Student Research

The Senior Capstone (SOC 494W): Observing the Social World

This class, taught by Sociology Professor Kathleen Jenkins, focused on the research and strategies of qualitative sociologists. Students read excerpts from qualitative works, along with reflective writing about doing research. They each developed a working research question, reviewed relevant literature, collected exploratory data, produced a final research proposal, and presented their proposal to the capstone seminar students and sociology faculty. Capstone research proposals covered a range of topics in the Spring of 2009: for example, blaxploitation films and black female spectatorship (Avina Ross), black female collegiate athletes and body image (Barbara Zidek), and animal shelter volunteers' motivations (Carla Davis).

Borderlands: Student Research on Immigration Issues

Over spring break 2009, Professors Bickham Mendez (Sociology) and Tandeciarz (Hispanic Studies) led a research team of eight students to the Tucson/Nogales region of the U.S.-Mexico border. The pilot project combined interdisciplinary field research, course work, and civic engagement to focus on "border issues": the political, social, and cultural effects of immigration from Mexico/Central America to the United States. [Read more]