Me, My Race, and I

Complete the 4 Slideshows on the PBS Race site: Me, My Race, and I.

1. Split Identity
2. To See or Not to See
3. The Elephant in the Room
4. How to Be an American

Write a brief reaction to the one slideshow that impacted you most. 

• Why did it have this effect on you? 
• Do you have any personal stories that relate to the slideshow?

Due by Wednesday 12/12/12 @ 8:00 am

A Class Divided: The Adults

A Class Divided with Jane Elliott

Watch Part 4: Teaching it to Adults and Part 5: How the Adults Reacted

Write a brief response by Monday 12/10 at 10am answering the following questions

• What did you learn?
• What scene or scenes do you think you'll still remember a month from now and why those scenes?
• Did any part of the film surprise you? Do you think someone of a different race, ethnicity, or religion would also find it surprising?

Gender Wage Gap

Why do we continue to see gender inequality in pay?  Below is a list of several articles focused on the topic of the gender wage gap. Choose 2 articles of interest to you to compare and contrast. Consider the following questions. 

1. What explanations are offered in the articles for the gender wage gap?
2. Do the articles suggest an improvement in the gap? Why/Why Not?
3. What are your reactions to the articles... do you agree or disagree? What points stood out to you most? 
4. What do you think women should do to try to improve the wage gap? 

Synthesize your responses in a brief 1-2 paragraph post due by 10 am Friday 11/30. Be sure to include the name/link of the articles you are responding to in your post. Feel free to include reactions to the CNBC interview as well (linked below). 

• Gender Pay Gap Persists (USA Today)
• Gender Pay Gap by Industry (NYTimes)
• Don't Blame Discrimination for Gender Wage Gap (Bloomberg)
• The Vicious Cycle of the Gender Pay Gap (Time Magazine)
• Among Doctors, Too, Women are Paid Less (NY Times)
• Closing the Gender Wage Gap for Economic Stimulus (Huffington Post)
• Gender Wage Gap May be Smaller than You Think (Wall Street Journal)

CNBC Interview

Sex-Roles Inventory

Click this link: Bem Sex-Roles Inventory and complete the survey. Record your results on a separate sheet of paper. Do you agree or disagree? Why do you think you see the results you did? Be prepared to discuss.

Taboo Responses

After viewing the episode of Taboo, what are your reactions? In a paragraph, respond to the following questions here by Thursday 10/18  at 8:00 am.

• Choose 1 deviant behavior you witnessed 
• Describe the behavior, it's value in that culture, and why it is taboo to us
• Describe the sanctions associated with each (are they positive? Negative? How so... How are the sanctions based on culture? In the US how would we sanction this behavior?)
• Overall reaction
• How did your ethnocentrism affect you?

Video Link: Taboo (National Geographic): Signs of Identity

"Signs of Identity | National Geographic Channel: Marks of identity are not always about the art. In Japan, tattoos mark criminal gangs. In Canada, "branding" tests courage."

NYC to ban sugary drinks

Yesterday the NYC Board of health approved Mayor Bloomberg's proposed ban on large sized servings of sugary drinks (e.g. soda). As an attempt to solve our nation's obesity epidemic, this proposal has received considerable support as well as disapproval.

Welcome!

Welcome to Sociology! We're going to have a great semester, packed with tons of interesting topics and info. Sociology focuses on the behaviors of groups of people and societies. This blog will serve as our homebase for discussions and explorations. I'm looking forward to reading your first posts.

Feel free to explore each other's blogs (linked on the left). Follow the calendar (see Semester Project) and enjoy your study of your selected topic.