Robert A. Hummer

Description

A social demographic perspective on human mortality can be defined as the study of how social stratification and social processes are associated with trends and differentials in cause and age at death between and among meaningful social groups.  The specific aims of this seminar are:

1)    To introduce the study of human mortality from the perspective of social demography.

2)    To further the understanding of how social processes and stratification during life can be better understood by investigating trends and differentials in human mortality between and among meaningful social groups.

3)    To promote the enhancement of student research skills by actively working on, and developing, an empirical research paper on this topic during the semester of the seminar.

Required Texts 

None

Grading Policy

Participating in Class Discussion          10%

Leading Class Discussion                    15%

Empirical Research Paper                    75%

 

Cross listed with PBH 368D

Description

This course provides an introduction to the theories and research findings that characterize the study of public health from a sociological perspective. The course will focus most centrally on understanding health disparities across subgroups of the U.S. population, including those defined by age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nativity, and socioeconomic status. The family/household, neighborhood, community, and state level contexts of health will also be examined.    

Required Texts 

Cockerham, William C. 2007. Social Causes of Health and Disease. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

Klinenberg, Eric. 2002. Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Christakis, Nicholas A., and James H. Fowler. 2009. Connected: How Your Friends’ Friends’ Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do.  

Grading Policy

Three exams 25% each; one paper 25%

 

    DESCRIPTION   The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of social demography. We cover the basic processes of population change: mortality, fertility, and migration, as well as population distribution. The two main goals of this course are to 1) introduce students to both classic and current literature in social demography, 2) teach students to critically assess the major theories associated with population change. Note that, for those of you who plan a career in social demography, this course provides only a starting point. Students should keep abreast of developments in the literature by reading the leading journals (Demography, Population and Development Review, Population Studies, Population Research and Policy Review, and Demographic Research).    READINGS   Readings for the course will be posted on Blackboard.   GRADING

There will be mid-term and final exams in the course, both take home.

Midterm exam  40%

Final exam 40% 

Class participation 20%

Description

This course provides an introduction to the theories and research findings that characterize the study of public health from a sociological perspective. The course will focus most centrally on understanding health disparities across subgroups of the U.S. population, including those defined by age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nativity, and socioeconomic status. The family, household, neighborhood, community, and state level contexts of health will also be examined.    

Required Texts 

Cockerham, William C. 2007. Social Causes of Health and Disease. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

Klinenberg, Eric. 2002. Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Christakis, Nicholas A., and James H. Fowler. 2009. Connected: How Your Friends’ Friends’ Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do.  

Grading Policy

Four exams 25% each

 

Description

A social demographic perspective on human mortality can be defined as the study of how social stratification and social processes are associated with trends and differentials in cause and age at death between and among meaningful social groups.  The specific aims of this seminar are:

1)    To introduce the study of human mortality from the perspective of social demography.

2)    To further the understanding of how social processes and stratification during life can be better understood by investigating trends and differentials in human mortality between and among meaningful social groups.

3)    To promote the enhancement of student research skills by actively working on, and developing, an empirical research paper on this topic during the semester of the seminar.

Required Texts (the Dean’s Office will not accept “Course Packet” or “TBA”):

 None

Grading Policy

Participating in Class Discussion          10%

Leading Class Discussion                    15%

Empirical Research Paper                    75%

 

See attached