Field Courses in Sociology

The sociology department offers a number of field courses that range from West Africa, to South America, the U.S.-Mexico border region, the South Pacific, and Hawai'i. These courses allow students to apply theory directly and engage in critical experiential learning. Click on the course title to view images.

Asian Americans on the Big Island: Hawai'i, Block 6, 2009

This course examines the impact of group relations, labor markets and specific socio-historical contexts on Asian American experiences. We will analyze patterns of stratification and the effects of ethnicity, social class, and gender on educational and occupational opportunities. Historical, sociological and literary accounts will be used to understand the preservation and re-making of Asian American cultures and identities.

Polynesian Society, Block 4, 2007

This course examines contemporary Polynesian society and compares it with the United States through an analysis of the fundamental building blocks of social life. Uses fundamental sociological concepts to illuminate some of the basic features of both cultures and the similarities and differences between them. The second half of the course was taught on-site in the South Pacific on Rarotonga Island of the Cook Islands.

Development and Underdevelopment in Africa: Sierra Leone, Block 5, 2007

This course explores the social organization of development and underdevelopment in Africa. Issues covered in the course may included the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in failed and weak state contexts; obstacles to political development and institution building; inequality and structures of global economic integration; the politics and impact of international aid; the critical status of women and their place in development; the impact of and organizational response to AIDS; the origins, impact, and resolution of civil conflict. This field course took place in Sierra Leone in January/February of 2007.

While in Sierra Leone, the team met with the following:

USAID officials; US Ambassador, Thomas Hull; Care International; UNDP; UNICEF; UNAIDS; Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender, and Children's Affairs; DACO (Development Assistance Coordination Office); Society for Democratic Initiatives (NGO); Nar-Sarah Clinic, headed by Peacemaker and his sister Finah; Women Against Poverty--a local CBO; Chief Administrator for the District Council (local government); Paramount Chief of the Kabala region; UMC schools (United Methodist Church); Local NGO orphanage; FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists)