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Foundations of Sociology I, Fall 2010

Final Essay Questions

| |1. William Isaac Thomas was one of the important early sociologists at the University of Chicago. In 1938 a statement which| |

| |originally appeared in his work more than 10 years earlier was designated “Thomas’ Theorem,” the only statement in the | |

| |whole of the sociological cannon to receive such an honorific. Thomas’ Theorem is still considered one of the fundamental | |

| |insights and building blocks of sociological theory: “If men (sic) define situations as real, they are real in their | |

| |consequences.” | |

| | | |

| |a) supply an example not used in class that illustrates this idea to you. | |

| | | |

| |b) explain why this idea has such significance to sociological thinking. | |

| [pic] |2. In one cogent sentence, Cooley sums up a central tenet of sociology: “Society and | [pic] |

| |individuals do not denote separable phenomena, but are simply collective and distributive| |

|[pic] |aspects of the same thing.” Every one of the major theorists we have studied this term –|[pic] |

| |Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, and Mead – has, each in his own way, captured the same | |

| |idea. How would you articulate this central tenet for each of these five theorists? You|[pic] |

| |may find a direct quote which summarizes it or you may put it into your own clear, | |

| |concise, and cogent words, but be sure to explain it either way. (There should be five | |

| |parts to this answer, one for each of the five major theorists. Be sure to identify each| |

| |one.) | |

3. A relative calls you on the phone and after hearing about your fall quarter classes asks you, “What were the two most important things you learned in your sociological theory class?” What would you say in response?

NOTE DUE DATE for ALL MATERIALS:

Quiz and Essay Question #7 and Final Essay Questions, together with any extra credit submissions, are all due in the sociology department office, CH 217, no later than 4:30, Monday, December 6.

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