Five hundred years ago, the early explorers set themselves the preliminary task of mapping the contours of the New World. In this class we set ourselves a similar task. Their frontiers were physical. Ours are social. Their maps were geographical. Ours are sociological. But in terms of functionality, our maps are much like theirs. All maps allow us to find our place in the world and see ourselves in the context of larger forces. Sociological maps, as C. Wright Mills wrote, allow us to “grasp the interplay of [people] and society, of biography and history." This course shows you how to draw sociological maps so you can see your place in the world, figure out how to navigate through it, and perhaps discover how to improve it. It is your sociological compass.