Name______________________________
Date___________ Period___________
Sociology
Class Work-Perspective Scenario Analysis
Directions: Read the following scenarios and their questions below. Do not answer the
question. Rather state which perspective would ask this type of question. Explain your answer stating
why you think this is the correct answer.
Scenario 1
In September 2008, Thailand experienced protests in certain areas of Bangkok. The protestors
claimed that Prime Minister (PM) Samak’s leadership is not good for Thailand. They believe that PM
Samak is too close to the former Prime Minister Thaksin. The protestors also claim that PM Samak’s
party was not elected fairly, but rather they bought votes to regain power. On the other side of the issue,
supporters of PM Samak claim that Samak can talk to whoever he wishes, even if he speaks with
Thaksin. Samak’s party also claims that they did not buy votes and were democratically elected by the
people to lead the nation. While the Samak government was replaced with Abhisit’s party, the situation
still remains unresolved.
1. What does the constitution say about how the government is created?
2. How has the balance of power between the Red and Yellow shirt parties created these types
of protests and might they change society?
3. How did the pro-Samak and anti-Samak protestors use the Royal Institution to promote
their argument against the other side?
4. How have the protests failed and what are some consequences the protesters may not have
planned for?
5. How do both sides use former Prime Minister Thaksin to rally their supporters?
Scenario 2
A few years ago, there was fighting in Israel and Lebanon. The problem dates back to problems
when the Jewish people were granted a homeland in Israel. The Arabs, who previously had the land,
were very upset with this. Since then, there has been fighting between Israel (the Jewish people) and
other nearby countries (Arabs). During this time, Lebanon’s government wants to destroy (or get rid of)
Israel. The Lebanon government was shooting rockets into Lebanon.
6. Which group is more powerful and how is the other group trying to become equal?
7. What is the role the media plays in the conflict?
8. How does the Muslim temple known as the Dome of the Rock influence the feelings and
reactions on both sides?
Scenario Perspective Analysis
Practice
Directions: Read and understand the following scenario. Then, below the scenario, write 6 questions
that a sociologist might ask. There should be two questions for each perspective and an explanation
about how each question represents the specific perspective.
In the early 1990s, there was an international problem between the United States and
Cuba. According to the media, a young Cuban boy named Frankie came to the U.S. against the law on a
boat of people trying to leave the communist nation of Cuba. These boats often come to the US, but this
time was a little different. The boy’s parents were divorced; the mother took the boy on the boat and the
father stayed in Cuba.
While on the boat that was coming to the US, Frankie’s mother died. As a result, the boy arrived in
the US without his mother. Back in Cuba, Frankie’s father ask the United States government to respect
his rights as a father and send Frankie back to Cuba, so he could take care of him. The US government
had to decide whether or not to allow Frankie to be raised by his father or keep Frankie in the US, so he
would have more rights and freedom. Eventually, the Cuban government demanded that the US send the
boy back to Cuba to be with his father. It was reported the Cuban government wanted to show the world
that while they were a smaller nation, they could confront the US.
In the end, the US government sent Frankie back to Cuba to be properly raised by his father and close
family. As a result, the Cuban people in America were upset because they believed the Frankie incident
showed the US supported the communist government of Cuba and not Frankie’s human rights. The
Cuban government believed that they had successfully confronted the US.