Smart Guns

"Who Killed the Smart Gun?" -- Motherboard, 2017, 43:37 -- https://youtu.be/sXtqBVbxmto

Yes, there is such a thing as a "smart" gun, a gun that only the owner can fire, though it is not without a great deal of controversy. Some people fear technological failures, others fear government interference of their Second Amendment right, yet the fear of losing individual control of the firearm seems to pervade everyone. This 43-minute documentary explores the debate around these guns and reveals to us the social dynamics at play.   

Childhood Gender Roles in Adult Life

Childhood Gender Roles in Adult Life -- BuzzFeed, 2014, 1:47 -- https://youtu.be/381belOZreA

A short and sweet video on the absurdities of gender role policing as kids versus adults. This may be good to pair with discussions of gendered objects, gender role socialization, and masculinity/femininity in general.

A Solution to Social Isolation?

Cohousing Communities Help Prevent Social Isolation -- PBS, 2017, 8:44 -- https://youtu.be/DmWrx0ntATU

From PBS Newshour: "Groups in Denmark and the U.S. are choosing to live in intentionally intergenerational communities, which emerged to strengthen social ties between aging seniors and their younger counterparts who are balancing work and family. People living in them say the model fosters an interdependent environment and helps everyone feel more comfortable with the process of getting older". See the full transcript of the video here.

Measuring Gender Bias in Movies

Google-backed AI Measures Gender Bias in Movies -- The Verge, 2017, 2:36 -- https://youtu.be/jsVZSUIv_iI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to measure speaking time on screen between male and female characters. Results indicate that men get significantly more lines than women. For example, if looking at just the 2016 Oscar-nominated films, men speak 73% of the time and women 27%. This is similar to the Bechdel-Wallace Test to measure gender bias, which asks three questions: (1) Does the film contain at least two named female characters (2) who talk to each other (3) about something other than a man? Less than 60% of films pass the Bechdel Test.

Poverty in America

Baltimore: 'This is what poverty in the US looks like' -- BBC News, 2017, 4:18 -- https://youtu.be/qytbhMlXltI

A look at (relative) poverty in the United States. The opening of this video is impactful and challenges our privileged assumption of open social mobility in the "land of the free".

Millennials, Rent, and Home Ownership

Young Americans Are Worried They'll Be Renting Forever -- Vice News, 2017, 2:28 -- https://youtu.be/amlHXF6PRaw

A good short video (sponsored by GEICO) on how Millennials are being excluded from the housing market and how they adapt to (and transform) the changing American dream of homeownership.

Empowered Bystanders

South Side Triage Training: Vice News Tonight (HBO) -- Vice, 2017, 5:23 -- https://youtu.be/taKkiqO7cqY

A new report on free first-responder trainings in the south side of Chicago, an area infamous for violence and gunshot victims. We see the beautiful transformation of potential bystanders into empowered citizens armed with life-saving knowledge. This is a wonderful example of community engagement and empowerment.  

Transgender Rights

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- HBO, 2016, 16:46 -- https://youtu.be/hmoAX9f6MOc

A humorous yet critical look at the dire state of trans rights in the United States. With the Trump Administration recently rescinding federal rules on bathroom access for transgender students, it is imperative that we enlighten our students to the injustices and oppression faced by this often-ignored segment of the LGBT community.

It was never about the bathrooms, just as it was never about the water fountains. -Anonymous 

Tea and Consent

Consent: It's Simple as Tea -- ConsentIsEverything.com, 2015, 2:49 -- https://youtu.be/pZwvrxVavnQ

A classic short video about consent your undergrads will love. More information here.

The Emoji Language

Professional Emoji Translator is Now A Real Career: Vice News Tonight (HBO) -- Vice News, 2017, 3:40 -- https://youtu.be/tEn8k-Ud-Tw

An excellent example of language formation and socially constructed meanings behind symbols such as emojis. We learn that the meaning of an emoji in one culture may not be the same as another. 

Sex Education in the United States

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- HBO, 2015, 21:04 -- https://youtu.be/L0jQz6jqQS0

A humorous look at dysfunctional sexual education programs in the United States with a call for a more comprehensive sexual education. In this video we learn how educators commonly shame and/or frighten teens into remaining abstinent, which isn't all that surprising given the enormous sex-negativity prevalent in our culture. However, abstinence-centered sex ed has little-to-no effect in preventing teen pregnancies or STDs, and ultimately does a disservice to youth and society. We need a sex-positive approach where we empower people to make healthy, informed sexual decisions. In order to do that we need to honestly discuss sex and sexuality in all of their unsettling complexity, conveying accurate information to individuals in a manner free from moral judgement.    

Porn Sex vs Real Sex

Porn Sex vs Real Sex: The Difference Explained with Food -- KornHaberBrown, 2013, 1:37 -- https://youtu.be/q64hTNEj6KQ

Great stats on how our idealized and unrealistic view of "normal" sex compares to reality. This video does a good job on provoking audience reaction using gastronomic images. While some may see this as perhaps inappropriate for the classroom, I believe this video dispels misconceptions about sex in an edgy educative manner in line with a sex-positive ideal.

Science in Film

The Hotline Hollywood Calls for Science Advice -- Vox, 2017, 5:42 -- https://youtu.be/rXMQuHmh-3w

How accurately is science represented in popular film and television? This short video explores an organization dedicated to providing accurate scientific information to movie makers. While it would be nice if they touched a bit more on social science, we see here issues related to scientific representation and valid facts. There's an excellent bit on implicit biases as well. 

Chinese Millennials and National Service

Too Many Students? China Has a Plan... -- China Uncensored, 2017, 5:56 -- https://youtu.be/ZtYog7dfWi0

An interesting perspective on China's required military service for young people and how they avoid such service. Keep in mind that many American men, some of whom are now in positions of great social power, did the same excusatory practices during Vietnam. While this video may start out sounding a bit too ethnocentric, I think it recovers well and ultimately shows us that "we" are not so different after all. This lesson is made more important when we consider the anomic state of our globalized economies right now. 

Heteronormativity-- The World of the Heterosexual is a Sick and Boring Life (Throwback)

Female Trouble -- John Waters, 1974, 1:42 -- https://youtu.be/gAa_e_L0rpc?t=15s

A fabulous scene from John Waters' 1974 classic Female Trouble starring Edith Massey as Aunt Ida. Here we get to see a still-relevant critique of heteronormative families as Aunt Ida attempts to turn her nephew. Happy Valentines Day!

The Black Women's Defense League

The Black Women's Defense League Taking Aim at Racism and Misogyny -- Vice, 2017, 12:39 -- https://youtu.be/zhx_fdOvnrI

A righteous response to violence against black women from within their own community and the larger society-- The Black Women's Defense League: "Black Women’s Defense League is a coalition of women of color from all walks of life on the path to total liberation. BWDL focus’ on self defense through martial arts and and other hand to hand combat techniques armed training with various types of artillery including knife fighting, marksmanship, and weapons of opportunity. BWDL also engages in emergency preparedness, urban survival training, and battered women’s rescue. In addition to training BWDL works towards raising awareness and solutions to the areas of concern that face black women at large".

This video is all about identity and empowerment in a racist society marred by violence. It's also a good example of color consciousness and pride. Unfortunately, we see that the BWDL still relies on the white power structure to secure the proper training (white-owned shooting ranges). #BlackLivesMatter

The Magic of the Second Shift

The Mystery of the Basket -- Troy Kinne, 2016, 1:47 -- https://youtu.be/SqQgDwA0BNU

A comical take on the unpaid, unappreciated domestic labor characteristic of the second shift. Where can I get one of these coffee tables? 

Deaf Culture

Death Culture -- Vice News, 2017, 5:18 -- https://youtu.be/wLDM2pPYoOs

"Today, more than 40 percent of American children born deaf receive cochlear implants. The technology effectively restores hearing by bypassing the ear and delivering audio information directly to the brain. The vast majority of deaf children who are implanted develop hearing and speaking skills comparable to their hearing peers, thus allowing them the option to “mainstream” into normal schools.
Deaf education in the U.S. has gone through many phases. American Sign Language (ASL) is currently the dominant mode of instruction in deaf schools, but there have been periods where ASL was banned and students were forced to speak and lip-read, an ineffective approach known as oralism. ASL has now gained legitimacy and been shown to include the deep grammar and syntax found in spoken languages. It is also the wellspring of deaf culture, a proud community wary of historical attempts to assimilate them into a hearing world.
As more parents opt for cochlear implants, VICE News explores their impact on the medical condition that gave rise to a cultural identity".

The Social Construction of Money

Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe: Moments of Wonder (Money) -- BBC, 2014, 3:46 -- https://youtu.be/Z-YKw8w-e50

My students enjoy this video as an example of social constructionism even though some of the cultural nuances are lost to them. They call Philomena Cunk (aka Diane Morgan) the "lady with the funny voice" and sometimes I show them the segment about time as well.

Sexy Coffee and Deviance

Bikini Baristas: Coffee and Controversy in Washington State -- Zagat, 2016, 9:16 -- https://youtu.be/OlyFh97zy7M

How does a society respond when deviants push the moral boundary of what is considered socially acceptable? Residents in this town want the population to unite against coffee baristas who show off their bodies to attract customers. We see the beginnings of a moral campaign (it's all about the children, right?) in this interesting example which speaks to the functional view of deviant behavior. This is also a good example of Merton's innovators (accepting societal goals but rejecting the standard means).