Sociology 1201: Worksheet--"Legacy"

1. Give a brief description of the Collins family, including:

Dorothy

Alaissa

Wanda

Nickcole

2. What happened to Nicole's cousin Terell that she sees as precipitating many of the changes profiled in the video?

3. What is the role of St. Malachi School and its principal in these changes?

4. How does Wanda get free of drugs? Do you think she is apt to stay drug-free?

Sociology 1201: Groups--"Legacy"

The Collins family shows the pattern of generational dependence on welfare that fueled some of the greatest criticisms of the old Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Their story introduces some complexity to what is often presented as a rather simple morality play.

1. In the United States, there's a very old distinction between the "deserving poor" and the "undeserving poor." The first group is viewed as being poor through no fault of their own, because of unfortunate circumstances; the second group is viewed as creating their own problems through bad choices and bad values. Into which category would you put the following members of the Collins family, and why?

a.The grandmother, Dorothy.
b. Nickcole's mother, Alaissa
c. Nickcole's aunt, Wanda
d. Nickcole herself, during her growing up years

2. What do you see as the differences between Nickole and her mother? How would you explain those differences?

3. What are the ways in which living in the housing project made life worse for the Collins family? So why then id they stay in the project, and what were the circumstances that led to Nicki's family moving out?

4. From the perspective of symbolic interactionism, both living on welfare and liviing in the projects have not only a physical reality but a symbolic dimension, in terms of the meaning that you and others apply to that physical reality. What are the symbolic meanings of living on welfare? Of living in a housing project? How do you think those symbolic meanings affect the people who are in those situations?

5, What are the symbolic meanings of home ownership in American society?