Overview
Please read the instructions very carefully. Let me know if you have any questions. I will attach the rest of the sources once the assignment is picked up.
Workbooks provide opportunities to relate course materials to media, experiences, and supplemental resources in a personal/reflective manner. Full credit responses meet length requirements, adhere to format/citation specifications outlined below, and sufficiently address every component of each prompt - while citing at least two course concepts. Hence each prompt must include two citations, with 8 in total required. A typical paragraph includes 4-8 sentences. Length specifications indicate the minimum expected, but you will not be marked down for exceeding limits. Insights should be original, well thought out, and supported by materials.
Responses can either be elaborated on in a short essay that is 4 paragraphs long – or as short answers which address each prompt’s components (bullet points format) within the same approximate length. Overall, Workbook #1 should come out to a total of 4 prompt responses,
16 paragraphs, and 8 cited concepts. No cover page or References section are necessary. When citing materials, only note the author(s), publication year, and relevant page numbers or resource details in the parentheses (i.e. Conley, 2015, p.209). To cite any concept from a lecture, guide, or slides – just include my surname, the course number, and resource or date. Examples: Plaček, 2025 SOC 132 Recorded Lecture on Slab City; Plaček, 2025 SOC 132 Lecture 9-29-2025, or Plaček, 2025 SOC 132 Week #2 Guide). You can apply any relevant concept from any week's materials but do not reuse the same concepts. For example, do not cite "structural determinism" more than once. You may cite two different concepts from the same resource - hence, you can define/apply "essentialism" and "neoliberalism" as two concepts for prompt #1 even though both are drawn from the same resource (Plaček, 2025 SOC 132 Week #1 Guide). No credit will be awarded for any portion that appears to be AI generated, plagiarized, your own work submitted to another class, or insights we already covered in this class.
-0.75 points will be deducted for each missing or incorrectly applied citation;
-6 if there are no course materials properly cited in all 4 prompts (8 total are required)
-10% off any prompt with lengthy quotes, titles listed in responses, or redundant content
-3 points from overall score for not adhering to format
(standard font and font size, numbered pages, single spaced, 1-inch margins)
PROMPT #1 – IDENTITIES & ROLES (+6 points)
(#1) Reflect on various “roles” that you’ve enacted in the past year, and then comment on the following:
- Describe 3 of the roles (i.e student, parent, employee, spouse) and how/why/where you performed each
- Which role/s do you generally enjoy most, and why might that be?
- Elaborate on an example of role strain/conflict that you experienced
- What effects did this role strain/conflict impose on you?
- What were some way/s that you attempted to resist or cope with any aspect related to one of these roles, or with role strain/conflict?
…up to 6 points (+0.5 lists at least three roles; +1 x 3 descriptions of role performances; +0.75 preferred role and why; +0.5 recent example of role strain/conflict; +0.5 effects that role strain/conflict imposed on you; +0.75 some way/s you resisted or coped)
PROMPT #2 – INTERACTION, INSTITUTIONS & INEQUALITIES (+7 points)
(#2) Drawing from Lareau’s (2002) study, were you socialized towards a communication style that is more consistent with constraint, entitlement, or some combination of these styles? Why is your communication style best characterized in that way? Describe at least 3 ways this was shaped by your upbringing (such as language used at home, family’s social connections, or the ways that daily life was organized)? How does this continue to influence your interactions and outcomes with dominant institutions - like healthcare, schools, courts, or banks?
- Were you socialized towards a communication style that is more consistent with constraint, entitlement, or some combination of these two styles?
- Describe 3 ways your communication style was shaped by your upbringing (such as language used at home, family’s social connections, or ways that daily life was organized)?
- upbringing practice or characteristic which shaped your communication style #1
- upbringing practice or characteristic which shaped your communication style #2
- upbringing s practice or characteristic which shaped your communication style #3
- How does your communication style that was socialized during youth continue to influence your interactions dominant institutions- like healthcare, schools, courts or banks?
- How does your communication style continue to influence outcomes associated with dominant institutions?
…up to +7 points (+0.5 communication style; +0.5 why your communication style can be described that way; +1 x 3 upbringing influences; +1.5 effects on interactions; +1.5 outcomes)
PROMPT #3 –MEDIA (+6 points)
(#3) In a similar manner as Reilly’s critical analyses of Mulan, explain some problematic intersectional/ positionality depictions (i.e. gender, age, race/ethnicity, class, looks, religion) that were featured in a movie or TV show that was marketed towards children. Then in 2 two paragraphs, describe why/how children are likely to internalize messages from these portrayals (according to at least 2 theories covered in class) - and what effects/implications could ensue as a result of exposure to these portrayals.
***Do not analyze Mulan or any other film or show we already covered in course materials/discussions***
- Elaborate on some problematic intersectional depictions from this film or TV show
- Describe why/how children are likely to internalize these portrayals according to at least two theories related to socialization/media influences which have been covered in class
- how theory #1 explains why/how children are likely to internalize these portrayals
- how theory #2 explains why/how children are likely to internalize these portrayals
- What are some effects and/or implications of children internalizing these portrayals?
…up to 6 points (+3 critical analyses; +0.75 x 2 media theories; +1.5 effects/implications)
***Both theories must be among those covered in the “Socialization Theories” part of our Week #4 Guide***
PROMPT #4 – SUBCULTURES & INFORMAL CONTROLS (+6 points)
(#4) Describe a “deviant” community aside from ones that have been discussed in class (i.e. prisoners, gangs, sex workers, houseless communities, Slab City, UFOlogists). Propose 3 benefits offered to members who are involved within this group. Next elaborate on 3 informal social control tactics which are used among members to regulate one another’s behaviors - and what purposes each method serves. Then summarize what these norms/rules suggest overall about the group’s core values, motives, purposes etc.
Some great examples of communities to consider writing about include:
*communities related to various music scenes – like metalheads, ravers, straight edge, or goths
*vampires
*witches, brujas, covens
*body modification artists or practitioners
*circus performers, carnival workers etc.
*auto racing groups
*hackers or hacktivists
- Describe this group
- What are 3 benefits or functions offered to members who are involved within this group?
- benefit #1
- benefit #2
- benefit #3
- Outline 3 informal social control tactics the group utilizes to regulate one another’s behavior, and what purposes each serves
- informal control tactic #1 & its purpose/s
- informal control tactic #2 & its purpose/s
- informal control tactic #3 & its purpose/s
- What these norms/practices suggest about the group’s core values, motives, purposes
…up to 6 points (+0.75 describes group; +0.5 x 3 functions/benefits provided to members; +0.25 x 3 informal control mechanisms; +0.75 x 3 functions of each informal control mechanisms; +0.75 what these norms/rules suggest overall about the group)
***Informal Control Sanctions/Mechanisms refer to practices which members of a given community use to regulate each other’s behaviors. These are mechanisms of discipline or punishment which do not rely on formal control sanctions - like those deployed by police, courts, or other institutions. Methods generally vary by the frequency and/or severity of transgressions. Examples include warnings, interventions, fines/taxes, blacklisting, suspensions, banishing, or violent retaliations. Informal controls that are deployed will reflect the norms, values, objectives, and practices of a particular group. Each tactic must be distinct from one another (i.e. do not write about banishment and expulsion – they are virtually the same thing.
Also please do not confused informal sanctions with a community’s norms, practices, or traditions.
For example - kandi exchanging among ravers is not an informal control mechanism, nor are mosh pits among punks or metal heads.***