The Bulk of the Classs Assignment

Students in this course will develop a qualitative media analysis project of their own design. This

includes everything from creating a literature review and research question to data collection and

analysis.

Your Literature Review and Research Question(s) will be a 3-5 page document where you overview

contemporary scholarship on a topic of your choice. There is no official number of sources,

however you should anticipate having at least 6-10 to demonstrate you have a somewhat sufficient

understanding of the material and to help you identify gaps in the literature.

Your Methodology is where you explain what your data source is going to be, why it is going to be

reliable data source, provide some basic background information on the data, and a bit about how

you plan to analyze it. It should be no more than 2 pages.

Your Data is your data. Show me your compiled dataset.

General Paper Guidelines

1. Formatting: Written assignments (so not data collection/preliminary coding) must be

in Calibri 11, Aptos 11, or Times New Roman 12 font, double spaced, and with standard

margins. Any paper not submitted in this format will not be approved.

2. All written assignments must have in-text citations and a reference sheet, both in proper

ASA format.

3. A formal academic writing style is expected. The degree to which this matters increases is

raised with each draft.

4. Full in-text citations and a reference sheet are expected with each draft. The reference

sheet does not count toward the page limit.

5. Anything past the page limit will not be read/not counted as submitted.

6. Doing a paper like this requires synthesizing, analytic skills, and the ability to write with

depth in a concise manner. This means finding where arguments and points overlap

between different pieces and linking them together in the same paragraph, sometimes the same sentence. It also means learning to boil down articles to a few key points and

arguments and learning how to line them all up in a logical order. This is the point of the

paper’s design. To teach you to develop your own ideas and process a large amount of

information, synthesize it, and present your own theory-based analysis in a clear and

concise manner.

7. Avoid the use of unanalyzed quotes.

8. I am always happy to look over rough drafts. However you need to email me your draft

beforehand and/or provide a hard copy in person. If you are unsure about something or

want feedback before submission, please visit my office hours.

9. To help you with both the assignments and the readings an additional reading and writing

guide has been posted to Canvas.

Above all else: BE BOLD. What matters here is the work you put into thinking big and making

connections between theory and the empirical world. It involves build reasoning skills above all

else. What matters to me is that you are taking the effort to build the analysis and explanations you

need. When it comes to theory there are some limits to this (ex: you can’t say that the class

domination theory of power posits that all groups engage in political action and have equal

chances for success) but we don’t all need identical readings. I will always favor creative and well

thought out theorizing over a cautious coverage of what is going on and not thinking about how it

connects to theory and/or everything and everyone else in the world.

No AI or Plagiarism

PLEASE DONT USE ANY AL OR CHAT GPT!!

Controlling Images Assignment #2

Collins (1990) suggests that the media presents controlling images about gender, which restricts ideas about a group of people because they are represented in limited ways. For this assignment, you will select an outlet to investigate through visual media such as photographs, artwork, advertisements, slogans, or products represented in newspapers, fliers, or magazines.

Potential Media Sources:

• Or you may propose your own.

After selecting an outlet, narrow your search to contain a specific criterion depending on how the source is organized. This may be organized around a year, a theme, a single company, etc. It should also be spread across that selection, like multiple issues, different videos, or different posts. Make sure your choice leaves you with at least 15 photos or visual objects to analyze. Collect your data and use it to fill out the included spreadsheet.

Then, write a 750-1,000 word paper defining and explaining a controlling image those visuals add up to. In other words, if all media represented gender in a specific visual way, what would consumers be led to believe about the nature of that group? Your essay should also include written descriptions of several (at least five) of the items showing how they support the controlling image youve named.

You have to come up with your own controlling image and definition, you cant use Collins or someone elses that you might find on the internet. No citations are required, unless you use a source other than the database you are drawing from to fill in your spreadsheet.

Log in to canvas (I will provide my credentials below) request the code via whatsapp and I will provide it to you so that you can log in

USER: 6510359

PASSWORD: Yiladisrodriguez14!

THIS IS THE CORRECT LOG IN FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS WHEN LOGGING IN, I WILL HELP YOU

Select the SYG3002 class

On the left hand side look for yellowdig and modules and assignments to see what needs to be completed

(modules will contain all the information you need to complete yellowdig assignments)

complete as many of the yellowdig assignments as you can (need at least 3625 points) but most importantly complete the interview assignment

LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HERE TO HELP

This reflective journal is designed to help you connect sociological concepts to your own life, work experiences, and the world around you. Rather than summarizing the textbook, you will practice thinking sociologically by applying ideas from the readings to real situations.

Each Journal Entry Must Include:

Key Concepts

• Identify 5 sociological concepts from the 5 chapters weve covered (this journal should cover Chapters 1-5)
• 1 concept per chapter
• Bold or underline each concept when you use it

Real-Life Application

• For each concept, explain:
• How you have seen this concept in:
• Your own life?
• AND/OR
• News, social media, or popular culture?

Sociological Reflection

• Answer the following reflection prompts:
• Why did you choose these 5 concepts?
• How did these 5 chapters change the way you see everyday behavior?
• Did anything challenge your assumptions or beliefs?
• Why might understanding these concepts be useful in your personal life and/or career?

Formatting Requirements

• Minimum of 500 words per journal (~ 100 words per chapter)
• Double-spaced,12-point font
• Written in complete sentences
• First-person writing encouraged
• No outside sources required (textbook only). Henslin, James M. Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Available from: Savannah Technical College, (14th Edition). Pearson Education (US), 2023.
• If you do use outside sources, be sure to cite them.

1. how does bureaucracy represent a crystallized form of social order?

2.Where do tensions between bureaucracy and lived experience emerge, according to Weber?

Reading:

requirements:

use at least 100 words per question

Spell check your work

Use the required reading to answer this set of questions

Prompt:Identify one assumption, ask a clarifying question, or offer an alternative interpretation using a Chapter 4 concept.

Peer Post:

In accordance with a constructionist viewpoint, ethnicity is something that individuals develop and mold via social interaction rather than something that is fixed or biological. In the movie Ethnicity and Identity, ethnicity is defined as a shared culture, customs, language, and genealogy, whereas nationality is defined as legal membership in a nation. The Peruvian event featured in the film is a prime illustration of this. While residing in the US, they offer traditional dishes, play music, and dress in traditional Peruvian attire. This demonstrates a blended identity since, despite being citizens of the United States, they still use clothing, cuisine, and celebrations to strongly express their Peruvian origin.

Boundaries and meaning influence ethnic identities, as explained in Chapter 4. According to characteristics like language or look, boundaries divide “us” from “them” (Cornell & Hartman, Ch. 4, boundary and meaning section). The speaker in The Struggles of the Ethnically Ambiguous describes being asked, “What are you?” all the time. This instance demonstrates how people attempt to categorize them even when they don’t obviously fit into one. This demonstrates that limits are not inherent but rather socially constructed and enforced by others. The distinction between statement and assignment is another crucial idea. Assertion is how people define themselves, while assignment is how others label them (Cornell & Hartman, Ch. 4, assertion vs. assignment section). In the same video, the speaker identifies as mixed, but others assign them an identity based only on appearance, which creates tension and misunderstanding.

Additionally, several forms of identity pressure are depicted in the videos. Outsiders who attempt to define the speaker’s identity based on physical characteristics are the source of pressure in The Struggles of the Ethnically Ambiguous. This demonstrates how individuals outside the group frequently have the authority to assign identities. Preserving Hmong Culture: Life After War, on the other hand, depicts community pressure. After migration, members strive to maintain their language, habits, and traditions. Insiders are in charge in this situation and promote cultural preservation. These two instances demonstrate how expectations inside the group, as well as external factors, can influence identification.

All things considered, the videos show how contact, culture, and power continuously create, preserve, and alter ethnicity. It is not set in stone; rather, it is subject to social influences and circumstances.

Discussion question: What impact, in your opinion, does social media have on people’s ability to claim their own ethnic identity as opposed to having it imposed by others?

Chapter 4 Reading attached

Prompt: Add a new example from a different video and show how it supports or complicates their argument.

Peer Post:

In Ethnicity and Identity, ethnicity and nationality are not the same thing. Ethnicity is more about shared culture, traditions, ancestry, and language, while nationality is about belonging to a country or nation. In the Peruvian Festival scene from Ethnicity and Identity, there is a blended identity because people are showing cultural symbols like traditional dress, music, and food, but they are also connected to a national identity at the same time. That scene shows that a person can carry both ethnic and national identity together instead of choosing only one.

One constructionist concept from Chapter 4 is boundary. Chapter 4 explains that identity construction involves drawing a line between us and them, using markers like language, cultural practice, or behavior. You can see this clearly in Preserving the Ways – Culture and Traditions. The video focuses on Native Americans trying to keep their traditions alive, and those traditions act like boundary markers because they separate Native identity from the larger mainstream culture. Another concept is meaning. Chapter 4 says identity is not just about drawing boundaries, but also about attaching value and significance to the group. In Preserving the culture of the Co Tu ethnic minority people, the effort to preserve culture shows that traditions, practices, and heritage are not random things. They carry meaning because they tell people who they are and why their identity matters.

Two identity pressures that stand out are in Preserving the Ways and Ethnicity and Identity. In Preserving the Ways, the pressure comes from historical suppression and the struggle to survive while protecting culture. That means outside power has often tried to define Native identity, but insiders keep asserting it through tradition and memory. In Ethnicity and Identity, the pressure is more about assimilation and cultural erosion. People may start losing language, traditions, or symbols as they blend into mainstream society, which makes identity thinner over time. I think a good example of cultural erosion would be Italian Americans in todays society. Over time the Italian culture has been dwindled down and some would even argue the culture is quite different compared to Italian in Italy.

How do festivals, traditions, and cultural practices help a group resist assimilation while still adapting to modern society?

Videos:

read these 3 feedback from my peers

FEEDBACK 1

The interview was very well done! The interviewee gave very in-depth and detailed answers, which was nice. She made strong points in her answers, and you could tell the interviewee seemed very involved in the conversation as well. It seemed more personal, which is always a good thing. I think the interviewer asked some pretty good questions as well. The works cited from the questions asked are missing, but I do see one at the end of the document. The theme coding for the transcript was also missing from the interview document. I feel like the analysis could’ve had more parts, but I can’t really tell since the coding for the themes wasn’t done. In addition to the analysis, a good connection was made regarding gender bias and how the interviewee had experienced it before. Another good connection that was made was regarding Crenshaw and intersectionality, and how it ties into the interviewees’ cultural background. Overall, the project was done well, minus a couple of small things that needed to be fixed. The small changes don’t make or break the assignment per se, but in the future, the critiquing can just be used as constructive criticism. Continue with the hard work!

based on this

rate how motivational it was on a scale of 1-4 (4 being the highest) and how critical it was on a scale of 1-4

Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation motivational in 100 words, and Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation good critique in 100 words.

FEEDBACK 2

This student’s submission was good, and one of its biggest strengths was that the writing sounded natural and human rather than overly robotic or forced. The tone flowed well, and the response felt genuine and easy to read. It was clear that effort went into making the writing sound thoughtful and realistic, which helped make the assignment more engaging. The ideas were communicated in a way that felt authentic, and that made the submission stand out in a positive way.

At the same time, I do think the assignment could have been stronger with more thoroughness in certain areas. While the overall response was solid, some sections could have gone into more detail or provided more development of the main ideas. A few points felt slightly brief, and adding more explanation or stronger examples would have made the analysis more complete and insightful. More depth would have helped strengthen the connection between the interview content and the writers discussion.

I also think the transcript portion could have followed the instructions more accurately. Based on the assignment guidelines, the color coding was supposed to be included to clearly identify the themes throughout the transcript, but that was missing here. Since that was a specific part of the instructions, including it would have made the assignment more accurate and aligned with what was required. Overall, this was still a well-written and human-sounding submission, but it would be even better with more thorough detail and closer attention to the transcript formatting instructions.

based on this

rate how motivational it was on a scale of 1-4 (4 being the highest) and how critical it was on a scale of 1-4

Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation motivational in 100 words, and Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation good critique in 100 words.

FEEDBACK 3

Hi Elizabeth! Great job on your interview assignment, the questions you have presented for this assignment are very clear and encourages the participant to want to give more in-depth answers. For example, your question: Have you ever experienced or observed inequality in the workplace or school based on gender, race, or background? Was a great answer to ask because it encourages the participant to reflect on real-life experiences with discrimination and inequality. I feel like these questions allow them to reflect on personal and/or observed situations they may experience which helps to uncover how race, gender, and background and influence people’s treatment and their opportunities around them. Which when reading the transcript of your interview, it clearly demonstrated that perspective going deep on expressing their experiences on it. I feel like things that I did feel like that could be worked on is the formatting since I do know that, correct me if I’m wrong. Must include “interviewer” and “interviewee” as well as the time duration of labeling and as they speak. I do believe you were supposed to highlight the themes that were mentioned inside the interview as well. You did, however, did a great job with citing the material that connects what was tied into the questions. Overall, you did a great job on your interview assignment.

based on this

rate how motivational it was on a scale of 1-4 (4 being the highest) and how critical it was on a scale of 1-4

Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation motivational in 100 words, and Please help your peer better understand what made the content of their written evaluation good critique in 100 words.

Week 9 Discussion – Constructing Ethnicity

Read/Watch

Cornell & Hartman, Chapter 4: Constructing Realities / Constructing Ethnicities, plus the videos Ethnicity and Identity, The Struggles of the Ethnically Ambiguous, Preserving Hmong Culture: Life After War, and Preserving the Ways: Culture and Traditions.

Videos:

Initial Post: 350500 words

Prompt: Using Chapter 4s constructionist perspective, explain how ethnic identities are made, maintained, and changed in the real-world cases shown across the videos.

In your post, you must do all of the following:

1. Define ethnicity vs. nationality using the Ethnicity and Identity video, and give one specific example from the Peruvian Festival scene that shows a blended identity (e.g., symbols, language, food, clothing).
2. Apply two constructionist concepts from Chapter 4 (choose at least two): boundary; meaning; assertion vs. assignment; thick vs. thin identity; hidden ethnicity (optional). For each concept you choose, connect it to one concrete moment from the videos (quote or describe a specific scene/detail).
3. Compare two different identity pressures shown in the videos. Choose two of these pairings: ethnically ambiguous identity struggles (Struggles of the Ethnically Ambiguous); cultural preservation after war and migration (Preserving Hmong Culture); cultural survival under historical suppression (Preserving the Ways); assimilation and cultural erosion concerns (Ethnicity and Identity). Explain how power and social expectations shape identity in each case (who gets to define the identityinsiders or outsiders?).
4. End your post with one discussion question that invites classmates to respond (not a yes/no question).

Citations: Use simple page citations for the chapter like (Cornell & Hartman, Ch. 4, p. __). If you dont have page numbers, cite by section/topic from the chapter (e.g., assertion vs. assignment section).

Requirements:

Spell check

400 word minimum

I will attach the rubric make sure you follow it to the exact point and and do everything it says the paper should be from 700-800 words. do not use AI i will check it and make sure it is very good. Everything should pass the exemplary part of the rubric.

Select the one side

of the argument that you felt was most persuasive and share how the author was able to

effectively justify their position and support their reasoning. State clearly what element

of the argument was most persuasive and why. Also, find a weakness in the same

argument and suggest how the author could have improved the writing. (If you cannot

find a weakness, you should consider a different argument.)

Your paper should contain the following: