Analyzing a Movie/TV Family
Depictions of the “family” in the media are wide ranging and in many way permeate our daily lives. In this application paper, each student must choose to analyze a movie or TV family using the theories, analytical lenses, and knowledge made available throughout the course of this semester keeping in mind the following two questions: How do media images of family affect people’s own family experiences? Do the media create images of family that viewers then use to form their own attitudes about family, or do they simply reflect the reality of family life as people experience it? These papers must be at least 7 full pages (10 full pages maximum) and will:
-Comprehensively describe the “family” in this media portrayal
-Analyze the function of the “family” in this portrayal
-Critique the definition of the “family” that it uses and its portrayal of it
-Utilize two or more theories of the family discussed in class and in the text (by either comparing or contrasting those theories) to provide a deep understanding of the family in this portrayal, its experiences, and its actions
-Analyze how this depiction of the “family” influences how people might view relationships, the family, sexuality, and/or gender (among other things)
-Describe how this depiction of the “family” represents the idea of the family as a social institution and institutional arena
-Describe how this depiction highlights the intersection of the family arena with other institutional arenas and expound on the consequences of those intersections
-Examine how this depiction of the “family” incorporates (any or all of the following): race, social class, gender, sexuality, love, marriage/cohabitation, divorce/remarriage, children, work, religion, disability, and/or violence and abuse
-Describe how the above topics influence the family in this portrayal and any consequences the family experiences
-Use specific references to scenes or dialogue in the movie/TV show to support claims
-In the conclusion make a case for whether media shapes how Americans view the family or reflects back to the culture what is already there
-Include at least 3 citations to scholarly, peer-reviewed sociological journal articles to provide support to any/all of the claims you might make when responding to the prompts listed above (citations in text and references page must follow ASA style standards). If you are unsure about a source you would like to use, please feel free to ask me about it. Below I offer a list of sociology journals that you can search to find your references.
Do not structure your paper to answer the above prompts in order. Papers receiving high marks will creatively organize the paper and over the course of it respond to the prompts listed above. Because this is an upper-level course, students must demonstrate the ability to synthesize and present complex information in a well-reasoned and structured way.
It is entirely up to you regarding the media portrayal of the family that you use. If you choose a movie, provide the title of the movie and its release date in the references section. If you choose
a TV show, provide the title of the show and the date of the season or seasons you are analyzing. Students who use a TV show depiction of a family must use at least 1 full season of that show in their analysis.
Organizing the application paper
The following must be included in your paper in this exact order when turned in:
1. Rubric Available on the course website in Blackboard
2. Title page Name, title of this project, course name and number, and the date
3. Application paper
4. References page Use ASA style format: in-text citations link; references page link
All papers must be written in Times New Roman font, 12 point font size, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins. Each paper (Title page, Application paper, and References page) will also be uploaded to Turninit on the course website on Blackboard. Failure to do so by the due date of the project will result in a loss of points.
Sociology Journals
American Sociological Review Sociological Forum
American Journal of Sociology Sociological Quarterly
Social Forces Sociological Focus
Social Science Research Sociological Perspectives
Social Science & Medicine Social Science Quarterly
Sociological Inquiry Social Compass
Sociological Spectrum Social Currents
Sociological Science Social Indicators Research
Social Psychology Quarterly Sociological Theory
Sociology of Education Journal of Health and Social Behavior
Teaching Sociology Gender & Society
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Sociology of Sport Journal
Social Problems Annual Review of Sociology
Journal of Marriage and Family Journal of Family Issues
