For this discussion, you must read Chapter 7 of the text, Sociology: Beyond Common Sense, and watch the two videos, Social Class in America 1957 McGraw-Hill text-films [Transcript] (an old video but great example) and How Class Works – Richard Wolff Examines Class. Then, review the document, Knowledge of Hidden Rules of Social Class. Read through the descriptions of daily activities and commonplace knowledge for lower, middle, and upper class people. Print it out and place an ‘X’ next to the things you know how to do [you can also just note your ‘X’ marks], and look to see how many ‘X’ marks you have in each category [If you don’t have children, use yourself and your siblings as a reference group.]. This will help you gain insight into the taken for granted or hidden knowledge you need to survive in various social classes. After completing these tasks, consider the following questions:

• Social Class in the US How would you categorize the types of knowledge? How and where would someone acquire and learn this knowledge? How do you gain access to the people and places this can be learned? Is this access generally equal in the US?
• You as a Social Being On which questionnaires did you have the most and least marks? Were you surprised by the outcome? Do you have equal access to the people and places required to acquire knowledge you currently do not have?
• Conclusions What conclusions can you make about the nature of the hidden knowledge necessary to be successful in each social class?

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length. Support your claims with examples from required material(s) and/or other scholarly resources, and properly cite any references. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts by Day 7.

Discussion adapted from: Ashton, P. (2005) Discussion ideas on Social Class. Resources for Teachers. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association

Theorist of Choice

The text, Sociology: Beyond Common Sense, describes many individuals who have contributed to our current view of sociology, including:

• Auguste Comte
• Emile Durkheim
• Karl Marx
• Max Webber
• Harriet Martineau
• Jane Addams
• W.E.B. Dubois
• Erving Goffman
• George Herbert Mead
• Robert Merton

From the list provided, identify one theorist whose work regarding society you found most interesting. Using the knowledge you have gained thus far in this course, write a paper that describes the theory or work aligned to the chosen theorist and provide three reasons why you chose this theorist. Use scholarly resources to support your thesis.

The paper must be three to four pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style Ashford Writing Center Essay. You must use at least two scholarly resources (at least one of which must be found in the Ashford Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page. For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center.