Multiculturalism - Quiz 8 Outline and Essay Questions

MASS MEDIA

- According to Warshaw, what is the source of the gangster’s appeal?

- Why did Francis Ford Coppola see the Mafia as a metaphor for America?

- What does Kelley see as the similarities between the views of the characters in gangsta rap and

fictional Mafia characters?

- According to Kelley, what is the appeal of gangsta rap to 1) African-Americans and 2) middle-class

White males?

-What are the reasons for the decline of “ethnicoms” and variety shows in the mid 1950s?

- According to a CBS executive, what were the four things that American viewers would not tolerate

in 1970?

- What are the key conventions of early/mid 1970s “ethnicoms”, particularly Black situation comedies?

- According to Jhally and Lewis, what is the appeal of the The Cosby Show to both Black and White viewers?

- According to Jhally and Lewis, what were the negative aspects of The Cosby Show’s popularity?

- According to Butsch, what are the reasons why there are so few working-class characters on network television?

- Since the early 1990s, what have been the trends with respect to Black situation comedies?

- According to Sun and Espiritu, what are the prominent stereotypes of Asians in American popular culture?

- What is the purpose of satire?

- How does the producer (Jay Roach) of the movie defend the satirical comedy in Borat?

- What are Schulman and Omi’s key assertions about racially based satire like In Living Color?

Quiz 8 Essay Questions

1. Why does Francis Ford Coppola consider the Mafia a metaphor for America? As described by Kelley, what are the similarities between the protagonists (i.e. the “character” the singer adopts) in gangsta rap songs and the Mafia in the Godfather films? According to Warshaw, what are the reasons why Americans enjoy the gangster figure? Are Warshaw’s assertions still accurate? Defend your answer

2. What are Schulman and Omi’s main assertions about racially based satire? How does Borat’s producer, Jay Roach, defend the particular brand of comedy in the movie? Discuss Feeney’s key arguments about Dave Chappelle and The Chappelle Show. In particular, what does Feeney say about The Chappelle Show’s “Real World” sketch”? Do you believe that Chappelle’s “Real World” sketch perpetuates stereotypes about African-Americans? Likewise, does Leguizamo’s “Crossover King” sketch perpetuate stereotypes against Latinos? In your opinion, does Langston Hughes’ claim in 1951 that “certain aspects of the humor of minority groups are often so inbred that they are not palatable for outside consumption”, still apply to American culture? Similarly, do you think audiences “get” the satire in Borat? Elaborate.

3. According to Jhally and Lewis, what was the source of The Cosby Show’s appeal to Black and White viewers? What did Jhally and Lewis regard as the negative consequences of The Cosby Show’s popularity? Describe the key trends with respect to Black sitcoms over the last 15 years? Do you think it is possible to have a working-class Black (or Latino or Asian) situation comedy that is popular with viewers of all races on a major network without resorting to excessive stereotyping? Explain.

Responsible for: Kromkowski: Reading 29, 45

Sun (pps. 656-664); Butsch: (pp. 403-412); Feeney: (pps. 1-2);

Intro to Sociology - Test 5 Outlines and Essay Questions

Education

- What are generally acknowledged as the 3 primary goals of education?

- In 2006, what percentage of Americans 25 and over have a four year college degree or higher?

What percent have attended “some college” (or have an associates’ degree)?

- According to functionalists, what should be the key functions of an educational system?

- According to conflict theorists, what are the three main ways that the educational system unfairly treats poor and working class students (and minorities)?

- How are public schools in the United States funded?

- What do the conflict theorists Bowles and Gintis mean by the term "the correspondence principle"?

- What is meant by the term “cultural capital”?

- What does it mean to call education a credential?

- What are the conflict theorist’s main complaints about credentialism?

- According to Hacker, what are the main problems with contemporary higher education?

- According to Gracey, what are the main purposes of kindergarten?

- According to Gatto, what are the fundamental problems with the American educational system? What are the consequences for students?

OUTLINE FOR FAMILY

- What is the main source of family-related problems according to social and religious conservatives?

- According to conflict theorists, why is the family a site for the exploitation of women?

- Approximately what percentage of women are victims of domestic abuse?

- What are the individual level explanations for domestic violence?

- What are the societal level explanations for domestic violence?

- Approximately, what percent of mothers with pre-school age children currently work (or were

looking for work)?

- What are the differences between the U.S. and Northern European countries with respect to child care and maternity leave?

- How many weeks of unpaid leave does Family Medical Leave Act give to individuals to care

for a child, parent, or spouse (providing they meet the requirements)

- How did the families Hochschild interviewed at Amerco Corporation deal with the “time bind”?

- What kinds of government support do conflict theorists recommend to deal with family-related

problems?

- According to Hirshman, why do so many “elite”/well-educated women opt out of their careers?

- What kind of “rules” for young women does Hirshman advocate?

- What have been the general trends with respect to the divorce rate over the last 60 years?

- What are the commonly cited explanations for the high divorce rate in the United States?

- What are Coontz’s proposals to reduce the prevalence of divorce?

- What are Coontz’s proposals to minimize the negative consequences of divorce?

ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR 5TH TEST

1. What is the most important sociological concept (or finding) that you learned all semester? Why? Be sure to discuss the concept or finding as clearly as possible and how it has changed the way you perceive yourself and the larger society? Elaborate. (You should think about this question before the day of the test.)

2. Discuss the different ways, as described by conflict theorists, that class inequalities produce educational inequalities. Be sure to explain the concept of “cultural capital”. In your opinion, should anything be done about the increasing “credentialism” in America society? Lastly, what would be the one thing you would like to change most about the American educational system? Defend your answer.

3. When Hochschild interviewed workers at Amerco Corporation in the mid 1990s, how did they tend to deal with the “time bind” (i.e. juggling family and worklife)? Summarize both Hirshman’s assertions about the “opt-out revolution” and her solutions to the issue as well as Brooks’ criticisms of Hirshman. Whose arguments do you most agree with? Why? In particular, do you agree with Hirshman’s “rules” for well-educated women? Lastly, given all that you have read (and discussed in class), what is the most important thing that could be done to help families where both parents work? Elaborate.

Responsible For: Schaefer: Chapter 8 (pages 212-215); Chapter 9 (pages 228-240)

Kozol (pps. 1-11); Gatto (pps. 33-38); Shahmehri (pps. 204- 209);

Hirshman (pps. 20-26); Brooks (pps. 1-2)