Sociological Museum Critical Analysis

Summary

One major objective of this course is to introduce ways to critically analyze different types of societies and to show how a society can develop. One of the best tools at a sociologists’ disposal for this task is artifacts from the past, which are conveniently stored at museums. With this focus toward a comparative view of societies, you are tasked with selecting a museum of your choice, analyzing the artifacts of the display and submitting a written critical analysis. The museum you select must be applicable to the course discussion. For example, the World War II museum, could be used because it does show technological advancement and how societies evolve. However, the Roswell UFO museum would not be an appropriate choice for this class and can’t be selected because it does not have a description of technologies used to advance societies. Depending on the location of the museum you select, you may not be able to physically visit it. You may instead select a virtual tour for the purposes of this assignment. A virtual tour could be done through a website, through YouTube, through a slideshow on the Internet, a Skype tour, etc. This assignment is submitted in Canvas in either word or PDF format and is worth 100 points.

Sociological Museum Critical Analysis Requirements

Required Structure:

This assignment should be typed, double-spaced, with 12-point Times New Roman font, include headings, ASA style in-text and ASA references list. Also, the paper must be edited closely to minimize errors in usage, mechanics, style, spelling, and grammar.

Title Page (5 points)

The first page of this assignment should be a title page that includes your name, course name & section number, title of paper, and Write Site information (if you used TWU’s Write Site).
Headings (5 points)

The paper is required to include the following headings: Introduction, Museum Selection, Method, Rationale, Museum Description, Societies Featured, Artifact, Subsistence Technology, Theory, and Conclusion.
ASA Style In-text Citations (5 points)

Use ASA style in-text citations.
Required Content:

The following are the major content areas that are required to be included within your museum critical analysis assignment.

Introduction (5 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you should effectively communicate the topic and introduce the audience to some of main components that you will present in the analysis.
Museum Selection (5 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you should include the name of the museum, physical address, and website URL (if available).
Method (5 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you specify your method for gaining access to analyze the artifacts. In other words, whether you intend to visit the museum in person or take a virtual tour. If you decide to take a virtual tour, you must provide the URL of the virtual tour.
Rationale (5 points)

Within this section of the analysis, you discuss why this museum was selected.
Museum Description (10 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you include a summarization of the museum’s description of life in society at the time or period of history it is focusing on.
Societies Featured (10 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you identify which type of society the museum features according to the types of societies described by the course textbook. Remember to cite the textbook using ASA style formatting.
Artifact (10 points)

Within this section of the analysis, you demonstrate the ways in which you constructed knowledge by employing the sociological method of artifact analysis.
Identify at least one artifact on display in the museum. For example, a piece of clothing, tool, some type of currency, etc.
Search the Internet and find an item comparable (in use) to the one you have chosen from the museum.
Describe what these artifacts are and how the one you have used can be compared to the historical artifact. Provide pictures of both artifacts. If you are not allowed to take pictures inside of the museum, you should instead submit a selfie or a picture of yourself in front of the museum you are visiting. Make sure the museum’s title is present in the picture and not obscured by trees, your position, etc. Be sure to still include a description of the artifact and cite the sources in ASA style.
Subsistence Technology (10 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you identify the subsistence technology that produced the artifact and discuss how the artifact played a role in the development of the society featured by the museum.
Theory (10 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you use a sociological theory of your choice (either from our textbook or from one of your other sociology courses) and sociological concepts. When writing this section remember to identify the theory, discuss the main components of the theory and applicable sociological concepts. (Cite your sources in-text and in the references sections in ASA format).
Discuss how the society featured in the museum would have operated, developed, and/or collapsed, based on how that society was presented by the museum curator.
Conclusion (10 Points)

Within this section of the analysis, you write a personal conclusion about what the museum experience means to you as a fourth-stage Industrial Age citizen.
ASA Style References List (5 points)

Use ASA style to list all of references that you used for this critical analysis.

ANSWER

Development in the Society

Introduction

The culture of humans has been changing day in day out. The technology employed by these humans has been changing as the centuries pass. The technology used by humans in the present day has improved very much as compared to the technology used in the past. The lifestyle of humans has also changed drastically. This paper will look at how technology has evolved from the past to the present, as well as how society as a whole has evolved.

Museum selection; The National World War II Museum in the United States was the museum I decided to select for my study. This is one of the biggest museums found in the United States.

Method; I visited this museum personally to take a tour and have a look at objects that might be useful in my research. I spent nearly six hours touring the museum and taking a walk inside. I also asked the support personnel for guidance on the unknown portions of the museum.

Rationale; This National World War II museum was chosen because it possesses all of the necessary components for examining the evolution of technology in human life. This museum’s support staff is well-versed in technological advancements and can clearly explain them.

Museum description; Almost every aspect of early human life is represented in this museum. It has all of the information from the dawn of human technology. Furthermore, the museum has gathered knowledge about current human technologies.

Societies featured; Industrial societies have been featured in this museum. It has all the artifacts that explain the evolution of industrial technology from the past to the present.

Artifact; The artifacts at the museum demonstrate how technology in industrial society has progressed. Artifacts such as wooden hand carts and oxen carts can be found. Because these relics are no longer used, they demonstrate that industrial civilization has progressed. Mortar-driven machinery, like cars, has supplanted these artifacts.

Subsistence technology; These items discovered at the museum have helped to demonstrate how society has progressed across time from the past to the present. These relics were created by early technology, but it has since evolved.

Theory; The structural-functional theory, which says that each of the institutions, relationships, roles, and norms that makeup society have a purpose and that each is important for the others’ and society’s continued survival, was used in this investigation.

Conclusion; Finally, in terms of technology, industrial civilization has advanced dramatically. Other automatic tools have replaced the tools that were formerly utilized in the industries. The museum has aided in the depiction of the industrial evolution as a result of the analysis.

References list

Fedor, J., Lewis, S., & Zhurzhenko, T. (2017). Introduction: War and memory in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. In War and Memory in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus (pp. 1-40). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Shanas, E., Townsend, P., Wedderburn, D., Friis, H. K., Milhoj, P., & Stehouwer, J. (2017). Old people in three industrial societies. Routledge.