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TRAILS Featured Resources
TRAILS Featured Resources
October 13, 2021

TRAILS, the Teaching Resources and Innovation Library for Sociology, offers thousands of pedagogical gifts (Good Ideas for Teaching Sociology). It's also the perfect place to publish your own teaching resources. In TRAILS Featured Resources we highlight a selection of timely and innovative resources from the collection.
Greg Kordsmeier, PhD - TRAILS Editor

TRAILS logo with gold star superimposed on the lower right corner. Logo is composed of four vertical bars in varying shades of blue.
An outline of a dog painted on a wall.
Maria Scaptura
FX on Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs”: Putting Criminological Theory in Action
March 24, 2022
Subject Area(s):
Criminology/Delinquency, Deviant Behavior/Social Disorganization
Resource Type(s):
Assignment, Essay
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:

“Reservation Dogs” is a 2021 comedy series on Hulu (created by FX) featuring four indigenous teenagers trying to make it out of their rural town on a reservation in Oklahoma. In their efforts to make it to California, the teenagers—Elora, Bear, Cheese and Willie...

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Chelsea A Platt
Conferred Dominance in the Built Environment- A Campus Accessibility Activity
September 30, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
College 100
Class Size(s):
Small
Abstract:
This activity builds on Peggy McIntosh’s discussion and reflection on privilege through interactive learning. The concept of “privilege” is a foundational term to understand power and the reproduction of social inequalities for introductory and lower level sociology...
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Trenton G Ellis
Teaching Social Mobility Using a Virtual Field Experience that Combines a Podcast with Google Maps
August 13, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Stratification/Mobility
Resource Type(s):
Assignment
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
Combining a podcast episode with Google Maps, this assignment is a virtual field experience designed for learning about social mobility as it manifests in the lives of poor children in the United States. Specifically, the assignment encourages students to evaluate...
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Victoria Kurdyla
Using film analysis to apply and evaluate criminological theory
July 8, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Criminology/Delinquency
Resource Type(s):
Assignment
Class Level(s):
College 300
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
While research papers have been an invaluable assignment in sociology and criminology courses, this assignment combines sociological research with film and television analysis to apply criminological theories and concepts. Pelton (2013) argued for using film analysis...
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Jamie Oslawski-Lopez
Analyzing Social Stratification and Inequality in The Hunger Games (2012) Film: Presentation and Reflection Assignment
July 1, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Stratification/Mobility
Resource Type(s):
Assignment
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
I utilize the film The Hunger Games (2012) in my upper-level, Social Stratification course to engage students, help students understand course material, provide an opportunity for students to practice using their sociological imaginations, and develop students'...
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Tony N. Brown
BLACK SOCIOLOGICAL THOUGHT
July 1, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Theory
Resource Type(s):
Syllabus
Class Level(s):
Graduate
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
This is a graduate-level seminar course. It is a theory course, but unlike any theory course you have taken or will ever take. It centers black sociological thought, which is a standpoint paradigm that remains ambiguous and controversial and poorly understood. The...
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Deeb Paul Kitchen
Analyzing Seinfeld using Symbolic Interactionism
July 1, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Theory
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
The theoretical paradigm of symbolic interaction has the potential to resonate with students because they can apply it to their everyday lives and to specific social exchanges. However, due to the abstract nature of theory, students may struggle to understand the...
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Danielle MacCartney
Global Social Problems
June 25, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems
Resource Type(s):
Syllabus
Class Level(s):
College 200
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
This social problems syllabus includes readings and film suggestions for a global, cross-cultural, or comparative social problems course. The topics included are fairly standard for any social problems course – race, class, gender, crime, environment, and so on. This...
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explore
Laura Kane, Elizabeth Pike
Exploring the Relativity of Deviance
May 19, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Deviant Behavior/Social Disorganization
Resource Type(s):
Assessment, Assignment, Class Activity
Class Level(s):
College 300
Class Size(s):
Any
Abstract:
Students in Criminology courses are familiar with positivist theories of crime that assume the behavior is wrong and attempt to provide explanations for that behavior. This Social Deviance and Social Control course is required for both Sociology and Criminology...
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Judith A Linneman
The Measurement Zone: A Lecture/Activity Exploring Validity, Precision, Reliability and Accuracy
April 19, 2021
Subject Area(s):
Research Methods
Resource Type(s):
Class Activity
Class Level(s):
Any Level
Class Size(s):
Medium
Abstract:
This entertaining and engaging lecture/activity takes students along on their flu-stricken instructor’s fever-induced nightmare visit to “The Measurement Zone.” The instructor needs to test his/her/their body temperature for fever, and then take a dose of...
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