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My favourite module was the one about socialization because it helped me understand how people learn behaviours, values, and expectations from society. I found it interesting to learn how family, friends, schools, and the media all play a role in shaping who we become.

One concept that stood out to me was gender socialization. It made me think about how people are often encouraged to act in certain ways based on whether they are male or female. I realized that many of these expectations are learned from a young age and can influence our interests, choices, and opportunities. I enjoyed this module because it connected sociology to everyday life and helped me see things that I had never really thought about before.

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My favourite stop on this journey was Week 2: What is Sociology and the Sociological Perspective? I entered this course with an open mind, and this module perfectly laid the foundation for what the semester would look like. It introduced the fundamentals, and it was very interesting to learn about.

In particular, Section 1.4, "Why Study Sociology?", resonated with me the most. It talked about how sociology benefits both the individual and society by looking at positive social change and solving community issues. What I liked most about this section was how it made me connect the theme of what we were being taught and how that applies to the real world. It definitely made me realize how deeply sociology runs throughout our everyday lives

Ezinwa Nwakoby

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Out of all the modules in this course, my favourite was week 9, Groups, Organizations, and Bureaucracy. I found this module to be very interesting. I enjoyed learning about the concepts of McDonaldization and Disneyization. I was very interesting to me to learn these concepts and then be able to think about and see how they are a part of everyday life. I also liked learning about the steps of bureaucracy and being able to connect those topics to experiences in my everyday life too. Learning about these concepts and steps really showed me how similar our society is. Even in businesses, institutions, or other groups are based on different ideas, provide different goods or skills, the structure and function of them are relatively the same. Overall, this week was my favourite, and it really changed my outlook on society the most out of all the modules in this course.

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A social movement I was previously involved in was the protests against OSAP cuts in Ontario. I joined this social movement because there were changes made to OSAP in which reduced financial aid available to many post-secondary students. As someone who relies on OSAP, I was concerned about the affects this change would have on not only me but so many other students in Ontario. My experience participating in this movement was positive because it allowed me to become aware of issues that directly impact students like me. It was also frustrating though because I felt that not all the concerns that were raised were met. Some of the changes still went through however being a part of this movement allowed me to recognize that collective action can actually work.

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My favorite week was the module on social stratification and inequality. I found it interesting because it helps explain how factors such as social class and opportunity affect peoples quality of life significantly. Learning about concepts such as cultural capital and social mobility help to give you a better understanding of why different people can have a very different life experience even when they work very hard. I found these topics relevant because they connect directly to issues that we face in everyday life.

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One module that I found especially interesting was the module on socialization. I enjoyed learning about how our behaviours, beliefs, and values are constantly being shaped by the people and institutions around us. Before I took this course, I had never given much thought to how much influence family, school, peers, and media have on the way we see the world. The concept of gender socialization specifically stood out to me because it helped explain why certain expectations still exist for men and women today. It also made me think about the vastly different experiences that previous generations of women had compared to my own. This module changed the way I think about human behaviour and has helped me understand that many things that society considers normal are actually learned through social interaction and cultural expectations.

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My favourite module to go over was Week 10. That week was focused on stigma, Deviance, and Crime. I’m always interested in crime documentaries so right away I was excited for this week. I enjoyed covering the difference between norms and formal norms in society, how we have certain rules that are unspoken but people usually follow them. And I enjoyed covering moral panics as well. When I watched the video about video games being a moral panic it made me think back to a criminology class I took last year where we talked about the same topic and a school shooting that happened because of video games. Overall I really enjoyed this class, but Week 10 has to be my favourite module of the semester.

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My favourite module in this course has been “Social Stratification and Social Inequality II." This was my favourite module because I believe it was the most informative for me. Having grown up in a super rural, predominantly white area, there is a lot of stereotyping towards people who aren’t white, as well as prejudice and racism. I enjoyed learning about the actual definitions of these words, which allowed me to differentiate between them because, as the lecture stated, they are sometimes used interchangeably in media.

The theory on intersectionality really enlightened me on how someone’s overlapping social identities can result in them experiencing more privilege or discrimination, depending on what those identities are. As a white, heterosexual ciswoman, I have a lot of privilege. Due to my privilege in life, I have not had to think about my identity that often. This is not the case for many people. While I have thought about my identity as a woman and how I can experience discrimination, I had not thought of the compounding effect of discrimination that, say, a Black homosexual ciswoman would face. As she would face gender, racial, and sexual orientation discrimination. Overall, I’m grateful for this module’s teachings and allowing me to be better informed on topics that I should have learned long ago.

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My favourite module from this journey is probably from week 10 where we discussed stigma, deviance, and crime. I found this module to be the one I enjoyed most because I have always had a fascination with crime because I love the process of solving a crime and the finding and identification of clues and evidence. Crime is a consistent event within the world and even though laws define each crime as its own thing, each case itself is different because of the environment and the offender. A concept that was interesting from module 10 was the Saints and Rednecks because of how often it is found in the real world. Moral panic was another concept that was interesting because of how flexible it can be. In the sense that it can be applied to nearly everything as anything can be twisted and described as negative rather than the way it's intended to be seen; positive.

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A social movement I partook in a few months ago was the "Hands off our Education" protest that took place in March. This actually happened twice the same month due to an altercation that took place. Thousands of students including myself were spreading awareness towards the changes on OSAP that will effect us sooner if changes are not made. Premier Doug Ford mainly implicated this change due to the assumption that students were not using OSAP for the right reasons which of course is not the case. He is attempting to form a cut on OSAP funds that support so many students and people beginning to join the workforce. Getting to participate in the protest was something that has impacted me positively because it felt like partaking in something that would actually make a crucial difference.

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One social movement that I have been involved in is promoting access to education and supporting students in their academic success. As a student, I have taken part in informal efforts such as helping classmates understand course material, sharing study resources, and encouraging others to stay motivated during challenging academic periods. These small actions may not seem like a formal movement, but they reflect the broader goal of educational support and equal opportunity for learning.

My experience has been mostly positive because it allowed me to connect with other students and understand that many people face barriers such as financial stress, language challenges, or lack of academic confidence. By helping others, I also improved my own understanding and communication skills. However, it can sometimes be challenging when students are overwhelmed or not receptive to help, which can make progress slower.

Overall, this experience taught me that social movements do not always have to be large or organized protests; they can also happen in everyday life through cooperation and mutual support. It strengthened my belief that education is a powerful tool for social change and that even small contributions can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. -phanny iragena

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I really enjoyed learning about Social Imagination. I think it is an interesting concept, one that we often assume everyone naturally understands, but it is something that is shaped by the world around us, our culture, experiences, and the structures we live within. What I found most engaging is how social imagination allows us to look beyond our personal experiences and consider how larger social forces influence the way we think, act, and interpret situations. This concept helped me realize that many things we see as “normal” or “common sense” are socially constructed, meaning they are created and reinforced by society rather than being naturally fixed. It encouraged me to question assumptions and think more critically about issues. Overall I found Social Imagination especially interesting because it changed the way I look at everyday life. It made me more aware of how my own perspective is shaped, and it gave me a better understanding of how different people can experience the world in very different ways.

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One module I really enjoyed was week 4 and Understanding Society and Social Life: Classical Traditions, specifically discussing alienation. I enjoyed this topic as I could specifically rate it back to my job, as a swim instructor and the measures I have to go through while maintaining the control of the teaching process. doing this will result in not only my students having a successful swim class but also allowing myself to do what I do best accordingly

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The module that I find interesting is Week 10, which was about deviance and social control. I liked this module because it made me think deeply about how society works. While reading and understanding the whole module, I never thought about how much a person's class and appearance can influence the way they are treated by institutions like the police or the school system.

The article that I enjoyed reading was Saints and the Roughnecks where how two groups of guys were doing the same things but one group kept getting away with it while the other kept getting in trouble. While reading this, it made me think about how a person's appearance can make a difference in their life.
The thing I liked the most about this module was how my thinking changed about people who are considered outsiders in society. When I think about it, deviance and labelling made me realize that these things are happening around us all the time and most people do not even notice it but it's so easy for the same society to create norms about the situation.

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The lesson on sociological imagination and connecting personal experiences to larger social institutions was the most fascinating to me. I like this program since it gave me a whole new perspective on commonplace events. It demonstrated how bigger societal influences like class, education, healthcare systems, and organizations impact people's experiences rather than viewing problems as just personal ones.

The concept of differentiating between a "personal trouble" and a "public issue" caught my attention the most. It got me to thinking about how structural elements like task expectations, institutional regulations, or resource availability might also have an impact on issues like stress at school or access to healthcare. Because sociology closely relates to real-life events, this viewpoint made it seem more applicable and useful.

This lesson also helped me recognize trends that I had not previously given much consideration to and inspired me to think on my own life and decisions. All things considered, it was my favorite module as it altered my perspective on ordinary events and increased my awareness of how society affects personal results.

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A social movement I was involved in was the Ontario Black Nurses’ Network. I was assigned to this network during my community placement course. This organization provides a safe space for Black nurses and nursing students in Ontario to connect, grow, and thrive through mentorship, advocacy, and access to culturally relevant resources. As part of my community engagement, I had the opportunity to attend one of their events and support initiatives such as the Black Wellness Fair. This event allowed me to participate in meaningful discussions and health education about common health issues and equity for Black communities, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and maternal care.

My experience with OBNN was very positive. The network gave me a feeling of belonging. It offered a vital support network for me as a Black nursing student; by helping to alleviate the isolation I felt in a field where we are underrepresented. Hence, I met and still relate with members of the network.

In addition, the mentorship opportunities and professional development resources have been instrumental in building my confidence and preparing me for a successful nursing career.

The network also helped me understand how to advocate for patients. I had the opportunity to engage with community members and contribute to health promotion that addressed the unique needs of the Black community.

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The module that I found the most interesting and my favourite overall was the module on ‘Stigma, Deviance and Crime’ as it brought together so many ideas and perspectives on a topic that I find fascinating.  I liked reading about how deviance and crime are shaped not only by laws and rules but by the norms of society.  This makes the idea of a criminal less black and white.

I often feel that life is so full of surveillance especially at school and work and I found reading Foucault’s ideas on shaping behaviour with surveillance to reduce deviance to be confirming of my own life experiences.  I find everywhere we go, there is something nudging us about what to think, how to feel and how to behave.

The Padlet activity of identifying examples of moral panic was the most enjoyable to write and read all the ideas shared by classmates.

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The module I enjoyed the most was definitely module 5, about self, society, and socialization. I found it quite interesting learning about the different types of interactions that occur in society as well learning more about social roles and how they can be prevalent and seen in society. My favourite thing we discussed and learned about was most certainly the topic of nature vs nurture. The conversation of being born the way you are or being shaped by your interactions and learnings is a very interesting topic to me as it often is brought up when it comes to criminals and criminal actions and if they were born with the ability to perform terrible acts or if their environment shaped them to do these things. Similarly it also comes into play with sports and athletes to an extent as the debate between natural talent and hard work is a similar conversation. Overall the idea has always been interesting to me and learning more about it was quite enjoyable.

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I thoroughly enjoyed Week 10 because, as someone who wants to work with criminals when I am older, I found deviance to be an interesting topic. What I believed was most interesting was the idea that deviance is not just about the act itself, but also about how society labels certain behaviours and individuals. Learning about concepts like social control and labeling theory helped me see how people can be treated differently based on how they are categorized by institutions such as the criminal justice system. It also made me think about how someone’s identity can be shaped by being labeled as “deviant,” even after they have served their time or changed their behaviour (the “master status”). I also found primary and secondary deviance to be a small, but a fascinating concept. Not only do I find this week of content interesting and familiar to my studies, but I also love that other people get to learn about it as well!

Another week I really enjoyed and found interesting was the week on gender socialization. I liked this topic because it connected directly to everyday experiences that I had previously noticed but never really thought about in a sociological way or had the time to sit down, process, and write about. I think that was very impactful! Thank you for the course :D

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My favourite module in this course was Week 10: Stigma, Deviance, and Crime. I found this module especially interesting because it showed that deviance is not just about what people do, but also how society reacts to their behaviour. Before taking this course, I assumed that people who committed similar acts would be treated similarly. However, this module demonstrated that factors such as social class, reputation, and power can influence those who get labeled as deviant. One of the most interesting things we learned about was labelling theory, I was surprised that the Saints and the Roughnecks both engaged in delinquent behaviour yet they were treated very differently. The Saints avoided labels while the Roughnecks were labeled as troublemakers even though they did the same stuff.

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My favourite Module Padlet activity was Week 10 Stigma, Deviance, and Crime. I found this topic interesting because moral panics seem increasingly common in today’s society and learning about how moral panics develop strengthened my understanding of how easily public fear can be influenced. With the help of AI and social media, fake news and misinformation can be easily spread to larger audiences, making it easier for people to believe inaccurate or misleading information, especially to individuals who can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is fake.

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Favourite Module Reflection (Module 03 – Ways of Knowing Sociology)

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Favourite Module Reflection (Module 03 – Ways of Knowing Sociology)

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My favourite module was Module 03: Ways of Knowing Sociology. I like this module because it helped me understand the different ways we learn and interpret social life, it’s not just about what we think, it’s about thinking in a structure and having evidence. One idea I found particularly interesting was the difference between common sense knowledge and sociological knowledge. It made me realize that a lot of things we take for granted in our everyday lives aren’t always true when you look deeper through research and data. I learned how the sociologists use systematic research methods to study the society and that helped me understand why sociology is more reliable than just personal experience or assumptions. I also really liked the idea of different ways of knowing (e.g. scientific reasoning and lived experience) as it showed that knowledge is perspective and method based. Overall I enjoyed this module as it changed my perception of information and made me more critical of what I see and hear in daily life.

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The module I enjoyed the most was the social disorganization theory on deviance and crime module. It implies that deviance could potentially be solved the more socially integrated the community is with individuals. So, if one understands and interacts with the social norms, there is a less of chance that somebody will deviate from it. So, the root of the problem wouldn’t be from the deviant act but rather, there is a lack of community engagement.