A particular point of view
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Make up a short story using your perspective
of what could be happening
The stories can be funny, but make sure they
are legitimately from the perspective of what
you are: an American teenager living in a rural
county in Ky.
Each short story should be descriptive and use
3-5 sentences
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Siena’s legendary
bareback horserace – Il
Palio – is a highly charged,
death-defying two-minute
dash around the
boundary of the city’s
majestic and equally
famous Piazza del Campo.
It’s also likely to be the
most rabidly partisan
event you’ll ever witness.
The two men seen in the
picture are celebrating
and “cheering” their party
before the race.
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The dragon and the phoenix : a traditional
Chinese wedding
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The traditional wedding gown in China is bright red,
symbolizing luck for the new couple. Chinese bridal
gowns are traditionally adorned with elaborate
golden phoenixes, chrysanthemums and peonies,
symbols of wealth and good fortune. The groom
traditionally wears a black silk coat (not seen) over a
robe embroidered with a dragon, and you can expect
loud firecrackers at a Chinese wedding to scare off
evil spirits.
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Haka is a traditional dance form of
the South Pacific islander mostly
known from the Māori of New
Zealand through their rugby team
display. It is a posture dance
performed by a group, with
vigorous movements and stamping
of the feet with rhythmically
shouted accompaniment. War haka
(peruperu) were originally
performed by warriors before a
battle, proclaiming their strength
and prowess in order to intimidate
the opposition. Today, haka
constitute an integral part of formal
or official welcome ceremonies for
distinguished visitors or foreign
dignitaries, serving to impart a
sense of the importance of the
occasion.
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While there isn’t really an equivalent in
Western culture,
the cutis in Indian and Pakistani culture is
basically a thumbs-up, except you push the nail
on your thumb against your front teeth and
flick, while saying “cutta!”. It basically amounts
to “screw you”.
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Take 10-15 minutes and read this section –
Pages 6-11
I will model the notes I would take for this
section, so there is no need to make your own
notes this time.
The Sociological Imagination
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Perspective – a particular point of view
We don’t usually realize how much our
attitude and beliefs are determined by our
perspectives
Sociology – the scientific study of social
structure
Sociological Perspective – a view that looks at
behavior of groups, not individuals
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Sociologists do not focus on behaviors of
individuals – only on patterns of behavior
shared by members of a group
Look for social explanations to explain trends
such as delinquency, divorce, or suicide
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Social Structure – the patterned interaction of people in
social relationships
Sociologists assume that social relationships are not
determined by the particular characteristics of
individuals involved
Emile Durkheim – bronze example – don’t define
bronze in terms of its separate parts (lead, copper, and
tin) – bronze is hard/lead, copper and tin are soft and
pliable – mixing the three creates new properties
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Groups range in size (family-entire society)
Regardless of size, conformity is encouraged
Members think, feel, and behave in similar
ways
Members are taught to value the group’s ways
and tend to conform even when their
individual views differ
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Sociological Imagination – the ability to see the
link between society and self
Helps us understand the effects of events on
daily life
Helps us view the world from a broader
perspective
Challenges conventional wisdom (ideas people
assume are true)
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Take a few minutes to summarize your notes
from 1.1 in your own words
Answer questions 2-5 on page 13
Separately describe how individual perspective
can deter social imagination