The purpose of writing this academic paper is to apply your acquired knowledge to areas related
to economic sociology. Your emphasis should be analytical rather than descriptive.
More specifically, in this paper you will analyze ECONOMIC – INEQUALITY AND RACE/GENDER INEQUALITY — apply/use the topics to understand a “real world” economic issue found in a film or documentary.
In writing this analytical paper you will be expected to demonstrate:
1. A clear and strong understanding of your chosen concept(s) and
2. The ability to use the concepts to “frame” the economic issue being presented.
Basically, you will demonstrate how your economic concept (s) help us to gain new insight into something that’s happening in the world today – or at least in mediated depictions of our society. This paper is to be at least 5 pages long (excluding the cover sheet, bibliography, and end
notes). It must be typed (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point New Times Roman font).
Make sure your bibliography provides full information: author’s full name, name of the book/article, publisher, date of publication, etc. (See ASA Style Guide)
You will also need to include a clear reference to the film, documentary or TV show being discussed.
Paper content and organization
A. Please begin your paper with analysis and summary of the one or two concepts of your
interest and link it/them to the appropriate economic issue.
B. The concept(s) should be taken from the assigned class reading material. Examples of the
concepts might be embeddedness, markets, consumerism, bureaucracy, networks,
economic inequality, etc.
C. You must use a minimum of three (3) sociological/social-scientific sources (journal
articles are recommended). These sources need to be properly cited in your paper.
D. Once you have clearly explained the concept(s), move onto a few paragraphs that
describe or summarize the key part(s) of your chosen film, documentary or TV show.
You must explain about the most important aspects or segments of the media presentation
for understanding what happened in it. These paragraphs should merely summarize the
information presented (wait until the next section to “apply” the concepts).
E. In the next part of the paper you must explain the connection. What made you see this
link and help us to see it like you did. This takes some real critical thinking skills and is
what is meant by “application.” You are using theoretical concept to help us solve (or
“frame”) a particular economical “condition” that arose in the film or documentary. In
short, you must demonstrate how each economic concept is being illustrated in the film
or documentary. What part(s) made you think about each concept?
F. Conclude the paper with a summary of your main points. What insights do you want the
reader to take away from your paper? What should the reader really remember about
what you’ve said in the paper?
G. At the end of the paper, include a reference page.
Feel free to contact me for more information and consultation.
Suggested visual media:
Big Short (2015)
Inside Job (2010)
Iron Lady (2011)
Requiem for the American Dream (2015, Noam Chomsky)
Crises of Capitalism (2010, RSA/David Harvey)
Too Big to Fail (2011)
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz (2014)
