HOMEWORK: Due December 3

Given that Black Friday is just around the corner for this week I am tasking you with an assignment that looks at marketing and advertising.

1) Find a product that is unnecessarily gendered.  (That is, it is either specifically "designed" for a particular gender or advertised to a particular gender.  Think of products that include a "for him" or "for her" label, but you could also look for more subtle indications that a product is "gendered")

2) Bring into class (in a form you can turn in) an advertisement for, or listing on website (Amazon, Target etc) for this product.

3) Write a small summary of how this product is gendered, and argue why the gendering of this product is unnecessary.


Example:

1) Bic Pens For Her
2) (see below) and also see reviews at (http://www.amazon.com/forum//ref=ask_dp_dpmw_al_hza?asin=B004F9QBE6&cdSort=best)
3) This product is gendered as it is specifically labeled as being "for her" rather than for him, or for everyone - or more importantly as not having a gender.  We can further see the way gender is deployed in marketing and designing this product in the colors chosen and the description of the product.  The colors for the product are pastel/light colors and multiple colors.  The use of bright, multiple and pastel colors is associated with femininity in the American Culture.  The description also includes claims such as "Thin barrel to fit a woman's hand" and "Elegant design - just for her!"  These statements evoke the cultural structures that expect women to be elegant, small and delicate.  They presume a biological difference between men and women that extends from purely biological traits (a small amount of sexual dimorphism that could lead to slightly higher rate of small hands among women) to non-biological differences like a preference for color and "elegance" in pens.  Last, this product is unnecessarily gendered in that both men and women could benefit from a smaller pen, and pens work irrespective of color and sizing. The differences in this pen do not need to be associated with the gender of the user. 

For more ideas check out this video by Sara Haskins:

 

Welcome Summer Session I Students!

Welcome to your Sociology Class Blog.  This space will be yours to hold course discussions, access resources, and find assignments from class.

Feel free to browse through the previous posts, these are from earlier offerings of Sociology 1.  You may find these posts helpful.

Take some time to get to know the blog, and remember - the comments section is a great place to get talking about sociology with your class mates!

Assignment for Tuesday (July 8th):

1 - Prior to your attendance at section on July 3rd please go to the website "http://playspent.org/" and play the "spent" game at least once.

2 - Then go over to "http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22000973" and take the British Class Calculator Quiz.

3 - Last, go to "http://www.pbs.org/peoplelikeus/games/index.html" and take either "Identify This" or "Chintz or Shag?"

Assignment 3: Unpacking the Invisible backpack

Part 1:
Please follow the link below and read Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack"

http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/diversity/resources/white-privilege.pdf

You can learn more about Peggy McIntosh here.

Part 2:
Respond to the list of questions below.  This should not be formatted as an essay - just respond to each question as it is numbered.

1) This essay was written more than 20 years ago, what items on the list do you think are outdated?  Pick at two and explain why you think they are outdated.

2) Just as the world has changed over the last 20 years to make some of the items on the list out-of-date, there have been changes that will add to the list.  Can you think of at least one example of white privilege that is not on the list?  State that example and explain.

3) What are some other identities that might lead to unearned privilege?

4) Briefly, consider the idea of unearned privilege against the meritocracy ideology.  How is what Dr. McIntosh wrote contradicting the meritocracy ideology?

Please bring your answers to class on Monday, November 4, 2013.

Assignment 2: Understanding Class in the United States

Part 1: PlaySpent

Go to the Play Spent website and play through the simulation at least once.

Part 2: Develop a Budget and Living Wage estimation

 Using the resources handed out in class (and any others you might find on your own) complete your budget making worksheet (handed out in section).  While you work through your budget keep in mind the following:

 Some facts to think about…

• In 2012, 49.0 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 33.1 million adults and 15.9 million children. Reference here
• The National Poverty Level threshold in 2011 for a Family of 4 was $22,350 
• The Average cost of having your appendix removed without insurance is $9,931 – does not include emergency room visit 
• Average cost of emergency room visit with no test or scans for a minor problem is $769 - $1423  
• Average cost of emergency room visit if life threatening (not counting surgery or overnight stay in hospital), includes imaging tests $9,931 

 Part 3: Compare your estimated living wage to the one developed by the folks over at MIT 

Bring your Budget and Estimated Living Wage worksheet to class with you on Monday.  

Additional Resources for Budget Creation: 

Healthcare cost - you may use this calculator to find out how much it might cost your imaginary family to have insurance through the Affordable Care act:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/09/30/226456791/how-much-will-obamacare-cost-me-try-our-calculator

Assignment 1: Thinking about cultural structures of gender

For assignment one, please watch the two music videos below.  I encourage you to watch the videos and to read through the lyrics.

• Pink, F**kin Perfect. Lyrics available here

• Michael Jackson, Bad Lyrics available here

While watching, think about these questions:

For both videos:

• What is the plot of each video?
• Do the lyrics of the song match with the images in the video?
• Make note of the artistic choices made in each video - what style of dress was chosen?  Who is in the video?  Does the video tell a story? 

For Pink's Perfect

• How does the Pink video make use of the cultural structure of "Effortless Perfection" as described by Farrelly?  
• What lines from the song or images from the video represent "Effortless Perfection"? 
• What lines form the song or images from the video contradict or counter "Effortless Perfection"?
• Does the video seem to take a stand about "Effortless Perfection"?
• What do you think Pink's intention was in writing this song and making this video?

For Michael Jackson's Bad

• Are there images or lyrics from this video that support the kind of "superman" or "ultimate masculinity" described in the Zirin article (and discussed in section)?
• Do the lyrics ever contradict or contrast with the images in the video?
• Does the video support the kind of masculinity described in the Zirin article?  
• What might Michael Jackson's intentions have been in making this video?

Bonus: Consider how "effortless perfection" as a standard for women and "ultimate masculinity" for men interact - do they support one and other?  Contradict one and other?   

For your Assignment: Once you have watched the videos a few times and made some notes (considering the questions above) please write a 1-2 page (300-500 word) reflection paper.  You may chose one video to focus upon or compare and contrast the videos. Answer these three questions:

1.  Briefly define "ultimate masculinity" (we called it Hegemonic Masculinity in class) and "effortless perfection."
2. Describe how you see these videos making use of the cultural structures of "ultimate masculinity" and/or "effortless perfection."
3. Do the videos contradict or create a counter-narrative to "ultimate masculinity" or "effortless  perfection"?  If so, how do they do this.

Bonus:  Do you think these videos have a useful or positive message for the people who watch them?

Please type your essays. They are due on Monday, October 7th in section.  A hard copy is required.

Please be specific in your analysis - quote the lyrics or point to specific scenes from the video to support your analysis.  Remember to cite your sources, including in-text citation of the articles you have read. 

If you are not familiar with in-text citations please refer to The OWL at Purdue.


******EDIT********Otober 3, 2013

Please include a works cited page. I think it is important for you to get into the habit of always citing, thus including a bibliography is good practice.  However, I know that you may not be familiar with how to cite a website or a video so I have included example reference below. Please be certain to include any outside sources you used, including Wikipedia.

For your reference: Youtube videos should be cited as follows (Using APA format)

Author, A. A. [Screen name]. (year, month day). Title of video
     [Video file]. Retrieved from http://xxxxx

You can see further information and examples at http://blog.apastyle.org/

Works Cited

Farrelly. (2013). Freshman Women at Duke University Battle   'Effortless Perfection'. In Blair-Loy, M. (Ed)An Introduction to Sociology: Analysis of the Social World (2nd Edition).

 Jackson, Michael [Michaeljacksonvivo]. (October 3, 2013). Bad [Video File]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/dsUXAEzaC3Q 

Jackson, Michael. (October 3, 2013). Lyrics, Bad. Retrieved From http://rock.rapgenius.com/Michael-jackson-bad-lyrics 

Pink [pinkvivo]. (October 3,2013). Perfect [Video File]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/K3GkSo3ujSY

Pink. (October 3, 2013). Lyrics Fuckin Perfect [website]. Retrieved from http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pink/fuckinperfect.html

Zirin. (2013). NFL's In Denial About Depression. In Blair-Loy, M. (Ed)An Introduction to          Sociology: Analysis of the Social World (2nd Edition).