SOC 322 Military and Society
A sociological approach to the study of the military as a "total institution" that is often in tension with the larger society within which it is embedded. The course will examine race, gender, and sexual orientation within the military; strains on military families; changes in authority systems and organizational behavior in war and peacetime; re-integration of service members into civilian society; and the care of veterans. The course will draw on insights from classical sociological theorists such as Max Weber and Emile Durkheim, as well as empirical research by 20th and 21st century social scientists.
Students will review case studies of U.S. military performance in combat conditions during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Topics include change within the military; recruitment, socialization and promotion; handling of dissent and discontent; relations with mass media; authority systems, moral codes, and established values; and the function of religion.