporary sociological research – their lives, times, and ideas. The course thus introduces many enduring themes of sociology: alienation and anomie; social structure and disorganization; group conflict and solidarity; secularization and individualism; bureaucracy and institutions, the division of labor, capitalism, and the nature of authority. Students will learn the key concepts of major theoretical approaches in sociology and will consider questions such as the relationship between theory and research, and the relationship of social conditions to the production of knowledge.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area. Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: How do I understand human experiences and connections? Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: • Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change. Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: • Intercultural Competence • Perspective-Taking • Persuasion

Instructor first name:
Yaqi
Instructor last name:
Yuan
Section:
a
CRN
35005
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

Sociology of Medicine & Health

Last Updated: Tue, 12/16/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
3086
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This course explores notions of illness, health, and health care from a sociological perspective. Students learn about conceptions of health and wellness, the U.S. health insurance system and other health policies in comparative perspective, and health disparities within the U.S. (such as by gender, race/ethnicity, and social class). We will analyze how illness is socially constructed, how health systems operate, and how power, inequality, and culture shape the practice of medicine and access to care.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area. Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: How do I understand human experiences and connections? Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: • Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change. Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: • Intercultural Competence • Perspective-Taking • Persuasion

Instructor first name:
Yaqi
Instructor last name:
Yuan
Section:
A
CRN
33132
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

Science and Technology in the Modern World

Last Updated: Thu, 12/04/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
2100
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

This class provides students with an introduction to how science and technology have influenced politics, culture, and society worldwide from 1500 to the present. Classes will be a mix of lecture and class discussion.  

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area. 

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. 

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: 

• How do I understand human experiences and connections? 

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcome: 

• Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change. 

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: 

  • Intercultural Competence
  • Perspective-Taking
  • Persuasion 
Instructor first name:
German
Instructor last name:
Vergara
Section:
1
CRN
31624
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

Sociology of Science

Last Updated: Wed, 11/19/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
3082
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

How do scientists establish scientific facts? What is the nature of scientific authority? And just who are these scientists in the first place? If scientists are just like you and me, how do their positions in society, their politics, and their culture shape their scientific work — and how does their work shape society, politics, and culture in return?

This course introduces you to the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), a methodologically diverse and interdisciplinary approach to understanding connections between the production of knowledge, the innovation of technology, and the conflicting values and demands of social life. Through case studies drawn from historical and contemporary science, you will learn key STS concepts and theories, apply novel methods, and develop skills for ethically navigating your own scientific career.

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Honesty and transparency are important features of good scholarship. On the flip side, plagiarism and cheating are serious academic offenses with serious consequences. If you are discovered engaging in either behavior in this course, you will earn a failing grade on the assignment in question, and further disciplinary action may be taken. 

Your work should be crafted and written on your own. You may talk with others about your ideas— you may even use the ideas discussed in class seminars—but these ideas must be made your own. That means working by yourself to develop your own ideas, providing your own reasons, and explaining things in your own words. 

You are required to cite all sources you use in your submitted coursework. This includes both direct quotations and cases where you use someone else’s ideas. “Sources” include papers, journals, conversations, anything found on the internet, and so on. Basically, if the thought did not originate with you, you should provide an in-text citation and a reference list. For a clear description of what counts as plagiarism, cheating, and/or the use of unauthorized sources, please see the Student Code of Conduct: http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/19.

If you have questions about my integration of the university’s honor code into this course, please do not hesitate to ask: my aim is to foster an environment where you can learn and grow, while ensuring that the work we all do is honest and fair. For more information about Georgia Tech’s standards with respect to academic integrity, you can also check out the following link: http://honor.gatech.edu/

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

  • How do I understand human experiences and connections?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social or geographic relationships develop, persist or change.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Intercultural Competence
  • Perspective-Taking
  • Persuasion
Instructor first name:
Andrew
Instructor last name:
Buskell
Section:
A
CRN
34993
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology

North American Borderlands

Last Updated: Tue, 11/18/2025
Upload a PDF
PDF required. Please edit this page and upload a PDF. Please check PDF for accessibility prior to submission.
Course prefix:
HTS
Course number:
2052
Semester:
Spring
Academic year:
2026
Course description:

Introduction to the history of early Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California in the Spanish Colonial period. This course also introduces the history of the Northern borderlands, especially the Great Lakes during the French and British colonial period.

 

Academic honesty/integrity statement:

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.

Intellectual exchange is a critical element of a vibrant scholarly community. To protect the integrity of that community, students are required to cite every instance in which they borrow from or refer to another’s idea, language, or other element of another’s work. Students are welcome to study with one another, share study guides, visit the Writing Center, and seek additional feedback from the instructor. Students are also encouraged to draw from the whole body of readings, lectures, discussion posts, and sources assigned as part of this class so long as all references, quotations, allusions, summaries, or paraphrases are properly cited giving credit to the original author or speaker. Students found to be using AI in graded assignments will be considered in violation of the academic integrity policy. Students suspected of AI use who are unable to provide prior drafts or proper references may be subject to failing the assignment in question. All cases of academic dishonesty will be immediately referred to Student Judicial Affairs. Students with questions are welcome to contact me or to consult the Georgia Tech Honor Code, found here: https://policylibrary.gatech.edu/student-life/academic-honor-code.

Core IMPACTS statement(s) (if applicable):

This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Social Sciences area.

Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.

This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:

  • How do I understand human experiences and connections?

Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social or geographic relationships develop, persist or change.

Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:

  • Intercultural Competence
  • Perspective-Taking
  • Persuasion
Instructor first name:
Elena
Instructor last name:
Ryan
Section:
A
CRN
34959
Department (you may add up to three):
History and Sociology
Subscribe to History and Sociology