Reports on a study in which 19 doctoral students were interviewed regarding their own self-esteem and their attitudes toward undergraduate student and professors. Finds differences between precandidate and candidate graduate students in all three areas. Asserts that these differences are evidence that doctoral programs encourage a shift away from…

Describes an interdisciplinary course team taught by instructors from the sociology and drama departments. The course used dramatic literature to complement and illustrate sociological works examining such basic concepts as economic dislocation, racism, and deviance. Includes a table of the sociological works and their dramatic counterparts. (MJP)

Maintains that most students learn how sociologists study social stratification in introductory sociology courses. Presents a content analysis of 15 introductory college textbooks to determine whether they use distributional or relational approaches as the basis for their treatment of social class. Finds that depictions of class are…

Articulates an approach to teaching sociology that creates connections between the personal and political lives of the students and the sociological concepts studied. Includes descriptions of class assignments designed to induce alienation and empowerment. Considers pedagogical alternatives to traditional instruction. (MJP)

Asserts that students familiarity with African American athletes and sports make it an effective lens to examine the nature versus nurture debate. Includes salient discussion questions and relevant examples drawn from articles and books illustrating opposing points of view. Concludes with a brief discussion of student response. (MJP)

Describes an in-class exercise where students role-played members of a toy company's marketing staff. Participants received instructions identifying them as either "dominant" or "inexperienced," with corresponding suggestions they were to make concerning the product. The assigned identities resulted in a skewed representation and acceptance, of…

Charts the forces changing undergraduate sociology education and attempts to define the future nature of the discipline. Visualizes a discipline that is more practical and problem centered, marketing itself as a proactive tool for understanding changing social systems. Recommends experiential and active learning utilizing new technology. (MJP)