1) In the film “Sociology is a martial art” Pierre Bourdieu discusses some of his most influential ideas. What does he say about the ways culture is used to perpetuate inequalities among different classes or genders? How do you understand concepts such as ‘cultural capital’ and ‘symbolic violence?’ What is the role of the intellectuals and sociologists in social reproduction?
2) The film “Smyrna: The Destruction of a Cosmopolitan City – 1900-1922” tells the story of the collision of two nationalisms, the Greek and the Turkish nationalism. How is culture – religion, language, habits and customs – operationalized/used to fuel hatred and nationalistic fervor? Discuss any other historical examples, or ongoing nationalist conflicts you might be aware of.
3) Conflict Theory explains how laws are not applied evenly across the population or are designed to serve the political and economic interests of the ruling classes. How does the film 13th help us to better understand this theoretical approach? Use examples drawing from the documentary
4) Contrast the “culture of poverty” argument and structural explanations for poverty. Using occupation and occupational change as your mobility criteria, view the social mobility within your own family and explain why you think people in your family have moved up, moved down, or remained at the same status level.
5) Dependency theory states that as long as peripheral nations are dependent on core nations for economic stimulus and access to a larger piece of the global economy, they will never achieve stable and consistent economic growth. Drawing from the film The End of Poverty? present some examples that further support this theory.
