SOCI 123 Fall 2023
Assignment #2
At the end of ten years at Pelee Island Research Station (PIRS), all one hundred members of the original group submitted reports documenting the society’s progress. The Canadian sociologists who reviewed the reports have posed more questions so they can better understand the society that has been constructed. You are asked to choose one question from each category and provide a thoughtful, detailed answer to each.
| Questions about Social Structure and Interaction | Questions about Relationships |
| Durkheim argues that the division of labour helps to promote solidarity in society. Thinking about the division of labour at PIRS, do you agree or disagree with Durkheim? Which form of solidarity would best exemplify your new society? Explain your answer. Ten years after being established, does the new society more closely resemble a Gemeinschaft or a Gesellschaft? Give specific evidence to support your answer. At PIRS, social groups naturally started to take shape. How were these boundaries formed? Using two of the sociological concepts: primary groups, secondary groups, reference groups discuss their role in the formation of your society. Use examples to explain your answer. | What is the difference between a substantive definition of family and a functionalist definition of family? Which one would be most useful in understanding the first families at PIRS? Explain your answer. When it comes to spending time in the new society with others would you choose to select a mate or be single? Once you have chosen, what was the rational for your decision? What are the social implications and social pressures that arise because of your decision? Historically and cross-culturally, polygamy was the most common form of marriage; yet it is not frequently practised in North America today. Provide two detailed reasons why it would be a benefit OR a detriment to practise polygamy at PIRS. |
Assignment Details
- Your submission will be typed, double-spaced in 12-point font.
- Your submission will be a minimum of 2 pages to a maximum of 3 pages in length.
- You are not required to have an introduction or conclusion, but you must use proper paragraph form.
- Clearly indicate which questions you are answering.
- If you make reference to ANY resources (including your text, notes or the internet), you must properly cite them using APA format. Failure to do so will result in the loss of 3 mechanics marks.
- This assignment is worth 15% of your overall grade in the course.
Grade Breakdown
Effective, thoughtful, comprehensive answer to each question
2 x 6 marks each = 12 marks
Mechanics (following assignment details, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation; citation)
3 marks
Total = 15 marks
Your assignment is due in the Dropbox before the beginning of your lecture in Week 11.
Faculty of Law & Justice, School of Justice and Community Development
Standard Policy on Due Dates & Academic Integrity
All assignments, tests, presentations, or reports are due on their stated due dates unless the student has made specific arrangements with the professor at least two days prior to the due date, or in the case of an emergency, on his/her return to school. Other than in the above conditions, an assignment, test, presentation, or report not submitted/presented on the due date will receive a mark of zero (0).
Academic Integrity: Students are expected to work individually on all aspects of each submission for evaluation unless otherwise specified. Each student has the responsibility to support academic integrity. Breaches of academic integrity (such as cheating and plagiarism) will normally result in a grade of zero for the test, quiz, or assignment involved. Any subsequent offence may result in the student being required to withdraw from the college. All breaches of academic integrity will be reported to the Director of Admissions and Records.
