Jessica Simpson- The Price of Beauty Excerpt from Paris (Episode 102)

Jessica Simpson interviews former model Isabelle Caro (now deceased) about her anorexia, the reactions to her thinness in the fashion industry, and her controversial anti-anorexia campaign.

Questions to Consider:

1. Caro says that the people at modeling agencies were not alarmed by her weight as they were accustomed to seeing very thin bodies. Do you think that fashion industry standards encourage disordered eating in models? Do you believe that the thinness of models encourages disordered eating in women? Do you believe those in the fashion industry have an obligation to attempt to prevent disordered eating?
2. What was your reaction to the billboards showing Isabelle Caro’s nude body?
3. Can we consider anorexia as just an individual problem? Why or why not?
4. If we come to understand anorexia in sociological—rather than wholly individualistic—terms, how might this require us to change our approach to addressing disordered eating?

Revealed...Manorexia (From Switch)

A look at the phenomenon of “manorexia,”—male self-starvation. A young rugby player who is recovering from anorexia discusses the pressure on males, particularly within the context of sport, to have lean, muscular bodies.

Questions to Consider:

1. The activities—self-starvation and/or excessive exercise—are largely the same for both males and females. But are the social influences that shape disordere yo d eating different for males and females?
2. How are the cultural expectations for male bodies and female bodies different?

The Storm

This report examines the chain of decisions that slowed federal response to the calamity of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, government's failure to protect thousands of Americans from a natural disaster that long had been predicted, and the state of America's disaster-response system four years after 9/11.

Questions to Consider:

1. What are the inefficiencies highlighted in this story?
2. What part did organizational structure play in this story?
3. How could changes to the organizational structures prevent this from happening in the future?

Rules of Engagement

In 2006, eight the U.S. Marine Corps brought criminal charges against eight Marines. The charges stemmed from actions they had taken during combat and ranged from murder to dereliction of duty. The Marines maintained that they were simply following the standard rules of engagement.

Questions to Consider:

1. What elements of the larger social structure can be observed in this program? Think in terms of statuses, roles, groups, organizations and social institutions. Can you find examples of role conflict?
2. How did following established institutional protocol hinder a successful outcome?
3. Explain the problem from each of the three major sociological perspectives.