This project is designed to demonstrate your understanding of the main ideas of the 4 major sociological theories or perspectives using each of them to explain a significant global or national current event or social problem. I liken these theoretical perspectives to the metaphor of old fashioned camera lenses. For example, Marx developed what Americans call Conflict Theory and Europeans refer to as Marxism. Functionalism developed by Durkheim is also a “macro” or structural level perspective. These theories are both “wide angle” camera lenses used to explain social problems. Symbolic Interaction as Weber and Mead elaborated upon is a ” micro” level perspective or “narrow angle” camera lens. Feminism can be both macro and micro level analyses of data depending on the research methodology of a particular study. There are several women scholars mentioned in the chapter summarizing this perspective.
This is what I expect for 75 points total:
I want you to use a RECENT AND RELEVANT current event/social problem examples illustrating your basic understanding of the 4 MAIN sociological theories that has developed over the course of the semester. You are to define each of these theories using the basic terms to demonstrate your understanding of these perspectives and what makes one different from another, and make an argument/make a case for which one(s) would be the better explanations and why. Demonstrate to me what have you learned about each of these 4 theories used to study and explain modern societies and social problems or phenomenon.
This written work is to be 5-7 pages and CANNOT be longer than 7 typed double space using 12 point font. You will lose points if it is.
To Earn 50 points:
You are to find at least 1 significant global or national current event or social problem. As young scholars you should already be paying attention to local, national, and global events. This assignment is designed to describe the main points of a current event/social problem and then state how each of the major theoretical perspectives would best explain it.
Your job is to A) provide a brief description of the news event/social problem, B) cite the valid and reliable news source from which you found the article including name of the journalist, name of the news source, and date of publication, and C) provide the sociological theory or theories that best explains this problem/issue/phenomenon. You absolutely must use the terms/concepts associated with the perspective. Do not just wing it at the last minute. I will know. I want to see evidence of your critical thinking and applying your knowledge of the major sociological perspectives that can explain current events.
