Jammie Price Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice The University of North Carolina at Wilmington

If you can answer the questions below, you will likely do well on the exam.  You can use as little or as much room on a sheet of paper  to answer them.   (I apologize for any typos or formatting problems.)  

Questions on Race

How do sociologists and biologists differ in how they view race?

How does conflict theory explain racial inequality?  Use an example to illustrate your points.

What is racism?  What is racial prejudice? What is racial discrimination?  How do people legitimize these negative beliefs and practices? You should use an example to illustrate your answer.

What kinds of race relations have existed in the U.S.? Which one do you think should be our goal? What are some changes we need to make to attain this goal?

Questions on Gender

How do sociologists define sex, gender and sexuality? What is more important, sociologically -- sex or gender?  Why?

What is sexism?  What is gender prejudice? What is gender discrimination?  How do people legitimize these negative beliefs and practices? You should use an example to illustrate your answer.

Describe some patterns of gender inequality in our families, schools, media, culture and work? 

Assume you want to help attain gender equality in either your home, work, romantic relationships, or at church.  What kind of belief, attitudinal and behavioral changes would need to take place in order to attain gender equality?

What gender pattern did the clips on sexism in the business world (employers, car dealers, golf courses), marriage and family (divorce), and health care (cancer) depict?  

Questions on Sexuality 

How do biologists, psychologists and sociologists differ in how they explain heterosexuality and homosexuality? Which one, or combination of, do you agree with?

What are the three components of sexuality?  Provide an example of each. How do these three components influence estimates of the homosexual population?

How do homophobia and heterosexism differ? How pervasive is heterosexism?  Provide examples to make your points. 

Questions on Marriage and Family 

Taking a functionalist perspective, what are some of the functions and dysfunctions of our institution of marriage and family? Provide examples. 

Taking a conflict theory perspective, identify some of the inequalities of our institution of marriage and family? Provide examples. 

Why have divorce rates been increasing?  Why may they be falling some now?

Questions on Education

Taking a functionalist perspective, what are some of the functions and dysfunctions of our institution of education? Provide examples. 

Taking a conflict theory perspective, identify some of the inequalities of our institution of education? Provide examples. 

What is credentialism? How does it affect the job market and our lives? 

Questions on Material from All Topics in this Section

What are the characteristics of minority groups? Why people of color, women, and non-heterosexuals considered minorities, from a sociological perspective?

Three local ministers of different churches want to bring their congregations together into one united non-denominational parish.  The members of each church differ in race, ethnicity, and social class.  What problems should the ministers be ready to confront? 

Several CEO’s of local businesses threaten to retract the educational grants they awarded to a local high school if the school administrators do not remove a sociology text from the library. The text includes material on “alternative families.” As one of the school’s administrators, build an argument for students learning about alternative families, and for keeping the book in the library. You will present this argument to the local media and to the CEO’s. 

Use the sociology of race, gender, sexuality, and marriage and family to reflect on your family system and map out the social forces and functions that impact on it.