Introduction to Sociology

1. Why are some countries affluent (wealthy) and others impoverished?

2. Describe three things that can be done in our local organizations and larger societal institutions to make men and women more equal?

3. More than a hundred years ago, renowned sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois said, “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line –the relation of the darker to the lighter races.” Do you think that the color line remains one of the most volatile issues facing the United States today? Explain.

4. Explain in your own words the following passage: “Poor people are not poor primarily because they lack stuff and they lack things. Poor people are poor because they lack the institutions of justice that enable them to create prosperity for their own families and their own communities. We are always asking what causes poverty, but we forget to ask what enables people to create wealth and prosperity in their communities”.

5. What do the media teach us about gender and sexualities? What are the current attitudes towards LGBT people, and how have the media influenced these attitudes?

6. What are three possible reasons for why racism continues to flourish in the United States?

7. How can studies of other cultures contribute to the argument that gender is socially constructed?

8. How would sociologists make sense of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 through the three major theoretical perspectives (structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism)? See the questions on the next page to help you answer.

Structural Functional Theory
1. What are the manifest functions, latent functions and social dysfunctions of COVID-19?
2. How does it impact social solidarity and stability?
3. How does it benefit society? (think critically)
4. What social groups and social institutions does it impact?

Conflict Theory
1. Is there evidence of inequality and discrimination? Be specific as to what social groups are most impacted and how
2. How are resources distributed and based in what ideology?
3. What is the economic impact of COVID-19?
4. What changes can be made to make this situation more equitable?

Symbolic Interaction Theory
1. How does COVID-19 impact self-identity?
2. How does it impact social relationships and social institutions?
3. What symbols (anything that conveys meaning) are associated with COVID-19?
4. How do we define or interpret COVID-19? How is it portrayed or described by society?