Report Outline

A. SUMMARIZE COLLINS’S MAIN ARGUMENTS (20 POINTS)

Use these questions to guide your summary. Give specific examples or quotes from the article to support your answers.

1. Which social institution from history does Collins analyze as a metaphor to demonstrate institutional dimensions of oppression in the USA? Explain how this historic institution is visible in society today.
2. What categories and stereotypes does Collins describe as examples of symbolic dimensions of oppression? What are stereotypes of Black men and women, and White men and women?
3. What narrative or story does she tell to illustrate her ideas about individual dimensions of oppression? How does this story demonstrate Collins’s sociological imagination?
4. According to Collins, how do these dimensions of oppression create barriers between individuals? Discuss these concepts: power and privilege.
5. According to Collins, what are ways that we can breakdown the barriers and make connections with people whom we see as different? Discuss these concepts: coalitions and empathy.

B. IDENTIFY A THEORY (15 POINTS)

Respond to the questions below about the essay by Collins. Include the underlined concepts in your responses. (Your response to each question is worth 1-3 points depending on the depth of thinking and knowledge that you show in the response.)

• Review the modern theories that Conley discusses in Chapter 1 of the textbook.

1. Durkheim and functionalism
2. Marx and conflict theory
3. Marx and feminist theory
4. Chicago School and symbolic interactionist

• Which theoretical paradigm (or modern sociological theory) does Collins draw upon in her discussion of the 3 dimensions of oppression
  • Name one paradigm listed above and quote a sentence from Collins’ article that fits with the arguments in this paradigm.
  • Discuss 1 argument and 2 concepts from part A which fit with this paradigm. Explain how they fit.
• Which theoretical paradigm does Collins draw upon in her discussion of ways to overcome barriers and build connections between different groups of people?
  • Name one paradigm listed above and quote a sentence from Collins’ article that fits with the arguments in this paradigm.
  • Discuss 1 argument and 2 concepts from part A which fit with this paradigm. Explain how they fit.

C. CONCLUSION AND SELF-RELFECTION (10 POINTS)

1. What story did Collins include that you thought was similar to your own experiences? How was it similar?
2. What story did Collins include that helped you to understand an aspect of oppression or how to overcome it? Explain how you interpret the story.
3. What did you learn about barriers to connection and how to overcome them from Collins’s essay? Give examples.
4. What did the essay leave out that is important to consider? Why is this important?
5. What new questions or ideas did the essay prompt in your thinking?

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