Courses in the Social, Cultural and Behavioral Inquiry domain focus on the mutual impact of society and culture on individuals, and of individuals on society and culture. Particular attention is given to human relationships and behavior as they are influenced by social, economic and political institutions, spatial and geographical factors, and the events and social and cultural forces at play in the contemporary world. The domain emphasizes the pursuit of knowledge through the development of theory and empirical investigation of the contemporary world. Courses in the domain explore such particular issues as poverty and economic opportunity, the environment, nationalism, racism, individual alienation, gender differences, and the bases of conflict and consensus in complex, urban societies and in global relations.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Analyze and reflect upon arguments about the contemporary world using relevant theory, methods, and/or empirical evidence.
- Analyze interdependent relationships between contemporary society and individuals.
Courses
Below please find examples of courses previously offered for Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry credit. For information on current offerings, please consult Campus Connection.
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| African and Black Diaspora Studies | ||
| ABD 100 | INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN AND BLACK DIASPORA STUDIES | 4 |
| ABD 200 | AFRICA: PEOPLES, CULTURES, IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| ABD 206 | AFRO-CARIBBEAN AND AFRO-LATIN AMERICA: PEOPLES, CULTURES, IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| ABD 208 | AFRICAN AMERICA: PEOPLES, CULTURES, IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| ABD 209 | RACE AND RACISM | 4 |
| ABD 218 | AFRICAN AMERICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| ABD 220 | BLACKS AND LOVE | 4 |
| ABD 229 | RACE, SCIENCE AND WHITE SUPREMACY | 4 |
| ABD 232 | MIXED RACE AMERICAN IDENTITY | 4 |
| ABD 236 | BLACK FREEDOM MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| ABD 240 | BLACK MUSIC IN AMERICAN CULTURE | 4 |
| ABD 251 | WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS | 4 |
| ABD 253 | FOOD JUSTICE IN BLACK COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| ABD 254 | AFRICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| ABD 263 | IDA B. WELLS: GENDER, POLITICS & ACTIVISM | 4 |
| ABD 275 | BLACK FEMINIST THEORIES IN A U.S. CONTEXT | 4 |
| Albanian Studies | ||
| ALB 280E | THE POLITICS OF FOOD, HISTORY, AND IDENTITY IN THE BALKANS | 4 |
| American Studies | ||
| AMS 150 | PERSPECTIVES ON AMERICAN IDENTITIES | 4 |
| AMS 201 | CRITICAL AMERICAN STUDIES | 4 |
| AMS 248 | WHITE RACISM | 4 |
| AMS 280 | POLITICS AND HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR | 4 |
| Asian Studies, Global | ||
| AAS 205 | GLOBAL ASIA | 4 |
| AAS 209 | CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES | 4 |
| AAS 215 | INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY | 4 |
| AAS 219 | K-POP & ITS GLOBAL CULTURAL INFLUENCE | 4 |
| AAS 227 | BEYOND PARASITE: SOUTH KOREAN CULTURE THROUGH FILM | 4 |
| AAS 246 | ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY | 4 |
| AAS 253 | ASIAN POLITICS | 4 |
| AAS 262 | JAPANESE POPULAR CULTURE | 4 |
| AAS 267 | WORLD ECONOMY: STATES, MARKETS AND LABOR | 4 |
| Anthropology | ||
| ANT 102 | CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 4 |
| ANT 105 | ANTHROPOLOGY THROUGH FILM | 4 |
| ANT 107 | THE CULTURE OF BUSINESS | 4 |
| ANT 109 | FOOD AND CULTURE | 4 |
| ANT 208 | WHY WE POST: THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF SOCIAL MEDIA | 4 |
| ANT 230 | CULTURES OF THE PACIFIC | 4 |
| Business Studies | ||
| BUS 103 | BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL GOOD | 4 |
| Applied Diplomacy | ||
| DPL 200 | DIPLOMACY: ITS PAST AND PRESENT | 4 |
| DPL 201 | DIPLOMACY: ITS PRESENT AND FUTURE | 4 |
| DPL 203 | CITIZEN DIPLOMACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY | 4 |
| Cannabis Studies | ||
| CAN 260 | INTRODUCTION TO CANNABIS STUDIES | 4 |
| Catholic Studies | ||
| CTH 210 | CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING | 4 |
| Chinese | ||
| CHN 208E | CHINA'S CULTURAL SOFT POWER AND ITS FUTURE | 4 |
| CHN 209E | CHINESE YOUTH CULTURES | 4 |
| Communication | ||
| CMN 101 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMN 102 | INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMN 103 | INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | 4-6 |
| CMN 104 | PUBLIC SPEAKING | 4 |
| Communication Studies | ||
| CMNS 211 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMNS 221 | HOW LANGUAGE WORKS: INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS | 4 |
| CMNS 339 | PERFORMANCE OF GENDER & SEXUALITY | 4 |
| CMNS 361 | GENDER AND COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| CMNS 363 | CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| Comparative Literature | ||
| CPL 212 | GREAT IDEAS,THE INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY III | 4 |
| Computer Science | ||
| CSC 223 | THE IMPACT OF COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY ON OUR LIVES | 4 |
| Criminology | ||
| CRIM 101 | INTRODUCTION TO THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| CRIM 105 | CRIME AND THE MEDIA | 4 |
| CRIM 107 | CRIMINOLOGY GOES TO THE MOVIES | 4 |
| CRIM 205 | RACE, CLASS, GENDER AND THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| CRIM 208 | LATINOS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM | 4 |
| CRIM 215 | GANGS IN SOCIETY | 4 |
| CRIM 218 | COMMUNITIES AND CRIME | 4 |
| Early Childhood Education | ||
| ECE 175 | EDUCATING THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY YOUNG CHILD | 4 |
| Economics | ||
| ECO 101 | INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC ISSUES | 4 |
| ECO 105 | PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECO 106 | PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECO 310 | URBAN ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECO 313 | MARKET STRUCTURE AND REGULATION OF BUSINESS | 4 |
| ECO 318 | LABOR ECONOMICS AND ORGANIZATION | 4 |
| ECO 330 | RADICAL RESPONSES TO CAPITALISM | 4 |
| ECO 333 | TOPICS IN GLOBAL ECONOMIES | 4 |
| Environmental Science | ||
| ENV 150 | FOUNDATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES | 4 |
| ENV 151 | INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY | 4 |
| ENV 152 | ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Film and Television Production | ||
| FILM 145 | DIGITAL MEDIA LITERACIES | 4 |
| French | ||
| FCH 261E | TERROIRS DU SUD: LAND, FOOD, AND LIFE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE | 4 |
| FCH 340 | CONTEMPORARY FRANCE | 4 |
| Game Development | ||
| GAM 200 | PLAY | 4 |
| GAM 208 | VIRTUAL WORLDS AND ONLINE COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| Geography | ||
| GEO 103 | URBANIZATION | 4 |
| GEO 200 | SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT | 4 |
| GEO 201 | GEOPOLITICS | 4 |
| GEO 205 | RACE, JUSTICE, AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT | 4 |
| GEO 215 | INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY | 4 |
| GEO 260 | GLOBALIZATION AND RESOURCES | 4 |
| GEO 266 | WORLD ECONOMY: STATES, MARKETS AND LABOR | 4 |
| GEO 269 | CULTURAL AND POLITICAL ECOLOGY | 4 |
| GEO 330 | SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSPORTATION | 4 |
| German | ||
| GER 272E | WORKING THROUGH THE PAST: MEMORY AND MEMORIAL IN GERMANY AND THE U.S. | 4 |
| History | ||
| HST 228 | FOOD, HISTORY, IDENTITY IN THE BALKANS: THE UNBEARABLE SIMILARITY OF OTHER | 4 |
| HST 241 | WORLD REFUGEE CRISIS | 4 |
| HST 252 | THE AGE OF THE COLD WAR: 1945-1991 | 4 |
| History of Art and Architecture | ||
| HAA 250 | THE ART MARKET | 4 |
| Hospitality Leadership | ||
| HSB 101 | INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL TOURISM | 4 |
| Information Systems | ||
| IS 201 | INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 4 |
| IS 208 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMY AND SOCIETY | 4 |
| International Studies | ||
| INT 100 | INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL STUDIES | 4 |
| INT 150 | GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| INT 352 | INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL INEQUALITY | 4 |
| Irish Studies | ||
| IRE 100 | IRELAND AND THE IRISH EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| IRE 105 | GEOPOLITICS | 4 |
| IRE 249 | GENDER AND POLITICS IN IRELAND | 4 |
| Islamic World Studies | ||
| IWS 201 | GEOPOLITICS | 4 |
| IWS 242 | AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY | 4 |
| IWS 255 | MIDDLE EAST POLITICS | 4 |
| Italian | ||
| ITA 260E | EAT ITALY: THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND POLITICS OF ITALIAN FOOD | 4 |
| Japanese Studies | ||
| JPN 242E | JAPANESE POP CULTURE | 4 |
| Journalism | ||
| JOUR 311 | CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| JOUR 360 | POLITICAL COMMUNICATION | 4 |
| JOUR 361 | JOURNALISM LAW AND ETHICS | 4 |
| Latin American and Latino Studies | ||
| LST 200 | FOUNDING MYTHS AND CULTURAL CONQUEST IN LATIN AMERICA | 4 |
| LST 201 | STRUGGLE AND RESISTANCE IN LATIN AMERICA | 4 |
| LST 202 | CONSTRUCTING LATINO COMMUNITIES | 4 |
| LST 203 | MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES ACROSS THE AMERICAS | 4 |
| LST 207 | AFRO-CARIBBEAN AND AFRO-LATIN AMERICA: PEOPLES, CULTURES, IDEAS AND MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| LST 252 | LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| LST 358 | REVOLUTIONS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS | 4 |
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Studies | ||
| LGQ 150 | INTRODUCTION TO LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, QUEER STUDIES [SSMW] | 4 |
| LGQ 262 | TRANSGENDER STUDIES | 4 |
| LGQ 319 | QUEER PIONEERS: CULTURE, GENDER, AND POLITICAL ACTIVISM | 4 |
| LGQ 332 | LGBTQ POLITICS | 4 |
| LGQ 338 | SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW | 4 |
| Liberal Studies Program | ||
| LSP 275 | LIVED CIVICS, THE SOCIAL CONTRACT & PUBLIC LIFE | 4 |
| Liberal Studies in Education | ||
| LSE 353 | THE POLITICS OF EDUCATION | 4 |
| LSE 354 | CULTURE, CONTEXT AND LEARNING | 4 |
| LSE 355 | INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN EDUCATION | 4 |
| LSE 358 | EDUCATION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| Media and Popular Culture | ||
| MPOP 231 | INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES | 4 |
| MPOP 252 | CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN CULTURE THROUGH FILM | 4 |
| MPOP 254 | IMAGINING ITALY: CINEMA AS A COLLECTIVE NARRATIVE OF THE ITALIAN PEOPLE | 4 |
| MPOP 271 | MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES | 4 |
| MPOP 274 | DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN CINEMA AND TELEVISION | 4 |
| MPOP 350 | TOPICS IN GLOBAL CINEMA | 4 |
| MPOP 355 | SEX IN THE BOX: U.S. TELEVISION, SEX, AND SEXUALITY | 4 |
| MPOP 362 | BLACKNESS IN AMERICAN TV | 4 |
| Modern Languages | ||
| MOL 220 | HOW LANGUAGE WORKS | 4 |
| MOL 335 | EXPLORING SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN LATIN AMERICA | 4 |
| Nursing | ||
| NSG 335 | LESBIAN HEALTH MATTERS | 4 |
| Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies | ||
| PAX 102 | CHICAGO AND STRATEGIC NONVIOLENCE | 4 |
| PAX 201 | FRAMEWORKS FOR PEACE: PRACTICAL MODELS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE | 4 |
| PAX 210 | INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND PEACEBUILDING | 4 |
| PAX 212 | SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 4 |
| PAX 214 | CONFLICT: STORYTELLING, INTERVENTION, NEGOTIATION | 4 |
| PAX 220 | SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE | 4 |
| PAX 225 | TRANSNATIONAL GRASSROOTS SOCIAL MOVEMENTS | 4 |
| PAX 228 | IDENTITY, PRIVILEGE, AND SOCIAL CHANGE | 4 |
| PAX 231 | ANALYZING POVERTY, ITS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES | 4 |
| PAX 268 | DISABILITY JUSTICE STUDIES: AN INTRODUCTION | 4 |
| PAX 271 | GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISIS | 4 |
| Political Science | ||
| PSC 120 | THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| PSC 140 | INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS | 4 |
| PSC 150 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 211 | POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY | 4 |
| PSC 212 | LATINO POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 213 | POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION | 4 |
| PSC 215 | LIVED CIVICS, SOCIAL CONTRACT & PUBLIC LIFE | 4 |
| PSC 216 | AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE | 4 |
| PSC 217 | WOMEN AND POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 218 | AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 220 | THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY | 4 |
| PSC 221 | CONGRESS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS | 4 |
| PSC 222 | POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS | 4 |
| PSC 223 | URBAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 233 | POLITICAL IDEAS AND IDEOLOGIES | 4 |
| PSC 242 | AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY | 4 |
| PSC 243 | RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS | 4 |
| PSC 244 | LATIN AMERICAN-UNITED STATES RELATIONS | 4 |
| PSC 246 | ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY | 4 |
| PSC 248 | WAR, PEACE, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION | 4 |
| PSC 250 | EUROPEAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 251 | RUSSIAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 252 | LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 253 | ASIAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 254 | AFRICAN POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 255 | MIDDLE EAST POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 257 | CYBER WARFARE AND CYBER POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 260 | LAW AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| PSC 261 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS | 4 |
| PSC 262 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: RIGHTS OF DEFENDANTS | 4 |
| PSC 263 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS | 4 |
| PSC 265 | LAW AND POPULAR CULTURE | 4 |
| PSC 330 | AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT | 4 |
| PSC 344 | INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY | 4 |
| PSC 358 | GLOBAL GENDER POLITICS | 4 |
| PSC 363 | WOMEN AND THE LAW | 4 |
| Psychology | ||
| PSY 105 | INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY I | 4 |
| PSY 106 | INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY II | 4 |
| PSY 210 | PSYCHOLOGY OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY | 4 |
| PSY 215 | HUMAN SEXUALITY | 4 |
| PSY 218 | PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF CONTEMPORARY FAMILY | 4 |
| PSY 220 | LATINX PSYCHOLOGY | 4 |
| PSY 302 | PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH | 4 |
| PSY 303 | HUMAN DEVELOPMENT | 4 |
| PSY 310 | CONNECTING WITH YOUTH THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND SERVICE: QUARTER I | 4 |
| PSY 317 | PSYCHOLOGY OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP | 4 |
| Public Policy Studies | ||
| PPS 101 | INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC POLICY | 4 |
| PPS 201 | PUBLIC POLICY AND URBAN ISSUES | 4 |
| PPS 208 | INTRODUCTION TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS | 4 |
| PPS 231 | ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| PPS 250 | ISSUES IN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT | 4 |
| PPS 260 | CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY | 4 |
| PPS 301 | PUBLIC POLICY AND POLITICS | 4 |
| PPS 332 | NATIONAL PARKS POLICY AND GOVERNANCE | 4 |
| PPS 333 | GREEN CITIES | 4 |
| PPS 334 | SUSTAINABLE LAND REVITALIZATION AND BROWNFIELDS DEVELOPMENT POLICY | 4 |
| School of Continuing and Professional Studies | ||
| SNC 191 | ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND RELIGION | 4 |
| SNC 216 | LEISURE, RECREATION AND HEALTH | 4 |
| Screenwriting | ||
| SCWR 123 | ADAPTATION: THE CINEMATIC RECRAFTING OF MEANING | 4 |
| Sociology | ||
| SOC 101 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY | 4 |
| SOC 105 | SOCIAL PROBLEMS | 4 |
| SOC 207 | YOUTH AND SOCIETY | 4 |
| SOC 209 | SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER | 4 |
| SOC 212 | COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY | 4 |
| SOC 217 | WORK IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD | 4 |
| SOC 221 | INTRODUCTION TO THE U.S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM | 4 |
| SOC 232 | GLOBAL CITIES | 4 |
| SOC 233 | SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT | 4 |
| SOC 243 | THE SUBURBS | 4 |
| SOC 245 | URBAN SOCIOLOGY | 4 |
| SOC 248 | RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY | 4 |
| SOC 275 | LIVED POLITICS: INDIVIDUALISM AND COMMUNITY | 4 |
| SOC 280 | MASS MEDIA AND CULTURE | 4 |
| SOC 281 | SOCIOLOGY OF ROCK MUSIC | 4 |
| SOC 292 | COLLECTIVE ACTION | 4 |
| SOC 340 | SOCIAL INEQUALITY | 4 |
| SOC 358 | REVOLUTIONS AND PEASANT REBELLIONS | 4 |
| Spanish | ||
| SPN 392 | TRANSNATIONALISM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | 4 |
| Women’s and Gender Studies | ||
| WGS 100 | WOMEN'S LIVES:RACE/CLASS/GENDER | 4 |
| WGS 200 | WOMEN'S STUDIES IN TRANSNATIONAL CONTEXTS | 4 |
| WGS 212 | GROWING UP FEMALE IN THE U.S. | 4 |
| WGS 215 | GENDER AND EDUCATION | 4 |
| WGS 225 | CONSTRUCTING GENDER AND SEXUALITY | 4 |
| WGS 230 | CONTESTED BODIES | 4 |
| WGS 249 | GENDER AND POLITICS IN IRELAND | 4 |
| WGS 275 | BLACK FEMINIST THEORIES IN A U.S. CONTEXT | 4 |
| WGS 303 | GENDER, VIOLENCE AND RESISTANCE | 4 |
| WGS 307 | WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST: BEYOND THE VEIL | 4 |
| WGS 326 | WOMEN AND LAW | 4 |
| WGS 332 | CREATING CHANGE: CONTEMPORARY LGBTQ POLITICS | 4 |
| WGS 334 | GIRLHOOD ALL AROUND THE WORLD | 4 |
| WGS 338 | SEXUAL JUSTICE: LESBIANS, GAYS AND THE LAW | 4 |
| WGS 390 | WOMEN OF COLOR FEMINISMS | 4 |
| Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse | ||
| WRD 220 | HOW LANGUAGE WORKS | 4 |
| WRD 232 | THE LANGUAGE OF DISABILITY | 4 |
| WRD 242 | WRITING WITH AI | 4 |
| WRD 261 | DIGITAL CULTURE | 4 |
| WRD 264 | LANGUAGE, SELF AND SOCIETY | 4 |
| WRD 265 | SOCIAL MOVEMENT, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND AMERICAN IDENTITIES | 4 |
| WRD 283 | ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING | 4 |
| WRD 289 | WRITING ABOUT RIGHTS | 4 |
| WRD 325 | RHETORIC IN CRISIS CONTEXTS | 4 |