Page 593 - Sociology and You

2. The Effects of Doubling Time Review the analogy of the chessboard given on page 538 of the text. Now, get a calculator and draw a chessboard with sixty-four squares. Starting with one “person” on the first square, start doubling the number of people for each square. At what point do the numbers become unmanageable? How does this little demonstration illustrate the effects of doubling time?
3. Demographic Transition Pick another country. Of the four stages of demographic transition de- scribed on pages 539–540, which one best re- flects the country you chose? What are the factors that caused you to place the country at this stage?
4. TheoriesofUrbanGrowthObtainamapofa large city in your area. (If you live in a fairly large city, use a map of it.) By looking at the map, can you determine if patterns of growth in this city proceeded according to one of the the- ories of urban growth described in the chapter? If so, take a marker and illustrate the patterns on the map. You might also talk with people in the city who have some knowledge of how the city changed over time, such as the local histor- ical society, city clerks, or a local sociologist. Try to find out what growth pattern the city followed.
5. Social Institutions By definition, all communi- ties have the following social institutions: fam- ily, education, science/technology, politics, religion, sports, and economy. Locate a map of your community (city hall is a good source for these maps). With two or three classmates, pick a part of town for the focus of your project. In the part of town you chose, take a photograph of at least one example of each type of institu- tion. For the family, for instance, you might take a picture of a house. Look to see how many of the institutions are in your chosen neighborhood, and then bring back some item or souvenir from each of the institutions, if pos- sible. For example, if you select a restaurant (economic institution) you might bring back a menu. Be sure to ask permission for everything you take. Present your photos and souvenirs to the class on a poster board.
6. World Population Growth Talk with some older people in your family or neighborhood
about how the growing world population has affected them. Ask them to identify some changes that have taken place since 1960 (when the world population was only three bil- lion). Write down their comments in the form of a script, as if you were interviewing them for a magazine article.
7. Urban Planning Choose three classmates to join you as members of the Urban Planning Board of Betterville, USA. As members of the Urban Planning Board, it is your task to jointly design the city for redevelopment. Examine the four major theories of city growth. Determine which theory or combination of theories you would use to design Betterville. Create a visual representation of your city design (e.g., blue- print, chart, artist rendering, etc.). Write a one- page essay explaining the theory or combination of theories that you chose and the rationale for your choice.
Technology Activity
1. William Julius Wilson, a sociologist at Harvard University, has done extensive research on what the text calls the central-city dilemma. The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) sponsored an on-line forum with Dr. Wilson, called “A Look at the Truly Disadvantaged.” Go to this web site at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/ november96/wilson_11-29.html and select “Why is inner city education so poor?”
a. What is to blame for the poor results often obtained in inner city schools, according to Dr. Wilson?
b. Now select “How can inner cities be reconnected to the rest of American society?” What are Dr. Wilson’s recommendations for solving the central- city dilemma?
c. Read some of the “Viewer comments.” Do you agree or disagree with any of the comments shown there? What do you think could be done to solve the problems in inner cities?
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