Soc204. Sociology in Everyday Life. Fall 2002 Instructor: Jan Abu Shakrah, , Study Guide A: The Sociological Perspective

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1 Soc204. Sociology in Everyday Life. Fall 2002 Instructor: Jan Abu Shakrah, , Study Guide A: The Sociological Perspective I. Reading: Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society, 2e. Chapter 1: Developing a Sociological Perspective This chapter introduces you to sociology and the sociological perspective. The learning objectives for this unit are to: Appreciate sociology as an empirical discipline. Grasp the sociological perspective and the process of debunking Identify the key sociological concepts of social structure, social institutions, social change, and social interaction. Define social diversity in a global context. Appreciate the social and historical context of the development of modern sociology. Identify the basic insights of classical sociological theory, including the contributions of the giants of European sociology Durkheim, Marx, and Weber. Identify the major contributions and characteristics of American sociology. Appreciate the role women and racial minorities have had in the history of sociology. Appreciate and apply the major theoretical frameworks of functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Become familiar with diverse theoretical perspectives, like feminist theory, exchange theory, rational choice theory, and postmodernism. II. Videos/Televised Lessons: Lesson #1: Why Sociology? Learning Objectives: 1. Identify sociology as a discipline. 2. Describe visual sociology 3. Describe the development of sociology as a discipline. 4. Explain how a sociological imagination increases awareness of self and society. Lesson #2: Sociological Perspectives. Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the major sociological perspectives. 2. Describe the feminist sociological perspective. 3. Interpret an event using the sociological perspectives. 4. Explain how the sociological perspectives contribute to a critical understanding of society. III. ASSIGNMENTS. The assignments for this unit are attached Worksheet 1 and Application 1. To reinforce what you have read in the text and viewed on the video-segments, you should complete these assignments as soon as possible. To stay on schedule, I should receive the assignments by Tuesday, October 8 th. Worksheet 1: 25 points Application 1 (culture): 75 points See syllabus for details about sending in assignments.

2 Soc204T. Sociology in Everyday Life 25 possible points. Due: October 8 th. Name: WORKSHEET 1: Chapter 1 and Telecourse Lesson What is sociology, and how does it differ from other social sciences? 2. How does the discipline of sociology differ from common sense? Using an example, illustrate how sociologists debunk social myths. 3. Explain why it is important for sociologists to identify their own values and biases and establish a critical distance from the issues and events they study, and how they would do that.

3 4. Select one of the early European or American sociologists, discussed in your text or on the video program, who appeals to you, and describe their contribution to the discipline of sociology. What about this sociologist appealed to you? 5. Describe how gang behavior might be studied on the micro, middle, and macro levels of analysis in sociology. What are some of the questions that a sociologist would ask at each of those levels of analysis?

4 Name: Application 1: Using Your Sociological Imagination and Sociological Perspectives to Analyze a Social Issue. [I have indicated the approximate space you should allow for your responses. Use this form or answer in your own format.] 1. Select a social issue or event with which you have some experience or familiarity. Using an example of a personal trouble that has affected your own life or people you know (like unemployment, domestic violence, homelessness, discrimination, divorce, substance abuse, teen pregnancy), illustrate how the sociological imagination works by explaining how people cope with the problem on a personal level (as a personal trouble ) and by demonstrating the connection between that personal trouble and a public issue. Explain how the issue is shaped by social structure. 2. Based on telecourse lesson 2 and the section of Chapter 1 on the sociological perspectives, think about your selected issue. Below, explain briefly how you think each of the three major sociological perspectives would go about studying and explaining that issue. How would they define the problem? On what level would they study the issue? What questions would they ask? What social factors would they consider?

5 Functionalism: Conflict Theory: Symbolic Interaction Theory: Feminist Theory: