Extra Credit Opportunities

You may complete one extra credit opportunity per quarter.  This extra credit assignment will make up for either: One days worth of participation points (from an absence for instance), or One missed homework assignment.

Extra Credit is due by 5PM, Friday December 19th.  You may turn it in via email ("SOCIOLOGY 1 EXTRA CREDIT" should be in the subject line), or into my mailbox in the Sociology Office (SSB, 4th floor).

OPTION 1

1) Choose one of the approved documentaries below to watch.  These documentaries are available through the library.  Many are also available on Netflix instant or Amazon Prime.  Note: Good documentaries can be hard to find - if you have suggestions to add to the list please email me.

2) Watch the documentary, take notes.

3) Prepare a review/response of the documentary.  This review may take one of two forms.

• A typed response to the discussion questions
• A Youtube video of you reviewing the video.  This response should be available to view by the instructor and your fellow students.  If you choose this option, try to be creative and have some fun with the option.

 Discussion questions:

• Briefly Summarize the film.  What was it about?  What evidence was provided? 
• Did you find the documentary convincing?  If so, why?  If not, what questions did the film not address or facts do you think contradict the film?
• What Social Structures does the film deal with?
• What Cultural Structures does the film talk about?
• Relate the film to a specific reading from the course.
• Rate the film:  devise your own rating system - stars, thumbs up or down, or any other system. 

Films:

• A Place at The Table (class)
• Inequality for All (Class)

• The Garden (class)
• Maxed out (class)
• Race - The Power of Illusion (Race)
• Skin Deep (Race)
• Miss Navajo (Race, Gender)

• Somewhere Between (race, gender)
• Brooklyn Castle (Race, class)
• Beloved (Race) - This is not a documentary but it is such a significant piece of literature I will allow it. Please contact me if you choose this option.

• MissRepresentation (Gender)
•  Asexual (Sexuality/Gender)
• Paris is Burning (Race, Gender/Sexuality)
• Venus Boys (Race, Gender/Sexuality)
• America the Beautiful (Gender)
• America the Beautiful 2: The Fat Commandments (Gender, Race, Class)
• The Business of Being Born (Gender)
• Mansome (Gender)
• Killing Us Softly (Gender) - Any of the versions available through our library
• Dream World (Gender, Race) - Any of the versions available through out library

Please be aware many of these documentaries have adult themes and may contain sexuality, nudity or violence.  

OPTION 2

Sociology in the News!

Find a recent news article* (see footnote) that pertains to the subjects we have been studying in class - specifically race, class, gender, or intersectionality.

1) summarize the article
1.5) Briefly analyze the news source - is it a newspaper, a blog?  What kind of bias might this present for the article? Is the article intended to be humorous? Does the article contain an agenda, aim or bias? elaborate on this in your analysis in step 4.
2) Identify at least one cultural structure and one social structure present in the article (justify your answer).
3) Identify at least one reading relevant to the article.
4) Use your answers from 2&3 to analyze the content of the article.  Would the author you chose agree with the way the article presents the incident being presented?  What ways might we critique the incident and/or the article?
5) Attach a copy of the article AND a link to the article to your submission.

* Recent is defined as no more than 1 year old.  You may use articles from major news sources (NPR, Fox, MSNBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, etc) or from news blogs (xojane, Gawker, Jezebel) - not from a private blog.