Sociology
Instructions:
Think and discuss sociologically using sociological terms and concepts and chapter information from your text and papers as well!
Documents are as follows: brief guide to the paper, generational differences chart, sociological imagination formal and informal definitions and discussion, rubric Soc 101 how your paper is graded.
All students:
This is NOT a personal autobiography, this is related to social concepts, theories, institutions and societal forces that affect individuals- relating the personal to the society, institutions, and social forces that shape our lives. So any and all discussions must be in relationship with groups, social forces, social structure, social institutions, social issues/problems, and / or social movements. This is a Sociological perspective applied to various questions and discussions within the final paper regarding generation/age, race, class, gender.
Utilizing the concepts you have learned in this class over the semester please complete a Sociological Autobiography discussing the following:
Answer all questions in full and complete paragraph format utilizing sociological terms and concepts you learned this semester.
Your “sociological autobiography” is an exercise in using what C. Wright Mills calls the “sociological imagination”. One of the claims that sociology makes is that our personal biographies are a function of social history. Yet what does this actually mean? How can you see the impact of larger social and historical events on your own life? One way is to compare the characteristics of your generation with those of your parents and grandparents. What sets your generation apart from other generations? [1]
This will help answer the question of the impact of social forces on your life. But how have your personal experiences shaped the person you have become? Would you be a different person had you been born, for example, in China rather than in the United States or in eastern Kentucky rather than in New York City (social location)? How has being born a male or a female (gender), to middle income (or low or high income) parents (class), or as a Caucasian (or African-American, Hispanic or Latino, etc.) shaped who you are? How and What makes you unique based on your personality and individual life experiences (biography)? What difference does this make in how you view yourself and your opportunities in life, and how you relate to people of different ages, races, classes, and gender? How would it be if you had been born in a different location, different gender, different social class, or different race? Also denote social institutions and how they have affected your life, for example education and its role in your life. How is your reality socially constructed by others? Always utilize sociological terms and perspective in this paper, it is about social forces and society.
Begin your paper by explaining just what is meant by the “sociological imagination,” and then proceed to apply this concept to how both social forces and personal experiences, as well as your race, class, and gender have influenced who you are today. Conclude your paper with a reflection on what difference this will make in how you view yourself and others. You must discuss both personal and social forces as well as race, class, gender in this paper. Be creative and utilize sociological terms and concepts. Also utilize the attached generational differences to discuss issues and history of your timeline of your own history in comparison to that of others.
Your Sociological Autobiography is to be no less than three (3) pages and should follow the following format:
1” margins on all sides
12 point Calibri or Times New Roman font
Doubled-Spaced
Number Each Page
You should include a Cover Page with the following information centered:
Sociological Autobiography
do not submit your name I know who you are through Blackboard
Date Submitted
Introduction to Sociology
SOC 101 ACTC
Rhea Evans Bretz
[1] Use the document entitled “Generational Differences” as a guide in comparing the differences between your generation and those of your parents or grandparents. This will help with the social forces that have shaped your life.
This is the best way to structure your paper, you will see this as an attachment:
The Sociological Imagination assignment Brief Guide to Structure attachment:
6-12 sentences constitute a full and complete paragraph answer, if you need to utilize sources, you must list sources within the body of the paper and at the end of the paper. Keep in mind sociological terms, theories, and concepts.
1. Introduction: DLO 1: demonstrates knowledge of the sociological imagination
What is the sociological imagination? (provide a formal and informal definition-if you quote remember to cite properly) you must write a formal and informal (in your own words) explanation and discussion about the sociological imagination
What is your interpretation and knowledge of what you learned about the sociological imagination?
What are some examples you learned about the sociological imagination? (examples show how you apply the sociological imagination)
2. Brief paragraph or two about yourself: your own personal history – including city, state, birthdate, birth year, your experiences with social and institutional experiences such as school, diversity, and events. DLO 1 and DLO 2: demonstrates knowledge of the sociological imagination/ applies the sociological imagination to differences across cultures, history, and generations
How is the sociological imagination integrated into your own personal and societal history?
3. Demonstrate the connection of your personal history to public issues of importance to society historically. DLO 4 : integrates the concept of the sociological imagination with regard to issues of personal or public importance
How is the sociological imagination utilized to connect the personal troubles of individuals with public issues of importance to society?
4. Utilizing Sociological terms, concepts that you learned over the semester as well as your sociological imagination – integrate the following into your paper: (In other words “walk in another’s shoes”) DLO 3 : applies the sociological imagination to diversity as it is manifested through differences in race, class, and gender and how these shape individual human experiences/ DLO 5: communicates effectively using the terms and concepts relevant to the sociological imagination, social forces, race, class, and gender
Project and envision yourself from a different culture, of a different race, of a different gender, different social class, and different generation (utilizing generational handout) and write a paragraph about EACH. Conclude with how the sociological imagination impacted your learning experience in this class and what you will take with you from this class for your future.
