As the saying goes, “Seeing is believing,” and this fall, students in Assistant Professor Wenji Liao’s Foundations of Sociology course put the old adage to the test in one of their final projects. The result was the Sociological Imagination Art Fair, held Dec. 7, where students shared artwork that spoke to social issues important to them.
“I truly believe that to be successful as a sociologist, you need to be imaginative. For me, one of the goals of sociology is to peel back the masks of social reality that we often take for granted. It’s about understanding that much of what we do is socially constructed,” Liao said. “So there’s always another way you can imagine what the world could be. I think that’s part of the appeal of sociology.”
In this project, students were asked to create something that demonstrated their understanding of key sociological concepts and their application to social life. The students had to put a specific social issue or issue at the center of their project, but beyond that, the students had the creative freedom to think about what their project would be. I had it.
“This is one of the many things we’re trying to do to help different students express themselves in ways that suit their learning styles. It’s no longer just a matter of repeating information,” Liao said. “I also think this project is more memorable than the paper they write. I think another way to engage students could have a greater impact on their learning.”
Topics considered by students include aspects such as prison reform, the social construction of gender, environmental pollution and discrimination, and the legalization of marijuana. One group specifically focused on the issue of prison labor, creating miniature prisons made from materials manufactured by people inside the prison.
“We included McDonald’s Happy Meal boxes because McDonald’s uses prisons to package and process raw materials. We also include Starbucks cups because they use them in packaging. Jeans were often made in prisons. We also used jeans to make part of the prison structure,” explained Nat McClure, a first-year engineering technology exploration student.
Patrick Souza, a first-year chemical engineering student and one of McClure’s groupmates, added that the miniature prisons they built were a unique way to get people interested in their subject. Seeing the Happy Meal box and denim structure from across the room piques people’s curiosity and draws them closer to the group to learn more.
“A lot of times when people read a book, they’re just reading. They’re not actually gathering information in their head,” Souza said. “It can be very difficult to glean emotion from just words written on paper, so sharing ideas in an artistic way can emphasize certain aspects that an essay may not be able to do. ”
Another group branched out into the realm of pop culture, creating a project to analyze how women are portrayed in video games.
“This is a very important issue, but one that is often overlooked in the gaming industry. A lot of games these days are aimed primarily at men, and it really shows,” said Ryan Glover, a first-year chemical engineering student. he said. “I think almost every woman who has tried to play a male-dominated video game has felt the impact of it. Raising awareness about how women are represented in gaming will help make gaming more accessible for everyone.” We can make it inclusive.”
Another member of the group, first-year electrical engineering technology student Joe Harrington, said he has always been interested in video games and can easily see the constant contradictions in how men and women are portrayed. Harrington added that using visual media to convey the message is ideal. Because you can literally see examples of unfair and misogynistic depictions of women.
“I think it’s easier to understand the overall message this way, especially when it comes to the hyper-sexualized part of this issue. I think it’s easier to understand the overall message this way. I don’t really understand what the female characters are wearing or how they’re portrayed.” It’s very helpful to look at this because in an essay, you often create an image in your head based on what is written, and it doesn’t really sink in. How are some of the clothing options or depictions? “It’s just how bad it is,” Harrington said.
The Sociological Imagination Art Fair was a one-day display of student work. For more information, please email Wenjie Liao.