Introduction to Sociology
SOCI 101 - SUNY Morrisville College
Professor Kurt Reymers

Writing Assignment Guidelines:

The writing assignments should be typed, double-spaced, use a 12 point standard font, have 1" margins and should be exactly two pages long, (with a two-line margin of error). Name, assignment number, course title, and semester should be single-spaced at the top of the assignment (no cover page is necessary). Any source material used should be properly quoted and cited (see syllabus, plagiarism rules for details). All assignments should be stapled. Do not include the assignment instructions.

The assignments will be graded on a letter grade basis (A, B, C, D, F).

On KARP and Globalization

The world is becoming ever smaller. Think about your life experience and write about how you are connected to our global society. This could have to do with your immediate experience, someone you know (a relative who has gone to war, for instance), or more general connections such as the products you buy (made overseas) or the news you pay attention to which shapes your opinion of the world.Reflect on the following questions:

• How are you “globally connected”?
• To what “degree of separation” are you connected to  someone (or many others) outside of American society?
• What social institution(s) is this connection related to?
• What social status and role do you take on in relation to  this connection?
• In what way has this connection affected your life?

DUE Monday, November 23 in class

On KARP and Deviance

Examine your own experience for instances of deviant behavior. From where did you appropriate such ideas about the deviant behavior you replicated in your own actions? Explain in terms of KARP.

How would you explain the behavior from the point of view of the three perspectives on deviance in Chapter 7 of the textbook (i.e., in terms of function, interaction, conflict)? Questions related to structural-functional theory: did your deviance serve a social function or relate to institutions or social structures? Questions related to interactionist theory:Was it primary or secondary deviance? Was labeling involved? Questions related to conflict theory: Was it a rebellion against an authority? Did it involve a conflict between two categories, or classes, of people?

Be sure to follow the writing assignment guidelines above.

Due Wednesday 10/21 in class

Writing Assignment 1

On KARP and Culture

Imagine that you are an alien from a distant planet – you are now an ambassador to the Earth and the human race. You are biologically the same as humans, but you are from an alien race of individuals – you have no idea what this human thing called “culture” is.

You meet a person who describes to you a new perspective on culture they learned in sociology class called “KARP.” They say that the idea of “KARP” can be connected to ones culture and it can help us better understand how we individuals are connected to our society.

As dispassionately as possible, write a 500-word (2 page) report to your home world about human culture. Describe KARP as an alien would understand the idea. Be sure to include examples of all the important categories of human culture (values, norms, symbols, and artifacts) as they apply to the idea of KARP. Also, you should mention that a great variety of different cultures on Earth exists and describe the idea of subcultures too.

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