~ 1a) Social Inequality The Week 4 Instructor Question meets the following course objectives: •Apply a sociological perspective to the social world •Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to analyze everyday life. •Discuss global stratification and explain social class and the impact of stratification in the United States. •Describe sex and gender, race and ethnicity, and the elderly in the United States as well as how inequality, prejudice, and discrimination impacts certain groups of people in society •Develop written communication skills and critical thinking skills. •Apply American Psychological Association formatting and citation style when completing course assignments. Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students' postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length. Choose ONE of the following questions: 1. How is power wielded in the social world? Do agree more with functionalist or conflict theorists regarding the concept of power in a democracy? Be sure to describe both the functionalist and conflict perspectives on power in society and provide evidence or examples to support your position. 2. Describe the functionalist view of social stratification, and the conflict theory's view of social stratification. Then take a pro or con position on each of the following three points: first, social stratification is necessary for societies to exist and prosper; second, the United States functions, overall, as a meritocracy; and third, human beings-driven as they are by human nature-are incapable of ever creating and/or living in a classless society. Provide detail about 'why' you are taking the pro or con position for each point. 3. Will there ever be complete equality between males and females in the United States? Should there be? What would constitute complete equality? Do you think the women's movement is stronger or weaker today than it was in the 1970s? In what ways? In challenging gender stratification, do you think that feminists sometimes over-exaggerate the problem of sexual inequality in the United States? If so, how? The text offers a few explanations for the origins of patriarchy while ignoring religion. Given that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all patriarchal religions, do you think that the feminist movement is an attack against religion? Finally, what is a feminist? Are you a feminist? If so, why? If not, why? Be sure to use examples from the text in your discussion. ~1b) Social Inequality The Week 4 WSMP meets the following course objectives: •Apply a sociological perspective to the social world •Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to analyze everyday life. •Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve information related to the topics .

1. ~ 1a) Social Inequality
The Week 4 Instructor Question meets the following course
objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Discuss global stratification and explain social class and the
impact of stratification in the United States.
•Describe sex and gender, race and ethnicity, and the elderly in
the United States as well as how inequality, prejudice, and
discrimination impacts certain groups of people in society
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.

2. Choose ONE of the following questions:
1. How is power wielded in the social world? Do agree more
with functionalist or conflict theorists regarding the concept of
power in a democracy? Be sure to describe both the
functionalist and conflict perspectives on power in society and
provide evidence or examples to support your position.
2. Describe the functionalist view of social stratification, and
the conflict theory's view of social stratification. Then take a
pro or con position on each of the following three points: first,
social stratification is necessary for societies to exist and
prosper; second, the United States functions, overall, as a
meritocracy; and third, human beings-driven as they are by
human nature-are incapable of ever creating and/or living in a
classless society. Provide detail about 'why' you are taking the
pro or con position for each point.
3. Will there ever be complete equality between males and
females in the United States? Should there be? What would
constitute complete equality? Do you think the women's
movement is stronger or weaker today than it was in the 1970s?
In what ways? In challenging gender stratification, do you think
that feminists sometimes over-exaggerate the problem of sexual
inequality in the United States? If so, how? The text offers a
few explanations for the origins of patriarchy while ignoring
religion. Given that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all
patriarchal religions, do you think that the feminist movement is
an attack against religion? Finally, what is a feminist? Are you
a feminist? If so, why? If not, why? Be sure to use examples

3. from the text in your discussion.
~1b) Social Inequality
The Week 4 WSMP meets the following course objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve
information related to the topics in the course.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Weekly Supplemental Material Post
1) Find and post 1 piece of supplemental material (i.e. website,
article, book, video, etc - NOT wikipedia) relevant to this
week's readings (see below for more detail).
2) Post a substantive forum discussion and comment to at least

4. ONE other student's supplemental material post, in this thread
(by clicking reply)
Supplemental Material post must include:
1) a link or attachment for the supplemental material,
2) an APA formatted citation for the source of the material,
3) a brief description of the material, and
4) a discussion about why it is relevant to the week's assigned
reading - include at least 1 sociological concept (this should
include identifying, defining (using the text) and then applying
the sociological concept)
~2a) Race and Ethnicity/The Elderly
The Week 5 Instructor Question meets the following course
objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Describe sex and gender, race and ethnicity, and the elderly in
the United States as well as how inequality, prejudice, and
discrimination impacts certain groups of people in society.

5. •Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
Choose ONE of the following questions:
1. Discuss how race is more a sociological classification than a
biological one. Provide situations in which an individual's race
may be mistaken or taken for granted. In the United States the
key stratifying variable is race; in Europe it is SES
(socioeconomic status). Why do you think there is this
difference?
2. How does Henslin define 'elderly?' As you see it, at what age
are people no longer young? What is it, specifically, about this
age that makes a person "old"? What are some of the social
factors in the United States that have shaped your ideas about

6. the elderly? How often do you think about growing old and,
when you do, do you think about it in a positive or negative
light? Finally, if aging were eliminated tomorrow by advances
in technology, what do you think would be the perfect age to be,
and remain at, for the rest of your life? Why?
~2b) Social Inequality
The Week 5 WSMP meets the following course objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve
information related to the topics in the course.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Weekly Supplemental Material Post
1) Find and post 1 piece of supplemental material (i.e. website,

7. article, book, video, etc - NOT wikipedia) relevant to this
week's readings (see below for more detail).
2) Post a substantive forum discussion and comment to at least
ONE other student's supplemental material post, in this thread
(by clicking reply)
Supplemental Material post must include:
1) a link or attachment for the supplemental material,
2) an APA formatted citation for the source of the material,
3) a brief description of the material, and
4) a discussion about why it is relevant to the week's assigned
reading - include at least 1 sociological concept (this should
include identifying, defining (using the text) and then applying
the sociological concept)
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 150 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
~3a) Social Institutions

8. The Week 6 Instructor Question meets the following course
objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Interpret the United States economy and politics.
•Describe the family, education, and religion from a
sociological perspective.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
Please choose ONE of the following questions:
1. Describe your vision of a model economic system - is it

9. capitalist, socialist, or somewhere in between? In your answer
be sure to compare and contrast the two major economic
systems (capitalism and socialism).
2. Since the 1970s, the traditional family has been changing as
we have experienced steady trends with growing numbers of
divorces and more children born out of wedlock. Should the
legal system make it more difficult for married couples to
obtain a divorce, and harder for people to cohabit outside of
marriage, especially when children are involved? What can the
United States government do to strengthen families and
marriages in American society? How can the people change the
culture to strengthen families and marriages? Refer to examples
from the text to support your answer. Now, critique your answer
from the point of view of a functionalist or a conflict theorist.
3. What is dehumanization? How would functionalists and
conflict theorist critique dehumanization? Do some research on
the internet to find depictions of dehumanization in previous
wars that the United States has fought. Choose two of the
following for your research: a) depictions from World War II
that dehumanize Germans; b) another depictions from the
Vietnam War that dehumanize North Vietnamese and/or
communists; and finally, c) depictions from the Persian Gulf
War that dehumanize Iraqis. First, what similarities and/or
differences exist in the ways that the Germans, North
Vietnamese, and/or Iraqis were depicted during World War II,
the Vietnam War, and/or the Persian Gulf War, respectively?
Second, while the nationalities of combatants may change from
one war to another, how much does the "language of
dehumanization" change, if at all, from one war to another?

10. ~3b) Social Institutions
The Week 6 WSMP meets the following course objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve
information related to the topics in the course.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Weekly Supplemental Material Post
1) Find and post 1 piece of supplemental material (i.e. website,
article, book, video, etc - NOT wikipedia) relevant to this
week's readings (see below for more detail).
2) Post a substantive forum discussion and comment to at least
ONE other student's supplemental material post, in this thread
(by clicking reply)

11. Supplemental Material post must include:
1) a link or attachment for the supplemental material,
2) an APA formatted citation for the source of the material,
3) a brief description of the material, and
4) a discussion about why it is relevant to the week's assigned
reading - include at least 1 sociological concept (this should
include identifying, defining (using the text) and then applying
the sociological concept)
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 150 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
~4a) Social Institutions
The Week 7 Instructor Question meets the following course
objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world.

12. •Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Describe the family, education, and religion from a
sociological perspective.
•Discuss the sociological study of health and medicine in
society.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
Please choose ONE of the following questions:
1. What is a "credential society?" Is there too much of an
emphasis on credentials in the United States? If so, how might
this be harmful? To whom? Have you ever personally benefited

13. from or been victimized by gatekeeping? How? Overall, do you
find yourself agreeing more with the functionalist position
(gatekeeping exists because society and its members benefit
from it) or with the conflict position (gatekeeping exists for the
benefit of powerful interests who use it to protect their
privileged place in the American social class system)? Why?
Use examples from the text in your answer.
2. Look at Figure 18.5, using concepts from the text, discuss
some possible reasons why Jewish people have the highest
incomes, levels of education, and occupational prestige of any
religion in the United States; also discuss why Jehovah's
witnesses have the lowest? The book suggests that as social
class changes, people change religions. Do you agree with the
direction of this sociological finding/assumption? Why/Why
not?
3. 1) Write a brief position paper about whether or not
medically assisted suicide (i.e. euthanasia) should be legalized
in the United State. 2) Conduct research online to find evidence
for a brief position paper of BOTH sides of the argument; refer
to your text for examples also. (be sure to note if your sources
are heavily biased one direction or the other) 3) Write out
position paper for each side of the argument. Note: This means
more than just listing pros and cons - you need to critically
discuss the pros and cons 4) Remember to include in-text
citations and full references in APA format.

14. ~4b) Social Institutions
The Week 7 WSMP meets the following course objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve
information related to the topics in the course.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Weekly Supplemental Material Post
1) Find and post 1 piece of supplemental material (i.e. website,
article, book, video, etc - NOT wikipedia) relevant to this
week's readings (see below for more detail).
2) Post a substantive forum discussion and comment to at least
ONE other student's supplemental material post, in this thread
(by clicking reply)

15. Supplemental Material post must include:
1) a link or attachment for the supplemental material,
2) an APA formatted citation for the source of the material,
3) a brief description of the material, and
4) a discussion about why it is relevant to the week's assigned
reading - include at least 1 sociological concept (this should
include identifying, defining (using the text) and then applying
the sociological concept)
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 150 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
~5a) Social Change
The Week 8 Instructor Question meets the following course
objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world.
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to

16. analyze everyday life.
•Explain collective behavior, social movements, and social
change.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 250 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.
Please choose ONE of the following questions:
1. If you grew up in the city or currently live in the city, discuss
Henslin's (2014) description of the norm of non-involvement,
the sense of alienation, and personalization of activities. Also,
discuss the types of people who live in the city according to the
typology presented by Herbert Gans. Based on your experiences
growing up in the city and/or living there now, do you find
these descriptions of city life accurate? Provide examples in
your explanation.

17. 2. In what ways, if any, are riots rational acts of collective
behavior? In what ways, if any, are riots productive?
Counterproductive? With all of the social inequality and social
injustice that exist in the United States, why do you think there
aren't more riots? If there were more riots, do you think these
would lead to serious efforts to improve social conditions for
minorities in the United States? Or would these, instead, create
a backlash against the rioters that would only make things
worse for minorities in the United States? Be sure to refer to the
text in your answer.
3. After reading The Coming Star Wars, discuss the following
suggestion that "it is one thing to fight an enemy that uses
outdated technology, but quite another to face an enemy that
possesses similar technology." Debate the idea of mutual
deterrence, which is the idea that both nations with high
technology fear an attack from the other, so neither of the two
attacks for fear of annihilation. Also, discuss the idea that the
nations with "outdated technology" are more willing to commit
suicide for their cause and are more likely to pose a serious
threat. Finally, discuss former President Reagan's dream of Star
Wars as a reality. Use examples from the text in your answer.
~5b) Social Change
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18. The Week 8 WSMP meets the following course objectives:
•Apply a sociological perspective to the social world
•Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological
imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to
analyze everyday life.
•Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve
information related to the topics in the course.
•Develop written communication skills and critical thinking
skills.
•Apply American Psychological Association formatting and
citation style when completing course assignments.
Weekly Supplemental Material Post
1) Find and post 1 piece of supplemental material (i.e. website,
article, book, video, etc - NOT wikipedia) relevant to this
week's readings (see below for more detail).
2) Post a substantive forum discussion and comment to at least
ONE other student's supplemental material post, in this thread
(by clicking reply)
Supplemental Material post must include:
1) a link or attachment for the supplemental material,

19. 2) an APA formatted citation for the source of the material,
3) a brief description of the material, and
4) a discussion about why it is relevant to the week's assigned
reading - include at least 1 sociological concept (this should
include identifying, defining (using the text) and then applying
the sociological concept)
Initial forum postings should be a minimum of 150 words. Each
student must also respond to a minimum of 1 fellow students'
postings; each response must be at least 100 words in length.