Option A: Answer TWO questions. Include an analysis of three articles from the list in each of your answers.
Option B: Answer THREE questions. Include an analysis of two articles from the list in each of your answers.
- Which course authors did you like best? Why?
- Which course authors did you like least? Why?
- Which course topics were the most important? Why?
Your answers must be typed in essay form –3-4 pages each (6-8 pages total). You are expected to provide direct quotations (at least one for each author). Quotations from secondary sources or versions of the articles from anthologies or sources other than what is provided on Blackboard are not acceptable.
(Proper quotation for the purposes of this assignment: Author and page number.For example, Young argues that ‘Identities carrying with them vocabulary of motive … can unravel more readily across society and space’ (p. 7). Proper citation for the purposes of this assignment: Author, Title, BB (Blackboard), page number range.For example, Young, ‘Voodoo Criminology and the Numbers Game’, BB, pp. 1-45.)
Solution
Which course authors did you like best? Why?
Karl Marx is one of my favorite authors in the course material. He elaborated class conflicts and associations with laws brilliantly. He streamlined the administrative role in society in an attractive manner. The best thing about this author is the in-depth analysis of society to understand social evils and impact on society stakeholders. Also, Cesare Beccaria is my favorite author. He navigated the society regarding crimes and punishments. Interestingly, he described many consequences regarding crimes and punishments along with different associations with society’s laws. He showed the difference between traditional and liberal societies, and it helped me to understand my society as well. The in-depth analysis of Cesare Beccaria tells me about social justice, which is essential in almost every society. Emile Durkheim described the difference between normal and pathological society factors. He is the best writer, as he tried to mention varying laws in both societies. I like all three authors because they came up with relevant society concepts. I studied all these authors separately to obtain possible society terms and concepts.
Which course topics were the most important? Why?
Crime and punishments are prominent topics in this course journey. In different societies, people are integrated with laws, and it seems necessary to learn and understand the origin of crime and punishment. Interestingly, states made laws or regulations to regulate society and save people or civilians from evil. Culprits in the community are in the limelight, as they create a negative impact on people. When studying sociology, learning about crime and punishment is mandatory because it tells the difference between right and wrong.
People are living in different societies, and the government has to play a vital role in shaping a better community to live in. It is essential to study the origin of punishment and the right to punish. For Instance, if a person is a culprit, the state or society has the power to punish that person to shape a better society. The origin of punishment started from the individual level. However, with time, it spread nationwide. It depends on the intention of the society how it contributes to the sovereignty of the society. It has been revealed that sovereignty has become the primary concern of society. The developed nations have emphasized personal liberty. However, in different communities, which are triggered by personal freedom, punishment or right to punish has become controversial.
Thus, being a student of sociology or law, it is necessary to navigate the difference between torture and punishment. In many societies, it has been observed that punishment depicted an adverse impact on individual behavior. Thus, the topic is important because it streamlines the consequences of the sentence. Societies have emphasized different laws, which ultimately reduced the right to punish. Crimes and the power to punish it is vital to learn due to this intention. For Instance, if a person has just been accused, he cannot be punished or sentenced. All wrongdoings are to be proved in society to claim the right of the punishment.
If a person is accused and gets punished, the situation may get worse in society. Thus, in liberal societies, Understanding the nature of crimes, impact on others, and possible consequences are essential to shaping the safe and secure environment for the general public. In liberal societies, death penalties have also become controversial. For Instance, societies believe in people’s development with time and want them to make great contributors. However, it seems imperative to understand or examine some conditions, which may compel authorities to execute the death sentence. Stopping crimes and streamlining the right to punish can contribute to society, which believes in personal liberty. Thus, these topics or issues are integrated with different consequences. The better examination can help us to become a better individual in society (Beccaria, 1963).
The Normal and pathological consequences are also in the limelight. It is an essential issue in society. It is a fact that a criminal in normal society is perceived beyond biological and psychological terms. In a normal community, the right to punishment increases as compared to psychological consequences. Understanding the sociological and psychological facts in society can help to recognize or identify the crime and impact on people’s sovereignty. Being a student of sociology, we have a right to evaluate the evolution of society.
For Instance, in a mature society, the state may integrate with psychological factors when deciding criminals. Knowing the causes and benefits of crime is the right approach. However, more insights can be derived by navigating the big picture. It seems essential to learn about these factors to understand the crime and causes effectively. Living in a better or secure society is a right of everyone. It is a crucial topic because it illustrates the anticipation of future morality. Giving a death penalty to a criminal can restrain others from doing wrong things and protect civilians.
However, on the other hand, future morality can be justified effectively by examining the psychological factors in the decisions making process. Moving from ordinary to psychological society needs evolvement, being essential stakeholders of the community, we have to contribute to it. Now, it is the best time to know whether we are living in a normal or psychological society, and it increases the scope of the topic (Durkheim, 1966).
“Class conflict and law” is comprehensive content, which indicates significant consequences in society. The importance of the topic is quite visible in our society. For Instance, the administration must depict the intentions to control the class conflict because it can lead towards crimes. The law, therefore, restrains different classes in societies to limit their activities. A person living in the upper class has to follow the law to create a minimum impact on people living in the bottom-line. The law is equal for everyone in society, and it increases the importance of the topic. Administration limits itself to the ordinary and the negative sphere of criminal activities to enable justice in society. Powerful states are less likely to grasp different social evils.
Apart from the class structure in society, it is good to shape the pertinent structure of society effectively. We are living in societies where recognition of men and women rights is important despite having several social classes. Civil society and individual society are modern forms of societies in this contemporary era. The topic contains the scope or importance due to a deeper examination of the society. Laws may be different in different societies. Nevertheless, administrators have to categorize class conflicts to maintain social sustainability for a long run (Marx, 1956).
These course topics were obligatory due to different learning aspects. We are prominent stakeholders of society, and ultimately, we are integrated with these consequences. The most important thing is to understand the society we are living in and avoid the manipulation of laws. These three-course topics have helped to obtain some critical insights, and when studying sociology, these insights can help to observe the big picture.
References
Beccaria, C. (1963) ‘On Crimes and Punishments’, pp. 277-286.
Durkheim, E. (1966) ‘The Normal and Pathological’, pp. 84-88.
Marx, K. (1956) ‘Class Conflict and Law’, pp. 89-95.