Reaction Paper I Prompt

This paper is an opportunity to solidify the concepts you have been introduced to in the first two modules of the course, which include (re) introducing sociology, social problems, the sociological imagination, class, poverty, and race/ethnicity.

Write your papers using one-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12-point font. The entire paper should be at least 5-6 pages in length. Make sure to complete all three steps of this assignment:

https://books.google.com/books?id=UNg5DQAAQBAJ&pg=…

Step I:

Write your response to the following questions using your own perspective as well as any concepts you think are relevant from the textbook. If you use a concept from the book, make sure to cite it by writing the page number directly behind it. For example: One of the functions (p. 45) of poverty is that it provides jobs for others. Feel free to number your responses, if that is easier. Make sure to answer all questions in complete sentences.

1. What is the “Culture of Poverty” thesis, according to the textbook? Who is responsible for it? To what extent do you think poverty is related to culture? Do you agree with the culture of poverty thesis? Why or why not? Finally, do you think there is, therefore, a “Culture of the Rich?” Why or why not?

1. What is “White Privilege?” Give at least three examples of this concept in today’s society. Do you think most whites in the United States believe they actually have white privilege? Why or why not? Can other races/ethnicities have “privilege” even though they are not white? What are a few examples of privilege for non-whites? Would it be more accurate to use the phrase “racial privilege” rather than “white privilege?” Why or why not? What might some potential “costs” to having racial privilege? Finally, there has been a recent trend to call people out on their privilege by saying the phrase “check your privilege.” What does this mean and why, in your opinion, do you think people are saying the phrase to one another now?

Step II:

Choose two different airline companies that offer “tiered” travel (first class, business, economy) for this exercise. Visit each airline’s website, paying specific attention to the ways they present and market their “classes” for the potential flier. It may take you some time to read through a few descriptions/web pages for each airline. Then, discuss the following key points:

• Identify the airline, and copy/past each airline’s homepage link into your paper when discussing it.
• Describe the main differences between each “tier/class” on the airline, especially regarding:
  • Seating
  • Location on the aircraft
  • Priority
  • Service
  • Privacy
  • Security/TSA checks
  • Price
  • Luggage
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Connectivity (Wi-Fi, phone use, internet speeds)
  • Other “perks” or options
• What similarities/differences do the two airlines have regarding their “class” levels? Which airline would you prefer to travel on? In what tier/class? Why?
• Have you ever flown in an airplane? If so, what do you “know” about the different “tiers/classes” on an airplane due to your own experience(s)? If not, what do you imagine the differences to look like on an airplane in terms of tiers/class? How are people supposed to act/dress/be in each tier/class? What do you base your assumptions on (think media, other peoples’ stories, movies, etc.)?
• Have you ever flown in first class on an airplane? If so, what was your experience? How did fellow passengers and airline employees treat you, and how did you feel when you traveled in first class? If not, why haven’t you flown in first class (strange question, but be honest!)?

Step III

C. Wright Mills’ concept of the Sociological Imagination requires us to see the relationship between history, our own biographies/experiences, and larger social issues. Consider the history of racial/ethnic segregation on public transportation (like buses), which was common (and legal) in the U.S. until the mid-1950s. What parallels can you draw between the airline tiers/classes of today and historic racial segregation on public transportation?