What are the manifest (intended) influences and constraints the institution has on the actors and actions?

Students are to select a movie that displays any of the institutions in action. The movie does not have to reference the institution directly as most cinematic portrayals are about more specific topics. For instance, the legal system is part of the law institution (ex., And Justice for All). A movie about a high school or college may include dynamics of the educational system (ex., Lean on Me). You can also easily find movies about the economy, family, religion and government. Keep in mind that you must assess the movie from an institutional perspective. The best way to do that is to keep in mind the institutional dynamics that serve to influence or constrain the actors and actions in the movie.

The paper must be written in 5 paragraphs and no more than 3 pages in length. You do not need a title page, but you should start with a title that represents your take on the movie. For example, if I were to watch And Justice for All, I may employ the title “Injustice for Some”. Use Times New Roman, 12 point font, single-spaced with one inch margins. Title the submission file with your First Initial, Last Name, SOC 330, Movie Essay, in doc or docx word format.

Paragraph 1: Provide an introduction to the paper. What is the name of the movie? What institution does it address? State what is in the content of the paper – facts, issues, analysis, conclusion. Then, end the paragraph with one sentence providing some insight into the conclusion of the paper.

Paragraph 2: Provide a brief rendition of the facts. Do not include all the facts, just enough for the reader to understand the crux of the movie without having watched it. Keep in mind that you want to address it from an institutional perspective when presenting the facts.

Paragraph 3: What are the manifest (intended) influences and constraints the institution has on the actors and actions? How did these dynamics facilitate the outcomes that were pursued in the movie?

Paragraph 4: What are the latent (unintended) influences and constraints the institution has on the actors and actions? How did these dynamics inhibit the outcomes that were pursued in the movie?

Paragraph 5: Conclusion. Analyze the institutional impact in terms of manifest and latent consequences, whether they are overall positive or negative, and how you would suggest the institution can be improved.

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