Description
Sociological issues are often addressed in pop culture, particularly in television, music, and film. For this paper, you will choose a movie that relates to issues covered from the second section of this course on (Social Class, Race/Ethnicity, Politics and Protest, Gender, Sexuality, and/or Intersectionality), watch it, and answer some questions about it.
Below is a list of pre-approved movies, some of which are accessible through various streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.).
In all portions of the paper as described below, you should support your arguments with direct references to both the movie and the readings and/or lecture material you reference.
- How are the concepts of social structure and agency present in the film you watched? Does the movie acknowledge the influence of social structures or is it largely a tale of a person or people experiencing success “because they wanted it more”? You should review your readings and lecture notes related to structure and agency before watching your chosen film, as it is important that you fully understand these concepts before writing your paper. Inaccurately applying these concepts to the film you watched will have a substantial negative impact on your paper grade.
- What are some (at least 3) course concepts from lectures on these topics that were addressed in the film you chose? Define each concept and explain how it was represented in the movie you watched, including specific references to content in the film that demonstrates this concept.
- Finally, discuss in a paragraph or so whether you think the filmmakers have taken a functionalist, conflict, or other theoretical approach in producing the film they have. (See the Sage and Eitzen reading you did at the start of the course for more detail on this issue). Often, filmmakers aren’t just telling stories for the purpose of entertainment. They commonly take a stance on an issue, and try to communicate that perspective through the films that they make. The movies below were chosen because their filmmakers have incorporated ideas that are consistent with different strains of sociological metatheory. In this section, try to put yourself in the mindset of the filmmaker, describe the “message” of the movie as you see it, and then explain how you believe that it aligns with a specific theoretical perspective, using specific examples from the film to support your claims.
Sample Solution
