Leslie Irvine's research focuses on the roles of animals in society. Her first book, Codependent Forevermore, examined interpersonal relationships. Irvine then turned her focus to human-animal relationships. She has studied animal sheltering, human-animal play, selfhood among animals, and the feminization of veterinary medicine. Her 2004 book, If You Tame Me: Understanding Our Connection with Animals, received the Distinguished Scholarship Award from the Animals & Society Section of the American Sociological Association. After Hurricane Katrina, she worked and conducted research at the facility that housed animals rescued from New Orleans. This resulted in her 2009 book, Filling the Ark: Animal Welfare in Disasters. In 2011, she published a reader entitled The Self in Society. Her 2013 book, My Dog Always Eats First, examines the narratives of homeless people who live on the streets with pets. At CU Boulder, she is the Director of the Animals and Society Certificate Program.
keywords
animal welfare in disasters, human-animal studies, the roles of animals in society, sociological social psychology, sociology of emotions, the self, pets, companion animals, animal shelters, animal adoption, homelessness, symbolic interaction, animal welfare, narrative, identity
SOCY 3001 - Classical Theory
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Spring 2020 / Fall 2020
In-depth study of classical sociological theorists, particularly Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. Examines their roles in defining the discipline of sociology.
SOCY 4017 - Animals and Society
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023
Examines the role of non-human animals in human society. Investigates the social construction of the human/animal boundary. Challenges ideas that animals are neither thinking nor feeling. Examines the many ways humans rely on animals. Considers the link between animal cruelty and other violence. Explores the moral status of animals.
SOCY 4911 - Teaching Sociology
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Spring 2023
Students participate in a teaching seminar under the supervision of a faculty member. Includes pedagogical strategies for implementing concrete educational goals and encouraging higher levels of creativity and analysis in a large, lower-division class. Emphasizes mentorship and personal development. Instructor consent required.
SOCY 4931 - Internship in Sociology
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Spring 2018 / Summer 2018 / Summer 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Summer 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Summer 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Summer 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Summer 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024
Provides an academically supervised opportunity for junior and senior sociology majors to work in public or private organizations to gain practical knowledge and experience, and allows students to make a connection between sociological theory and the "real world". May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Instructor consent required.
SOCY 5201 - Graduate Seminar in Sociological Theory
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Spring 2019
Examines theoretical approaches to core issues and problems in sociology, including the nature of society, the relationship between society and the individual, the role of culture and social structure, the sources of social power, and the conceptual structure of sociological knowledge itself.
SOCY 5202 - Graduate Seminar in Contemporary Theory
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Spring 2024
Examines selected sociological theories considered contemporary, including but not limited to cultural sociology, feminist theory, postcolonial thought, actor-network theory, microsociology, field theory, and poststructuralism. Discusses the formation of a sociological canon and the challenge of categorizing theory. Considers the process of theorizing as an acquired skill. Previously offered as a special topics course.
SOCY 7121 - Qualitative Analysis
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Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
Drawing on data gathered through participation, observation and in-depth interviewing, students focus on developing theoretical analyses and exploring classical and post-modern ethnographic writing formats. Students present and revise their papers as well as review journal articles. Department enforced prerequisite: SOCY 6121.
