Discussion questions for "Comparative Perspectives and Competing Explanations" by Troy Duster:

What is Duster's criticism of research into genetic explanations for alcoholism among Native Americans, violence, and prostrate cancer and hypertension among African Americans?

Explain Duster's skepticism of DNA markers related to various characteristics such as race and behaviors such a crime.

How is the procedure know as "cleared by arrest" related to the belief that a small number of people commit a large number of crimes? How is this point related to DNA research?

How does the assumption that a few people commit a large proportion of crime lead to the focus on explanations inside the body?


Be prepared to discuss this article on Wednesday.

Read “A Climate Culprit In Darfur” by Ban Ki Moon on the internet for our class meeting on Monday (8/27).

Discussion question:

According to Ban, what is the relationship between global warming and the conflict in Darfur? What do you think?

discussion questions for "Seeing the Population Issue Whole"

Read "Seeing the Population Issue Whole" in your reader for our class meeting on Monday (8/27).

Discussion question for "Seeing the Population Issue Whole":

Think about how each perspective (Blues, Reds, Greens, and Whites) demonstrates the sociological imagination or the lack of it.

DRAFT version of a possible midterm question

This is a DRAFT version of a possible midterm question.

Take-home essay question for midterm 1. Must be typed and double-spaced. Must be turned in on the day of the midterm before the start of the exam.

Referring to our discussions in class, Chapter One in Mooney et al., “An Introduction to the Study of Social Problems” by Charon, “How do we Decide what are Social Problems?” by Gusfield, “Seeing the Population Issue Whole” by Meadows, “A Climate Culprit In Darfur” by Ban Ki Moon, and “Comparative Perspectives and Competing Explanations: Taking on the Newly Configured Reductionist Challenge to Sociology" by Troy Duster, answer the following questions: What is a social problem? Discuss the sociological perspective(s) in understanding social problems. (This question is worth 25 points.)

Discussion questions for our next class meeting

Discussion questions for our next class meeting:

Mooney et al.:
Chapter 1. Thinking about Social Problems (pp. 2 -9)
What are the objective and subjective elements to social problems?
How do definitions of social problems vary?
How do beliefs and values influence social problems?

Charon:
1. Charon: An Introduction to the Study of Social Problems (8)
According to Charon, what is a social problem? What characteristics does a social problem have?

2. Gusfield: How do we Decide what are Social Problems? (6)
According to Gusfield, what are social problems? What characteristics do social problems have?