This course explores the interface between individuals and their social context. It uses sociological perspectives such as symbolic interactionism, functional theory, and conflict theory to examine the relationships we as individuals have with our society. The course also examines the extent to which our roles and statuses are determined at birth, and the roles we play in shaping ourselves as well as the institutions in which we live. How social factors influence individual perceptions and choices is viewed in the context of the institution of marriage; family structure and relationships; demographics such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, and class; attitudes and moral behavior; violence and aggression; and work and authority.