1. If you did not see "Death in Gaza" in class, have missed certain parts of it or would like to view it again, it is posted on the internet. Click on this link to view the film.
Summarize and respond to the video "Death in Gaza." Pay particular attention to the processes of socialization and, using examples from the film, discuss how Ahmed's and/or Najla's experiences were both similar and different from your own as you were growing up. Use the sociological concepts of looking-glass self, role-models, significant/generalized others,and primary/secondary/reference groups, to guide and frame your analysis. Be certain to provide definitions of the key concepts that you use in your analysis.
Look at the sample essay answer (click here) for tips on how to write this essay.
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2. Interview one of your parents or grandparents and write a biographical essay that focuses on their life. You will apply at least ten sociological concepts (for example, socialization, looking-glass self, significant others, generalized others, role-model, subculture, primary group, secondary group. reference group, prejudice, racism, deviance, status-set, master status, status inconsistency, role-conflict) – to be defined and included in a glossary at the end of the essay – in a discussion about how your subject has been shaped by the social world(s) he or she inhabits. You will discuss their early and later socialization experiences, the various social positions they presently occupy, and how they navigate through the maze of social expectations, responsibilities and obligations that are attached to these positions. Be sure to include the impact of social groups and the mass media.
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3. Jean Kilbourne (Still Killing Us Softly) argues that:
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Women’s bodies are turned into objects in order to sell products,
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Women’s bodies are dismembered in order to sell products; just one part of the body is used to sell products,
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Women are portrayed in advertisements in ways that subtly trivialize women’s power; i.e., there are many images in advertising that silence women – images that show women with their hands over their mouths and other visuals, as well as copy, that strip women of their voices
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The body language of young women and girls in advertising is usually passive and vulnerable. Conversely, the body language of men and boys is usually powerful, active and aggressive.
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In recent years, advertisements have increasingly portrayed young girls and teenagers as sexual objects; teen models are often shown in seductive poses that draw attention to their bodies.
Examine the advertisements in three popular magazines (InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, Elle, Marie Claire, RedBook, Jane, Seventeen, Shape, SELF, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Maxim, etc.).
For each magazine, report the percentage of ads in which women are portrayed in the categories Kilbourne uses. Are there differences among the magazines you have chosen? How do you interpret your results? What effects, if any, do you think these portrayals of women have on their self-image and the way that they are perceived by others? What factors - i.e., age, sex, social class, cultural background - might mediate (amplify and/or dampen) the perception and impact of these messages?
