Test

Military as Institution

Using the last three tasks of an institution (3. Producing, distributing, consuming goods and services 4. Preserving order 5. Providing and maintain a sense of purpose) show how Dyer gives examples for two of these three tasks. Please give detail about how this comes across in the military. After you have given an example from the reading, give any other examples from your own knowledge and observation as well.

Death Penalty Argument Summaries

Please post your death penalty argument summaries here:

Homework for Wednesday, March 25

Both the Milgram experiment and the prison experiment suggest that peoples’ values vary dramatically depending on the situation they are placed in? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Saints and the Roughnecks

Of the sociological theories explaining deviance that we he have discussed, pick two that you think apply to the The Saints and the Roughnecks and explain why you think these theories apply.

Also, please read “The Pathology of Imprisonment” on pp. 297-304 of the textbook. There will be a discussion about this article on Monday, March 23rd.

Social-functional theories of deviance

1. What kind of evidence do you see of Merton's strain theory at MHS? Without disclosing names, please give at least two examples.

2. Cloward and Ohlin's theory attempts to explain the formation of gangs based on certain individuals being denied access to both legitimate and illegitimate means of achieving success. Do you think there are individuals who fall into this category in Vermont? If so, why do you think that there are no gangs in this state?

3. Also, please read pages 179-183 for tomorrow's class.

Eating your friends is hardest

Please write a short reflection (1 paragraph) on the article we discussed today and how it relates to your understanding of deviance.