Assignment 2: Social Problems and the Sociological Imagination
Follow these guidelines:
- Select a social issue from any section of the course that interests you. The topic you address should be specific (e.g., "rising economic inequality among single mothers"). If you are having trouble thinking of ideas, browse the syllabus, do a quick Internet search, or skim through the Henslin textbook.
- Find one recent (2012-present) article from either a newspaper or magazine and analyze the article using the sociological imagination.
- The paper should be organized as follows:
- Part 1: How do the author or authors frame and discuss this issue?
- Part 2: What can the sociological imagination help us see that they do not?
- You should spend an equal amount of your paper on each part.
- Information about the sociological imagination can be found in the C. Wright Mills article "The Promise of Sociology" from the first half of the semester. You may also consult your lecture notes.
- The paper should be 3-4 pages. Be sure to cite any references. We will go over proper citation styles in class.