Middlebury

SOCI0420A-S24

Stuff: A Sociology of Things

Stuff: A Sociology of Things
Stuff surrounds us. It fills our lives and makes our lives more fulfilling. We make it, we break it. We love it, we hate it. Then we throw it away. But stuff can just as easily make us and break us. Yet, sociology rarely pays much attention to things. In this course we will uncover and study the surprisingly active social lives of objects. Drawing broadly from work on material culture, cultural studies, consumption studies, and critical theory, we will explore the complex meanings of objects, the relationships people form with them, and the ways they shape how we think and what we do. Students will learn object-based research methods to investigate the social meanings and uses of everyday objects.
Course Reference Number (CRN):
22723
Subject Code:
SOCI
Course Number:
0420
Section Identifier:
A

Course

SOCI 0420

All Sections in Spring 2024

Spring 2024

SOCI0420A-S24 Seminar (Owens)