Sociology of Parties: A Writing Exercise

Parties offer an opportunity to apply the sociological perspective. Consider these sociological questions about parties you've been to recently:

1. Was the party racially and ethnically diverse? Or, were most people from the same racial and ethnic categories?

2. Did interaction primarily take place along gender lines? In other words, did men and women tend to separate into groups to talk? Or was there a lot of interaction between men and women? How would you describe the interaction between men and women?

3. What was the party environment like? What kind of behavior did the environment invite? Think about it: a keg party with loud music invites a certain kind of behavior, whereas an upscale party with fancy appetizers, mellow music, and people wearing formal attire invites different behavior.

4. How often were people using their cell phones at the party? Was there a ton of texting and phone calls happening, or were people more focused on face-to-face interaction?

5. What were people talking about at the party? School? Work? Relationships? Complaints? Money? Things?

6. What strategies did people use to get and maintain attention at parties? Did they dress a certain way to gain attention? Speak loudly? Interrupt? What else did they do to become the center of attention?

These are just some questions to consider. You don't have to answer all the questions, nor or these the only questions you can discuss. No doubt there are other observations to make at parties that involve social behavior. The key is to reflect on sociological aspects of parties you've attended in your life.

In terms of format, you can write about the sociology of parties in traditional essay form. In other words, you can respond in a straightforward way. Or, if you like creative writing or want to try it, you can write about the sociology of parties by writing a story. In other words, compose a story about a party (or parties) that contains sociological themes and ideas. The story can be fiction or non-fiction.

A note to instructors: keep in mind that students might write about drinking escapades. The first time I gave this assignment, I was surprised by how much they wrote about drinking. So consider including some parameters with regard to storytelling about drinking. 

One more note: when I give this assignment, the required word count is 1000. 

Status Symbol with Sociological License Plate

Today I saw a convertible BMW -- quite a status symbol in its own right -- plus a sociological license plate to draw more attention to the car. The license plate said "Mr Single" -- apparently to announce the owner's availability. Driving a sporty and expensive BMW with a license plate that informs the world that you aren't married is rather interesting social behavior. I had my wife take a picture of me next to the car (just another fun Friday night out doing Sociology)!

Here's a link to a blog I recently wrote to explain what I mean by the phrase "sociological license plates":

http://nortonbooks.typepad.com/everydaysociology/2011/05/sociological-license-plates.html

The Attention of Students

"In whatever instructional setting, the first charge to the teacher is to get and to hold the attention of students because interest (motivation) is a prerequisite condition for effective learning." This quote is from The Essence of Good Teaching, by Stanford C. Ericksen (1984). Wouldn't it be interesting to follow around a student for a day, and watch them settle into each of their classes? Wouldn't it be interesting to see how the student's attention is held (or not held) by his/her instructors? And how do various teaching styles and modes of presenting material help or hamper an instructor's ability to gain and maintain the attention of students? Hmmm.

An exercise for students: for one day, keep a diary that describes your attention span in each of your classes. Was the instructor able to keep your attention? If so, how? If not, why not? Generally speaking, what do instructors do well to maintain your attention? What do instructors do to lose your attention? Finally, what is your responsibility for paying attention?

Taking Stock of Your Life

The 1980s are sometimes thought of as a cultural wasteland, particularly in terms of music. I fall into the trap occasionally by making fun of the 80s. But then I remember some of the great artists that came of age in the 1980s: Madonna, Prince, U2, and Public Enemy are just a few examples. And then there are brilliant songs from the 80s to consider, like "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads, from 1981. What a genius song about life. People in their 30s and beyond might find special meaning in the song, but I think the song offers an opportunity for anyone at any age to take stock of their life. "You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here" is a line that suggests people are surprised to find themselves in a certain place in life--that perhaps they haven't had full control of where they ended up. "You may ask yourself, am I right, am I wrong" is one of the lines that challenges listeners to think about the path their life has taken. "You may say to yourself, my God, what have I done" is a line that speaks to people who have made questionable decisions and whose lives have gone off track. No matter where you are in life, this song has something for you. Enjoy it and take a moment to take stock of your life! How much control do you think you have over what happens to you?

Here's the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU

A Very Short Story about PowerPoint

"And I have to say," said the PowerPoint skeptic, "even a good PowerPoint presentation doesn't look very good." He continued: "It's as if a basic and not especially impressive product was rolled out, and educators at large accepted it as the way forward." He finished: "At the end of the day, how good is PowerPoint as a product? Why do so many people accept it? Are there not so many better ways?" The End.

Author's note: story was inspired by Catherine Adams, "PowerPoint, habits of mind, and classroom culture," Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2006, Vol. 38, No. 4, 389-411.

How Babies Influence People

He's only seven months old, but my son Mack has a lot of influence. He has the ability to stop people in their tracks and to facilitate interaction. I've lived in my neighborhood for six years but only know a few of my neighbors. I'm lucky if I can get a nod or a hello from most of the people on the street. But once I put little Mack in the stroller, the game changes. Recently a middle-aged man was walking with a bag of groceries. Upon seeing Mack, he dropped to his knees in front of the stroller to greet him. A woman who I'd never seen before Mack was born has stopped us to chat a few times and to try to get him to smile. Other people wave and smile when we walk by. "How's the baby today?" is a question that people will ask from their porches. But when I'm alone, I'm left alone. I like the influence that Mack has on people. I have the simple belief that neighbors should be friendly and at least be on a "hi" basis. I don't see the point of ignoring your neighbors. If it weren't for babies and dogs, I wonder how much less interaction there would be.

Of course, Mack is not the only infant to influence people. Most of the parties I go to these days include lots of children. My social circle is full of parents and their kids. So I spend a lot of time around children. So much conversation centers around parenting. We fawn over each other's babies and say things like "Your baby is so cute!" and "Oh my God, your baby is beautiful!" That leads to comparing notes about parenting practices and other small talk. Babies really are talented at starting and sustaining conversations. That's a lot of influence for a group of people who can't talk or walk!

What is Sociology? A Definition by Poem

So much depends upon
race, class, gender, sexuality, ability,
culture, subcultures, deviance,
marriage, family, relationships,
power, status, privilege,
connections, resources, property,
media, technology, peers, schools,
religion, health, economy,
and so much more.

Author's note: Inspired by "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams