Population Urbanization Environment and Social Change
focuses on concept identification and application. Students are expected to examine political, economic, and health care systems that fulfill the basic needs of society. Students are expected to apply these concepts and theories to real life situation, and use the sociological theories to explain the effects of social institutions on individual behavior. 1. Describe the main differences between the formal and informal economy. What are the similarities? What sociological factors explain the existence of the informal economy in the United States? 2. How is unemployment in the United States measured? What are the benefits and disadvantages of this method of measurement? 3. Apply the functionalist and conflict perspectives to cigarettes, smoking, and junk foods (such as soda, candy, and fast foods). Describe the sociological perspective of these topics based on these theories. 4. How is HIV/AIDS both a sociological and medical issue? What are the key sociological sources of the spread of this disease in communities and countries? 5. Describe the sick role as defined by sociologist Erving Goffman. In contemporary U.S. society, what are our expectations of the ill? Do the responsibilities of the sick role differ by culture or community?
