According to new figures, it is estimated that 35 million people are suffering under slavery. It is a booming global business, relying on oppression and exploitation. The film shows the many forms slavery can take in today’s world: from political imprisonment, to child labor to the forcible recruitment of child soldiers as well as more classical forms of physical and economic exploitation.
Video's Description: "Pixar’s Wall-E is a masterpiece of animated filmmaking about two adorable robots falling in love, though I’d argue it also serves as an excellent example of sociological storytelling. Social systems are one of the most important, and most misunderstood, concepts in my work on media and masculinity. So in this video essay I use Wall-E's Axiom star liner (and the board game Monopoly) to illustrate how social systems operate in our culture".
How does the power elite view their employees in 2017? First off, they remove the human element by calling them "performers" (as opposed to people) and are introducing technologies that further solidify a panoptical structure of control... This hour-long episode has shocking examples of economic and employment changes which are discussed in a corporate ideological framework. Technological impacts on education are discussed too. Concepts evident here include the work/life balance, the power elite, neoliberalism, panoptical surveillance, depersonalization, class struggle, and many more...
Available FREE for a limited time on YouTube. Original video link here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0990xks/billion-dollar-deals-and-how-they-changed-your-world-series-1-3-work
We need to have a serious discussion on Internet authority and control. As Facebook has become a geopolitical force in this neoliberal era, it is disturbing to learn how much influence the business has garnered in every sphere imaginable. This is a good example of the reach of the corporate giant which raises some unsettling possibilities, chiefly “Digital Colonialism” and information control.
You can read more about this issue here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/17/technology/facebook-government-regulations.html?_r=1
With the start of the semester approaching in a national climate of civil unrest, many students may be keen to the recent events in Charlottesville and eager to learn more. This is a powerful (and potentially triggering) video where an embedded reporter gives us a captivating look at what happened-- the neo-nazi/KKK/alt-right provocateurs clashing with the counter protesters, the "accident" leading to the death of an ally, the heart wrenching aftermath, and the continued arrogance from the white supremacists who speak openly about their desire for genocide. The video provides no narration but proceeds in an organically engaging manner. It'll certainly spark a discussion and clarify how one side started the violence. Despite what our president claims, there were no nice guys among the white nationalists. Kudos to Elle Reeve (@elspethreeve) for an outstanding job capturing the event.
I became so mad after I saw this news segment on the whitewashing of sculptures. I never knew these iconographic works of art were originally painted and I now feel duped by the numerous museums where these statues are preserved. If they were intended by their creators to be colorful, then they should be presented as such. This revealing clip speaks to the concepts of colorism, whitewashing, imagined communities, and the white racial frame (among others). I bet students may find this to be an awakening moment too. I certainly did!
Using the Contact Hypothesis where a system of domination and subordination is established when 2 unequal groups first meet, should we really be actively seeking out extraterrestrials? And who should be making that decision for our entire planet? What repercussions could this have on our society? How does this square with the democratic ideal of the collective prosperity of the people? While these questions may be rather absurd in an empirical sense, they get at something about the operation of society that is applicable to a wide array of other topics including technology, civilization, and power.
A hilarious satire on the recent Pepsi advertisement which appropriated social movements. It is important to remember the terrible violence and unrest protesters often face that is notably absent from the ad.
We need to be more critical of the media in this new post-truth era, especially since they have played a large role in bringing about the current quixotic news environment. This video from Vox's sex symbol Carlos Maza raises an insightful and thought-provoking challenge to the media which involves reformulating how cable news disseminates government "facts" (or propoganda).
Yes, there is such a thing as a "smart" gun, a gun that only the owner can fire, though it is not without a great deal of controversy. Some people fear technological failures, others fear government interference of their Second Amendment right, yet the fear of losing individual control of the firearm seems to pervade everyone. This 43-minute documentary explores the debate around these guns and reveals to us the social dynamics at play.
A righteous response to violence against black women from within their own community and the larger society-- The Black Women's Defense League: "Black Women’s Defense League is a coalition of women of color from all walks of life on the path to total liberation. BWDL focus’ on self defense through martial arts and and other hand to hand combat techniques armed training with various types of artillery including knife fighting, marksmanship, and weapons of opportunity. BWDL also engages in emergency preparedness, urban survival training, and battered women’s rescue. In addition to training BWDL works towards raising awareness and solutions to the areas of concern that face black women at large".
This video is all about identity and empowerment in a racist society marred by violence. It's also a good example of color consciousness and pride. Unfortunately, we see that the BWDL still relies on the white power structure to secure the proper training (white-owned shooting ranges). #BlackLivesMatter
How does a society respond when deviants push the moral boundary of what is considered socially acceptable? Residents in this town want the population to unite against coffee baristas who show off their bodies to attract customers. We see the beginnings of a moral campaign (it's all about the children, right?) in this interesting example which speaks to the functional view of deviant behavior. This is also a good example of Merton's innovators (accepting societal goals but rejecting the standard means).
An exploration of the modern American military industrial complex in relation to the F-35 Lightning II jet. With the project employing hundreds of thousands of Americans throughout the country, canceling the overly-funded project would be an impractical move with grave political repercussions.
“A new law going into effect in the U.K. gives the British government sweeping new surveillance capabilities. The Investigatory Powers Act grants intelligence agencies and local authorities the right to access the internet history of any British citizen they target. It may be the most extreme surveillance act in the Western world. Later this year, the British government will be able to require internet service providers to record the websites and messaging applications their customers visit and keep that information for one year. The data will then be available for use by 48 different national and local authorities without the need for a warrant”.
Here is a frightful manifestation of broken windows policing taken to the extreme. We see a police force largely composed of non-natives to the city set up a panoptical surveillance system in an attempt to combat crime. The city's residents, who were alienated from the decision-making process here, feel as if their community has been invaded by this new police force. Although the crime rate drops slightly, is it worth the social damage to the community?
“Camden, New Jersey is one of the poorest and most drug-ridden cities in the country; its murder rate is 12 times the national average. In 2011, the city cut its police force almost in half, with nearly 80,000 residents regularly being policed by 12 cops at a time. The state stepped in to overhaul the department, introducing an experimental “Metro” security apparatus equipped with futuristic technologies like gunshot detecting, triangulation microphones, and automatic license-plate readers. As similar surveillance systems are implemented across the country, Vikram Gandhi went to Camden to see how these tactics are working, how residents feel about their loss of privacy, and what the future of policing looks like.”
From the show Adam Ruins Everything, this video explores the xenophobic origins of US marijuana laws and briefly touches on the political rationale behind the War on Drugs.
This fascinating video asks a question ripe for sociological analysis-- Why do we accept structural or institutional surveillance but reject individual surveillance? Are they not the same thing? In an age where cameras are ubiquitous this issue lends itself to a discussion students find engaging and meaningful. You can use this to discuss levels of analysis (institutions vs individuals), power and social control (active vs. passive surveillance), the law's ability to keep pace with technological development (personal drones, for instance), and much more...
A brilliant satire on comedian Russell Brand's communist/socialist politics. Students generally recognize Brand (formerly married to singer Katy Perry) and although this is humorous marxist rhetoric, it is nevertheless true. In the Truevolution episodes, Brand analyzes commercials (aka "mind control pellets") demonstrating how they preserve the status quo of inequality and social oppression. The language used here is particularly impressive and serves as a fine example of the conflict perspective applied to everyday life.
Introduction-- https://youtu.be/anc51ErPBxg?t=2m47s
Truevolution 1 (commercials & Ikea): https://youtu.be/bSmP4q3oQ6c?t=18m22s
Truevolution 2 (kids shows): https://youtu.be/3An8mzU1HGE?t=9m40s
Russell Brand as Prime Minister: https://youtu.be/EKDKt0lh3Y0
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0520y52
This is a humorous example from the UK of the functional role of deviant behavior. We see society come together to shame those receiving benefits from the state (known as welfare in the US). This is also an insightful example of how deviants are exploited for entertainment and ridicule. "Poverty porn" would be a good term to discuss in addition to the many sociological concepts evident in the clip.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03qgvsc
