Academic Writing

Midterm Exam: Sociology 101 Please provide a response that is at least one page double-spaced to three of the four following questions. Your midterm will be at least three pages total and is due on 5/13/14. Usage of at least one outside source is required. 1. What is the sociological imagination? Use Mills’ concept of private issues vs. public problems to analyze unemployment and addiction. What are the main ideas of conflict theory and functionalism? Explain how conflict theory and functionalism account for social problems such as crime and suicide. 2. How important is social interaction to us as individuals? What role do socialization and social interaction play in society as a whole? Thinking about the film Wild Child or an example from the text, explain how a lack of social interaction can affect individuals. Briefly describe the five agents of socialization. Which agent of socialization do you think is the most important and why? 3. Thinking about how society is organized, what role do social groups play in society? Briefly describe the three types of social groups we discussed (primary, secondary, and reference) and how they relate to us as individuals. How can social networks affect individuals in terms of opportunities and life chances? 4. Briefly discuss each of the five systems of stratification. What type of stratification system are we most likely to experience today? Describe the role that social mobility plays in maintaining class systems. Why is mobility so important for individuals and groups in society? How does the U.S. compare to the rest of the world in terms of social mobility? What do you think can be done to increase social mobility and reduce social inequality in the U.S. and elsewhere?