PROMPT:
As part of our lessons this week, we discussed the ‘social construction of reality’ thesis. We read how some things that may seem personal (such as our fears and feelings) or universal (such as the language we use to describe ‘soft drinks’) are deeply influenced by major structures in society (such as the media or the economy). In this way, such meanings are considered not subjective or objective, but intersubjective (a term defined in our lessons).
In this HW assignment, you are to 1) define, in your own words, the ‘social construction of reality’ thesis, 2) provide examples of socially constructed, and intersubjective meanings derived from your own observations and experiences, and 3) reflect on what your examples tell us about the need to use a sociological imagination when seeking to understand meaning and action.
The goal in this assignment is begin utilizing the course terms, concepts, and theories as tools in analyzing empirical evidence.
HOW TO:
Structure your response as you would a standard essay with an introductory paragraph, 2-4 body paragraphs with evidence and examples, and a conclusion. It is expected that students demonstrate their engagement with the course concepts, their application of the theories to empirical analyses, and their understanding of the foundations of the discipline. Weave the terms and keywords as defined in text and lecture into your analyses. In short: use these assignments as a ‘low stakes’ way to practice your academic writing!
While there is no hard requirement in terms of page length, it is expected that students write in proper grammatical form, utilize properly structured paragraphs (as outlines above), check their own spelling, and make proper reference to any works cited.
