Essay questions
- Think about the people you have dated (and other couples you know). How similar or different have they been in terms of race-ethnicity, social class, education, gender, and religion? Why do you think this is the case? Be as honest as your comfort will allow.
- Describe the social script for the first day of class in a college classroom. How is this script similar to the script you think people would follow for a first date? Also, how has the dating script been altered by the presence of communication technology? Speculate about two areas in which communication technology is likely to have the largest impact on dating in the next twenty years.
- Declining marriage rates have led many to conclude that Americans no longer place a high value on marriage. Use the our class discussions to advocate for and against this conclusion. Also, describe the process of endogamy and exogamy in contemporary American marriages.
- Discuss the varied causes and ramifications of cohabitation among couples who choose it as a living arrangement before marriage vs. instead of marriage. Also, what do you think the rise of cohabitation means for the future of family life? Why?
- In 10-12 sentences, please summarize and analyze the book, Grandmothers at Work: Juggling Families and Jobs by Madonna Harrington Meyer. In your own words, tell me what the book is about. Using specific examples, highlight at least 3 of the primary themes presented throughout the book. Also, you must connect two of those themes to some aspect of the course material and/or discussion. Lastly, offer your own thoughts about the book in question. Do you agree or disagree with the authors overall premise/analysis (or is it somewhere in between)? Did you find the argument convincing? Why or why not?
Not only do you have to prove to me that you have actually read the book, but I want you to articulate a cogent and coherent opinion about the book. Extra points will be given to those who can connect their response to the course material in a more detailed and comprehensive way.
Each question can be answered in 4-5 sentence and the last question it states 10-12. Please have a separate paragraph for each question.
