Social Theory Creative Writing Assignment

Posted: January 20th, 2023

Social Theory Creative Writing Assignment
A way to demonstrate your understanding of social theory is to apply them to a fictional story. Develop a fictional story, you choose the setting, the characters, the time period, the conflict, the themes, and the point of view.
The story must touch on concepts and dilemmas brought up in the course concerning theories we have thus covered. At least 5 concepts must be tied into the first draft, footnotes required for explaining their significance as they tie into the story.
First Draft Due bySundayOctober 25th
            5-7 pages Double-spaced
7 Social TheoryConcepts Required
Footnotes that define and explain the use of the theoretical concept in the short story
 
Final Draft Due by Sunday December 6th
            10-12 Pages Double-Spaced
15Social Theory Concepts Required
Footnotes that define and explain the use of the theoretical concept in the short story
The social theory concepts will not be counted twice, be sure that they are uniquely fitting the story you develop.
 
Macro Level (2 Max)
Enlightenment
Capitalism
Communism
Colonization
Slavery
Industrialization
Globalization
 
Social Theory Themes and Concepts(Any Concepts from Class)
 

Structure
Social Change
False Consciousness

Agency
Social Solidarity
Fetishism of Commodities

Social Contract
Social Darwinism
The Veil

Power
Double conscience
Interest Convergence

Idealism
Free Market
Looking-Glass Self

Materialism
Stratification
Dramaturgy

Positivism
Social Actions
Cultural Capital

Dialectical Thought
Rationalization
The Stranger

Gender
Bureaucracy
Authority

Race
Free Market
 

Religion
Stratification
 

Morality
Status and Prestige
 

Social Facts
Exploitation
 

Collective Conscious
Alienation
 

Prompts for Potential Stories
 

A Marxist revolution takes place in the year 1929 in America. The story follows a wall street executive who has fallen in love with an activist working class woman. Exploring the issues of Capitalism, Alienation, Power, Free Market Ideology, Gender.

A bureaucrat is asked to implement a social Darwinist policy in 1915 that challenges his morality when he is asked to carry out a eugenics program. He develops sympathy from a resistance movement.Exploring the issues of Social Darwinism, Free Market Ideology, Race, Morality.

Auguste Comte’s Church of Humanity is adopted by the mainstream, ushering in massive societal changes to religious practices and social science.Exploring Enlightenment, Positivism, Religion, Gender, Colonization.

A debate emerges around the Social Contract after a charismatic authoritarian leader from a powerful family offers to end a civil war. Different theorists advocate before political elites on who should rule the Iron Throne.ExploringEnlightenment, Social Contract, Religion, Morality, Charismatic Authority, Power.

Harriet Martineau’s work develops an earlier suffragist movement in US Society. The alternative timeline has significant impact on gender and race relations of the 1800s.Explores issues of Capitalism, Colonization, Slavery, Gender, Religion

In the 22nd Century, punishment is reformed to appease the masses, an arena is created for trial by combat on a deserted islandbroadcasted through Reality TV. The punishment ritual reaffirmsthe morality of society through collective consciousness.Explores Capitalism, Social Solidarity, Social Facts, Gender, Stratification

An apocalypse (nuclear, zombie, etc) has caused the break down of social institutions, people revert to small communities for survival. Explores Capitalism, Social Solidarity, Social Facts, Suicide, and Religion

A futuristic era in 2220 shows working class space miners allyingsentient AIto unionize and challenge capitalist at an exploitative nanotech factory on Mars.Exploring the issues of Alienation, Unions, Communism, Counter-Revolution, Colonization, Capitalism.

 
Build from one of these prompts or create your own fictional story, be creative, mix and match theoretical concepts. Use inspiration from your favorite movie, show, book, etc to develop the setting, characters, conflict, and themes.
 
Be sure to explain how the social theory concept relates to the story in a footnote. You will be graded on how you demonstrate the concept applies to your short story.