Delta
State University
Sociology 101
Spring Semester 2004
Study
Questions
Week
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(1)
Identify the following sociologists and their contribution to the discipline:
C. Wright Mills
Robert Merton
Peter Berger
(2) What is meant by the term “the sociological imagination?” What role do
“biography” and “history” play in exercising the sociological imagination? What
advantages are gained from exercising one’s sociological imagination?
(3) According to Mills, what is the difference between issues and troubles?
What factors help us formulate issues and troubles?
(4) According to Berger, what are important questions that sociologists ask in
any social situation? Why do sociologists ask these and not other questions?
(5) Would you consider Berger a functionalist or a conflict theorist? Find
evidence in his article to support your position.
(6) What is meant by the term “institutional racism?” How does this differ
from bigotry or personalized racism? Can you think of examples of institutional
racism that you have witnessed in your life?
(7) What is meant by a manifest function? By a latent function? Can you
identify manifest and latent functions of the following activities?:
Attending a DSU football game with your neighbors
Singing in a church choir
Voting in a presidential election
Having dinner at KC’s restaurant
Wearing overalls to class
(8) What does McIntyre mean when she says sociologists are skeptical? Why is
this an important value in sociology?