Agenda for 3/28

1. Present Children's Books

2. Functionalist Perspective 

According to functionalism society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium.

For example, each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: 

• Family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing, and socializing children 
• education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth
• politics provides a means of governing members of society
• economics provides for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services
• religion provides moral guidance and an outlet for worship of a higher power. 

The functionalist perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts. 

• For example, the increase in single- parent and dual-earner families has contributed to the number of children who are failing in school because parents have become less available to supervise their children’s homework. 
• As a result of changes in technology, colleges are offering more technical programs, and many adults are returning to school to learn new skills that are required in the workplace. 
• The increasing number of women in the workforce has contributed to the formulation of policies against sexual harassment and job discrimination. 

Functionalists use the terms functional and dysfunctional to describe the effects of social elements on society. 

• Elements of society are functional if they contribute to social stability and dysfunctional if they disrupt social stability. 
• Some aspects of society can be both functional and dysfunctional. 
• For example, crime is dysfunctional in that it is associated with physical violence, loss of property, and fear. But  crime is also functional for society because it leads to heightened awareness of shared moral bonds and increased social cohesion. 

Sociologists have identified two types of functions: manifest and latent. 

• Manifest functions are consequences that are intended and commonly recognized. 
• Latent functions are consequences that are unintended and often hidden. 
• For example, the manifest function of education is to transmit knowledge and skills to society’s youth. But public elementary schools also serve as babysitters for employed parents, and colleges offer a place for young adults to meet potential mates. The baby-sitting and mate-selection functions are not the intended or commonly recognized functions of education; hence they are latent functions.

3. Deviance and Social Control - video

Answer the following questions after watching the first ten minutes of the video above.

A. What is deviance?

B. What are some examples of deviance?

C. What are some examples of informal social control?

D. What are some examples of formal social controls?

E. How does the functionalist theory explain crime and deviance? 

Be sure to explain how crime:

• identifies the failure of social structures
• reinforces the societal norms and promote social unity
• lead to social change

F. What is the major criticism of the functionalist perspective of crime?

Agenda for 3/24

1. Classic Sociological Theory #2 - Functionalism

The Functionalist View of Society the Family

Functionalists regard society as a system made up of different parts which depend on each other. Different institutions each perform specific functions within a society to keep that society going, in the same way as the different organs of a human body perform different functions in order to maintain the whole.

In functionalist thought, the family is a particularly important institution as this it the ‘basic building block’ of society which performs the crucial functions of socializing the young and meeting the emotional needs of its members. Stable families underpin social order and economic stability.

George Peter Murdock – The four essential functions of the nuclear family

Looked at 200 different societies and argued that family was universal (in all of them). Suggested there were ‘four essential functions’ of the family:

1. Stable satisfaction of the sex drive – within monogomous relationships

2. The biological reproduction of the next generation – without which society cannot continue.

3. Socialization of the young – teaching basic norms and values

4. Meeting its members economic needs – producing food and shelter for example.

Functionalist Perspective

The functionalist perspective is based largely on the works of Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton. According to functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. For example, each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: Family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing, and socializing children; education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth; politics provides a means of governing members of society; economics provides for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services; and religion provides moral guidance and an outlet for worship of a higher power.

The functionalist perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts. For example, the increase in single- parent and dual-earner families has contributed to the number of children who are failing in school because parents have become less available to supervise their children’s homework. As a result of changes in technology, colleges are offering more technical programs, and many adults are returning to school to learn new skills that are required in the workplace. The increasing number of women in the workforce has contributed to the formulation of policies against sexual harassment and job discrimination.

Functionalists use the terms functional and dysfunctional to describe the effects of social elements on society. Elements of society are functional if they contribute to social stability and dysfunctional if they disrupt social stability. Some aspects of society can be both functional and dysfunctional. For example, crime is dysfunctional in that it is associated with physical violence, loss of property, and fear. But according to Durkheim and other functionalists, crime is also functional for society because it leads to heightened awareness of shared moral bonds and increased social cohesion.


Sociologists have identified two types of functions: manifest and latent (Merton 1968). Manifest functions are consequences that are intended and commonly recognized. Latent functions are consequences that are unintended and often hidden. For example, the manifest function of education is to transmit knowledge and skills to society’s youth. But public elementary schools also serve as babysitters for employed parents, and colleges offer a place for young adults to meet potential mates. The baby-sitting and mate-selection functions are not the intended or commonly recognized functions of education; hence they are latent functions.

2. Finish Children's Books

Agenda for 3/21 and 3/22

1. Selfie Socialization

2. An ambitious attempt is underway in the US state of Rhode Island to teach parents how to speak to their children more often.

3. Assignment 8 - Children's Book:

Writing a Children's Book

1. After being assigned your topic, complete the children's book brainstorming handout - Writing a Children's Book - Topic Handout

2. Write an outline for your children's book. The outline should spell out the beginning, middle and end of your book and the overall story that you want to tell. Be sure to include when you will hit the "major points" about your topic in the story.

3. Use Adobe Voice to create your children's book (choose the "Tell What Happened" template).

4. Your book must be at least 11 pages (slides), including a cover page.

5. Each page must have text and images. No more than two sentences per page, and vocabulary must be age appropriate. At least one images per slide. Images must be age appropriate and relate to the text.

6. You should be prepared to "read" your book to the class on Wednesday 11/4.

Grading Rubric - 50 total points

• The book tells a clear story (beginning, middle, end) - 10 points
• The story holds "socialization value" for parents - it clearly teaches a child about the assigned topic - 20 points
• The book is age appropriate (writing and images) - 5 points
• Each page follows the requirements (see above) - 5 points
• The book is "read" to the class  - 5 points
• Mechanics - correct spelling, punctuation, appropriate images - 5 points




Agenda for 3/17 and 3/18

1. The Feral Child

• If a child was to receive NO socialization for the first 7 years of life, what would they NOT be able to do? What skills or abilities would they NOT have? 
• The Oprah update

2. Selfie Socialization

3. An ambitious attempt is underway in the US state of Rhode Island to teach parents how to speak to their children more often. 




4. Assignment #7 - submit through eBackpack


Read the following online articles about Socialization. Answer the questions for each article.




1. Introduction to Socialization

A. Define Socialization.


B. How did Harry and Margaret Harlow demonstrate the need for social contact? See a video of Harlow's monkeys.




2. Why Socialization Matters 


A. Why is socialization necessary for societies and cultures to continue from one generation to the next?


B. Why is socialization necessary for individuals?


C. What is your opinion on the nature v. nurture debate? How does this debate connect to the concept of socialization 




3. Agents of Socialization


A. Briefly define/describe each of the major "agents of socialization" discussed in the article.

Agenda for 3/15

1. "Grooming Children for Jihad: The Islamic State" - How is this similar to Prussian Blue? 

2. Essential Question: 

How do we learn to be members of our society? How do we know the rules? Where do get our beliefs? How do what right from wrong?

3. Socialization Keynote
 
4. Everybody Poops

• How would parents use this book to socialize children? 

5. The Giving Tree

• What is the moral of the story? Why would parents read it to their kids? How would it help SOCIALIZE kids? 

6. The Feral Child

• If a child was to receive NO socialization for the first 7 years of life, what would they NOT be able to do? What skills or abilities would they NOT have? 
• The Oprah update

Agenda for 3/11 and 3/14

1. Finish Culture Terms Video (10 mins)

2. "You've got to be Carefully taught" - song from the musical South Pacific. 

3. The lyrics.

4. Prussian Blue Documentary 

5. Where are they now?

6. SPLC article on April Gaede 

HW - Assignment #6 - Prussian Blue Reflection (quiz)

Answer each question in several complete sentences: 

1. How did your understanding of Prussian Blue evolve (change) from the beginning to the end of this unit? Why has this evolution occurred? Use the term "sociological imagination" in your response.

2. Identify and explain at least three societal factors (outside influences) that have influenced the beliefs of Lamb and Lynx Gaede. What influences were they prevented from having?

3. As a society, is it more important that we support the freedom of parents to raise their kids however they see fit, or that we ensure kids are raised with morals and beliefs that society approves of?

4. With all of this in mind, at what point is a person responsible for their own beliefs, regardless of their outside influences?

5. Identify the three people who have had the most influence on your beliefs. Explain how each has influence you.

5. Think about your own life. Identify a person, or group of people, that you may have unfairly judged. Where did your assumptions/beliefs come from: parents, school, friends, the media, co-workers...? What is something you could do to start seeing this person (or group) differently? 

Agenda for 3/9 and 3/10

1. The Two Big Factors That Determine Where Hate Groups Thrive

2. States with the most prejudiced tweets!

3. Hate Group Presentations

4. Prussian Blue

• Prussian Blue "Victory Day" music video. The lyrics.
• ABC News Report on Prussian Blue