In this section, you will find a list of my course lectureships, teaching assistantships, and teaching interests. You can also scroll down to view a syllabus for a prospective course on the Sociology of Social Movements.
COURSE LECTURER, MCGILL UNIVERSITY
FALL 2023: SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIETY AND TECHNOLOGY (SOCI 235)
Course Description and Objectives: The objective of this course will be to introduce you to many of the debates, discussions and discourses surrounding the role, function and influence of technology in modern society, with a focus on the examination of inequalities and the impact of technology in reinforcing and/or mitigating contemporary disparities. The interdependencies between society and technology will be explored. Taking a critical view of these interdependencies, we will apply theoretical and empirical insights from broad swaths of sociology, covering issues of racial disparities, political power dynamics, gender inequities, surveillance practices, challenges to democracy, and the rise of extremism. By the end of this course, you will have an understanding of common sociological concepts and the sociological mindset, be able to synthesise information from academic sources and think critically about your social world.
This course includes a grading competency (the Creative Media Assignment) allowing students to analyze and critically evaluate a social media platform of their choice. Students are expected to use their preferred social media platform to critically evaluate both the negative consequences this platform may bring and some of its beneficial aspects. They will submit some form of video/audio/visual content using their preferred platform, allowing students to be as creative as they wish to convey their knowledge of class content. This approach will not only enhance students' digital literacy but also showcase their ability to think critically and communicate effectively in the modern digital landscape.
Click here for the course outline.
TEACHING INTERESTS
Course topics: Political Sociology, Computational Text Analysis, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, Sociology of Social Movements, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Technology
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS
COURSE OUTLINE: SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
This course is designed to allow students to swap out the final paper assignment for a collaborative community-based learning project, where they will engage with a movement group of their choice for 2 hours a week for 8 weeks throughout the semester. This will allow them to connect theory to lived experiences and give them more profound insights into the mechanisms of social change.
Course Description and Objectives:: Social movements are instances of extra-institutional politics, comprised of individuals who wish to change their external circumstances or maintain the status quo. In this course, you will learn about the various theories and debates written on social movement emergence, tactics and more. Drawing on over 60 years of social movement theory, you will learn about the factors that lead to social movement emergence, the reasons individuals engage in movements, and the internal dynamics and workings of these groupings that wish to implement some form of change. By the end of this course, you will understand common sociological concepts and the sociological mindset, synthesize information from academic sources, and think critically about your social world.
Click here for the course outline.