‘Tiger Cub’ Discusses Book Uproar with ‘Tiger Mom’
JuJu Chang and Amy Chua discuss Chua’s book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Response to Chua’s book has been divided with many praising her “Chinese” parenting and others charging that this form of mothering is actually abusive. Chua says that both her book and her approach to childrearing have been misunderstood.

Questions to Consider:

1. Chua says that there are critical differences between Chinese and Western parenting styles. What are these? How do these differences affect children?
2. What reason does Chua give for “pushing” her children to excel?
3. What roles do culture and ethnicity play in the controversy surrounding Chua’s book?
4. Do we tend to think that there is a single “right” way of parenting children?
5. Near the end of the clip, Chang mentions an op-ed piece written by David Brooks of the New York Times. What criticism did Brooks level at Chua? How does this criticism reflect a difference in belief about the relative influences of family and peer groups as agents of socialization?

Training With Special Forces
Nightline follows Green Berets on a training mission.

Questions to Consider:

1. The men are all dressed alike. From the back, it is difficult to tell one man from another—they are virtually indistinguishable as individuals. What is the purpose of this?
2. Early in the segment Koppel notes that the men are trained to be “self-sufficient.” But, following an incident, one trainee remarks that he was “surprised” that one man’s injury could take “one quarter of the team out of action.” Discuss how looking after oneself—including avoiding injury—is something one does not only for oneself, but for “the group.”
3. What is the point of having the trainees enact potential scenarios and interactions? What terms would a sociologist use to describe these activities?
4. What is the difference between training a “warrior” and training a soldier?
5. Captain Chang made a bad decision and this cost him not only a mission, but a promotion. How did gender factor into the bad decision?
6. The master sergeant says he is looking for men who are “independent” and have the ability to “think outside of the box.” How might the training the men receive conflict with these ideals?

The Soldier’s Heart
How are the men and women who serve in the armed forces during wartime changed by their experiences? What is being done to address the social and psychological problems faced by soldiers? This program examines the costs incurred by veterans and considers what is being done (and what should be done) to support them.

Questions to Consider:

1. In this program, the soldier’s problems are explained psychologically. Can you explain them sociologically?
2. How has the experience of war affected their selves and identities? Do the soldiers give you any insights into the construction of a looking glass self? If so what are they?
3. How do you think their military socialization plays into the situation? What are the consequences of being in, and out of, a total institution (i.e., boot camp and the military in general) for the soldiers?

Inside the Teenage Brain
Neuroscientists are learning more about the ways in which our brains work and finding provocative explanations for why adolescents think and act in the ways they do. Many of their findings draw attention to the importance of strong family bonds and social relationships for adolescents’ individual development.

Questions to Consider:

1. In this program, children’s behavior is primarily explained from a neuroscience perspective. How might it be explained from a sociological perspective?
2. How does social class or race and ethnicity play a role in the socialization process of an adolescent?
3. Provide one example of gender socialization as seen in the program.

Things I Don’t Understand About Girls by Jenna Marbles
Jenna Marbles has developed a large online following, largely as result of her frank discussions about gender and sex. In this video Jenna discusses the seemingly peculiar things that women do, such as “goo hoarding”—acquiring a keeping numerous beauty products, like shampoo and lip gloss. Warning: contains language that some may find offensive.

Questions to Consider:

1. Were any of the habits described by Jenna familiar?
2. Why do you think that she has developed such a following?
3. How did you react to her rant? Did you find it funny? Offensive? Baffling? Explain your reaction.