SoSt 200 Introduction to Social
Studies
Multiple Perspectives
Working in a group, analyze an issue using a separate piece of paper for each of the three headings:
Survival (Economic & Social)
- What are the chief means of production?
- Who owns them?
- Who works?
- What is the mode of production (what are the arrangements between who works for whom? Is it feudal, capitalistic, cooperative, etc.)
- Who controls the distribution of goods? How?
- What different classes emerge from the mode of production?
- What are the relationships between the classes?
- What effect does this have on relationships in families and communities?
Organization (Political)
- Who has the power to make decisions?
- From which classes are they?
- Who makes the rules (laws)?
- For whose benefit are they made?
- How are the laws enforced?
- Who do the laws primarily affect?
Culture & Ideology (Beliefs & Values)
- What does the society believe about itself?
- What are its chief values?
- Are the “expressed values” and actual values the same?
- Who promotes the official values? How?
Then, consider the links & implications
- What links do you see between the different categories?
- How does survival affect organization? Ideology?
- How does organization affect ideology? Survival?
- How does ideology affect survival? Organization?
- Is there a hierarchy among the categories?
© 2004 A.J.Filipovitch
Revised 3 January 2006