Across the nation, Americans are undergoing an intense period of self-examination. How are our identities and behaviors shaped by the groups to which we belong? How can we reach past our own biases to better understand others? The study of sociology can help us answer these questions, making us better citizens in the process.

In 21 engrossing lectures, sociology professor Alicia Simmons (Ph. D. , Stanford), shows you how to use scientific theories and methods to understand the social world. Later, you’ll learn how culture, socialization, social structures, patterns of interaction, and consequences of social deviance inform our decisions and actions.

You’ll also explore the structures of inequality that shape American society. How are categories such as class, gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity created and reproduced by society, and how do these designations correspond with people’s life chances? You’ll look at social institutions, focusing on large-scale social systems that profoundly impact individuals’ lives. Last, a section on social change describes how social landscapes shift, as well as how they stay the same.

Throughout, Professor Simmons encourages you to investigate your own social boundaries, discovering the degree to which social forces impact your own behavior.

This course is part of the Learn25 collection.