Sociology

studying how we are stratified, or ranked, based on our social positions in society. Particularly, we are looking at social inequalities due to social class and race. Oftentimes, it is hard for us to imagine life outside of our unique positions.

For this week’s discussion on social class, here is your task (you are encouraged to see the other prompt on race and also complete that task!).

Go to playspent.org and accept the challenge to make it through the month on the pay that you earn throughout the game. The game is set up based on statistics of poverty and real-life scenarios and choices that people face every day.
Choose a job that honestly fits your skills, abilities, and time availability.
You can play multiple times if you would like.
You are not expected to donate to the site or share your results on social media. You are only expected to try to make it through the month and think about how this game relates to what you have learned about social class and the causes and consequences of poverty.
Take note of how much money adds up in what you have put off to deal with in the future (car registration, medical work, utility bills, etc). Also pay attention to how you feel as you make decisions.
Take a screenshot or picture of your final page that shows how many days you were able to make it through the month and attach it to your initial post.
Now discuss with your peers! How long were you able to make it, and how did you feel going through the game? How does this pertain to any real life circumstances that you have faced or have seen?

How might a person’s social category rankings and other social structural issues affect their life chances?

How does the game link to other concepts that you have learned this week? In addition to discussing chapters 8 and 9 content, you can also bring in ideas from chapters 6 an 7 from last week or any other topics that this reminds you of that we have previously studied.

What are some ways that we can make positive changes for people who are in this situation? Do you think these are realistic? What might it take to solve big social problems such as poverty? What about on a global level?

Note: You don’t have to answer all of my questions (but you must use course concepts in your posts!). These questions are just to get you started thinking and connecting ideas with each other. Please feel free to add more questions and expand on any of the questions in more detail.

studying how we are stratified, or ranked, based on our social positions in society. Particularly, we are looking at social inequalities due to social class and race. Oftentimes, it is hard for us to imagine life outside of our unique positions.

For this week’s discussion on social class, here is your task (you are encouraged to see the other prompt on race and also complete that task!).

Go to playspent.org and accept the challenge to make it through the month on the pay that you earn throughout the game. The game is set up based on statistics of poverty and real-life scenarios and choices that people face every day.
Choose a job that honestly fits your skills, abilities, and time availability.
You can play multiple times if you would like.
You are not expected to donate to the site or share your results on social media. You are only expected to try to make it through the month and think about how this game relates to what you have learned about social class and the causes and consequences of poverty.
Take note of how much money adds up in what you have put off to deal with in the future (car registration, medical work, utility bills, etc). Also pay attention to how you feel as you make decisions.
Take a screenshot or picture of your final page that shows how many days you were able to make it through the month and attach it to your initial post.
Now discuss with your peers! How long were you able to make it, and how did you feel going through the game? How does this pertain to any real life circumstances that you have faced or have seen?

How might a person’s social category rankings and other social structural issues affect their life chances?

How does the game link to other concepts that you have learned this week? In addition to discussing chapters 8 and 9 content, you can also bring in ideas from chapters 6 an 7 from last week or any other topics that this reminds you of that we have previously studied.

What are some ways that we can make positive changes for people who are in this situation? Do you think these are realistic? What might it take to solve big social problems such as poverty? What about on a global level?

Note: You don’t have to answer all of my questions (but you must use course concepts in your posts!). These questions are just to get you started thinking and connecting ideas with each other. Please feel free to add more questions and expand on any of the questions in more detail.