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Sociology

Death and Dying
Please have a seat. I'd like you to share the piece of media you have brought in, and if you'd like, why you chose it. I have selected Tolstoy's A Confession.

Homework: Choose a death by suicide from Shakespeare's work, and write a short reaction to it.

Sociology of Deviance
First of all, I'd like to apologize for my absence last week. I hope you studied your vocabulary, there will be no quiz, but it will be on your upcoming midterm exam. The study guide will be provided next week.

In class today, I would like you to find a study partner for the exam. As you know, this class is pass/fail, but you will be receiving letter grades so that I have proper documentation of your coursework.

Discussion: A quick lecture on sexuality and deviance [skim the very top section if interested] Constructionists believe Sexual meaning does not exist intrinsically or inherently in a given act. Do you believe that is true?

Homework: Please read Synergies in Deviance: Revisiting the Positive Deviance Debate by Brad West and come to class with an example of something that you believe is an example of positive deviance.

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Welcome.

"I brought in the Jacques-Louis David painting The Death of Socrates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:David_-_The_Death_of_Socrates.jpg). I chose it because ~~I couldn't find Hamlet to steal his emo-poetry~~ Socrates could have avoided his death, but chose not to rather than go against his principles."

"A very interesting choice, thank you. Good stuff, if not emo poetry. We can't win them all. *sigh*"

Marty holds up a DVD copy of "Heathers" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097493/).

"I chose the movie Heathers. While all of the deaths (except for JD's)in the movie were actually murders, it does touch on how society reacts to teen suicide. Granted most of the reactions are exaggerated, but it also shows how suicide can affect friends and families."

"I'll never be able to play croquet again, Martin. But good thoughts, thank you."

harry is here

((And his mun will think of something he has brought to class soon, very soon!))

Rogue comes in with a copy of the movie The Virgin Suicides. "Um, this movie is very touching, making a lot of insights into suicide and family life."

[allie's mun is frustrated by this assignment because she cannot find the poem she remembers reading in lit 101 when she was a freshman in college]

*Was totally here and participated*

[ooc:mun, however, forgot. bad mun, no biscuit!]

Welcome.

Wednesday looked around the class thoughtfully, trying to see if there was anyone present who would make a good study partner.

"Professor, doesn't the sexual meaning of a given gesture depend upon the eye of the beholder? Licking an ice cream cone might affect someone or not depending on their level of perception. Giving someone a massage might be loaded with erotic meaning or simple therapy, after all. It would be a matter of context, would it not?"

"Context is always important, I agree. But what about the intentions of the person performing the act? Does their belief in what the meaning is as relevant? And if neither believe it is a sexual act, could it still be perceived as such?"

"I'd imagine it depends on the person," Angelus said. "Some can have meaningless sex, others can't. Sounds to me like a classic case of 'no generalization is worth a damn, including this one'."

[ooc: anyone who wants to partner with him, go nuts. I'm all for mixing up who he plays with]

"I agree with your thoughts on generalizations, but do you believe there are any acts that are inherently sexual, despite any meanings, or the lack thereof I suppose, one might attach to them?"

Angelus thought about it. "Hard to say. Obviously some form of putting tab A into slot B suggests itself, but there are those for whom even that isn't about sex. It's about violence, or power, or just wanting to get some sleep that night."

Ivanova covers a snicker at the 'tab A into slot B' comment. "You can't say that there is no sexual act, given that the act of sex is a biological process. Look at . . . I don't know, amoebas. Splitting is a concrete sexual act. So would mammalian intercourse. Even the word 'sex' or 'sexual' is subject to interpretation. There's the literal physical sense, and then there's the 'sexy' connotation." She frowns. "Did I just make sense?"

"You did," Angelus said. "Both biologically and grammatically. Though that does raise the question of do we demand that sex requires reproduction because - " he grinned " - I'm willing to bet a lot of us do one without the other, and I'm not talking amoebas."

"Of course we don't require sex purely for reproduction, for, ah, obvious reasons that are slightly more obvious here in Fandom," Ivanova replies, also beginning to grin. "My point was that sex does have a single concrete meaning. But can have a socially constructed meaning outside of that simple biological fact."

"Very true," Angelus agreed. "On multiple levels. Like the lesson said, sometimes the meaning can be good or bad. Which is funny when it's the same act but two different people. Personally I never understood the whole 'girls who like sex are sluts' thing. Far as I'm concerned, if they like sex, let's throw a party. It's no fun by yourself. Well - " his grin became sardonic " - not as fun by yourself."

Ivanova grins. She likes his turns of phrase. "Don't even get me started on the slut-stud thing. And I agree - not as fun by yourself. But I think that we may be getting a little ~~NWS~~ off-topic." She gestures rather vaguely. "Looking at how sexual meanings differ across cultures can be rather telling. I mean, one culture could have female "sexuality" supressed, another could glorify it."

"Look at time," Angelus pointed out. "Century or so ago it used to be considered an illness if women enjoyed sex. Now it's considered an illness if they don't."

Ivanova nods thoughtfully. "Very true. As we were saying before, until very recently (in this timeframe, anyways) female masturbation was considered a mental disorder that was "cured" by," she shudders, "female genital mutilation. Same cure as for lesbianism and hysteria, too." She grins. "I much prefer it now."

"Well can't have you girls enjoying yourselves," Angelus said, clearly joking. "Next you'll want the vote and then what are we going to do?"

Ivanova automatically extends a hand to whap him upside the head, but catches herself before swinging. "I know, us uppity females will be running the place before you can turn around twice."

"Hey," Angelus pointed out, "not like you could fu - uh, screw it up anymore than the males of the species have."

[ooc: must go to bed, but can continue in slowplay tomorrow if you'd like =) ]

Ivanova rolls her eyes, affecting a decent impression of her grandmother. "From your lips to God's ears."

[[Night! If you want, I'm good with leaving it here ^^]]

[ooc: Works. Night!]

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