Principles of Sociology Assignment #2 (Report): Evaluating Current Issues using Sociological Perspectives (20%) Due Date: Wk 12, before start of class (See SLATE Calendar or schedule in Course Outline for specific dates and times) Length: 1200-1500 words, not including references (the bulk of the word count should be devoted to answering question #3). Format: Upload a Word doc (not PDF or other) file to SLATE “Assignments” dropbox. Indicate your first and last name at the top of the first page. Description: There are many issues circulating on social and regular media that may catch our attention – about gender, race, class, politics, crime, etc. Often, viewpoints are expressed passionately. But can we see beyond the hype to critically evaluate these messages? In this report, you will use concepts and theories from the course, and legitimate research (at least 3 academic sources in addition to the textbook and/or lectures), to evaluate one current media issue. You will choose from the issues below1: 1. “The Raptors’ Jurassic Park is a racial utopia. The rest of Toronto needs work” by Morgan Campbell https://www.thestar.com/sports/sports-prism/2019/05/29/jurassic-park-is-a-racial- utopia-the-rest-of-toronto-still-needs-work.html 2. “Debate over women’s bras is polarizing, but dress code based on Victorian double standard is a rights violation” by Richard McGuire https://www.osoyoostimes.com/opinion-debate-over-womens-bras-is-polarizing-but- dress-code-based-on-victorian-double-standard-is-a-rights-violation/ 3. “Changing the Way We Think About Consensual Non-monogamy” by Nirel Marofsky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_3ZHePuZ9U 4. “The next step for Canada: decriminalize hard drugs” by Stephen Maher https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/the-next-step-for-canada-decriminalize-hard-drugs/ Instructions: Each of the choices above is an opinion piece, with the author(s)/ commentator(s) taking a clear side on an issue. In this assignment, you will analyze their opinion and give your own, according to the following questions. Answer the questions in full sentences in numbered sequence (not point form, not essay form). Do NOT include the questions below in your report, only your answers. 1 If you are passionate about a relevant recent issue not listed here, you may investigate that issue, but you MUST speak to the instructor before you begin the assignment to make sure it is suitable. 1. What is the author’s/commentator’s (or group of commentators’) main argument? State their argument in one paragraph of two to four sentences. 2. Which of the five main sociological perspectives does the author’s/ commentator’s opinion most closely resemble (Feminist [you must specify Marxist, Liberal or Radical], Functionalist, Conflict, Symbolic Interactionist, Postmodern)? Why/How? In answering why/how, make sure to give a general explanation of the sociological perspective, citing the textbook and/or the lectures. Then, explain how the perspective relates to specific messages in the piece. This should be a separate paragraph. 3. What are your own thoughts on the issue at hand? (Choose one or more of the questions: Do you agree or disagree with the author’s main argument and why? [N.B. The issues are controversial and you are welcome to agree or disagree as long as you support your argument and are respectful of the rights of other groups, especially if they are traditionally marginalized groups, as discussed in the course material]. What issues are most important in the debate and why? What should be done to remedy the situation or move forward and why?) You MUST provide evidence to support your reasons and the claims you are making (at least three scholarly sources in addition to the textbook). For example, if you say that you disagree with the author because of statistics xyz or reasons abc, then cite a credible source to support each of those statistics or reasons. As much as possible, identify key course concepts that shed light on the argument (e.g. including but not limited to discrimination, prejudice, gender binary, horizontal or vertical segregation, polyamory, privilege, labelling theory, etc.), explain each concept, and then say how the concepts are relevant. See below for acceptable and unacceptable sources. This will be 3-4 paragraphs. 4. Which of the foundational sociological perspectives does your opinion most closely resemble? Why/How? (Make sure to give a general explanation of the sociological perspective, citing the textbook and/or lectures, as well as how the perspective relates to your thoughts.) This might be the same as the perspective you cited in #2, or it might be different but if it is the same, you must explain why/how it relates to your own opinion. This will be one paragraph. Sources: You must use the textbook and/or lectures and 3 additional legitimate sources. ACCEPTABLE: chapters in academic books, academic journal articles, government reports. Your sources must be authored, published and current (ie. published within the last 10 years). NOT ACCEPTABLE: anonymous sources, magazine articles, news stories, blogs, lecture notes, websites, unpublished manuscripts (even if held in library). Citations: You must use both in-text and end-of-text citations, using a standard format such as APA, MLA, Harvard, etc. For example, in APA, in-text citations look like this: “The conflict perspective argues that…” (Henslin et al. 2014, p.90). “In Week 3, we learned that …” (Szabo, 2018a). And the separate “References” page after the report looks like this: References Henslin, J.M. et al. (2014). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. Toronto: Pearson. Szabo, Michelle (2018a). “Week 5 lecture: Culture”. Principles of Sociology, Winter 2018. [modify for correct year, date, week and topic] Szabo, Michelle (2018b). “Week 6 lecture: Socialization”. Principles of Sociology, Winter 2018. [modify for correct year, date, week and topic] Etc. (in alphabetical order by author family name) See Sheridan’s “Cite It Right” site for more information: http://sheridancollege.libguides.com/citation_guide

Sociology

Assignment Instructions
For this week’s assignment, there are three questions. Write about 250-300 words for each of the first two questions and 50-100 words for the third

question. You do not need to connect your responses into an essay; just number your responses.
1.    At which stage in the criminal justice process (offending, victimization, policing/arrest, pre-trial, trial, sentencing, or something else)

do you believe racial disparities are most problematic? Why? Use data or evidence from class and/or readings to support your argument, paying

particular attention to the outcomes and consequences of the practices and policies you’ve identified as problematic.
2.    Given what you’ve learned in the readings, what is your opinion about allowing employers to ask questions regarding criminal records? How

might we change our policies around such questions so that we could promote better employment and rehabilitation opportunities for people with

criminal records while still ensuring safety for employers and coworkers? What would such changes mean for Blacks in the US in general?
3.    What one thing you’ve learned so far this semester do you think is the most important or significant lesson of the course? Why? (Note: there

is no wrong answer to this question, as long as you fully answer it.)

Reading
Part VIII, “Collateral Consequences,” Blind Goddess (215-246)
This section includes two essays. The first, by Pettit and Western, draws on their well-respected empirical research on the consequences of mass

incarceration. They discuss the social inequality that is reinforced and even intensified by incarceration practices, with a particular focus on the

intergenerational transmission of inequality. When we think about the justice system, we tend to think of it as a way to respond to crime and

criminals–what do Pettit and Western’s findings tell you about the limitations of that focus? How do justice system practices affect, for example,

the children of those who are incarcerated, children who themselves are not guilty of any crime? In the second essay, an excerpt from Todd Clear’s

book, the author draws on more qualitative data about the effects of incarceration on families and communities. On pages 225-35, he focuses on

families, looking at how incarceration practices affect children, parenting, and marriage. Then, on pages 236-40, he turns to the effects of mass

incarceration on economics, including labor markets and property values. Finally, on pages 240-45, he focuses on politics, including views of the

state, voting, and collective action. As you read, think about anecdotes from Goffman’s or Black’s work that might support Clear’s arguments. When

you finish reading, consider what Clear’s arguments tell us about the costs of our current incarceration practices.
Chapter 6, Conclusion, and Epilogue, On the Run (141-162; 195-206)
In chapter 6, Goffman discusses the informal economy that has sprung up in and around the 6th street neighborhood. Consider the consequences of this

informat economy for its participants, both positive and negative, and the way in which the systems Goffman describes might serve to further

implicate neighborhood residents in criminality in ways that individuals living in other social contexts do not have to worry about. In reading the

Conclusion, you might return to thinking about the Toobin article on the jail in Baltimore, and you might want to look at and reflect on footnote 1

on page 267. More broadly, be sure you can summarize Goffman’s arguments about the consequences of living in a neighborhood like 6th street and

especially the consequences of the law enforcement activities she observes–are the police achieving their goals on 6th street? Think about what

changes might make those goals more likely to be met.
Conclusion, When a Heart Turns Rock Solid (336-351)
In the conclusion, Black summarizes where we leave the Rivera brothers at the end of the book and makes some comments on broader social and economic

changes as well as social policy. While the primary issues you should think about upon reading the conclusion relate to the consequences of our

current criminal justice policies for the Rivera brothers and others in the community, also be sure to look at the series of discussion and reading

questions in the reading guide: whtrs reading guide.pdf
Appendix, On the Run (211-262; if time is limited, focus on pages 246-261)
In the Appendix, a common section in ethnographic work like this, Goffman discusses her methodological strategies and reflects on her own experiences

as a resident of 6th street and an ethnographer. On pages 211 to 236, Goffman discusses how she became involved on 6th street and the methodological

techniques she used to collect her data. This section is extremely important for understanding how the book came to be–and you might especially be

interested in the initial pages, as Goffman is early in her undergraduate career when she begins this book
You also might find it useful to connect the Goffman’s discussion of ethnography to what you learned about this method of data collection in your

research methods course, if you have taken soc 302 already. On pages 237-46, Goffman discusses her continuing experiences in the neighborhood and how

she negotiates difficult issues like drug sales and the prison term of her main informant. The most important part of this chapter begins on page 246

under the heading “Culture Shock.” Here, Goffman describes how she adapted to life beyond 6th street when she began a Ph.D. program in sociology at

Princeton. We might refer to this section as an “autoethnography,” and what is really valuable about it is that it shows how deeply the social

context of a neighborhood like 6th street can change a person and shape their behavior–even for someone who comes to the neighborhood as a college

student and retains a frame of reference elsewhere. In the last part of the chapter, Goffman retells the story of a death and how she–and the

neighborhood–responded to it. After you finish the Appendix, write down some thoughts about how living on 6th street affected Goffman and what that

tells you about the way that living on 6th street is likely to affect the rest of the residents–and what that means for our understanding of

criminal justice and justice policy.

You must choose and read TWO readings from each cluster. Note that in this first cluster, you must read CW Mills and one other reading of your choice.

You will find the reading choices and the grading rubric on the Resources tab.

Assignment information:  Identify the main points of each reading and discuss critically and analytically—use your sociological imagination!  This can include comparing/contrasting the two readings, making connections between the two readings, how you see the readings relating (or not) to your life experiences (although you must talk about more than just this!), questions you have after thinking about the readings, and/or how the readings relate to information from the core textbook and/or lecture and discussion section activities…  A good place to start is to consider any questions posed at the end of the reading, if given. You need to include at least two quotes (with an in-text citatation—see below for format information) from each reading in such a way that it is meaningful and explained as needed.  Your writeup should be at least 900 words.  You will need to write in a word processing program–and be sure to save a copy—then copy/paste into the moodle assignment dropbox