Web Exercises

Lively and stimulating web exercises and links can be used in class to reinforce active learning and key features from the text. The activities apply to individual or group projects.

› Web Exercises (Word)

Tip: Click on each link to expand and view the content. Click again to collapse. 

Chapter 1:  Sociology: A Unique Way to View the World

 

1.To take a look at some of the sociological issues that are being debated in the United States, go to The Brookings Institute. Specifically visit the United States page at http://www.brookings.edu/research/topics/u-s-states-and-territories. Select a state and then a study described on the front page. Synthesize this study in your words. Then explain how this demonstrates a sociological perspective. Make sure to include a link to the study in your submitted work.

 

2.Read the following article about the high school dropout rate here: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=16. Write a brief analysis that highlights the main points of this report and discuss how sociologists would use the sociological imagination to study this issue.

 

3.Do a general search on “the sociological perspective” or “the sociological imagination.” Find a definition and an example of this concept, being sure to cite your sources. Then create your own example and include a short discussion about how we can better understand your example using the sociological perspective. Some possible places to search include:

 

4.Go to Intute: Virtual Training Suite and take the Sociologist Tour at http://www.vtstutorials.co.uk/tutorial/sociology/. When taking the tour, collect 5 to 10 websites and place them in your link basket. Then make a document containing each with a brief one- to two-sentence description of how you think this site will help you with your sociology course.

 

5.What do sociologists do? Go to some online job search engines like Monster, Career Builder or Get Sociology Jobs Now. Run a web search for jobs that are available to sociologists and social scientists. You may wish to compare local and national searches. Then select three careers that look interesting to you and write up a paragraph about how the study of sociology would aid someone looking to fill that position. Then revisit this assignment during the final week of your sociology course and compare your first assessment of how sociology would apply to these positions. Last, write a short paragraph describing why these jobs are more or less interesting to you given what you have learned in your sociology course.

 

6.Visit the website for the journal Teaching Sociology, which is a journal dedicated to helping instructors better convey sociological material to their students. Search the site to find an article on an activity that seems interesting to you. Write the title of the article down along with a brief explanation of why the activity or concept looks interesting to you and submit it to your instructor.

 

7.What can you do with a job in sociology? If you are interested in a major and future career in the field of sociology, start by exploring the Jobs and Careers for Undergraduate page at the website.

At this ASA site, you can learn much more about what you can do with a BA or MA in sociology, learn how schools are being assessed in their training of sociologists today, see the latest data on employment, salaries, and enrollments, and see the latest research being done in the field. If you’re interested in more information, explore the ASA site further, and talk to professors in your department.

 

8.Visit the American Sociological Association website. Read resources under the “About ASA” section. Pay particular attention to the “What is Sociology?” and the “Mission” sections. Write a paragraph about what you discover on your visit to the site, including the mission of ASA and why you believe sociologists benefit from having a professional organization. Also discuss how the mission of the discipline is both similar to and different from what you expected.

 

Chapter 2: Examining the Social World: How Do We Know? 

 

1.Sociologists do research in order to answer questions they have about the social world. Sociological research involves a number of patterned steps that are followed to reach conclusions from data gathered in the research process. Moreover, journal articles that discuss sociological research generally include discussion of the elements of the research.

If your university has access to JSTOR or the Social Science Index, find a journal article that provides examples of sociological research. If you are unable to access these resources, you can use the Virtual Library. Read the article and answer the following questions for each:

a.What research question(s) does the author ask?

b.Does the research involve testing hypotheses?

i.If so, what is/are the hypotheses?

c.What are the characteristics of the sample?

d.How is the study conducted?

e.What are the researcher's findings?

f.What suggestions (if any) does the researcher have for future studies?

 

2.Take a look at some peer-reviewed articles at “Sociological Research Online.” The link is found at http://www.socresonline.org.uk/home.html. Select one article and analyze it in terms of which research method was utilized. Summarize the main points of the article.

 

3.Do a general search on “ethical issues in social research.” Write a report (including proper citations) that gives a general overview of ethical issues in social research. Be sure to include some examples of ethical issues that sociologists might encounter, how they resolve those issues, and what an institutional review board is. Some possible places to search include:

 

4.Find a theorist that interests you on the Dead Sociologists Index at http://media.pfeiffer.edu/lridener/dss/. Answer the following questions:

a.What were some of the theorist’s primary ideas?

b.Would you consider this person a functionalist, conflict theorist, rational choice theorist, symbolic interactionist, or feminist theorist? Why?

c.Did this theorist do research? If so, what was their primary methodology?

 

5.The General Social Survey is a nationally representative survey that asks individuals questions about a number of topics. Read through the Frequently Asked Questions, the Detailed Study Description, some of the topics asked about in the survey, and your textbook to answer the following questions:

a.How was the survey developed?

b.What is the research method?

c.How many people are studied every year?

d.What two topics that are covered by the survey do you feel are most important to learn about and why?

 

6.Explore the website SocioWeb. This website has extensive lists of sociological theories and theorists who aren’t discussed in the textbook.

a.Select another theoretical perspective beyond one discussed in your text. Describe the arguments from the theory you find more convincing and arguments from the theory you find less convincing. Select a theory that is discussed in your text and include a short discussion of how this theory is connected to the one you selected from the website.

 

7.Visit the United Nations Statistics Division website. Find a trend or pattern that interests you listed under the Economic Statistics and Demographic & Social Statistics sections. Write a research question you could investigate using these data. Then create a table with these numbers and devise a strategy to investigate them. State how these numbers were collected and calculated.

 

Chapter 3:  Society and Culture: Hardware and Software of Our Social World 

1.Anthropology, another social science, emerged as an effort to scientifically explain the extraordinary cultural variation found among groups of humans. Read the biography of the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead and listen to the webcasts on her work. Then write a paragraph answering the following questions: How did Mead understand anthropology? What lessons can you take from Mead’s philosophy as you study cultures and societies?

 

2.Do a web search on “social norms.” Find a definition and 5 to 10 examples of social norms, making sure to provide citations. Then, either through YouTube or observing a busy area around your home for a half hour, provide examples of people violating or conforming to these norms. Some possible places to search include:

 

3.One of the biggest obstacles to understanding other cultures is ethnocentrism. This concept is defined in your text as “the tendency to view one’s own group and its cultural expectations as right, proper, and superior to others.” Visit and read Indiana University anthropologist Ken Barger's website on ethnocentrism. Then write a paragraph discussing whether this is an appropriate and inclusive definition of the term. Conclude this paragraph with a list of five to seven instances in which you have observed individuals being ethnocentric.

 

4.The Internet has created a culture of its own, and communication in the Internet culture is a big part of the electronic culture. Explore the aspect of cyber culture known as “netiquette” by visiting Virginia Shea's Netiquette Home Page. Read the Core Rules of Netiquette. Review the rules and describe whether each is reflected in your college community. Whether the rule is violated or supported, make sure to explain why you feel this is in your description.

 

5.Give yourself 5 minutes to construct a quick list of things you simply cannot live without. Then visit a search engine like Google and search for “Things I cannot live without.” Compare your list to others posted online. After completing your search, make a list of what you believe to be 5 to 10 pieces of material culture that are central to our society. In your list, also include one or two sentences per item detailing an element of nonmaterial culture that that item exhibits.

 

6.Visit a web forum dedicated to one of your central interests. See if you can identify norms and values associated with people who share these interests. Then figure out if you think this group is a subculture, a counterculture, or a part of mainstream culture. Make a list of beliefs, values, norms, and material cultural elements associated with the group. Then state the cultural group (subculture, counterculture, mainstream culture) you identified and explain why.

 

7.Identify a group you believe is either a subculture or a counterculture. Make an argument in a written paragraph based on your initial assessment of the group and based only on what you know about the group prior to researching it. Then research this group using a web search. Write a second paragraph addressing your initial assessment. Discuss whether you changed your opinion and why. Make sure to note what you discovered about the group’s beliefs, norms, and values. Some possible places to search include:

 

8.Read about the rise in skinhead groups in recent years here: http://archive.adl.org/racist_skinheads/skinhead_groups.html. Are these groups subcultures or countercultures? What characteristics make them one or the other? Do you think we will see an increase in these types of groups in the next 20 years? Why or why not? Analyze these questions in a 1-page paper.

 

9.Culture and cultural diffusion:

Visit this site: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/grade3/geograph.html. Then consider the following:

a.How does a geographical examination of culture complement a sociological perspective?

b.What is meant by cultural diffusion?

i.How has the process of cultural diffusion impacted your community?

Chapter 4:   Socialization: Becoming Human and Humane 

1.Socialization is a process that begins at birth and continues throughout our lives. As we go through life, we learn conform to particular roles. This process is referred to as socialization, and it helps us to define who we are and how we are expected to behave in social situations. An important study conducted by Harry Harlow and his associates examined the importance of social interaction in this socialization process. Go to The Experiment for a brief summary of the study. After reviewing and analyzing this experiment, answer the following questions:

  • How did the “motherless mothers” treat their own offspring?
  • If one of our parents does not socialize us for some reason, do you think we can we learn to be “a mother” or “a father” through other means? If so, how? If not, what are the social consequences?

 

 

2.Do a general search on “socialization throughout the life cycle.” Write a report (including proper citations) that includes what our agents of socialization are, how we can be resocialized, and what impact our sex, race, and social class have on the ways in which we are socialized. Some possible places to search include:

 

3.A number of fields (psychology, work and occupations, etc.) use personality inventories to learn more about other people. Take the personality inventory at http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm and read through your results. Answer the following questions:

  • What most surprised you from the inventory? Why?
  • What least surprised you from the inventory? Why?
  • Based upon the findings, what agents of socialization do you think most impacted your personality?
  • Based upon the findings, do you think your personality was shaped the most by biology or socialization? Why do you feel this way?

 

4.The Internet is changing the way we interact and socialize. The Pew Internet and American Life project has undertaken a continuing series of studies of many aspects of the Internet's effects. Read through the at least one of the reports on the internet and social media’s effect on communities and teen identity. Then, if you are not a member of an Internet community or social networking site, join one and participate for a period of time. Suggested sites include Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr. Consider the following:

  • What is your experience of using the Internet to socialize with others?
  • How did you learn to be a member of an Internet community?
  • What rules for interaction (written or implied) exist within that community?
  • What sanctions are imposed upon those who do not follow the rules of an Internet community?

 

5.Socialization and homeschooling. There is some debate today over whether children who are homeschooled will be socialized in the same way as children who attend schools and whether that’s a good or bad thing. Do an Internet search on this subject. Take this opportunity to practice searching for scientific research rather than the personal-opinion blogs and public forums that are plentiful on this subject.

  • What is the general consensus in the scientific literature on homeschooling and socialization?
  • Was it easier to find scientific research on this topic or personal opinions? What effect do you think that has on the debate?

 

6.Visit this website that discusses childhood socialization:

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=553

  • From your text, how do sociologists describe the development of the self?
  • Why would it be important for educators to understand the sociological viewpoint regarding the development of the self?
  • What role does schooling play in childhood socialization?
    • Other than teaching kids the fundamentals (reading and writing), what else do kids learn in school?

7.Many people are now turning to the Internet to find dating partners and/or potential mates. There are many types of dating sites for people of various demographic backgrounds. Visit http://www.top10bestdatingsites.com/ and read the reviews of the dating sites that are featured. Compare some of the sites to each other in terms of services offered and the prices to join in a 1-page paper. Also include an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of Internet dating sites.

 

8.The Internet has changed the way that many people communicate. Visit http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/technology/articles/pages/youngminds.aspx and read about how the Internet is changing the way young people think and behave. Prepare an analysis of the article answering the following questions:

  • How has the Internet changed the way young people think and behave?
  • What if the Internet disappeared today; how would it affect workplace behaviors?

 

 

Chapter 5:  Interaction, Groups, and Organizations: Connections That Work 

  1. Do a web search on the BBC News website for “gender and globalization” or “gender issues and globalization.” Find one current issue through this web search (i.e., something that has occurred within the last 2 years) and write a 1-page brief on how globalization influenced this issue.

 

  1. Do a general search on “multinational corporations.” Find a definition and an example of what a multinational corporation is and some of the major multinational corporations in our nation, being sure to cite your sources. Make a list of three to five of these corporations and visit their websites. Write one to two sentences on how they perceive the need for multinational operation. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. In previous generations, networking meant connecting to people who could provide career assistance. Visit two major social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook, and see how they view or define networking. Then write a paragraph explaining how this definition changed for the current generation. Make sure to include how you define networking and why you selected this definition. Next, visit LinkedIn and compare your findings based on what you find on that site regarding social networking. Write a second paragraph discussing the similarities and differences you found.

 

  1. Do a web search of “social structure” and “sociology” to create a definition of social structure as it is used in sociology. Create a definition of social structure, making sure to cite your sources. Using this definition, make a list of several social structures you belong to. Then, use the social world model to explore how the structure influences you at the micro level and how it creates goals at the meso level. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Go to the Columbia Journalism Review’s Who Owns What page and investigate media conglomeration through ownership of media companies. Discuss the relationships you find among the media through ownership. In your opinion, what are the positives and negatives of media ownership?

 

  1. Visit a website of a group or organization you are aware of or affiliated with. Read the goals and missions of this organization. Decide if this organization is micro, meso, or macro (or if it exists at multiple levels). Make an argument for the level you select.

 

  1. Visit the website for the International Monetary Fund. Using information from this site and from the material in your textbook:
  • How can a sociological understanding of groups and group dynamics help to inform someone in the financial world?
  • How would you use Weber’s work on bureaucracies to analyze an organization such as the IMF?

 

  1. Many colleges actively promote diversity on their campuses. Review this article: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/22/justice/scotus-michigan-affirmative-action/. What was the ruling by the Supreme Court in this case? Do you think race should be a criterion in college admissions? Why or why not?

 

  1. Visit http://www.marchofdimes.org/mission/history.aspx and read about the history of the March of Dimes. Analyze why the March of Dimes is considered to be a good example of goal displacement. Conduct a web search using the term “examples of goal displacement” and locate another business that has experienced goal displacement and compare your findings about it to those regarding the March of Dimes.

 

 

 

Chapter 6:  Deviance and Social Control: Sickos, Weirdos, Freaks, and Folks Like Us 

1.Go to the Bureau of Justice Statistics webpage. After examining the violent crime trends at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=31 and cyber-crime trends at http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=41, under the “Crime Type tab,” answer the following questions:

  • To what do you attribute the drop in violent crime?
  • What do you think explains violent crime committed against youth? How would a conflict theorist explain cyber-crimes committed against a business? How would a symbolic interactionist explain this?

 

2.Do a general search on “organized crime.” Write a report (including proper citations) that includes the prevalence and impact of organized crime in the United States and worldwide as well as a profile of the types of people who enter into organized crime. Some possible places to search include:

 

 

3.The death penalty is a contentious issue in both sociology and U.S. society generally. The website of the Death Penalty Information Center is a useful source of information on this subject. Examine the facts at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/5623/4, and answer the following questions:

  • How would a conflict theorist explain the differential death penalty rates given to minority offenders?
  • How would a conflict theorist explain the differential death penalty rates given to offenders who select white victims?
  • Which costs the taxpayers more: imprisoning an offender for life or putting an offender to death? Given this, what social function of prisons do you think the death penalty is attempting to fulfill?

 

4.Drug and alcohol abuse are two of the primary contributors to crime in America. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to read about illicit drug use among persons arrested for serious crimes.

  • Based upon this report, what percentage of serious criminals use illicit drugs?
  • Based upon these findings, what do you think the criminal justice system should focus on to reduce crime overall?
  • Which seems most necessary to you within prisons—deterrence, punishment, or rehabilitation? Why?

 

5.Do some research on war crimes. Although the textbook didn’t discuss war crimes specifically, they can be included in the discussion of “state-organized crimes.” Cornell University’s law school has a collection of U.S. Codes, including the specific U.S. laws prohibiting war crimes: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00002441----000-.html. Visit this site to learn what actions are considered war crimes under U.S. law.

  • According to this code, what constitutes a war crime? What is the punishment?
  • Were you surprised to learn that certain actions are considered war crimes? Which ones?
  • Do you think any of these actions can be justified during a state of war? What about “in the interest of national security”? Why or why not?

 

6.Visit the Worthy, Weird, and Wacky News website and select a news story. In your opinion, why is this story news? Explore the role of deviance, norms, and conformity in the newsworthiness of this event. What norms is the individual violating? What norms are they upholding? What norms are the news media violating by covering this event? What norms are they upholding?

 

7.Visit the website for the Anti-Defamation League. Explore the links on the left-hand side such as “Combating Hate” and “Civil Rights.”

  • What are the characteristics of a hate crime?
  • How can hate crimes occur on the micro, meso, and macro level?
  • How would differential association theory explain hate crimes? What about feminist theory?

 

8.More and more states, over the years, are legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use. Visit http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation and read about what the Drug Policy Alliance stance regarding the legalization of marijuana. What are some of the main points of their argument? Do you agree with these points? Why or why not?

 

9.Visit the FBI site that pertains specifically to hate crimes here: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes. Read about the two most recent hate crimes under the category “In the News” on the right-hand side of the page. Analyze each story by writing a paragraph on each case. Why do you think that the majority of hate crimes are racially motivated?

 

Chapter 7:  Stratification: Rich and Famous—or Rags and Famine? 

1.Perhaps the most famous phrase Marx ever wrote is this: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” Select a conflict in history and do a web search on it and social class. Then write a paragraph on the role social class played in this dispute. If you are interested in reading the Communist Manifesto, you can find it on the Marxist Internet Archive at http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm.

 

2.Human trafficking is a form of slavery. Visit http://www.humantrafficking.org/ and select three countries on the left-hand side of the page. Read about the incidence of human trafficking in each country and write a 1-page analysis comparing the information found within each country.

 

3.Do a general search on “social stratification” and another on “social inequality.” Find a definition of social stratification, being sure to cite your sources. Then find an example of social stratification producing inequality and include a short discussion about the relationship between stratification and inequality. Some possible places to search include:

 

4.The U.S. Census Bureau is one of the best sources of data that allow us to research the impact of social stratification. Visit the Census Bureau Newsroom and find a report that addresses an issue of social stratification. Write a paragraph summarizing the findings of the report, making sure to connect them to social stratification and inequality.

 

5.Visit the Global Rich List. Enter the income you realistically hope to earn during your highest-earning year and see where that places you. Then enter in your parents’ income or your income from the previous year. Next, start putting in some amounts you believe would be impossible to live on and see how many of the world’s population lives at that level. Write a paragraph on your findings, making sure to describe what you discovered about the global income gap.

 

6.Visit the Forbes website and examine the Forbes 400, or the 400 wealthiest individuals in the world, at http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/30/forbes-400-gates-buffett-wealth-rich-list-09_land.html. Examine the list, making sure to note how much individuals have, how they earned their money, and their important social statuses like race and gender. Write a paragraph about wealth inequality. You may want to do exercises 4 and 5 together and write your paragraphs connecting what you found.

 

7.The textbook briefly mentioned the trend of women attending college in greater numbers than men but didn’t discuss the causes for it. Read some of the following articles on this increasing gender gap:

 

  • What are some of the reasons given for why women outnumber men in attending college and receiving degrees?
  • Do you think this trend has had an impact on social stratification in the United States over the past few decades? Do you think it will have any effect in the coming years? Why or why not?

 

8.Visit World Mapper. This website creates proportional maps to illustrate social and physical inequalities. Select one to three maps that you find particularly interesting and write about them addressing the following questions:

  • What sociological issue is the map addressing? How is it doing this?
  • What is it about this map that you find most interesting? Why?
  • How did the visualization of the image impact your understanding of the issue?

 

9.Visit the United Nations Statistics Division Economic Statistics page at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/economic_main.htm. Select an economic table that you find interesting and speaks to issues of global inequality.

  • What is the sociological issue the data are addressing? How are they doing that?
  • What is it about the presentation of data that you find most interesting? Why?
  • How did reporting of the data impact your understanding of global stratification?

 

10.Visit the Dead Sociologists webpage at http://media.pfeiffer.edu/lridener/dss/.

  • Read about Marx and alienation, and Weber and class, status, and power.
  • In what ways did Weber build upon the work of Marx in his theories of social class? What did Veblen mean by “conspicuous consumption?”

 

11.How was Jane Addams like Marx in her approach to social class? The income inequality gap between the richest and poorest Americans is widening. Read about this here: http://online.wsj.com/articles/fed-gap-between-rich-poor-americans-widened-during-recovery-1409853628. Summarize the main points of this article. Why are ownership rates for assets such as cars and homes decreasing? 

Chapter 8:  Race and Ethnic Group Stratification: Beyond “Us” and “Them” 

 

1.Do a general search on “racism.” Find a definition of racism, being sure to cite your sources. Then find some examples of people discussing racism and write a paragraph on which type of racism discussed in your text these examples portray. Some possible places to search include:

 

2.Do a web search on “poverty and race.” Find at least two articles addressing the issue of the relationship of poverty to race in the United States. Give a synopsis of the article and reflect on the relationship between race and poverty. Cite the article.

 

3.Using the U.S. Bureau of the Census reports, examine one of the reports on race or ethnicity in the United States. Then write a 1-page brief detailing the relationship between race and inequality in the United States.

 

4.Go to http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map to access the U.S. Hate Groups map interactively. Click on your state or the closest state to you if you are not in the contiguous United States to see which groups are found in your state, and read about recent hate incidents in your state. Are you surprised to see what groups have supporters in your state? Have you encountered these groups either personally or in the news? Write a paragraph detailing your thoughts and findings.

 

5.Go to the PBS The Power of an Illusion site and try the “Sorting People” exercise. Note how you did. Then revisit the section in your text about race as a social construction. Write a paragraph connecting the Sorting People exercise to the social construction of race.

 

6.Conduct a web search on a major domestic news website like CNN or Fox News for “race relations” or “ethnic relations.” Find one current issue through this web search (i.e., something that has occurred within the last 2 years) and write a 1-page brief on how racial or ethnic conflict influenced this issue.
 

7.Conduct a web search on a major international news website such as BBC World or Al Jazeera for “race relations” or “ethnic relations.” Find one current issue through this web search (i.e., something that has occurred within the last 2 years) and write a 1-page brief on how racial or ethnic conflict influenced this issue.

 

8.Go to http://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/overview/1790.html and note the various racial categories used in the 1790 census. Then go to http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf and locate the information regarding racial and ethnic categories. How do the two censuses compare in terms of racial categories?

 

10. Do a general search on “income and race.” Locate two news articles regarding the relationship between these two variables. How do these articles compare? What are the similarities and differences between the two articles?

Chapter 9:  Gender Stratification: She/He—Who Goes First? 

1.The mass media, especially advertising, are powerful socializing agents. A San Francisco-based group called About Face has put together a website about gender stereotypes in the media that informs, outrages, and humors all at once.

 

2.Do a general search on “gender stratification.” Write a report (using proper citations) that includes the definition of gender stratification, an explanation of how widespread and severe it is, and a discussion of how you feel about stratification in the United States and worldwide. Some possible places to search include:

 

3.Go to the EEOC’s Facts About Sexual Harassment, a site that provides information about sexual harassment at a practical level, to get a more complete idea about what constitutes harassment. After reading through the page and the associated links, answer the following questions.

  • How frequently do you feel that men are the victims of sexual harassment by their female colleagues?
  • How might the greater number of women being harassed be related to patriarchy?

 

4.Read through the World Bank’s Girls’ Education website. Answer the following questions:

  • What benefits result from increasing girls’ education worldwide? How might these benefits help eliminate gender stratification?
  • Girls in the United States are completing high school and college at record rates. In fact, the majority of bachelor’s degrees in the United States are now earned by women. Do you think that the United States should institute programs to help ensure that boys complete higher education? Why or why not?

 

5.Review this report from the American Psychological Association at http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/transgender.pdf.

  • According to the APA, what is the difference between “transgender” and “transsexual”?
  • According to the information in your textbook, what do you think is the experience of transgender individuals in the workplace?
  • How is this psychological discussion of gender different from the sociological viewpoint in your text?
  • After reading the text’s discussion of West and Zimmerman’s concept of “doing gender,” do you think transgender individuals “do gender” differently than non–transgender individuals? In what ways are they similar?

 

6.Conduct a web search at the World Health Organization for “male circumcision” and “female circumcision” articles on the site. Compare, contrast, and discuss the differences in their stance on the two. Second, discuss how male and female circumcision relate to gender stratification.

 

7.Find a World Mapper map that relates to gender stratification at http://www.worldmapper.org/textindex/text_index.html. Write a one-paragraph reaction responding to it, making sure to discuss how it relates to gender stratification.

 

8.Visit the National Committee on Pay Equity’s website and look at the “Gender Wage Gap by Occupation Fact Sheet.” Compare the earnings of the 10 most common occupations for women with the 10 most common occupations for men. Discuss how these occupational differences contribute to the wage gap between men and women.

 

9. Conduct a search using the words “gendered communication.” Locate some articles regarding the ways men and women communicate. What were some of the specific results? Did any of the results surprise you?

 

10. Visit http://women-empowered.com/ and read about Women Empowered. Discuss the mission of this organization. What are the various goals of this organization? Why might organizations such as this be helpful to women?

 

Chapter 10: Family: Partner Taking, People Making, and Contract Breaking 

1. Go to Forum on Child and Family Statistics. On the toolbar on your left, you will see the Family and Social Environment indicators for the America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2007 study (e.g., child care, child maltreatment, adolescent births). Explore the data and answer the following questions.

  • What proportion of U.S. children live with both parents?
  • What special problems do babies born to adolescent mothers face?
  • What has the trend been for teenage births (to 15- to 17-year-olds) been like over the last decade? Given what you read in your textbook, does this finding surprise you? Why or why not?
  • How do child-care arrangements differ for children in poverty compared to those not in poverty? How might this be related to the "feminization of poverty" discussed in your text?

 

2. Do a general search on "marriage and divorce statistics in the United States." Write a report (including proper citations) that gives a general overview of marriage and divorce in the United States today. Be certain that you include the number of marriages and divorces today, reasons for divorce, and the impact that divorce can have on adults and children. Some possible places to search include:

 

 

3. Some comparative studies have found the United States to compare poorly in the “family friendliness” of its laws and public policies. To explore this, read: http://www.hreonline.com/pdfs/08012009Extra_McGillSurvey.pdf. Answer the following questions:

  • What things is the United States doing well compared to other nations?
  • In what areas of work and family is the United States lagging behind?
  • Based upon your findings, do you believe that the United States should modify its work/family policies? Why or why not?

 

4. The American Family Association is an organization that claims to stand for “traditional family values.” As you read through the website, consider the following:

  • Does this site represent your values? If so, which ones? If not, how is it different?
  • Given the current family trends discussed in your textbook (teen pregnancy, cohabitation, and divorce), do you think the site represents the values of most Americans? Why or why not?

 

5. Visit the corporate website for your job (current or past). If your employer does not have a website or if you do not work, select the website of a close friend or family member’s job. Find the family policies of the institution. Find their policies on parental leave, childcare, flexible work, family leave, and so forth. What are these policies? How do these policies introduce or relax strain for the workers or the families of the workers managing the work/home balance? Compare what you find with what your peers find to better understand how family policies influence social institutions.

 

6. Go to the website for the Families and Work Institute. Open one of the many articles on workplace flexibility.

  • What do you find as the trend in terms of workplace flexibility?
  • Is workplace flexibility more difficult in some industries than in others? How so?
  • How can workplace flexibility become gendered?

 

7. Go to the website for the National Center for Children in Poverty here: http://nccp.org/tools/frs/. Use the Family Resource Simulator, which shows how family resources and expenses change as earnings increase based on a hypothetical family. What did you find? Were you surprised by the answers?

Chapter 11:  Education: What Are We Learning? 

 

  1. Education is an issue in this country that affects us all, whether we are students, parents, teachers, taxpayers, workers, or employers. Public Agenda is a great place to visit to get information, opinions, and current statistics on current public policy issues. Visit the section of the site dedicated to education at http://www.publicagenda.org/citizen/issueguides/education. Under  the“Get the Facts” section examine several trend charts for topics that seem interesting to you. Then write a paragraph on changes in education, including information you just retrieved.  

 

  1. Do a web search on “No Child Left Behind.” Visit several websites and make notes about how people tend to view the policy. Then visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at http://www.ed.gov/news/opeds/factsheets/index.html?src=ln and see if it addresses concerns and issues people have with NCLB. Using the discussion of NCLB in your text and this information, write a 1-page brief detailing whether you support NCLB. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Visit the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s website and also visit their Objectives for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development project. Then write a paragraph comparing the state of education worldwide. You may want to further explore the UN website and use information you gathered for other web activities for this chapter.

 

  1. The National Center for Education Statistics is a great place to get the latest statistics and facts on current trends and conditions in education within the United States. Click the Elementary/Secondary link (found in the submenu of “Surveys & Programs” tab) on the NCES website and follow several links to examine the most recent data available. Specifically, you may want to explore public and private school comparisons, the condition of school facilities, and expenditures. Imagine that you are an applied sociologist writing a report on the state of compulsory education in the United States. What are 5 to 10 interesting facts you uncovered that you will be sure to include in your report?

 

  1. Go to the NCES website and read this report: Debt Burden: A Comparison of 1992-93 and 1999-2000 Bachelor's Degree Recipients a Year After Graduating. Then go to your college or university's newspaper website and run a search for tuition, funding, or loans. What concerns do your colleagues have about paying for their education? Is this addressed by the NCES? What advice would you give your colleagues about paying for school based on your reading of the report? Write a 1-page brief summarizing your answers to these questions.

 

  1. Visit your college or university’s website and read its mission statement. Assess how well the school is doing at meeting this mission. Discuss how it could institutionally address areas where it needs to improve and how it could do that.

 

  1. Look up the graduation rates for you high school, city, state, or university through web searches. Compare this graduation rate with the graduation rate of other high schools, cities, states, or universities you are familiar with in the area. Assess why they are similar or different.

 

  1. Visit the website for The New Teacher Project. Read “About TNTP” and “What we do.”
  • What are the primary goals of this organization?
  • If you were a sociologist employed by this organization, what theoretical perspectives would you utilize in order to acquire funding for projects?
  • How does this organization seek to level the playing field in terms of public education?

     

    9. Visit President Barack Obama’s website that pertains to his ideas regarding education here.

  • What are some of the goals of his educational plan?
  •  Analyze the goals—do you agree or disagree with them? Why?
  • What additional suggestions can be made to improve our educational system?     

Chapter 12:  Religion: The Social Meaning of Sacred Meaning 

  1. Go to adherents.com and examine the most popular major religions of the world and most popular religions in the United States. Compare the two lists to one another.
  • What similarities and differences do you notice among the most popular world and U.S. religions?

 

  1. Do a general search on “religious cults” or “new religious movements.” Write a report (including proper citations) that includes the largest cults in the United States and worldwide, the types of people who join cults, and the resocialization (deprogramming) process that people sometimes undergo when they leave cults. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. The Gallup Poll conducts surveys on a variety of topics relevant to current events and American culture. Read the article from The Gallup Poll on “Questions and Answers about Americans' Religions,” then answer the following questions:
  • What questions does the Gallup Poll ask to measure what religion a person is a member of?
  • What questions does the Gallup Poll ask to measure people's religiosity?
  • What are some of the difficulties in measuring religion in the United States?

 

  1. Visit the website of a local church or place of worship. Then visit the website of a larger-level, affiliated religion (i.e., if you visit the local Catholic Church’s website, then visit the website of the Vatican or the Regional Archdioceses). Discuss how the goals and scope of the institutions are similar or different at different levels of social analysis.

 

  1. Conduct a web search on a major domestic news website CNN or Fox News for “religious issue” or “religious conflict.” Find one current issue through this web search (i.e., something that has occurred within the last 2 years) and write a 1-page brief on how religion influenced this issue.

 

  1. Conduct a web search on a major international news website BBC World or Al Jazeera for “religious issue” or “religious conflict.” Find one current issue through this web search (i.e., something that has occurred within the last 2 years) and write a 1-page brief on how religion influenced this issue.

 

  1. Visit the website for Portraits of American Women in Religion at http://www.librarycompany.org/women/portraits_religion/intro.htm and a paragraph about at least two of the women. What is the historical significance of each? What role did they play in their contemporary times? What about these women surprised you in terms of women’s involvement in religion in the 18th and 19th centuries?

 

  1. Compare and contrast the components of various religions on this website: http:loa//www.religionfacts.com/. Write a paragraph comparing the components of these various religions. How do these religions differ? Can you locate any similarities?

Chapter 13:  Politics and Economics: Penetrating Power and Privilege 

  1. Do a web search on the “G8.” You may also want to visit the G8 Information Center at the University of Toronto. Write a description of what the G8 is and what was on its agenda at its most recent meeting, making sure to cite your sources. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Visit YouTube and watch several campaign advertisements for candidates in the 2012 election. Make sure these candidates are running for the same position. Also, make sure these are official campaign ads and not parodies or special-interest-group ads. Assess the ads and then write a two- to three-paragraph response describing whether you believe these ads would be helpful at informing an undecided voter on how they should vote in the election.

 

  1. Visit the websites for the two mainstream political parties in the United States. Visit the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. Select a social issue and research both parties’ positions on the issue. Write a 1-page brief on how the parties differ, making sure to include your thoughts on how this issue shaped recent national elections.

 

  1. Visit the website of a nonmajor, nonmainstream political party in the United States. Then select one of the two mainstream political parties in the United States, either the Republicans or the Democrats. When evaluating each party, make sure to look at their stances on similar issues and the overall mission of the organization. Then compare and contrast these political organizations.

 

  1. Find a nation that is not democratically governed. Search for its political practices online to discover how its leaders are appointed, how its people participate in political decisions, and how its laws are made and carried out. Do a similar search for a democratically governed nation other than the United States and for the United States. Compare and contrast what you find across these three nations.

 

  1. Visit the website for the Center for American Women and Politics. Go to “Women in Elective Office” and find your state. Compare your state to others in the United States. What state appears to have the largest percentage of women in elected office? Do the numbers surprise you? Why or why not?

 

  1. Visit the website for the National Voter Outreach, here: http://ballotpedia.org/National_Voter_Outreach. What are some of the services this organization provides? What are the main goals of this organization? Why, in your opinion, do many people choose not to vote? Can organizations like this one help decrease voter apathy?

Chapter 14:  Health Care: An Anatomy of Health and Illness 

  1. Statistical studies of our national health persistently show a gap in life expectancies between the rich and the poor. Write a report (including proper citations) that details the major social factors that would explain why rich people on average live about 8 years longer and are generally healthier than poor people. Some possible websites to begin your search:

 

  1. Do a general search on "sociology of health." Write a report (including proper citations) that includes the kinds of topics that sociologists who study health might encounter, and use your findings to further elaborate on the statement in your textbook that "for the sociologist, the view of illness as only a physical disorder is too limited. A society's definitions influence who is considered sick and under what conditions. Illness, then, is in part socially constructed." Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Read through the following website and answer the questions below:
  • How do sociologists explain the increase in the number of people in Western nations who are turning to alternative medical practices?
  • What do you see as the appeal of this medical approach?
  • How would a symbolic interactionist explain the following statement: “Alternative medical treatments are most effective for those patients who believe that they will work.”

 

  1. The U.S. government recently conducted a major reform of health care focusing on many aspects of how Americans receive and pay for health care. Visit the website for this bill at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/. There you will find several resources including the lay, provisions, initiatives, and a timeline of changes. Explore all of these resources and learn about the health care bill. Discuss what aspects of health and health care are improved by the bill and what aspects are either not improved or harmed by the bill. In your opinion, how does this bill address the health care needs of Americans?

 

  1. While at the American Medical Association’s website, visit their mission section and read their mission statement at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-mission.shtml. Also consider reading their Strategic Issues for the year and the summary of their Annual Report for the prior year. After reading these resources, assess whether you believe physicians and patients have the same goals and interests surrounding health and health care. Be able to support your opinion.

 

  1. Visit the homepage for the Virtual Psychology Classroom at http://allpsych.com/disorders/disorders_dsmIVcodes.html. Conduct a search of illnesses such as gambling, alcoholism, social disorders, nightmare disorder, and so forth. Write a paragraph on each of the conditions you choose, focusing on the social aspect of each diagnosis. How can these illnesses be understood from a sociological point of view? How has the medicalization of such issues changed public response to them?

 

  1. Read about the facts regarding Obamacare here, http://obamacarefacts.com/. What is Obamacare? What is the minimum essential coverage? Write a few paragraphs analyzing the pros and cons of this plan as outlined on the website. What do you think about the plan?

Chapter 15:  Population and Urbanization: Living on Planet Earth 

  1. Take a trip to the U.S. Census Bureau website and answer the following questions:
  • Record the latest estimates of the population of the world and of the United States. What percentage of the world population is made up of U.S. citizens? Is that more or less than you expected? Why?
  • Use the Detailed Population Clock to describe fertility, mortality, and migration in the United States.
  • Use the State Facts Finder to examine the minority population in your state as compared to the entire United States. Does your state have more or less racial diversity than the country as a whole? How do you explain that finding?
  • Use the State Facts Finder to examine the number of persons with a bachelor’s degree or higher in your state as compared to the entire United States. Is your state more or less educated than the country as a whole? How do you explain that finding?

 

  1. Do a general search on “urban problems in the USA.” Write a report (including proper citations) that gives a general overview of the problems faced by urban areas in the United States. Be sure to include some examples of problems that urban residents face and those experienced by city governments. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Go to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service site and read through the U.S. Permanent Residents 2007 document. Answer the following questions:
  • What factors does the U.S. government use to decide who has preference to become a legal resident? Do you agree that these individuals should be given preference? Why or why not?
  • After examining Figure 1, the LPR Flow to the United States: 1900–2007, how do you explain the lowest (and highest) rates of immigration in U.S. history? What social factors seem to impact whether the government welcomes or discourages immigrants?

 

  1. Visit the International Data Base at the U.S. Census Bureau’s homepage at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/informationGateway.php. While there, create and examine population pyramids for several different nations using the web tool. Make sure you examine a diverse group of populations when creating your pyramids. Answer the following questions.
  • How do wealthy and non-wealthy nations differ in terms of population?
  • What do you believe is the relationship between national affluence and population? Explain.
  • Do you believe that population differences are largely structural, largely cultural, or both? Explain.

 

  1. Visit the website for the major metropolitan area closest to either your college or university or your hometown. While there, examine some of the resources they make available to people who visit their website. Based on your visit to the site, what do you believe are the biggest social problems that challenge the metropolitan area? How do the people who run the website identify these problems? How do they propose to address them, if they intend to address them? Compare your results to your findings for your work completing exercise 2. Does your specific area share problems with the rest of urban America? Or are its problems unique? Why do you think that is?

 

6.Visit the website for the Central Intelligence Agency at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2127rank.html.

Look at the fertility rates by country.

  • What do you notice in terms of trends: the numbers of children born to a woman and the relative income level of that country?
  • What do these numbers say about the correlation between a woman’s level of education and fertility rates?
  • Do you find trends according to continents (North America, South America, Asia, etc.)? What explains such trends?
     

7.Visit the Population Media Center here: https://www.populationmedia.org/Click on the section titled “Population.” How many people are added to the planet every day? What is meant by “population controversy”? What are the main goals of this organization?

 

Chapter 16:  The Process of Change: We Can Make a Difference! 

  1. Visit the blog of Colin Beavan, a.k.a. “No Impact Man” http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/. In the blog, Colin describes his family's plan to do what they can to save the environment. Explore the site and uncover some of the problems and successes that Colin and his family had along the way. Then select an issue that you feel as passionately about as Colin does about sustainability. Devise a plan for how you can change your life in a way that would work to address this problem. In your plan, make sure to state some goals that you would hope to reach and some complications you would expect as well as how you would attempt to overcome them.

 

  1. Do a general search on the "environmental movement" or "greening" in the 2000s. Define the environmental movement and detail where you think it is in terms of stage and achieving its goals, making sure to cite your sources. Then write a short paragraph detailing the environmental movement in the 21st century. For this exercise, target definitions and explanations. Find, cite and give a synopsis of a current example and conclude with your thoughts. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Go to the Corporation for National and Community Service and http://www.nationalservice.gov/for_individuals/overview/index.asp. Search for a community service program in your neighborhood or community that is for a cause that you support. Then do some research on that organization and write a paragraph about it efforts and how it produces social change in your community.

 

  1. Visit the U.N.'s Social Indicators page at http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/socind/default.htm. Select three indicators on the site and write a paragraph on how each resource is distributed across societies in the world.

 

  1. Visit the World Mapper and examine several maps by clicking through the index on the left-hand side and selecting maps from the chart in the middle of the window. How did you react to seeing proportional representation of resource distribution? Write a 1-page summary on some maps that you found particularly interesting. In your summary, make sure to include how you think these factors may be addressed by social change.

 

  1. Visit the social organizing site Idealist. While there, search for jobs, volunteer organizations, internships, organizations, and programs in your area or in the closest major metropolitan area. Make a list of the social issues that seem most pressing to individuals and organizations in your area. For each issue, make notes about why you believe the issue is particularly important in your social context. Then identify the various ways people are attempting to address the problem and note whether they are working to address the issue on a micro, meso, or macro level. In your opinion, on which level is it most important to address the issue? Explain.

 

  1. Do a general search on “protesting” or “social protests” in the last 2 years. Write a paragraph detailing the role of protest as a mechanism of social change in the 21st century. Include if you can the stages of the social movement. When researching, make sure to find assessments on the power of protests to influence social change and include a discussion of this in your paragraph. Some possible places to search include:

 

  1. Visit the website for the Occupy WallStreet Movement.
  • What is the central concern of this movement?
  • How does this movement utilize social media in its cause?
  • According to the information in your text, can an organization be successful without a recognized leader?

 

  1. Visit the website for National Geographic’s site on the Environment here. Visit the section entitled “Environment News” and read the first few articles. Write a paragraph about each of these articles discussing the main points of the article and your critique of these points.