Dennis Wright can you help with my assinment?
lorain7
assignment_5_tips.docxFor M5, the Application Project involves you interviewing two people regarding their position in society. It is recommended that you select these two individuals as soon as possible and begin thinking about questions that you can ask them. The interview can be done in person, on the phone, or through email, but should include questions like: where they were born, their perceived social class, their race, their education, why they chose their particular career, and whether they have experienced any social mobility.
Format of Paper
Format it just as you've been doing for other papers in this course: introduction, sections that address each component, and conclusion. As you address the components of the assignment, you could integrate some direct quotes from your interviewees.
ASSIGNMENT 5 - Teachers comments are in red
What role has class, race, and gender played in their lives? How do you see these stratifiers as playing a role, even if the interviewee is unaware of it? I would ask, "How has your race affected how you live your life," or, “how do other people see you,” or more directly "what role has it played in your life?" After the interview when you reflect on this data, consider what you’ve learned about stratifiers in order to speak to the second part of this component. For example, if you interviewed me and I tell you I identify as white and female, and I don't think my gender has made any difference in my life.... what would you have to say about that in your paper given what you know about inequality based on gender?
Apply one of the sociological perspectives (structural-functional, social-conflict, or symbolic-interaction) to the individuals’ lives. Why did you choose this particular perspective? How does it explain each person’s life and life choices?
Using myself as example of your interviewee again: write about my life as I’ve described it to you through one of these three lenses. Let's say you choose the social-conflict theory: how do the concerns and viewpoints of this approach play out in my life, as you understand it? First explain the social-conflict approach to understanding society. Then, for example, you could write: "The interviewee seems unaware that society is organized by hierarchies of social categories, where some categories (or identities) gain resources needed to do well, and other identity categories have many barriers put in their path. In addition to telling me that gender makes no difference in terms of life choices she’s made, she also said the same thing about class and race differences. Her belief is that if you work hard enough regardless of your race, gender or class, you will get what you want out of life.”
What are some the benefits and limitations to using interview as a research methodology? Use the course e-book by John Macionis or any other source you find in the Argosy online library that provides a description of this methodology. Write about the pros and cons of the method. Based on your experience interviewing two people, you can relate what worked and didn't work for you, or what surprised you, --these are always good ways to discuss methods used for a research project.
Analyze each person’s components of culture (language, symbols, material objects, and behaviors) and relate them to his/her stratified position in society. This implies that when you interviewed me, I talked about some components of my culture. It also tells you now, before you do the interview, that you should ask about my cultural symbols. For example, you could say: "Cheri, as someone who identifies as white, what objects in your home or when you're out in public seem to be examples of that part of your identity?"
Be prepared for it to be somewhat challenging for your interviewee to think of something. It’s difficult for many white people to come up with symbols that convey their whiteness.Many white people believe that they don't "have" race or ethnicity or culture--but everyone has, or is, a race, an ethnicity, and a culture(s).
On the other hand, if I had answered the question about my race by telling you "I identify as Jewish," then I might also tell you that i have a menorah (candelabra) on my living room shelf, which is a symbol of my Jewishness.
Important: even if you don’t think Jewish is a racial category, do not disagree with the person you’re interviewing. You could say, “Will you tell me more about Jewish as your race?” See how that doesn’t contradict your interviewee? That’s important. It helps gain more information from her about how she thinks of her racial identity, which you can use in your paper. The other tip for writing this paper: look at the rubric for it! I've attached it for you.
