fandomhigh | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"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!]

Sociology

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