Part 1:

Many changes have taken place since President Obama’s election and reelection to the White House. Few of these changes have been debated as much as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). For this assignment, you will use your sociological imagination to ferret out some of the issues behind this debate.

• Go to the government healthcare website and find three facts about the ACA. List and describe each fact.

• Using your understanding of theory and the chart on page 17 of your textbook, explain how a functionalist, conflict theorist, and interactionist would explain the Affordable Care Act. Be sure to discuss the ACA in terms of each perspective’s view of the individual, social order, and social change. o Do not debate the ACA itself. Rather, use these perspectives to understand how a sociologist studies the Act.

• In a sentence or two, describe your personal beliefs about the ACA.

• Use sociological imagination to explain how you developed your beliefs concerning the Act. Include a discussion of a minimum of two of the following: race, class, gender, religious and political affiliations, and how being part of these groups affects your thoughts on the Act.

• Finally, using the materials in Chapter 2, how might you study people’s beliefs about the ACA?

Part 2:

Choose a culture you know nothing about. Go online to research this group and answer the following questions about their culture and socialization.

In a paragraph, introduce the cultural group you researched online. Be sure to give the location of the group, why you chose the group, and what you hope to learn.

In one to two paragraphs, describe three interesting aspects about this culture. Choose something about their everyday life (folkway), something about their religion (value), and something about their biggest taboo (more).

Discuss the agents of socialization involved in the transmission of the three interesting aspects you chose.

Finally, how does each of these aspects affect the development of self for members of the group?