Overview:
In class, we discuss two classical sociological theoretical concepts: Marx’s alienation and Weber’s iron
cage. Concepts like these capture the complex social conditions which we as sociologists (and as
members of society) are tasked to ‘figure out.’ These words are more than academic gobbledygook –
they are tools for tracing the historical social processes that have come to define modern society—
processes that are all around us and have implications for how our lives unfold.
This assignment offers an opportunity to practice your research skills and develop theoretical insight by
applying these famous classical concepts. You’ll need to find at least two (properly cited) external (not
used in-class) academic sources that inform your understanding of the two sociological concepts that
you choose. You’ll also need to watch some television to complete the assignment.
Your main task is to demonstrate your understanding of alienation and the iron cage by exploring how
they can be used to understand the experiences, personalities, circumstances of and decisions made a
central character in one of the following television shows:
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Damages (KZK)
Dexter (Showtime)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Mad Men(AMC)
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Sons of Anarchy (FX)
The Sopranos (HBO)
The Walking Dead (AMC)
Weeds (Showtime)
Sample Solution