John Singer Sargent,
Man Reading

Summary - Response & Discussion Topics

Unit 3: Theoretical Approaches in Sociology: Micro and Macro Approaches

Summary - Response Papers:

You will complete four (4) brief summary-response papers during the semester – due dates are listed on the course calendar.Your paper should be roughly 750-1,000 words – three typed double-spaced pages (12 point font). You may only choose 1 assignment from each "batch/block of units" of the class: one SR paper from units 1 through 3; one SR paper from units 4 through 6; one SR paper from units 7 through 10; one SR paper from units 11 through 14.

These writing assignments are to be submitted through Canvas. Click on "Assignments" located in the left hand panel on the course page. Next, click on the appropriate Unit - i.e., if you are choosing to submit a paper from this unit - click on unit 3 under Assignments. After clicking on Unit 3 you will see a Turnitin Assignment Inbox where you will submit/upload your paper.

Discussion Topics

Taking part in class discussions, though not mandatory, will let you earn "bonus points" that can add up to a full letter grade to your final grade for the course.

To contribute, click on "Discussions" located in the left hand panel on Canvas. Next, choose a discussion topic for this unit, click on it, read the prompt, and click on "Reply." Be sure that you add your name. For more sinformation on how to submit your comments and/or engage in the online class discussion, go to the "Frequently Asked Questions" page

 

 

Unit 3: Theoretical Approaches in Sociology: Micro and Macro Approaches

You may choose one of these options as one of your four required summary-response papers:

A. Provide an overview of the "symbolic interactionist" perspective in sociology - what are its main ideas, how does it differ from other sociological approaches. Next, summarize Erving Goffman's “dramaturgical approach” (which is one variant of the interactionist perspective) and apply it to one specific social interaction that you have experienced in your social life. Examples are job interviews, first day on the job, first dates, meeting the parents of significant others, professional or in-class presentations. Discuss the "social scripts" that you follow and show how the concepts of "social roles," "scripts," “rehearsal,” “impression management,” "props," “face-work” and “front” and “back” stage help describe your role performance. Be certain to define each of these concepts.

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B. The structural-functional approach to the study of society stresses that (among other things) the major institutions in society – family, polity, economy, religion, education, science – operate independently and that each has specific functions they fulfill that keeps society operating smoothly. But since these institutions are part of the same system, they are also both interdependent and interpenetrating; whatever happens in one institution will affect all of the others. Problems arise, however, because important differences will be found in the goals each institution strives to attain as well as in the core beliefs, values, and interests each institution places emphasis upon. Illustrate this last point by discussing a current controversy posed by the intersection of two or more institutions (i.e., separation of church and state; teaching intelligent design in biology classes; using economic principles to assess educational outcomes; home schooling; textbook/curriculum debates.)

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C. The point was made in class that conflict was "built into the structure of society and that most conflicts occur when people are living up to the expectations associated with the social positions (statuses) that they occupy - they are doing what they are supposed to be doing." Explain why this is the case and then, using an example from your life, illustrate this point.

Next, discuss one example of (a) status-conflict, (b) status-strain, (c) role-conflict, and (d) role-strain in your daily life. Describe the conflicts and strains and indicate how you resolve these issues.

Sample essay (click here)
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D. The German word "Schlimmbesserung" refers to an effort to make something better that actually makes things worse. The American saying is that "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Each of these highlights the important point noted by sociologists that all actions have multiple consequences and that the majority of these consequences are unintended and unanticipated. Choose a social action and trace its multiple consequences for different individuals, groups, social categories, and society as a whole, identifying which few of these consequences are manifest (intended by the actors) and those that are latent (unintended and unanticipated).

 

Discussion Topics
These are posted in the "Discussions" Section in Canvas

1. Read the spoof, MySpace Outage Leaves Millions Friendless and then watch the brief videos Facebook Manners and You and South Park's Spoof of Facebook (Warning: language you might think is objectionable is contained in this video). Briefly summarize the main ideas presented and discuss how your social interaction has been shaped by new social media. Have new norms evolved? Has it led to a new form of social anxiety, "FOMO", the fear of missing something? Last, go to Emily Post's Ettiquette page on "Social Networking," and evaluate the "advice" she gives. What about her advice do you think makes sense? How much of her advice do you think is off the mark and you routinely ignore? Why do you think she is so offbase?

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2. Symbolic interactionists stress the importance of language and show how the creation, definition, and sharing of sybmols (language is one type) are "socially constructed." This means, of course, that the meanings that are attached to symbols can change over time. The "swastika" - a symbol that today carries extremely negative overtones, has had an interesting social history. Read and then comment on the two brief accounts Symbolism: The Swastika Before World War II and Let the Swastika Bring You Luck in this New Year to illustrate this process. Next, either choose a word in the English language that has changed its meaning over the past decades - like the word "straight" - and indicate how its changing definition is linked with cultural changes occuring in society at the time OR choose a word that is either unique to a particular sub-culture or is defined differently by different groups today, and indicate how social factors have shaped the social construction of the word's meaning.

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3. Fashion was once fixed by law – the so-called sumptuary laws, set forth by Charlemagne early in the 9th century – which prescribed that a person’s dress match his place in the social hierarchy. In the court of Louis XIV, for example, only certain men were allowed to wear certain ribbons. And, as shown in this the brief reading, From Manly to Sexy: The History of the High Heel, high heel shoes were mostly worn by men. As Wade writes, men eventually stopped wearing heels once it became common for women to do so because it now tainted their power as a status symbol for men. How does this link up with Goffman's concept of "impression management?" Can you think of other "fashions" that fit this example?