Research costume options available for all populations. In print advertisements, on websites, and in store displays, note what costume options exist. Consider the social construction of race and gender in your exploration.
Using your sociological imagination, explore how these costumes represent how people are valued in our society. Consider the racial and gender norms that you recognize and try to categorize them and/or put them into some type of order. Speculate about how these representations reflect the greater society’s values and norms.
Are they segregated by gender? How are women, men, boys, girls represented in costume options? What populations are represented by the marketing? Are there costumes that are gender neutral? What costumes transcend race? How do racial and ethnic representation matter in costume choices? What makes them gender neutral? What makes them gender specific? Are people of color represented fairly or with stereotypes?
What are the major differences in availability of costumes? How do our Social Institutions and agents of socialization enforce the guidelines of acceptable choices in the greater culture’s Halloween observance? This is a great opportunity to hone your theoretical skills. Please choose a theoretical perspective for analysis.
Write a 500-word essay to support your findings. Use critical analysis to identify and illustrate sociological concepts and theoretical perspectives.
This is a good way to discover how marketing and availability affect our own choices. You may include analysis of costume choices for yourself and your significant others.
