2. Sub-cultural variation occurs within cultures. Locate newsgroups and listservers that focus on particular group interests (for example, groups based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, regional location, age/birth cohort, etc.). What can you learn about the cultures of particular groups from their discussion groups? Can you identify unique aspects of these cultures? Choose a group that you do not belong to (eg. if you are African- American, look at an Asian-American group). How does the culture of this group differ from your own?
3. Using a search engine, locate information on journals and research groups that focus on studying culture. For example, two journals that contain research on cultural issues are the Journal of Material Cultureand Cultural Dynamics. What issues are focused on by researchers interested in culture?
4. A lot of media attention has been focused on "generation gaps", most recently between "Baby Boomers" and . Locate information on, about and for members of these groups. Are these groups culturally different? What indicates this?
Tips for Searching:
The areas of American Studies and Cultural Studies may be good to search under.
Although these are interdisciplinary between the social sciences and the
humanities, web sites under these areas yield a lot of information on culture
and cultural diversity. A good resource site is the Kidsource On-line, the Children's Television Workshop, the Family Development Page, the Ms. Foundation Homepage).
What trends/themes can you identify in the information you
retrieve? How are children being socialized in the 1990's? For example, what
does the information you find say about disciplining children, entertaining
children and teaching particular skills to children (eg. reading, math, etc.).
Do you think that what is considered to be important in terms of parenting and
childrearing has changed from when you were a child? Why or why
not? What impact do you think early socialization has upon children as they
become adults?
2. A great deal of attention has been given to violence and the media. As an agent of socialization, some argue that the violence contained in the media will have a detrimental effect on those exposed to it. Using a search engine, try to locate information on this issue from a number of different sources (eg. social policy, government, academic research, discussion) and compare the information. What reasons can you find for limiting or not limiting violence on television, in movies, in music and other media? Is the issue of censorship central in any of this information? Why do people feel strongly about their positions? Is this an indicator of the importance of socialization in society? Several useful links are: Natural Born Killers: A Postmodern Analysis of Violence and Television and Violence in America.
2. In what ways do sociologists look at on-line communication and the World Wide Web as social networks? What discussion groups exist that address the influence of computer technology on the way we interact and form social ties? What are considered to be the positive aspects of this technological revolution in communications? What are the negative aspects? Do you think the Internet and the World Wide Web have influenced your ability to communicate and form ties with others? How?
3. Homelessness is a persistent social problem in modern society. What information about homelessness is available on the World Wide Web? Several informative sites are The Austin Chronicle's Hypermedia Gallery: Homelessness in Austin, TX, and the National Coalition for the Homeless.
Tips for Searching:
You may want to look at on-line networks that have been established for people
with specific interests. For example, there are many networks (mailing lists,
on-line discussion, lists of resources) that are specific to certain groups
(racial/ethnic groups, political groups, gay/lesbian/bisexual groups, etc.).
Access some of these networks and determine what the purpose and goals of the
groups are. How effective are they?
2. Enter the term bureaucracy into a search engine. What variety of links to you obtain? How are people using this term? Is the usage and understanding of bureaucracy and bureaucratization consistent with Weber's definition of these terms? Is bureaucracy viewed mostly in a positive or negative fashion? Do you think this is an indication of the functionality or dysfunctionality of bureaucratization of society?
3. Locate web sites for a number of Internet Business Center and the On-line search for businesses may help you find businesses on the World Wide Web.
2. Try to locate on-line publications and/or discussion groups that are devoted to discussions of deviant behavior (eg. Gray Areas Magazine.. What issues are being discussed? Try to find opposing view points on these issues. Using the theoretical explanations of deviance presented in the chapter, try to explain why each side takes the stand it does. Can you identify any "new" forms of deviant behavior, or behaviors that are becoming less deviant (eg. new musical forms, smoking, body art, computer hacking, animal experimentation/abuse,etc.)? Who considers these to be deviant and who accepts them as viable behavior? What trends do you see?
3. Using a search engine, locate web sites that discuss gang behavior. What types of information can you retrieve? From these sites, can you determine any similarities among gangs? What types of differences can you identify? What are the motivating factors behind gang formation? What purpose do they serve? Do we consider gangs to be a social problem? What evidence can you find to support your answer? Two useful sites are Teacher Talk, 2(3), Gangs and School Violence and Life in a Vietnamese Gang.
Tips for Searching:
The following keywords are useful when searching on deviant behavior: crime,
crime statistics, crime victims, criminal justice, criminology, delinquency,
gangs, juvenile crime, law, violence.