Purpose
The objectives of this assignment are: (1) to provide students with an opportunity to examine the concept of civic engagement; (2) to enhance critical skills related to reading comprehension, research, and writing proficiency; (3) to encourage students to apply the sociological perspective to the social world in which they live.
This assignment is aligned with the module learning objectives #6, 7 and 8.
Directions
For this writing assignment you will examine the connections between civic engagement, organizations, and bureaucracy.
Read the articles linked below.
- Youth.GOV. (n.d.). Civic EngagementLinks to an external site.. https://youth.gov/youth-topics/civic-engagement-and-volunteering
- Charter for Compassion. (n.d.). The core principles of civic engagementLinks to an external site.. https://web.archive.org/web/20220528041033/https://charterforcompassion.org/practicing-peace/the-core-principles-of-civic-engagement
- Psychology Today. (n.d.). What is groupthinkLinks to an external site.? It explains what groupthink is, symptoms of groupthink, etc. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/groupthink
- Bute, M. (2015, August 30). The danger of groupthinkLinks to an external site.. This is an interesting opinion piece on how political allegiance can be a form of groupthink. The author asks the reader to consider how many of us are heavily influenced by groups around us. https://www.startribune.com/the-dangers-of-groupthink/323276341
Answer the following questions fully. Your answers should include relevant concepts from the readings and textbook materials.
- What is civic engagement?
- Discuss at least 4 different forms of civic engagement and the benefits
- What forms of civic engagement do you believe are most likely to be successful today and why?
- Based on your readings and what you have learned about institutions and organizations, how can civic engagement lead to institutional /organizational change?
- What is the role of group dynamics in social change?
- What is the relationship between conflict theory and civic engagement? What does conflict theory tell us about the need for civic engagement?
TEXTBOOK from the class.
Conerly, T. R., Holmes, K., & Tamang, A. L. (2021). Introduction to Sociology (3rd ed.). OpenStax. URL:
