Choose one course topic or concept

For this paper students will choose one course topic or concept from Units 2 or 3 and compare the way that topic is represented in a (relatively) contemporary media example to what you have learned about that topic in this course. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): adolescence, dating and hooking up, homogamy, cohabitation, marriage, the wedding, being single, relationship violence, parenting, etc. Any type of media is acceptable (news, sitcoms, movies, song lyrics, magazine columns, etc.). You should choose one or two specific examples within your media type. For example, you might focus on a particular television series, two or three movies from the same genre, or the lyrics from three or four songs. Beyond identifying media examples, no outside research is expected for this assignment. Students should rely only on course material in their analysis of course topics. Tip: I recommend that students start by choosing a course topic and then select a relevant media example to analyze. Your complete paper should address the following: 1. How is this concept explained by sociologists? (approx. 2 pages) Be sure to fully explain the concept that you have chosen, with citations to course material. 2. What is the media source that you will be examining? (less than 1 page) Explain the general plot of your media-selection, and who the main characters are. Be sure to address factors like gender, class, race/ethnicity, or sexuality, as appropriate. (Remember that “men have gender,” “white people have race,” “straight people have sexuality,” etc.). 3. How do the representations of this course concept compare to what we learn from sociologists? (approx. 3 pages) Offer 3-5 specific examples of how your chosen course topic/concept is represented in your selection.This application section should constitute the bulk of your paper. 4. What does this comparison tell us? (approx. 1 page) Consider the implications of your observations. What message does the audience get about the concept you are investigating? Is it important that the message is similar to/different from what the academic research shows? How do you think social location (gender, race, class, etc.) mattered for your observations? Papers should be 6-8 double-spaced pages long, and should include a thesis statement and title. Papers should make direct references to course material (including readings, lectures, discussions, etc.), which may be cited parenthetically in the text as (Author Page#). A works cited page is not necessary, but may be included if it help clarify which media sources were analyzed . A cover page is also unnecessary, but headers (including title) should be single-spaced. Please use standard fonts, font sizes (11 or 12), and margins (1 inch). Please number your pages, and don’t forget to staple.