Sociology Matters

Write a 700-word response to one bullet at the end of the chapter.

Sociology matters because it explains the purposes and functions of our most basic social institutions.

Do you see the institutions of the family and religion differently now that you have read this chapter? Did anything you learned surprise you?

* The family and religion are two social institutions whose authority has declined over the last century. Why do you think they have lost some of their importance? Do you think our society is weaker or stronger as a result?

Sociology matters because it helps us to look at familiar social institutions from new and different perspectives.

Which of the four major perspectives on the family strikes you as the most meaningful? Why?

Which of the four major perspectives would be most helpful to you in studying religion?