Soc. 3251W Race, Class, and Gender

I think this is a great idea and I strongly encourage others to do this. If you want to post questions, just comment to this posting. You never know, you might see one on the midterm!

"Compare and contrast the three different theories on social class (Marx, Weber, and Durkheim)"

I thought we weren't going to be asked to compare or describe theories held by specific people from the readings.

So, can we expect a question like this on the test or not, Eric?

This kind of question would be fair game, because I talked about the theories in lecture, as well as in the readings. What I won't ask you to do is to compare specific readings without having discussed them specifically in lecture, if that makes sense.

No one else wants to play?

Sad.

I'm just planning on cramming with the slides and the samples we have, sorry. :(

The class blog as a whole is not as exciting as I was hoping at the beginning. People don't usually hang out to respond to their post comments, and if someone does leave a comment they don't seem to want to come back to check it.

It's too bad. It would be a lot more fun with everyone actively participating and chatting regularly...

I'll play!

What I've done below as a way for me to review is gone through each of the lectures in order and generated in my mind questions that reflect the main points of each class. None of these questions directly reflect the readings, just lecture. I invite someone else to take on that task!
These for the most part I believe would fall in the short-answer category vs. essay, but like Eric mentioned in class knowing those will help us on the essay. Hope this helps someone besides me!

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF INEQUALITY
1. Explain how an essentialist would explain the presence of racial inequalities. How is this different from Berger and Luckmann's views?

2. Identify the primary social institutions and the ways in which each generate and maintain inequality.

3. Describe the Davis-Moore thesis and provide an example of why it is largely refuted.

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF RACE
1. Describe the differences and similarities in Bonilla-Silva's and Winant's theories of racial formation and development. **On Sample Midterm Review Sheet!**

2. Identify and describe the types of racism, including an example of each.

EXPERIENCING RACE AND PRIVILEGE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
1. Explain the primary principles of Whiteness Theory.

(also see question 2 on the sample midterm review)

THEORIES OF CLASS
1. Compare and contrast Marx, Weber and Durkheim theories of class.

2. Explain how the following affected the outcome of the classroom activity on class inequality: unequal distribution of production, low class mobility, the abundance/shortage of resources, the desire to accumulate wealth.

SEX, GENDER AND INTERACTION
1. Define sex, gender, and sexuality.

2. Describe how gender is reinforced or reproduced through social interaction.

3. Explain each of the major social institutions and their role in reinforcing gender.

THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SEXUALITY
1. Explain the historical evidence that supports variation in sexual identities. What does this tell us about the categorical divisions of sexuality?

2. What do the findings of Kinsey and NHSLS indicate about sexuality in America?

RACE CLASS AND GENDER IN INTERACTION: IMMIGRATION AS A CASE STUDY
1. Describe how the following state policies reflected institutional discrimination based on race and class: Homestead Act, GI Bill, Chinese Exclusion Act, Alien Land Act/Japanese Internment, FHA.

2. Identify the ways in which the interactions of white working-class Americans and recent immigrant populations presents evidence of race, class, and gender conflicts.

3. Describe the arguments of both proponents and those apposing the English-Only Movement in the U.S.

LANGUAGE, SPORTS AND THE MEDIA
1. Identify the ways in which language reinforces and reproduces a system of privilege and disadvantage.

**Also see numbers 2 and 3 on the sample review!

VIOLENCE AS SOCIAL CONTROL
1. Explain how gender-based violence connects to the guest lecture we had about gender and language?

**Also see question 3 from the sample midterm review**

LAW AND CRIME
1. Describe what most criminologists believe are America's two crime problems.

2. Explain how the residential segregation and crime are closely connected.

3. Explain the historical significance of felon disenfranchisement and how it continues to affect current elections.

4. How do selective prosecution and selective case-filing decisions provide evidence of court system unwilling to deal with racial discrimination?

Hope that you will find all or a portion of this helpful. Best of luck studying.

Wow. It's official. Amy rocks. Looks like we have an extra study guide. :)

Thanks!

Yeah you pretty much do rock. It's muchly appreciated!

This is a great blog, whats your writing techniques? ;)