This course explores the social nature of humans and the social world in which they live and includes an analysis of such topics as culture, socialization, social groups and social institutions, stratification, the family, gender relations, race and ethnicity, minorities, social deviance, social change and technology, the urban community, population and the environment. Students will examine current theoretical debates within sociology, competing theoretical perspectives, and research methods that sociologists use to explain how social systems function. Both Western and non-Western cross-cultural comparisons are provided throughout the course. As an Honors course, there is particular emphasis on interpretation of texts and writing.