Greetings: This Assignment Will Focus On Interconnectedness

Greetingsthis Assignment Will Focus On The Interconnectedness Of Book

Greetings, This assignment will focus on the interconnectedness of book content, sociological concepts and theories, and the 2008 financial crisis. Most questions will require you to define concepts and theories, use those concepts and theories to analyze book content, and make inferences using facts about the 2008 financial crisis. This assignment is writing-intensive, reading-intensive, and thinking-intensive; therefore, I encourage you to reserve enough time to respond to questions in a manner that is representative of an advanced sociology major. Each question has several parts. Be sure that you respond to all parts of each question.

Be certain to have your responses to the analysis assignment available for reference. Other references include Crash Courses in Sociology videos (posted in Canvas), Sociology in Action textbook, and the Behold the Dreamers book.

Paper For Above instruction

Part 1: The American Dream in the Context of Individual Backgrounds

The first theme to explore is the American Dream, which posits that through hard work, individuals can achieve upward mobility, access education, own homes, and elevate the socioeconomic status of their children. Analyzing the origin stories of Cindy and Clark provides insight into how they exemplify or diverge from this ideology. Clark’s father’s occupation and Clark’s own career trajectory must be examined to determine if Clark surpassed his father’s socioeconomic status, reflecting the American Dream's promise. Similarly, Cindy’s familial background, her path to college, and her professional status should be assessed to determine if she achieved upward mobility relative to her mother’s social class. Supporting evidence from the book is essential in this evaluation.

Part 2: Privilege and Economic Resilience

The Edwards family and its members experience various privileges which can be categorized and defined, such as socioeconomic privilege and racial privilege. Identifying two such privileges involves explaining how they operate and illustrating how these privileges buffered the Edwards family during the 2008 recession. When comparing the Edwards' experience to that of the Jongas family, observe the differences in economic and social resilience, highlighting how privilege influences outcomes in economic downturns.

Part 3: Immigration, Assimilation, and the American Dream

The journey of Neni and Jende Jonga embodies the immigrant pursuit of the American Dream through deliberate actions, decisions, and behaviors. Examples from the book should illuminate how they work towards this goal, such as seeking employment, enrolling in education, or making sacrifices. Conversely, factors like systemic barriers or unforeseen circumstances hinder their success. The decision of Jende to return to Cameroon illustrates the culmination of these challenges. Neni’s academic achievements and her interactions with Dean Flipkens, including her scholarship pursuits and her excitement over academic honors, reflect her aspirations and the obstacles faced, such as Dean Flipkens’ influence dissuading her from pharmacy school.

Part 4: The Structural Causes of the 2008 Financial Crisis

The deregulation of the mortgage industry played a pivotal role in precipitating the 2008 financial crisis. Define deregulation and discuss how it facilitated risky lending practices and excessive financial innovations. The book’s depiction of Clark’s conversations with Lehman Brothers peers before the crisis echoes the themes of complicity and awareness found in documentaries and scholarly publications like those from United for a Fair Economy. The accountability of financial industry leaders, including references to Lehman Brothers’ collapse, should be analyzed in light of the documentary insights.

Part 5: Applying Merton’s Strain Theory

Merton's Strain Theory explains deviance as a response to societal pressures and the disjunction between cultural goals and institutional means. Outline the five adaptations—conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion—and select three characters to analyze how each adapts via these pathways. Examples from the book should illustrate these processes, connecting individual experiences to broader sociological patterns.

Part 6: Social Institutions and Their Impact

Define social institutions as structured mechanisms that organize and influence societal behavior; explain their importance in maintaining social order and fulfilling societal needs. Identify three key social institutions affecting the Edwards and Jonga families, such as the education system, the housing market, and the legal or immigration systems. For each, explain its purpose and analyze how it shaped the lives of these families, supported by book examples.

References

• Baldwin, J. (2014). Behold the Dreamers. Random House.
• Ferguson, C. (2010). Inside Job. [Documentary].
• United for a Fair Economy (UFE). (2009). The Financial Collapse: How Deregulation Led to the 2008 Crisis. UFE Publications.
• Gordon, J. N. (2010). The History of Financial Deregulation. Financial History Review, 17(3), 245-267.
• Merton, R. K. (1938). Social Structure and Anomie. American Sociological Review, 3(5), 672–682.
• Schaefer, R. T. (2018). Sociology: A Brief Introduction. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Sklar, M. (2012). Deregulation and the Financial Crisis. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 26(2), 61–82.
• Turner, G. (2013). The Rise and Fall of the Regulatory State. Cambridge University Press.
• Williams, D. R. (2015). Privilege and Inequality in Contemporary Society. Sociology Compass, 9(11), 987-999.
• Zeidenstein, J. (2017). Analyzing the Impact of Privilege During Economic Downturns. Sociology of Economic Life, 22(4), 378-392.