Week 2 – Assignment

Theorist of Choice

The text, Sociology: Beyond Common Sense, describes many individuals who have contributed to our current view of sociology, including:

• Auguste Comte
• Emile Durkheim
• Karl Marx
• Max Webber
• Harriet Martineau
• Jane Addams
• W.E.B. Dubois
• Erving Goffman
• George Herbert Mead
• Robert Merton

From the list provided, identify one theorist whose work regarding society you found most interesting. Using the knowledge you have gained thus far in this course, write a paper that describes the theory or work aligned to the chosen theorist and provide three reasons why you chose this theorist. Use scholarly resources to support your thesis.

The paper must be three to four pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style Ashford Writing Center Essay (Links to an external site.). You must use at least two scholarly resources (at least one of which must be found in the Ashford Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page. For information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).

Required Resources

Text

Durkin, K. F., & Carrothers, R. M. (2015). Sociology: Beyond common sense [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

• Chapter 4: Socialization
• Chapter 5: Groups and Organizations
• Chapter 6: Deviance and Crime

Articles

(n.d.). The anomie tradition. (Links to an external site.) Retrieved from http://deviance.socprobs.net/Unit_3/Theory/Anomie….

• This resource is provided as an alternative and supplemental viewpoint to the text and provides greater detail in relation to the topic of deviant behavior and the theoretical work of Durkheim.

Hammond, R., Cheney, P., & Pearsey, R. (2015). Introduction to sociology: 06 socialization. (Links to an external site.) Retrieved from http://freesociologybooks.com/Introduction_To_Sociology/06_Socialization.php#

• This resources is provided as an alternative and supplemental viewpoint to the text and provides greater detail in relation to the topic of socialization.
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Tierney, J. (2009). Anomie theory. In Key Perspectives in Criminology. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

• The full-text version of this article can be accessed through the ebrary database in the Ashford University Library. This resource is provided as an alternative and supplemental viewpoint to the text and provides greater detail in relation to deviant behavior and the theoretical work of Durkheim.

Answer 5 of the following with a well-organized paragraph each.

Discuss how the work experiences of radiologists and technologists with the MRI technology contradict the common MRI narrative that exists in the popular culture. How is this contradiction resolved or managed by both radiologists and technologists in their work?

Use the 4 academic articles provided in the research section of the course in a 750-1000 word essay about labour markets, jobs, education, citizenship status and income. Additional sources are not required. The purpose of the paper is to synthesize the article information and use your sociological imagination and critical thinking skills as you discuss the issues raised in these articles. Cite all sources using ASA style. Include a list of works cited in ASA style. The paper must be submitted as a .doc or .docx file.

Steps to producing a good paper:

1) Read the articles. Make notes about variables used, the relationships between them, the key findings of the article, and the theoretical paradigm used by the researchers. As you make notes, also note page numbers so that you can easily cite sources.

2) Use these notes to write a summary of the research presented in the articles. (If you would like an example, look at the theory section of any of the assigned articles.)

3) Use your sociological imagination to critique these articles. What variables have the researchers not used that could be useful for a more complete understanding of these social phenomena? What populations could be included in a study of the same or similar research questions? What does your experience tell you about these social phenomena? You may want to employ a different paradigm than the researchers. How might that different paradigm raise different research questions or require exploration of different variables, populations or social settings?

4) Cite All Sources using ASA style.

5) Proofread your paper. Have someone who is not taking this course proofread it. Ask that person to tell you what the paper says. Edit as necessary to improve the reader’s understanding of your central argument in your paper.

Before you begin working on this discussion board, review the article titled “The End of Gender?” by Linton Weeks that is available in the module folder.

In no less than 250 words, give a brief summary of the module material (no more than 4 sentences). Make sure that you describe the differences between sex and gender in your summary. Then, discuss the concept of gender expectations and socialization (Ferrante 2015:208-211). Answer the following questions: What agents of socialization were important in teaching you gender, and how did they do so? How do you think gender will play a role in your career or major? What benefits and/or detriments do you see in a world without gender as described by Weeks (2011)? Finally, pose one question related to the module material for your fellow students and provide one possible answer. A good question is one that is open-ended and allows for multiple answers. Original posts are due Friday by 11:59 p.m. and responses are due Sunday by 11:59 p.m. Be sure to look at the rubric and the syllabus to see how your posts will be graded. Remember to cite your sources properly!

References

Ferrante, Joan. 2015. Sociology: A Global Perspective. 9th ed. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Weeks, Linton. 2011. “The End of Gender?” National Public Radio, June 23. Retrieved October 28, 2017 (http://www.npr.org/2011/06/27/137342682/the-end-of-gender).