Intro to Sociology

 

Learning Objective for DQ 1:

To choose and discuss a specific topic or issue and examine it from one of the four major sociological perspectives.

Student Learner Outcomes for DQ 1 and Core Objectives:
5. Explain the Complex Links.  Social Responsibility.

Please respond to the following question:

The use of sociological perspectives allows us to critically assess assumptions about some aspect of human behavior in order to see the strange in the familiar. Explain why using (a) sociological perspective can make you feel more in control of your life. On the other hand, in what ways does it make you feel less in control? In answering Discussion Question #1, I would like you to create a real-life example of human behavior or experience for one of the four major sociological or theoretical perspectives. In other words, you are to chooseone sociological perspective to argue how the sociological perspective can make you feel more or less in control of your life.  You are to also provide a real-life example of human behavior to support your arguments.  

For example, if I were to respond to Discussion Question #1, I could use my occupation as an example in arguing how the structural-functionalist perspective can enable me to feel more and less in control of my life.  As a professor of sociology, I am connected to important social structures that make up the College of the Mainland.  My teaching duties revolve around manifest functions that prepare me to meet the academic needs of my students.  The college is supportive of my instructional duties and professional development to ensure that I am prepared to teach my students. Thus, my teaching duties are expected outcomes of my profession.  These outcomes allow me to feel more in control of my teaching obligations. They also contribute to the stability of the institution and its students. 

On the other hand, I may experience feeling less in control whenever I am unable to meet the demands of my students. Let's suppose that the publishing company of our course textbook, Society in Focus, is unable to print textbook copies for all of my introductory sociology students attending College of the Mainland. This means that you will not be able to purchase a textbook for the course because they are none available.  From a structural-functionalist perspective, I may experience latent functions as a result of my students not having textbooks to study for the course.  These latent or unexpected functions of the publisher not being able to produce a textbook, may lead to my students failing exams and quizzes or not passing the course. Because of this, there could be a potential disruption or dysfunction to our school's stability.  College of the Mainland may have to resort to another publishing company to address this potential dysfunction. At the end, students will be able to secure an introductory sociology book from an alternative book company. And all students will also be satisfied and happy! 

I have provided you with one real-life example or experience. You may utilize different real-life examples to argue one of the four theoretical or sociological perspectives.  If you would like to, you may apply one of the four major theoretical perspectives to your or your family experiences during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey or any other experience.  

As you respond, to Discussion Question One, please make sure to connect one of the four perspectives discussed in chapter one to the question (structural-functionalist, symbolic-interactionist, conflict, and feminist). You may refer to my lecture notes on “Discovering Sociology-Chapter One” and also to the textbook.

For a review of the four major theoretical perspectives please access the two web links that I have posted in Chapter One's lecture notes (Discovering sociology) in Unit One's learning module: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paA61KfOcEc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorqPUYu_SE 

Please make sure to reply to this discussion question by clicking on the Use of the Sociological Perspectives Forum area and then on the Create Thread to post your response.  You must create a thread to view other participants' postings.  In other words, you must submit your initial or long posting before you are able to view other students' threads. It is also important to review the course Syllabus for instructions on how to post Discussion responses.  

All discussion postings should be typed and size font not greater than 12. You must also use Times New Roman.

You must critically formulate a response that is approximately a page in length and font size should be 12. Furthermore, you must post at least one response to a classmate's response, approximately a half-page in length.  In your follow-up response to a classmate’s posting, do not respond only by saying…I agree or I disagree. I want you to state the facts as to why you agree or disagree with the posting.

Discussion question one or DQ 1 opens on July 15, 2019 at 8:00 AM and is due on July 28, 2019 at 11:59 PM.