The first paper asks you to identify and analyze one example that illustrates a key concept from class so far. First, identify a concept from the list below that you’d like to write about. Next, find a news story, blog post, video or other material that provides an illustration of this concept. (Include a link so I can view it.) This resource must not literally explain what the concept means. Instead, it should illustrate the concepts meaning by exploring a related phenomenon. If you’re not sure whether the resource you found is a good example, please email me.
Then, write a 2-3 page paper that provides a detailed review of the concept (1 paragraph) plus a critical analysis of the example (4-5 paragraphs). Please define the concept in your own words, without using quotes from class. Questions to consider: How well does the example illustrate the concept? In what ways does it depart from the concept as explained in class? In what ways does the example shed new light on the concept, compared to the theorist’s original intention?
Concepts to choose from:
Ideology
Alienation
Class conflict
Surplus value
Social solidarity
Collective effervescence
