Received: from emout11.mail.aol.com (emout11.mx.aol.com [198.81.11.26]) by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.7.6/8.7.3/CNS-4.0p) with ESMTP id AAA12061 for ; Sat, 26 Jul 1997 00:26:25 -0600 (MDT) From: Ologygrad@aol.com Received: (from root@localhost) by emout11.mail.aol.com (8.7.6/8.7.3/AOL-2.0.0) id CAA16393 for socgrad@csf.colorado.edu; Sat, 26 Jul 1997 02:26:25 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 1997 02:26:25 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <970726022624_-1442300387@emout11.mail.aol.com> To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu Subject: Re: thanks Bob, Maybe it would be possible for you to think of different realms where social control occurs, and give students hands-on examples, exercises, or projects that relate. For example, social control in the media. Why do certain topics get covered (and some ad nauseum) while others are totally ignored? Like this serial killer who just killed himself -- mainstream media can't shut up about him now, but one month ago, who knew or cared that he even existed? You could find things that are covered in obscure media outlets that are completely ignored in mainstream media, or given half a paragraph on page 27b. Social control in schools. Who decides what students will get taught? Condoms or abstinence in sex ed might be a good example. Social control on the job. What are you supposed to wear? How do you know if you're supposed to wear a suit everyday, or if a dress would be okay? How do you find out the norms or appropriate behavior? Why are the norms different at a bank and at an advertising agency? Social control in medicine. What diseases get studied/funded? Which drugs/treatments do doctors prescribe? Social control in fashion. (Okay, I'm reaching here a little bit.) Why do we want to wear bell bottoms in the 90s and have big hair in the 80s? Or maybe social control in stores. Social control in technology. Why do we all have to use Windows95? How do software and hardware companies make it seem like it's only natural and sensible to get their latest upgrade? Social control in art. ... Social control in home buying. ... Social control in food consumption. ... Social control in language. ... So, as is probably pretty obvious from my examples, I think the power elite are a pretty important force behind all this. It might be fun to have them read some Mills. Social control, to me, is a lot about choices, and the limiting of. Perhaps it would also be fun to have them read some symbolic interactionist stuff, to explain how all of our choices are ultimately limited because of the available symbols (languages) we have to use to communicate. Who has control over language, anyway? Hope any of this helps -- sorry I can't think of more examples off the top of my head. Good luck, Ivy Kennelly University of Georgia