Astrosociology in the Classroom: Developing a Practical Sociology Course

Astrosociology will progress and develop as a viable multidisciplinary field as well as a potential subfield of sociology more thoroughly and more quickly when a modern college and university level course is developed and offered to students interested in this unique sociological approach. The Introduction to Astrosociology course should present modern sociological issues from the perspective of the impact of space exploration, settlement, and commercialization as they apply to the micro and macro levels of influences on the major institutions of society. The intent of this paper is to outline a syllabus that will address the perspectives, concepts, and theories found in most introductory and applied sociology courses, but with an emphasis on the concepts, definitions, and perspectives of Astrosociology. This presentation outlines a basic topic and subject format for the course syllabus and opens for discussion the need to include or exclude material.