Sociology 294: Sociology of Gangs Summer Quarter 2005 Instructor: Kevin Shafer Shafer.71@sociology.osu.edu

Updated Class Documents Syllabus Term Paper Assignment Midterm Review Final Review Reading Links “Sweet Mothers and Gangbangers” (JSTOR Link—you will need to access this from a campus computer or follow the library’s instructions for off campus access; you will also need Adobe Acrobat to view the file) “The Saints and The Roughnecks” Link to the Library’s E-reserves page (enter Sociology 294 when prompted) Reading Response Example Final Paper Example

About This Class Gangs and gang members are complex and diverse. As a result, sociology 294 examines a broad range of topics related to gang activity in the United States. This course will primarily focus on the causes, effects, and behaviors of contemporary street gangs. Our main objective as sociologists will be to study trends in gang activity, perceptions of the gang problem, racial and ethnic differences between gangs, common behaviors of gang members, and potential solutions to the challenges gangs present to our society. Upon completion of this course you will have a deeper understanding of the gang problem, an appreciation for the issues involved in researching gangs, some thoughts on what can/should be done about it and a critical understanding of the social forces behind gang behavior. Some Useful Links Professional Associations American Sociological Association Population Association of America American Society of Criminology Sociological Resources Gangresearch.org Streetgangs.com Crimetheory.org Inequality.org Dead Sociologists’ Society Elwell’s Glossary of Sociology A Sociological Tour Through Cyberspace Socioweb U.S. Census Bureau Research Engines Scholar Google JSTOR (you will need to access this from a campus computer or follow the library’s instructions for off campus access) Helpful Ohio State Links The Ohio State University Department of Sociology @ The Ohio State University Criminal Justice Research Center The Ohio State University’s Initiative in Population Research Office of the University Registrar OSU Libraries OSU Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing