

SOC 119
HM Podcasts
Sociology 119 (SOC 119) is the largest Race and Ethnic Relations class in the United States. Join Dr. Sam Richards and over 700 students in the largest lecture hall at Penn State University in conversations with students and international guests about the world we live, the cultures we're surrounded by, and the ability to question the "invisible strings" of society.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 5, 2025 • 1h 47min
25SP Office Hours #18: Canceled for Cultural Appropriation
Sam and Alijah spend this Office Hours answering questions and comments from the live stream chat that happened during the two previous classes.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 5, 2025 • 1h 6min
25SP Class #21: Harmony | Korean, Japanese and Chinese Cultures
Sam invites a Chinese, Japanese, and Korean student volunteer up to the front of the classroom to talk about cultural harmony in East Asia. How do they do it? What does it mean? Do they really have harmony?Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 4, 2025 • 1h 10min
25SP Class #20: Watch Your Language | Freedom & Censorship
The Trump administration has put together a list of words that are being scrubbed from the U.S. Government's vocabulary. Sam invites two groups of students and asks them to put up "Stop Signs" every time the words are spoken in the classroom. Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 4, 2025 • 1h 54min
25SP Office Hours #17: Conversation about the Military with ROTC Students
Sam and Alijah welcome two ROTC students to continue the conversation from the previous class. The topic revolves heavily around DEI and merit, but does go into other things like misconceptions the general public has about the military. After the ROTC students leave, Sam, Alijah, and Jeff continue the conversation and also hit on some breaking news.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 3, 2025 • 1h 5min
25SP Class #19: Achievement Through Merit | U.S. Military Culture
Sam welcomes three students who were in the military or are part of Penn State's ROTC program, as well as an instructor for the Military, Lt. Col. Mark Kormos (who's son is currently taking the class). The conversation revolves around DEI, nepotism, and merit within the United States Armed Forces.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 3, 2025 • 1h 19min
25SP Office Hours #16: Sam's Return from Korea
Sam does a special Friday Office Hours Live Stream where he talks to the community about his trip to Korea. For the photos and videos, go to the video on YouTube!Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 2, 2025 • 1h 9min
25SP Class #18: A Negative Effect | Disenchantment with Higher Education
Sam is back from Korea and comes back swinging with a topic about brainwashing. Sam invites four student volunteers up to the front to talk to them about their experiences with higher education. Are they brainwashed? Do students know anything? Do they think for themselves? We get some perspective on those questions.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 2, 2025 • 28min
25SP Class #17: An Opportunity for Questions | AMA with Basim Razzo
Sam and Laurie are in transit to the United States, so it was a perfect opportunity to have the second exam of the semester. For about 27 minutes, Darniesha, the producer of the SOC 119 Live Stream, talks to "Unlce" Basim in front of the classroom - asking him questions as well as welcoming students to ask questions. Before Spring Break, the students walked his lectures as well as Sam's Ted x PSU Talk that brought the two men together.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 1, 2025 • 1h 38min
Office Hours #15: Building the Future With Our Opponents | Live Interview with Dr. Laurie Mulvey
This is the final episode from Sam and Laurie's three week trip to South Korea. In this episode, Sam interviews Laurie about her experiences talking to groups about conflict, collaboration, and facilitation.Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live

May 1, 2025 • 58min
Office Hours #14: The Sweet Spot Interview | Finding Your Own Path, Knowing Yourself, Taking Risks
Sam and Laurie are still in Korea and they do a small group discussion about Sam's book, allowing Konkuk University students to ask more personal questions about Sam's book, "The Sweet Spot."Learn more about the class: https://www.soc119.org/liveWatch live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/soc119/live