6.6 Going Deeper
Elizabeth B. Pearce
Now that you know more about how representation and belonging can affect families, this page has some resources for you.
First, there is a list of resources that the authors used while writing this chapter but could not fit into the main part of the book. If there was something that really piqued your interest and made you want to learn more, it may be listed in this table. This is also a resource for students who may have an assignment to research a particular topic or who need to identify a topic for a final project. Scan through “Want to Learn More?” if you are interested.
Next, you will see a set of reflective questions. You may be assigned these questions as a chapter review, or perhaps you will be using them as discussion questions in class. These questions are designed to help you apply the chapter concepts, develop your sociological imagination, reflect, and use an equity lens. Look over the “Reflective Questions” if you’d like to explore your own thinking more thoroughly.
After that, you will see the same list of key terms that appeared at the start of the chapter. They may help you with your additional exploration or research.
Finally, some chapters include activities that the instructor may use in the classroom.
Want to Learn More?
- The official government census website is continually updated as more data are processed. Check here for the most recent information.
- REVUP (Register, Educate, Vote, Use Your Power) works to increase the voting participation of people with disabilities. If you are interested in REVUP’s work, click here.
Reflective Questions
- Reflect on the significance of representation as it relates to belonging and equity in your own experience.
- What is the purpose of the census? What are some of the challenges related to counting every person in the United States?
- What formal processes exist in the United States for the representation of all families? Which of these processes have you or your family participated in?
- What contributes to some families being represented less frequently in social processes such as voting, being elected, and participating in the census? What are the barriers to participation? What institutional changes could be made to increase participation?
- How is representation linked with equity?
- Reflect on the readings and your own experience with social movements, such as the Feminist or the Black Lives Matter movements. How do these movements affect families and society?
- How are representation and belonging linked? Consider the discussions of belonging in Chapter 5 and in this chapter.
- What institutional changes to increase participation and equity in social processes would you recommend?
Key Terms
- Allies: a person who forms relationships with and advocates with or for others who are marginalized but do not have that marginalized identity themselves.
- American Community Survey (ACS): a program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that gathers dem