Discussion

READ Section 1.B (see uploaded material)

Assignment 1. Please post one concept from the readings that interests you.  Define it and then briefly apply it, explain why it interests you, or explain how you may use it in a class paper or even in your life outside of class.  These are little posts, generally just 1-4 sentences.  (100 words)

Assignment 2.  Read everything in Section I.B. (“Studying Social Life”).  Using ideas from those chapters, explain how you would identify and study patterns in the behaviors, attitudes, values, definitions, and so forth in any social setting you are familiar with.  This could be school, your job, a social organization, a business, a political party, or any other social setting. 
You have a lot of latitude on this one, and there is no single correct answer.  Just look around some social setting you’re in and start to notice all the patterns.  Not just observable behavioral patterns, but also what people believe, or what social constructions of meanings and values are guiding their behaviors.  Then start to think about, “How can I dig deeper into these patterns to demonstrate to others that they really exist and to get a deeper meaning of them?”  Be sure use at least one concept from this week’s readings (and earlier chapters and outside sources if useful), define and apply each concept you incorporate into your post, and include in-text citations with page numbers and a reference list (or bibliography) in APA style. (350 – 475 words)