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ALPHA KAPPA DELTA
Workshop on Teaching and Learning
Association of Black Sociologists Conference
Charlotte, NC
October 26, 2014
The sociological Perspective and the Sociological Imagination Across Topics
A. Olu Oyinlade, PhD
University of Nebraska, Omaha
PRE-CLASS INSTRUCTOR POSITIONING: DISNTINGUISHING
THE TWO CONVCEPTS
A. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: Framework for understanding social structure
and social forces as sources of human behavior, social conditions and social
expectations.
B. SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION: Framework for solving problems
-Structural solutions
-Structural change
POSITIONING STUDENTS
First day of class---Syllabus day
-Exercise in the Sociological perspective
-Ask provocative questions—Who plans to get married? How many spouses?
-Demonstrate the non-uniqueness of perceived “personal decision”/“free will”
-Establish framework for learning/ understanding sociology
THE PERSPECTIVES ACROSS TOPICS
A. Teach the two perspectives early in the semester
1. Perspective
2. Imagination
B. Early discussion of social structures and social forces
Macro, Meso, Micro, Idio
C. Refresh memory on the concepts at the beginning of each new topic
D. Point out the sociological perspective some early topics
Eg. 1. The sociological perspective in the works of August Comte,
Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, etc.
2. Show the sociological perspective and imagination in the
theoretical paradigms: Functional, Conflict and
interactionism
3. Socialization Theories—Looking-Glass self, Social Self,
Dramaturgy and Social Scripts, etc
4. Culture—General norms, specialty norms, values, mores,
language, etc
5. Groups and organization—impact of group structure on
individual and collective behavior
E. Point out the relevance of the sociological imagination in some topics
Eg. Need for structural change to resolve problems
-Group conflicts
-Bureaucratic inefficiency
-Job alienation
-Poverty
-Crime, etc
F. Projects/ short papers on identifying the sociological perspective and
the sociological imagination:
-For various or selected topics covered in class:
-News items—newspapers, magazine articles, tv shows, movies, etc
-Explain which structural forces are at play in each reading
-Explain what structural adjustments must be made for
effective change in human behavior
-Explain what structural adjustments must be made for
effective improvement of social conditions
G. Reinforcement through sanctions
Exams—Write exam questions to demonstrate required responses to
the sociological perspective and sociological imagination
-Devote a section of multiple choice questions to the concepts across
all topics.