Not Just Sociology at U. of Wisconsin-Green Bay

by Jean Beaman, Academic and Professional Affairs

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Social Change and Development (SCD) department prides itself on being an atypical sociology department. Its innovative and interdisciplinary program emphasizes social science and critical history and immerses students in historical, comparative and critical perspectives, critical thinking, problem solving, citizenship, and democracy.

The department consists of 11 faculty, including sociologists, anthropologists, historians, economists, and political scientists. Students are encouraged to develop critical perspectives in order to understand the world in which we live. Throughout its many courses, SCD focuses on “the problem of why and how societies and cultures around the world change and the question of whether those changes promote justice, equity, democracy and development of human potential,” explains Professor Andrew Austin.

According to Austin, the underlying logic of SCD is C. Wright Mills’ sociological imagination, allowing students to place their life in the context of the society and world in which we live. “SCD stresses the central elements of ‘good sociology’: historical thinking, critical theoretical approaches, and democratic participation and community engagement.” The department aims to produce graduates with “superior preparation in the social sciences,” says Austin. SCD complements advanced study in sociology as it trains students in sociological analysis. Because the university offers only a minor in sociology, many students major in SCD. There are currently more than 50 students in the department.

SCD offers four emphases: American Social Issues, which covers social change and problems in American society; Global Studies, which focuses on the Third World and international development; Law and Justice Studies, for students interested in law school; and Women’s Studies. Students can also design a more specific emphasis. The department offers a range of courses including Freedom and Social Control; Women and the Law; Historical Perspectives on Social Change (a required course); Power and Change in America; and Feminist Theory.

Although there are no admission requirements to the major and minor, the curriculum is very rigorous. Majors are required to take Portfolio in Social Change and Development, both at the beginning and end of their program. This requirement allows them to assess their progress and accomplishments in the major as preparation for life outside college. Courses in writing are also required. Students can also minor in Social Change and Development and often combine this with a major in a related discipline. In addition, the department funds the Center for History and Social Change, which promotes historical study through lectures and seminars.

SCD also emphasizes internships and research projects as a way for students to apply knowledge and get “hands-on” learning. “SCD’s internship program is rooted in the idea that the modern university in a democratic society should play a role in preparing students to participate actively in shaping their communities,” says Austin, who serves as internship director. Austin has recently worked on a large-scale truancy assessment project in the city, which involved students at every stage.

SCD is one of many interdisciplinary departments at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, a mid-size university with 5,000 students. The University’s “Green Bay Idea” stresses interdisciplinary programs, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and citizenship. While all students complete a general education program, they synthesize knowledge from several subjects in their interdisciplinary programs. The Social Change and Development department is an example of such a program in that it firmly stresses that to understand the past, our own lives, and our own society, one must understand the world.