Choose one of the following questions:

1. Using what you have learned about groups, organizations, and bureaucracies this week, compare and contrast two different groups or organizations of which you are a member. Describe the two groups.

How do they differ in terms of leadership, membership, purpose, and activities? What is your role in the group? Provide examples in your discussion.

2. Do you agree with Emile Durkheim that deviance is functional and is a necessary part of society? What functions might deviance provide?

In your answer be sure to describe Durkheim's main thesis regarding the function of deviance. Think of a time when you used informal negative sanctions. To what act of deviance were you responding? How did your reaction help maintain social control?

The Week 3 Forum meets the following course objectives:

Apply a sociological perspective to the social world.

Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to analyze everyday life.

Identify and describe bureaucracies and formal organizations.

Describe deviance and social control from a sociological perspective.

Instructions for all Forums:

Each week, learners will post one initial post per week. This post must demonstrate comprehension of the course materials, the ability to apply that knowledge in the real world.

Learners will engage with the instructor and peers throughout the learning week. To motivate engaged discussion, posts are expected to be on time with regular interaction throughout the week. All posts should demonstrate college level writing skills.

To promote vibrant discussion as we would in a face to face classroom, formatted citations and references are not required. Quotes should not be used at all, or used sparingly. If you quote a source quotation marks should be used and an APA formatted citation and reference provided.