Tags: prejudice/discrimination, race/ethnicity, color blindness, colorblind racism, comedy, diversity, post-racial America, racism, 06 to 10 mins Year: 2008 Length: 7:30 Access: The Colbert Report Summary: This clip from the Colbert Report, filmed two weeks after Obama was elected president, includes Colbert's claim that "race is over" and shows Fredrick Douglass and Harriet Tubman in party hats, and a flashing banner that says "Racism: 1776-2008." In addition to being a useful starting point to ask if racism and racial inequalities are truly "over" after Obama's election, it offers a way of talking about colorblind-ness and racial diversity. In the second half of the clip, Colbert interviews Newark mayor Cory Booker, where Booker emphasizes celebrating, rather than ignoring, racial diversity. At one point, Colbert states "I don't see you as black and I hope you don't see me as white," which evokes laughter from the audience, which could be analyzed in discussion as to why people find that funny. Submitted By: Margaret Austin Smith
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Bill Clinton describes global society in functionalist terms Tags: durkheim, theory, globalization, interdependence, structural functionalism, 00 to 05 mins Year: 2009 Length: 3:25 Access: YouTube Summary: Durkheim saw society as functioning like an organism with many inter-dependent parts, and he often referred to biological organisms as a metaphor for the functioning of society. This is demonstrated here with Bill Clinton's interview on Larry King Live, where Clinton defines global society by its "interdependence" and our commonalities. He even links human society to our similarity in DNA: "we don't have time to obsess about our differences any more...genetically we are all about 99.9% the same...from a political and social point of view that doesn't amount to a hill of beans." Note that the entire clip is 4:50, but the relevant section on interdependence ends at 3:25. Submitted By: Margaret Austin Smith Tags: children/youth, gender, culture, rape, sexual assault, 00 to 05 mins Year: 2010 Length: 1:43 Access: Jezebel.com Summary: This clip is taken from a local news report about a group of boys and men who drugged and raped a 16-year-old girl in a field nearby a party they were attending. Some time later, pictures of the rape were posted on Facebook, and according to reports, each time the pictures were taken down by Facebook, they were reposted. Note in the clip that against the victim's own claim of being raped and despite reports that she was given a date rape drug, the students who were interviewed by the news station assert their belief that consensual sex occurred, not rape. At about 40 seconds into the clip, the teens go further by suggesting that the victim was at fault. I see this clip as working well to facilitate two sorts of discussions. The first is a discussion of the concept of rape culture, which is articulated well in the book Transforming a Rape Culture: "A rape culture is a complex of beliefs that encourages male sexual aggression and supports violence against women." Feminist blogger, Melissa McEwan, has also posted an influential essay on the topic. A second more thorough discussion from this clip might draw from Elizabeth Armstrong's article, "Sexual Assault on Campus," to explore how rape is often the result of cultural factors working in tandem with organizational arrangements. Submitted By: Lester Andrist Tags: goffman, theory, identity, institutionalization, resocialization, total institution, 00 to 05 mins Year: 1994 Length: 3:00 Access: YouTube Summary: In this clip is from Frank Darabont's "The Shawshank Redemption" Brooks Hatlen, the prison librarian and one of the oldest inmates at Shawshank, reacts violently upon learning that he has been approved for release by the parole board. Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding subsequently engages in a discussion of what it means to be institutionalized. Drawing from this clip, students can be asked to discuss the characteristics of total institutions and how this leads to the concept of institutionalization as a dysfunction. Note that this clip can be successfully used in tandem with two additional clips. The first short clip, which is from "Full Metal Jacket" (here), depicts Marine recruits getting their heads shaved as a symbolic act meant to strip them of their former identities. In the second clip, also from "Full Metal Jacket" (here), the recruits' drill sergeant debases the recruits thereby further stripping them of their former identities. Submitted By: James Noon Tags: goffman, theory, war/military, identity, institutionalization, resocialization, total institution, 00 to 05 mins Year: 1987 Length: 4:27 Access: YouTube Summary: This clip is from Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" and depicts the recruits' first encounter with their drill sergeant. Here, through a series of debasements, the recruits' past identities are further eroded, and the recruits are told what is expected of them as they are resocialized into their new roles. At about 2:18 the drill sergeant ups the ante with homophobic and racist language, so instructors may want to stop the clip at this point. The clip is useful as a demonstration of Erving Goffman's concept of the total institution, and in particular, as a way of illustrating the way inmates undergo resocialization. Note that this clip can be successfully used in tandem with two additional clips. The first short clip, which is also from "Full Metal Jacket" (here), depicts Marine recruits getting their heads shaved as a symbolic act meant to strip them of their former identities. The second short clip, from "The Shawshank Redemption" (here), depicts the concept of institutionalization, when a prison inmate reacts violently after learning he has been approved for release by the parole board. Submitted By: James Noon Tags: goffman, theory, war/military, identity, institutionalization, total institution, 00 to 05 mins Year: 1987 Length: 1:32 Access: YouTube Summary: This clip is the opening sequence to Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket." The clip depicts Marine recruits at Parris Island, SC, getting their heads shaved and works well as a demonstration of Erving Goffman's concept of the total institution. Students can be asked to explain the purpose behind the head shaving act, which I see as both a means of making the recruits physically identical and as a symbolic act that strips them of their former identities. Note that this clip can be successfully used in tandem with two additional clips. The first short clip, which is also from "Full Metal Jacket" (here), depicts the drill sergeant further debasing soldiers, and the second short clip, from "The Shawshank Redemption" (here), depicts the concept of institutionalization, when a prison inmate reacts violently after learning he has been approved for release by the parole board. Submitted By: James Noon Tags: biology, inequality, prejudice/discrimination, race/ethnicity, social construction, 21 to 60 mins Year: 2003 Length: 21:43 (total for 3 clips) Access: YouTube (clip 1; clip 2; clip 3) Summary: These are excerpts from the PBS documentary Race: The Power of an Illusion (3 parts, at 56 minutes each). In this group of videos, clips 1 and 2 (16:13 total) critique the biological foundations of race by drawing upon a variety of scientific experts and DNA evidence (and addressing popular misconceptions). I show these 2 clips and then ask, "If race is not based upon our genes or biology, then what is it based upon?" After some discussion, I show clip 3 (5:31) which discusses race as an "idea constructed by society to further certain political economic goals," linking the emergence of race in the US in justifying slavery. This could be utilized with any introduction to race (in an intro, social problems, inequality, or theory class) and may be paired with Omi and Winant's racial formation theory. Note that most, if not all, clips from the entire documentary are posted on YouTube and can be reconfigured to match your lecture's needs. The documentary's first episode, "The Difference Between Us," is available online here. Submitted By: Paul Dean Tags: knowledge, marketing/brands, media, social mvmts/social change/resistance, culture jam, sociology of culture, 06 to 10 mins Year: 2010 Length: 9:49 Access: YouTube Summary: The caption below this YouTube clip notes that "culture jamming...is a mechanism [that seeks to] disrupt or subvert mainstream cultural institutions or corporate advertising. Culture jamming is often seen as a form of subvertising. Many culture jams are simply aimed at exposing questionable political assumptions behind commercial culture so that people can momentarily consider the branded environment in which they live. Culture jams re-figure logos, fashion statements, and product images to challenge the idea of "what's cool," along with assumptions about the personal freedoms of consumption." In teaching an introduction to sociology, I found this clip useful for underscoring the definition of culture as a set of ideas and meanings which people employ to carry out their collective lives. The clip further illustrates the way those meanings are always contested and negotiated. This clip works as an excellent accompaniment to the Frontline episode on the "merchants of cool," and works well to set the stage for a culture jamming video assignment, also posted on The Sociological Cinema. Submitted By: Lester Andrist Tags: class, crime/law/deviance, prejudice/discrimination, race/ethnicity, blue collar crime, comedy, criminal justice system, criminology, white collar crime, 06 to 10 mins Year: 2004 Length: clip 1: 2:40 | clip 2: 1:25 Access: clip1: Vimeo | clip 2: YouTube Summary: Dave Cheppelle plays Tron Carter, a black drug dealer, in this satirical look at the criminal justice system. As a spoof of "Law and Order," the skit is woven from the parallel stories of Tron and a wealthy white man, both accused of drug dealing and both regarded very differently by the criminal justice system. The first clip features the first half of the skit, and the second clip features the ending. In its entirety, the skit works well as a means of provoking students to think critically about how encounters with police and the courts vary enormously for people depending on their race and social class. After showing the clip, it might be useful to ask students to reflect on why they may have found parts of it funny. For example, why is it funny when it is revealed that the white criminal's jury is composed entirely of black men? Submitted By: Margaret Austin Smith Tags: children/youth, consumption/consumerism, education, gender, inequality, knowledge, media, social construction, standpoint theory, 00 to 05 mins Year: 1998 Length: 1:31 Access: YouTube Summary: The YouTube caption for this clip reads, "By Phil Lord and Chris Miller - This was a fake commercial we made in 1998 for a series of educational shorts about action figures based on historical figures. Its educational value was somewhat suspect. It was never aired." While the clip may not offer quantitative data, it works well to broach the topic of gender inequality. The Bronte sisters action figures must fight evil publishers who discriminate against women authors. At a minute and a half, the clip is brief but incredibly useful for stimulating discussion about one way gender inequality works. For instance, students can be encouraged to contemplate that the standpoints of women are systematically suppressed through a publishing bias in favor of works written by men. A second point to take away from the clip is the positioning of women as action figures who fight evil. I would argue that even as toys women are rarely represented as such in the United States unless they are also sexually objectified. In this clip, the Bronte sisters are dressed rather modestly. I would like to thank Elisa Kreisinger for suggesting this clip. Submitted By: Lester Andrist |
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