Using humanist sociology in the classroom

This essay examines the nature, organization, and activities of humanist sociology from an interventionist perspective as I used it within my sociology and criminology classes. While sociological humanism stresses the role of human agency (Ballard 1987; Zald 1991), identity (Stone 1988), reflexivity (Friedrichs 1987; Homan 1986), and social structure in determining and defining a social activity such as teaching, standard discussions of sociological humanism neglect to discuss how social agency can be taught in the classroom and beyond (McClung Lee 1976, 1988). My argument is that sociological humanism should be understood as more than individual appreciation of identity or liberal reformist political perspectives. The future of sociological humanism must become part of a critical interventionism to attack social forms of domination and oppression both inside and outside of the classroom. I demonstrate how some of this can be accomplished while examining my own teaching practices. Assistant professor of sociology at the University of Dayton and also an affiliate of their Criminal Justice Studies Program.