Overview
This assignment is an example of “visual sociology” – a field in which photography and other visual media can be used to engage sociological questions and illustrate social dynamics. If you choose to engage this assignment, take photos in one or more urban settings (your site can in Los Angeles, or elsewhere if you travel). You must take the photos yourself – pulling photos off of the internet or getting them from any other source is not allowed for this assignment. Your photo should also be of something other than another photo or of a video (it may include pre-recorded images, but should not be limited to them). Your photo journal must include at least one photo in response to each of the following five prompts or questions. If you like, you can include more than one photo per prompt, but to receive full credit, all five prompts must include a distinct photo. Your photos should be compiled into one document, and then uploaded in PDF form. We will review formatting options in class. You should include accompanying text or captions to help explain each photo or set of photos. The length of written comments is up to you, though generally at least a few sentences is helpful, and you can write as much as you like. The five questions/prompts are:
- How do people “wear” or perform deviance through clothing or body art?
- How is deviance punished?
- Take a photo of a behavior, activity, or relationship which demonstrates both deviance and conformity (and explain why, in your text description).
- Take a photo that illustrates deviant behavior as a response to trauma or pain.
- Take a photo that illustrates how deviance can be pleasurable or joyful.