Social Studies

Photo: Michael Wilson

first row: Bettie Smolansky, Joel Nathan Rosen. second row: Michele Deegan, Dan Jasper, Debra Wetcher-Hendricks

Most of the Sociology Department were key participants in a roundtable presentation on “Stepping Away from the Everyday: Engaging Students Through Special-Topics Courses,” at the 100th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, August 13 in Philadelphia.

Joel Nathan Rosen, assistant professor, presented the topic and format after consultation with several colleagues. Bettie Smolansky, professor and chair of the department, described such offerings at Moravian as special-topics courses, interdisciplinary studies, and the senior seminar that can be used for such topic-based courses, as well as the benefits (and challenges) of such courses for both students and faculty.

Three faculty described their own courses: Dan Jasper, assistant professor, a course on Indian culture, a society and social system with which most students have little real familiarity; Joel a special-topics course on “The Blues,” including its African roots and its evolution as a response to oppression and inequality; and Debra Wetcher-Hendricks, assistant professor, her interdisciplinary course on “Media Technology and Society,” emphasizing the continuing impact of changing media technology on society.

Michele Deegan, a continuing adjunct, described preparation of a course, “Political Sociology and Gender,” which she would like to offer to augment the department’s offerings and serve the needs of the Women’s Studies program.