This film is a documentary about the impact of commercial culture and media on children and youth.
Midterm Essay Nature of the Assignment:
You have already learned about the “sociological imagination” (pg. 6-7),the“core theoretical frameworks”(pg. 9-16; 125-137)of sociology,as well as about the concepts of“ideology” (pg. 63-64) and the “looking-glass self”(pg. 73-75).
To gain a more thorough understanding of this essential textbook material, it is important to become more aware of its relevance to us and to the world around us.
This assignmentis designed to develop this kind of awareness, as it requires you to make specific connections between the text book materialand the documentary film listed below.
Keep in mind that there are no absolutely right or wrong answers to the questions below, although there is accurate or inaccurate knowledge of the course materialand of the film. Your goal is to connect the course material to the content of the film in convincing ways.
Documentary Film:This film is a documentary about the impact of commercial culture and media on children and youth. It is available as a streaming video on the MacEwan library website.Barbaro, B. and J. Earp (Directors). (2008). Consuming Kids:
The Commercialization of Childhood. Media Education Foundation. (Running Time: 67 min).Respond to TWO of the following three Critical Thinking Questions. Be sure NOT to respond to all three questions.
1.While the documentary film does not explicitly mention the core theoretical frame works of sociology, its analysis of commercial culture isimplicitly based on some of those frameworks.
Trace the ways in which the film utilizes ONE core theoretical frame work by connecting that framework’s key concepts and theories with the film’s analysis.Demonstrate thorough and accurate knowledge of the framework you are tracing.
2.According to the film, in what ways is commercial culture designed to promote a certain ideology?
What are the key characteristics of this commercial ideology? How would you describe the relationship between the ideology of commercial culture and the sociological imagination? In your analysis, demonstrate accurate knowledge of the concepts of “ideology”and “sociologica limagination.”
3.According to the film, in what ways is commercial culture designed to promote a high looking-glass-self orientation(LGSO)?
What is the marketing strategy behind this promotion of a high LGSO? Which social and psychological problems may arise from a high LGSO? In your own estimate, in what ways do social media promote a high LGSO?Be sure to demonstrate accurate knowledge of the conceptof the “looking-glass-self.”
Format:
•PDF file
•2-3 pages, typed (double-spaced, standardmargins)
•Time New Roman, 12-pointfont
•Title page (in addition to the 2-3 assignmentpages)
•References page (in addition to the 2-3 assignment pages):You may format your referencespageusing any style you are familiar with (e.g.,APA, MLA).
•You are notrequired to use essay format (i.e., introduction, body, conclusion), although you may if you wish. Instead, you may use a question-and-answer format, using headings such as “Question #1” or“Question #3.” You mustuse full sentences and paragraphs.
•Whenever you are using a piece of information or an idea that you obtained from another source, you must properly cite that source in the assignment and include it in your List of References.
•When using material from the textbook, cite it as follows: (Symbaluk and Bereska, p. 13).
When referring to material from the film, cite it as follows: (Barbaro and Earp, 14:33-14:48).
When referring to material from the modules, cite it as follows: (Module 3).
Note that if a whole paragraph of your text is based on one and the same source, that source only needs to be cited once at the paragraph’s end, rather than at the end of each individual sentence of that paragraph.
•You are only required to use the course material and the documentary film for this assignment.
No additional sources arerequired.GradingCriteria:
•Breadthofanalysis: th range of idea sand pieces of information from the course material and the film
•Depth of analysis: the level of detail provided from the course material and from the film (for example, referring to specific scenes or quotations from thefilm)
•Accuracyandextentofknowledge:demonstrateanaccurateunderstandingofthe course material and the documentaryfilm
•Abilitytoapplythecoursematerial: connectthecoursematerialtothefilmcontentinconvincingways
•Technicalaspects: grammar,structure, logical flow, punctuation,spelling, etc.
While these criteria will determine your mark for the assignment, please note that each criterion will not receive an individual mark. The assignment will receive a global mark out of 25
