Response papers should be roughly 2 single-spaced pages in length (about a 1000 words), typed (double spaced), and should explicitly address the given theme, utilizing the readings and discussions from the course. The response papers give you an opportunity to reflect on the readings and the various topics of discussion, and to clarify your own thinking on the issues of race and ethnicity, as well as to provide me with feedback on the effectiveness of some of our course materials at helping to understand and digest these complicated ideas.

Theme:

Thinking about the everyday impact of race/ethnicity. Let’s begin with the profound statement made by writer Zora Neale Hurston as she said “I am not tragically Black!’ Think about the ways the ideas of race and ethnicity have constructed you and how the world sees you. Confront these ideas! In the way similar to Leslie Silko’s confrontation of the US border patrol. Demand that society live up to aspirational notions of justice and fairness (recall the discussion of Angela Davis and her critique of the prison-industrial complex), and consider the ways that those who would let their presumptions about race/ethnicity guide their actions, can be constrained. Take some time to consider the everyday impact of racial and/or ethnic constructions on your life.

1) My views on lowering the legal limit for intoxication from .08 to .06 nationwide is a yes. Most accidents happen because of drunk driving. People think they are in their senses and can drive. However, that is not true because Korsmeyer et., al states, “An individual with a BAC of .08 percent or higher is eleven times more likely than an individual who has had nothing to drink to be involved in a fatal crash” (Korsmeyer., et all 2009). In addition, they don’t realize that not only their life is in danger, but they are putting others on the road in danger as well. However, I am double minded because people are going to drink and drive regardless. When one is drunk or has exceeded their limit, they don’t realize themselves that they have. This is what causes them to think they can drive home safely. There is no harm in lowering the legal limit because we can see if it makes a change. Also, if the legal limit decreases, then people might start reconsidering to drive after consuming alcohol. At the end of the day, people need to realize that alcohol can be the reason for multiple reasons and accidents being the number one reason.

2) Of course there must always be a lower limit but when it comes to driving after drinking alcohol there really shouldn’t be alcohol in your system. to lower the limit to .6 would mean more people would be cautious in taking a first drink at all. many cases of drunk driving start from just planning to have one drink and then continuing to drink unexpectedly. knowing that your BAC level could reach the legal limit sooner is a great deterrent. drunk driving is so dangerous that many alternatives and prevention methods are spread through culture. Always have a designated driver is a phase that i know and yet have no idea where i heard it. We now have uber and lyft, these services can provide a designated driver on demand for a small cost. Car brands are exploring the use of assisted driving and self driving cars to create an intertwined web for a safe automated transportation system. if after this law change there was also a slight upturn in the number of random sobriety checks it would become clear that drunk driving is something that is trying to be stomped out by society.

300 WORDS Describe how you envision dividing housework and childcare (if you plan on having children) with your partner. If you are already live with a partner, discuss how housework and childcare (if applicable) are currently handled. Consider the following questions when creating your response:

• Is fairness important (equal time invested)? What if someone consistently invests more time than the other – would that be an issue?
• Will the work be gendered (females cleaning and cooking while males tend to cars and yard work)? How will the tasks be divided (who will do what)?
• Will someone do more housework based on employment or income?

POSTS TO RESPOND TO:

POST1: Child care, and housework when I have children with my partner would consist of 50/50. In other words, my partner and I will be taking turns with the housework and child care. It will be equal for both of us, and we can even help each other with the house cleaning and errands. A lot of couples in the Latino community, the male would work and the women would cook, and take care of the children. Sometimes it becomes a problem because it takes a toll emotionally on the women, and I have seen men claiming they are doing a lot more than the women and then it becomes a critical issue during their relationship. It can become an issue because if one partner does a lot more, it will be unfair for the other partner. The work will be divided in a random manner. In my home, the work will not be divided into a gender matter. My future husband will cook, clean, tend for the children and I will also break the norm of ‘gendered’ work. It will be equally fun for both of us so we can change the routine. One week I can tend of the children, and the next week I can focus on general chores/housework. My partner and I will probably work, so the income doesn’t really matter. Unless one of us doesn’t have a job at the moment, well they can focus on the children and the house chores. If I were jobless and my future husband would be working I would be willing to clean and cook. I would feel productive and I would 100% understand that my husband comes tired from work. It all depends on the situation, but if both of us have a job we would work together. That’s how the jobs get done easily.

Civil War

Cultural Taboos

Lack of educational opportunities

Poor health of entire population

Pick two (2) of the four to focus on this assignment 3b

Identify the reasons why you think these two threats are less critical than the four threats you chose for your PowerPoint presentation.

Introduction

Briefly introduce the topic of the analysis (about 100-150 words).

State the topic and intent of the paper.

Identify the two threats you will discuss in the paper in the order in which they appear in the paper

As has been argued throughout the semester, sociology is a way of “seeing things;” a way of focusing on certain aspects of human conduct, taking into account a vast array of social factors and conditions, raising certain questions and then relying on the systematic application of scientific methods – not individual, personalized, impressionistic accounts – to thoroughly investigate a chosen phenomenon.

The central idea of this essay – it’s main purpose – is for you to convince me that, used as a guiding framework, the sociological perspective can help you think about and deepen your understanding of the social factors and processes that make up the social world so that you can make better sense of your daily life and interpret broader social issues that confront contemporary society.

This essay is comprised of two parts. In part 1, you will choose one of the theoretical perspectives that sociologists use (structural-functionalist, conflict, symbolic interactionist). After you (1) provide an outline of its main features, its guiding assumptions, and the questions it tends to raise, you will (2) demonstrate how it leads you to focus on aspects of the social world that you haven’t previously considered. In so doing, you will rely upon the assigned and recommended readings, film presentations, and class discussions. Next, you will (3) briefly discuss some of the insights that you have gained from applying the theoretical perspective you have chosen. Again, you will use specific examples.

For part 2, you will choose how three specific sociological concepts and, after providing a concise definition of each, indicate how the application of each concept either supplements or dramatically deepens your understanding of the phenomena to which it is applied. As before, you will rely upon the assigned and recommended readings, film presentations, and class discussions to show that you fully understand these concepts. Although this list is not exhaustive, you may consider drawing from it: conflict (how it is built into the fabric of society); status-sets; role-conflict; role strain; ethnocentrism; cultural relativity; multiculturalism; unintended/unanticipated consequences; impression management; social construction of reality; the interdependence of social institutions; looking-glass-self; reference groups; institutional discrimination; structurally-induced inequality; feminization of poverty; self-fulfilling prophecy; the Matthew Effect; hidden bias; confirmation bias; the Burke Theorem. Feel free to use other concepts if you prefer.