After you have the conversation, take time to reflect on how the conversation went.  How challenging was it to use the reflective listening skills?  What worked well for you?

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Using the reflective listening skills learned in class, students will engage in a challenging conversation with someone outside the class.  The conversation should occur with someone you feel diametrically opposed to on a topic, for example, someone who voted differently than you in the election, a friend or acquaintance who disagrees with you on a heated issue, a loved one who feels differently than you on an important matter, etc. While students will determine who to have the conversation with and what the topic is, students should take care to abide by these specific parameters:

The ultimate goal of this assignment is to understand where the other person is coming from.  As we recall, reflective listening ultimately boils down to listening to understand.
While at the end of the conversation you may not agree on the topic at hand with the other person, it’s important that you gain an understanding of their perspective through the conversation.
This assignment is not to participate in a “debate” with the other person.  It’s not your role to convince them of your point of view — you’re trying to understand where they are coming from and how they came to their values and beliefs.

After you have the conversation, take time to reflect on how the conversation went.  How challenging was it to use the reflective listening skills?  What worked well for you? What could use improvement in the future? Were there any moments where you almost lost your cool? How did you get back on track to using the reflective listening skills?  From your perspective, how did the conversation go overall? How did the other person seem to respond to your use of reflective listening skills? What have you learned from this exercise?
Submissions should be typewritten — word processed — and between 4 to 5 pages double spaced with 12 point font.  Papers will not be graded on grammar or spelling, but clarity and attention to these details would be most helpful.

Identify the sociological perspective (i.e. Functionalist Theory; Conflict Theory; Symbolic Interactionist Theory) that would best support the author’s thesis

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First identify the sociological perspective (i.e. Functionalist Theory; Conflict Theory; Symbolic Interactionist Theory) that would best support the author’s thesis: that the paradox of poverty in a wealthy America is because of “how we as society have tended to conceptualize the issue of poverty and based upon this thinking how we have acted (or better put, failed to act) toward the issue” (Rank 2011).  Notes: First select the theory. Then give a brief (1-2 sentences) background of it/founder(s). Finally explain (a) how this theory would view the author’s thesis, and (b) why this is the best theory to use in this context.
The author suggests the need for three shifts (i.e., Individual; Structural; Moral) in how Americans think about poverty. Next, sociologically analyze (2)  the strengths and weaknesses of each shift separately. Notes: to sociologically analyze means to objectively examine an idea in detail, discussing its essential elements so as to identify causes, key factors, and possible results
Finally, as a responsible member of a democratic, civil society, use your critical thinking and analytical skills to present a specific program or policy that should be implemented to resolve and/or manage the issue of American poverty. Be specific regarding the role(s) of the suggested policy in mitigating the issue. Students are encouraged to support their argument with direct textual evidence and sociological insights (applicable terms and concepts learned over your semester of study).

How challenging was it to use the reflective listening skills?  What worked well for you? What could use improvement in the future?

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Using the reflective listening skills learned in class, students will engage in a challenging conversation with someone outside the class.  The conversation should occur with someone you feel diametrically opposed to on a topic, for example, someone who voted differently than you in the election, a friend or acquaintance who disagrees with you on a heated issue, a loved one who feels differently than you on an important matter, etc. While students will determine who to have the conversation with and what the topic is, students should take care to abide by these specific parameters:  •The ultimate goal of this assignment is to understand where the other person is coming from.  As we recall, reflective listening ultimately boils down to listening to understand.   •While at the end of the conversation you may not agree on the topic at hand with the other person, it’s important that you gain an understanding of their perspective through the conversation. •This assignment is not to participate in a “debate” with the other person.  It’s not your role to convince them of your point of view — you’re trying to understand where they are coming from and how they came to their values and beliefs.    After you have the conversation, take time to reflect on how the conversation went.  How challenging was it to use the reflective listening skills?  What worked well for you? What could use improvement in the future? Were there any moments where you almost lost your cool? How did you get back on track to using the reflective listening skills?  From your perspective, how did the conversation go overall? How did the other person seem to respond to your use of reflective listening skills? What have you learned from this exercise?    Submissions should be typewritten — word processed — and between 4 to 5 pages double spaced with 12 point font.  Papers will not be graded on grammar or spelling, but clarity and attention to these details would be most helpful.

What are several ways that the fans receive negative sanctions for their non-conformity? How are these negative sanctions promoting social conformity?

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Your main post should be at least 3 paragraphs in length, 250 words.
STAR WARS SUBCULTURE: Watch this 10 minute video clip on Star Wars Fans (Star Wars Fans – Violating Cultural Norms (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.). Use the CC, if needed. Answer the following questions: What specific American values are the fans threatening and how? You need to refer to chapter two’s discussion on values. What are several ways that the fans receive negative sanctions for their non-conformity? How are these negative sanctions promoting social conformity? The fans and the humiliation they are subjected to are a good demonstration of how powerful cultural norms can be in controlling behavior. In this video, we can see how deviation from mainstream behaviors often results in social rejection. How do negative sanctions keep you conforming to cultural norms? Are there activities, goals, interests you do not pursue for threat of being judged harshly? Overall, why is it important that most/all people of a society follow a set of rules and expectations of behavior (norms)? How can this be limiting to a person’s potential?

Remember:
Make sure to use proper grammar and punctuation in this college level course in all correspondence. Please avoid “text” or “twitter speak” when corresponding.
Your main post should be 250+ words.