teaching
*indicates graduate-level course.
quantitative methodology
*SOC-650 - Categorical Data Analysis - Instructor of Record - Indiana University
This graduate-level course deals with regression models in which the dependent variable is binary, nominal, ordinal, or count.
Models that are discussed include probit and logit for binary outcomes, ordered logit and ordered probit for ordinal outcomes, multinomial logit for nominal outcomes, and Poisson regression and zero inflated models for count.
This course is the second required course in the quantitative methods sequence in the IU sociology graduate program.
Prior to this, I was the lab instructor for two semesters when this course was taught by Prof. Scott Long.
*SOC-554 - Statistical Techniques in Sociology - Lab Instructor, with Prof. Patricia McManus - Indiana University
This graduate-level course provides a systematic introduction to the classical linear regression model used to analyze continuous outcomes.
Students will gain an understanding of the foundational principles and assumptions of the linear regression model.
Other statistical techniques for observational data are discussed including survey estimation, instrumental variable estimation, and structural equation models.
(taken from Prof. McManus' syllabus)
SOC-291 - Methods for Empirical Investigation - Instructor of Record - Grinnell College
Why do women make less than men? What explains racial disparities in health outcomes? Why do some democracies thrive while others crumble? Why does America have the highest rate of incarceration in the world? Virtually everyone has theories about how the social world operates. But how do we distinguish between theories/ideas that have a sound basis to them and those that do not? Sociology provides a scientific, systematic, and diverse set of empirical research methods that allow sociologists to test theories and draw inferences about the social world. This course introduces students to the most commonly used research methods in sociology. Through course readings, discussions, assignments, and a course project, students will learn the skills necessary to critique empirical social science research and apply the methods most suited the research question. Additionally, students will gain hands-on experience developing a proposal for a research project. Topics explored will include generalizability, causality, survey methods, experiments, ethnography, interviewing, content analysis, and comparative historical methods.
MAT/SST-115 - Introduction to Statistics - Instructor of Record - Grinnell College
Statistical methods allow practitioners to uncover patterns and relationships in the natural and social world. However, with the increasing availability and accessibility of data and tools for analysis, it is becoming even more important for citizens to be able to discern the qualities of rigorous data analysis. This course introduces students to the basics of data analysis for statistical inference. Students will learn about data structures, collecting data, summarizing and visualizing data, and various methods to analyze data. The course will emphasize substantive interpretation and effective communication of results from analyses to an audience. Students will also learn to use the software package, STATA, during the course of the semester as they complete lab exercises.
sociology
SOC-295-ST - Gender & Development - Instructor of Record - Grinnell College
Gender-based inequality and oppression is an almost ubiquitous fact of social life around the globe. However, societies vary widely in the degree to which gender inequality diminishes women's autonomy, resources, and well-being. What does 'women's empowerment' mean and who gets to define it? What explains gender-based inequities in different contexts/countries and how might they be alleviated? What is the relationship between economic development and gender inequality? Do popular perceptions and explanations for gendered social phenomena in the Global South hold up to empirical scrutiny? How has the international women's movement evolved over the years and how has it shaped gender relations? Through course readings, discussions, and assignments, this course introduces students to these questions and equips them with the tools to formulate their own answers by employing a sociological perspective. Substantive topics explored will include how gender structures women's exposure to violence and their access to education, health, work, resources, and political representation.
SOC-295-ST - Political Sociology - Instructor of Record - Grinnell College
We are living in tumultuous times. There is almost unanimous agreement among casual observers and political pundits that there is something unique about the current political predicament in the US and around the world. In this course, we will dive under the surface-level discussions of politics that dominate popular discourse. We will draw on sociological theories of political processes and power to explore the answers to a number of key questions that have animated research in the field of political sociology such as: how does the state shape social and economic outcomes? Which groups are able to implement their economic, social, and political agendas and why? What shapes public opinion and what is its role in political processes? How do the social forces of globalization, race, and gender shape politics? What are the conditions under which countries democratize? This course aims to give students the sociological tools necessary generate informed answers to questions about social and political phenomena. Through assignments and class discussions, students will critically explore issues related to power, the nation-state, political economy, class, race, gender, and globalization. While much of our discussions will deal with the American experience, the course will also adopt a global/comparative perspective and explore these issues in other countries. In addition to studying these topics through sociological theories and current research, students will discuss these issues in the context of current events.
SOC-100/111 - Introduction to Sociology - Instructor of Record - Indiana University & Grinnell College
Virtually everyone reading this syllabus, at some point, has found themselves pondering questions like the following: Why did that person do that or behave that way? Why are some rich and others poor? Why would someone vote for that politician? What explains racial disparities in life chances? Why do women make less than men, and do women still face discrimination in the labor market? To answer these questions, one might rely on personal experience or the particular media sources they happen to consume. This course introduces students to a different approach to answering questions like these, one that relies on adopting a sociological lens through which we can explore answers to these questions. Sociology offers a systematic and rigorous way of examining social life and the interplay between individual action and social structure. Sociological knowledge relies on the application of the scientific method to empirical data to generate answers to questions like those posed above. This course aims to provide students with a broad overview of the field of sociology and to give them the tools necessary generate informed answers to questions about social life. Through assignments and class discussions, students will critically explore issues related to agency and structure, power, political economy, class, race, gender, and other social forces. While much of our discussions will deal with the American experience, the course will at times adopt a comparative perspective and explore these issues in other countries. In addition to studying these topics through sociological theories and current research, students will discuss these issues in the context of current events.