Professor Sexton's class is one that is fundamentally fascinating and is one that is appealing for not only sociology majors or adherents, but of anyone one whom desires the history and realities that surround religion and its impacts throughout time.

I was very satisfied with the course and my favourite part was the research paper of which was an ethnographic paper of a religion of our choice in relation to sustainability. That in itself was an interesting correlation of topics and made one choose something they may have already had knowledge of or allowed one to gain knowledge of.

In overall class structure, it was a very broad and this was shown with the differing topics of every week, differing three books throughout the quarter, and with the numerous guest speakers that came to class on significant bases.

Nevertheless, this course was one that is fascinating and should be good for a person that indeed enjoys theology in its many vast forms. But, it is a course that does require individual motive towards reading and its topics, however with the professor and the TA's; such should be of no problem as they were all very accommodating and involved in my personal experience throughout the whole quarter and that in itself makes the professor a rare as well as exceptional character whom really is striving for his students academic, professional , and even personal successes.

Professor Sexton has been one of the best professors I have had here at UCLA. He is very clear in what he wants from you and will help you with anything as long as you reach out to him and show your concerns. I took his crime class as well and they were both structured the same and had a quarter long research problem that gave you the chance to research something of your interest and dig deeper into the subject and learn a lot about it. For me I long wine so I did my project on how viticulture affects the environment, so it was cool to research something I was passionate about and learn more about it. The work load for the class is a decent about because you have to research a lot in the end for your essay, but in the end I believe it is worth it in what you get in return. I recommend taking this class or any classes with Sexton because in the end if you put in the work you learn a lot.

I took this class as a graduating senior, and it ended up being one of my favorite classes at UCLA, though it did not seem like that during the course.

The workload is A LOT (if you are trying to actually do it all). Each week, there are hefty readings to which you then do a one-page single-spaced response to. Discussions and lectures are mandatory, but a "word of the day" is used in lectures and recordings are posted, so you can get around this if you have a friend in the class. Throughout the quarter, there are deadlines for the final research paper, which examines an entity's (organization or city in the LA region) relationship to the sustainability - social and environmental. There's also a 1-min presentation on your paper findings to the class. You have to buy a couple books for the readings. There is a written essay final (choose from a couple pre-revealed prompts).

I was frequently complaining about the class to my friends, and the majority of my effort for the quarter went to the course (definitely would not recommend taking with other heavy classes). Yet I realized at the end, this was one of the most interesting and engaging courses I have ever taken. If you do not like mundane classwork and not-applicable-to-real-life content, I would recommend this course. It actually challenged me to think about "real life" concepts relating to the environment, social issues, and politics, and I learned a lot and enhanced my critical analysis skills. The first book was one of my favorite reads ever, because it discussed the things that I stay up at night thinking about - that type of interesting and challenging.

As far as Dr.Sexton, he is definitely a cool person. His lecturing, however, is a challenge. The way he speaks can be really difficult to 1) hear and 2) comprehend; a lot of "big", uncommon words are used, and he often speaks in broken sentences and phrases, that mumble off. I found myself getting lost in lecture a lot. While I kept up and comprehended the readings, I felt that I got nothing from the lectures, until I actually went back over the recordings before the final. Going over the lecture recordings, I suddenly understood and had even a deep comprehension of everything said, was able to connect all the class concepts, and was able to do really well on the final. I actually feel like I'm walking away with something from the course - which I only felt from one other class at UCLA.

All this being said, I think it's a great class and would encourage everyone to take it to engage in important social and environmental topics and "learn beyond the classroom", but be warned, it is A LOT of work.

This is a really awesome professor who offers a unique insight to the Sociology department. Some of his assigned readings were a bit lengthy and dense, but the professor and T.A. helped me in understanding the material. The class consisted of two written exams (mid-term and final), weekly question and answer homework, and one research paper.
The pandemic did begin at the end of this class which disrupted everything. However, the professor was very considerate and lenient. Definitely would take a class with this professor again!!

Professor Sexton is a leading academic in his respective fields of study. It's a unique opportunity to be able to learn from someone with so much contemporary knowledge of the advancements being made on a local and national level. The class is comprised of: reading three books, conducting an ethnographic research project, and a final based off of lecture content. I enjoyed the curriculum because it helped me to develop skills that are useful to a sociologist -- which not many other classes do. Additionally, Professor Sexton is a wonderful professor who is deeply committed to the success of his students, he responds to emails very quickly and is super approachable.

Professor Sexton was my favorite professor of this quarter. He is really funny/engaging with the material and makes the 8 am much more tolerable. There are three book reviews, a final research paper, and final exam for this class which is a relatively manageable work load. Definitely take this prof if you’re a sociology major!

>>Skip to end for books list/recs<<

Dr. Sexton is a cool guy who’s approachable and *offered to write letters of rec for students who asked good questions in class*. He dresses like an old-timey professor, complete with bowtie, and brings a sense of humor to some of the lectures. He writes out each of his lectures beforehand, and delivers them like speeches, though allows for questions and discussion. It’s pleasant to hear good oratory. Each lecture was full of content, and it’s important to notice any topics he mentions repeatedly and write down the way he phrases them. The final exam was a timed essay, and the prompts were based directly on some of the topics he doted on in lecture. Being able to follow his train of thought was highly useful.

He responds rapidly over email (if you put the class number in the subject line) and can direct you to further reading about many subjects involving sociology, especially in the context of California and the Indigenous peoples here, and the works of big-time decolonial theorizers. Laudably, Dr. Sexton is unafraid of challenging student assumptions and making cultural and systematic critiques that scholars in the natural and environmental sciences may shy away from. He also got me out and about in the LA environmental scene, via an individual research project on LA’s municipalities and enviro orgs, which was part of the class for everyone. I got to see how nonprofits can factor into enforcement of environmental regulations, via a boat patrol of the Marine Protected Areas off the Palos Verdes Peninsula with LA Waterkeeper, which was super super cool! That project showed me a way to take agency on an issue I care about.

The readings were hefty, though I’m glad I read them all and took my time with them. I’d never taken sociology before, and the readings both introduced me to the field/its theories and expertly applied them to environmental and social justice issues. Here’s the list:

Hartmut Rosa, The Uncontrollability of the World (Polity 2020). ISBN: **********168.
Kenneth A. Gould and Tammy L. Lewis, Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology, 3rd Edition (OUP 2020). ISBN: **********514. *e-copy is most affordable.
Kari Marie Norgaard, Salmon and Acorns Feed Our People: Colonialism, Nature, and Social Action (Rutgers 2019). ISBN 13: **********195. *Available free as an e-book through UCLA Library.
Ashley T. Rubin, Rocking Qualitative Social Science: An Irreverent Guide to Rigorous Research
(Stanford 2021). ISBN: **********243. *Available free as an e-book through UCLA Library.

The standout here for me was Rosa’s book on uncontrollability (and how the urge to control every aspect of life is an extension of a capital/colonial mindset). I had a super validating experience with this book: it gave me a probable external reason for my anxiety, going beyond the limited scope of my therapy experience on the self/internal world. Not what I was expecting from this class, but a welcome benefit.

All said, the class was a big time commitment, though a very worthwhile one, and Dr. Sexton led it well.

I was quite shocked going into this class after reading the reviews. This is my first sociology class but I am amazed at how biased and opinionated the material is in this class. If you are not a radical liberal, I do not recommend taking this class. As you will constantly hear about how you should feel white guilt, and all of the opinions of someone who is left-wing radical in their views. This class is based on the opinions of the professor, who seems like a very nice guy, but I am not attending UCLA to be persuaded into specific political views. Listening to the very first lecture and hearing the professor say how murderers and rapists should not be referred to as such because it dehumanizes them, I knew I was in for a ride. Writing papers on the assigned books merely consists of catering to radical left-wing viewpoints in order to get an A, in fear of disagreeing with the opinions being presented for the sake of my grade.

When it comes to registering for classes, the first thing I do without hesitation is search for the professor name (Jason sexton). If it's his class, I sign up immediately because of the immense trust I have in his teaching abilities and style. Without a doubt, he is the best professor in the world, and I hold the utmost respect for him.
Throughout his class, I have consistently found it to be incredibly interesting and enriching. I have gleaned valuable knowledge and insights, and it is a class I would happily continue taking indefinitely. From what I've observed, it's not just me who feels this way; many students hold his class in high regard and consider him one of the best professors in the world.

Among all the professors at UCLA, Professor Sexton is my favorite professor. As a student who often grapples with fear and anxiety, I found great solace in his warm and kind demeanor. His innate ability to create a relaxing and welcoming environment reassured many students, including myself.
The professor's class was not only helpful but also incredibly interesting. I gained invaluable knowledge and insights that have had a significant impact on me. Taking his class has ignited a strong desire within me to experience it again. I miss Professor Sexton!