Category: Sociology

Case Study Week 1
Linda Howard19-year-old senior
Class valedictorian
Recent grad
Awarded a four-year scholarship to a prominent university in New England
Race:Constantly mistaken for being Puerto Rican or Cape Verdean
Father is African American
Mother is European American
About her race she states:“I don’t really use race, I always say, ‘My father’s Black, my mother’s White, I’m mixed.’ But I’m American; I’m human. That’s my race; I’m part of the human race” “It’s insulting when people label me as ‘You’re black’ or ‘You’re white’ I am both, I want to be part of both. I think teachers need to be sensitive to that. Stop asking me about soul food, that’s just one aspect of my mixed culture”
About culture:“My culture is my family, I have an enormous family. I have three brothers, and my parents. My father has ten siblings. I was born and raised in America, I am fourth generation American. I’m just American and my culture is my family
Issues:As a person of mixed heritage or race, Linda may feel or be seen as “less authentic” in terms of her identity.
Linda didn’t expect all her teachers to be biracial like she was, but did expect them to be sensitive, accepting of who she was, and not impose their own ideas about identity on her.
Teachers that stood out to Linda were those that could identify culturally with her, made learning fun, engaging and challenging
QUESTIONS:
If you were one of Linda’s teachers, how could you be sensitive to her multicultural background?
Do you think more teachers need to be “multicultural” in order to relate to their students and teach effectively?
As an educator, how could you find ways culturally relate to your students? Describe/explain some of the ways this could be accomplished.
Can issues or race and identity be handled by schools? Are these issues too complicated for them? Why or why not? What skills do you think you need if you are faced with these kinds of issues? At what age should race and identity be discussed? Why?

In the nature versus nurture argument, where would sociologists land? What’s the interaction between the two and a person and which is the most important in a person’s development?

NOTE:
Points will be deducted for the inclusion of outside references. The
resources you need to complete assignments are to be found in the
assigned course readings. REMEMBER, the use of ChatGPT, Bard,
and other forms of AI to complete coursework is defined as a form of
cheating (With the exception of the editor function in Word, which you
are encouraged to utilize.).
A
basic understanding of sociological theory is fundamental to any
sociology course. As this is a graduate level class it is my
expectation that we all have a basic understanding of the three
sociological theories. If you do not have a basic understanding of the
three sociological theories I would encourage you to grab any
introductory level sociology textbook and read the first couple of
chapters. This is a perfect opportunity to utilize the PDF copy of the
introductory text posted on the course site. In addition, you should
consider reading closely the files I have posted in the Resources
module. Written for an undergraduate audience, you will still find them
to be of value as you review sociological theory in preparation for
subsequent coursework.
1.1. In your own words, summarize each of the three main sociological theories. Be sure to cover the main ideas and concepts of each. (two paragraphs for each theory, for a total of six)
2.2. How
might an interactionist approach the topic of crime and delinquency?
How might a conflict theorist approach the topic of crime and
delinquency? How might a functionalist approach the topic of crime and
delinquency? Be specific, providing examples. (one paragraph for each theory, for a total of three). YOUR
SUBMISSION SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF NINE WELL-DEVELOPED PARAGRAPHS.
REMEMBER, A WELL-DEVELOPED PARAGRAPH HAS AT LEAST FIVE SENTENCES.
Book In Their Own Words: Criminals on Crime, seventh edition, by Cromwell and Birzer.

Look-up and research a topic related to the functioning or formation of our solar system or research assessing conditions or situations on early Earth. Your post should cover:
Background info on your topic and how it relates to the Earth system
What was newsworthy about your topic and what the findings mean (e.g., does it change how we thought something worked, did we discover something completely new, etc.)
What interested you about the research
MLA or APA citation(s)
Note: your post should go above and beyond what has been presented in lecture. You are NOT just presenting what was covered in lecture, you are building on it by highlighting specific research pertaining to topic you chose. Feel free to come to office hours to discuss this further. You will be responsible for writing an original initial post on the topic posted and then commenting on the posts of at least two other students. You should cite sources (and you absolutely must have at least one source for your original initial post that is NOT the book or my lecture) using MLA or APA format. Acceptable sources include: peer-reviewed articles; the Science daily website, Nature, Climate Change, and Science magazines; news postings from prominent professional Earth sciences societies (e.g., AGULinks to an external site., EGULinks to an external site.); or news media that cite scientific studies.

Select two (2) of the choices below and develop clear & concise responses. Follow the guidelines for writing sociology papers. If you provide a well-developed response to the question, you will have included an introduction to the issue (include the question to be clear.) Your response will provide personal & documented examples to support any claims made. Connect ideas to readings from the text. ( A three sentence response– most likely will score low on the rubric)
Considering each of the four major theoretical perspectives addressed in the textbook, identify which perspective is most compelling to you. Be sure to explain your answer using examples from the textbook.
Beliefs often determine values. For example, if I believe in democracy, I value voting, free speech, and freedom. One common element of a shared culture is agreement about beliefs and values, and yet in a recent poll there was only one value Republicans and Democrats agreed on—“freedom” (Luntz 2018). While Democrats thought of freedom as freedom from (e.g., discrimination, poverty), Republicans thought of it as freedom to (e.g., own a gun, practice your religion). What do you think is the meaning of the fundamental American value freedom? Provide your analysis to how both Republicans and Democrats qualify “freedom”
In a 2019 survey of 12,043 U.S. adults, nearly half reported that they had stopped talking about politics with someone as a result of something someone said either online or in person (Jurkowitz and Mitchell 2020). There are, however, demographic differences. What are some questions you have about the data? Provide three examples of questions a researcher might ask about the data from this survey?
Think about unemployment and family homelessness from a sociological perspective. How is the influence of social structure demonstrated in the study of unemployment and family homelessness as public issues?
Consider divorce. How might sociologists analyze divorce from a macro level? How might sociologists analyze divorce from a micro level?
OR Consider poverty. How might sociologists analyze poverty from a macro level? How might sociologists analyze poverty from a micro level?

Paper 1: Analysing Adam Smith
Your task is to write a two to three page paper explaining the logical steps in Smith’s analysis of one aspect of society.
• Choose one of the themes below, and use it as the title of your paper.
• Your task is to explain Smith’s theory. You should not express your opinion (especially if
choosing questions 6, 7, or 8). Focus on Smith’s logic.
• Use the outlines provided on the Powerpoint slides to help you:
– In your introduction, define and briefly discuss the term you are writing about, before outlining your paper as a whole.
– In your first body paragraph, explain Smith’s premise – sympathy or self-interest (not both). – Then move step-by-step to show how he deduces first, the actions of individuals; second,
social structures and laws; third, broader conclusions about how society operates. – Remember to connect every step of the argument back to Smith’s basic premise.
• In the past, students have typically found questions marker with an *asterisk to be more difficult, but you will not be given extra credit for attempting a harder task.
1. What produces the emergence of the division of labour?
2. How does morality develop?
3. What causes social conflict between classes or ‘orders’?
4. *How are the wages of labour set?
5. *How do individuals develop a sense of self?
6. *How do societies develop economic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, etc?
7. *What is the effect of government support for national businesses & industries?
8. *Should the government provide education for the people?

To what extent are you in control of your emotions?
How does this matter for how we think of the self?
Consider these things, in an order that makes sense to you, in the course of your essay.
theory of self
emotional hijacking
demographics of depression (culture as an influence on emotion)
the relationship of “disorder” to self
happiness (3 elements of happiness + potential to improve happiness level)
emotion work, impression management, and authenticity of self
______________________________________________
Your essay will be graded on the following dimensions:
AWESOME CLEAR & COHERENT ARGUMENT!!! (if you want to see if your argument makes sense, you may want to try verbally sharing it with friends and/or family)
strong and clear thesis in bold print
full response to entire prompt
well-written
strong use of required course readings to support your argument
creativity—make the topic your own! (OWN IT!)
this should be an essay—an original argument—not just an answer to the above set of questions
free of errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
bibliography in APA style formatting
page numbers, please
Grading Rubric (15 total points)
____/1 point clear, distinct, compelling thesis in bold print
____/1 point clear and complete explanation of theory of self
____/1 points clear explanation of emotional hijacking and its implications for self-control
____/1.5 point clear explanation of demographic patterns of depression
____/.5 point statement on the relationship of “disorder” to self
____/2 points clear explanation of the extent to which, and how, happiness can be changed
____/2 points discussion of emotion work, impression management, & authenticity of self
____/2 points clear & compelling argument
____/2 points use of required course readings (with quotes)
____/1 points overall quality, including quality of writing
____/1 point APA style bibliography 
All citations must come from the resources I provide

this is my research proposal and I just need you to do the research paper to this. using the proposal below.
Title: Understanding the Effects of Gentrification, on Low Income Communities
Introduction:
Gentrification is a process that significantly impacts the environmental aspects of neighborhoods with lower incomes. This study aims to delve into the effects of gentrification focusing on housing affordability changes in neighborhoods and the displacement of long time residents. Recognizing these dynamics is essential for addressing issues of inequality and environmental justice in settings.
Background;
Numerous studies have highlighted the difficulties faced by communities experiencing gentrification. These challenges include rising housing prices, demographic shifts in neighborhoods and the displacement of groups. This research project builds upon existing literature by incorporating insights gained from the “Environment and Society” course. Discussions related to development, social disparities and community resilience have shaped the direction of this study. Key teachings on cities, environmental discrimination and how urbanization affects marginalized communities serve as a basis for examining how environmental and societal factors intersect within gentrification.
Objective;
The aim of this research is to provide an analysis of how gentrification impacts low income communities, from both environmental perspectives.
The main objectives of the study are as follows;
To investigate the reasons behind the challenges of housing affordability in areas undergoing gentrification.
To explore the cultural shifts that occur due to gentrification, including changes in community dynamics and identity.
To assess the impacts of gentrification such as alterations in spaces, resource accessibility and implications for environmental justice.
To evaluate the effectiveness of policies and community actions in reducing the adverse effects of gentrification on marginalized groups.
Research Approach:
This study will utilize a mixed methods strategy involving both quantitative data collection techniques. Primary data will be obtained through interviews and surveys with residents, community advocates and policymakers in neighborhoods experiencing gentrification. Qualitative analysis methods like coding and narrative analysis will be employed to delve into themes related to housing affordability, social dynamics and environmental transformations.
Furthermore quantitative data from government reports demographic surveys and spatial analysis tools will be used to analyze patterns in neighborhood evolution and inequalities. By merging quantitative data sources a holistic understanding of the relationships, among gentrification, social equity and envir

Instructions
You are working for a local department store in the Operations Department. You notice that their business practices and use of technology are not up to date. The Human Resources Department does not have adequate computer access and often requires employees to complete some business at home. They also require prospective employees to apply from home. You recognize that not all people have personal computers, and some might be accessing business and personal records from a public computer. There are two prominent sociological theories that can be used to easily examine computer usage for individuals and organizations. Those theories are Conflict Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory.
At a staff meeting, you and your team are engaged in a discussion about the use of technology on both an individual and organizational level. You cite the digital divide as a major concern. Your store is considering an upgrade in some or all of their technological resources.
Recognizing that you are technologically savvy, your supervisor asks you to generate a visual comparison that considers the use of public computers versus a personal computer. You will rank concepts such as ease of use, time, and comfort in completing tasks, security factors, email management, and safety in conducting business that is typically completed on a computer that may lead someone to experiencethe digital divide (a difference between groups of people and their use of digital technology). You will also need to consider the sociological theories named above and explain how from a sociological perspective, it would benefit or hinder the store you work in to upgrade their technology.
Your comparison should consider various factors identified below and will illustrate the benefits and some potential limitations of utilizing technology. Your presentation will be presented to your supervisor and other members of the Operations Department in order to determine which, if any, components of the store’s current technological operations will be updated. The visual comparison can be in any engaging format that you select.
MUST BE IN CHART FORMAT 
For this comparison chart, you are to reflect upon and address the following sets of questions/information.
• Define conflict theory.
• Define symbolic interaction theory.
• Discuss how each of these theories would explain the use of technology and the development of the digital world we now live.
• Consider multiple ways that society has changed in the past several decades and what contributed to that change.
• Provide examples of technological growth and change over the past several decades.
• Make direct correlations between the technologies that exist and the changes that have occurred at the organizational and societal levels in the past several decades.
• Define digital divide.
• Consider factors that create the digital divide, such as access to technology, socioeconomic status, age, personal interest, location of residence, etc.
• Based upon factors that cause the digital divide, suggest ways that this divide can be combated.
• How does the digital divide apply to the store that you work in for this scenario?
• Which theoretical perspective can best be applied to your store in the above scenario to help explain and counter the impacts of the digital divide?

Write a literature review using three articles attached below. Do not use any other articles or sources. Please read the articles. 
This literature review is different from an annotated bibliography, which is a listing of articles with descriptions. A critical review is not a string of summaries, it is a synthesized review. In other words, you do not simply write a short review of each research study, but tie the research studies together into a “story” or “conversation.”. Also, personal opinions are not included in a literature review.
At the end of the literature review, you will also need to write a two-paragraph summary of what you have learned about the topic from the three articles. This includes critique and reflection about the “story,” not the individual articles. 
Avoid long quotes in your review, and paraphrase whenever possible.
Maximum quotes = 2 short quotes.
Paper Structure:    APA format
Title Page 
Abstract 
Section/Theme 1
Section/ Theme 2
Section/ Theme 3 (Optional)
Conclusion
Reference
Reflection
The paragraph structure:
1. Thesis (the main point of your writing) 
2. Evidence ( Where you provide concrete demonstration that supports your thesis, in your own word, only a few sentences on methodology if needed) 
3. Analysis (Where you show the reader how your evidence supports your thsis)