Pick one story to work with and analyze. Scrutinize the pictures, read the headline and text carefully, and review the reader comments. has to be current
Once you have selected the material you will analyze, answer each of the three sets of questions in a short essay (1-3 pages) (see below for questions). Discuss the main principles of the three theoretical perspectives and explain how each can be applied. You will want to include specific examples from your chosen story to illustrate your points. Did the theories overlap at all, or did they contradict each other? Was there any one theory you felt did a better or worse job of explaining the celebrity gossip. Provide a link to your article.
Answer the following sets of questions using the article you chose to analyze.
Structural Functionalism - What is the function (or functions) of celebrity gossip for society? What purpose(s) does it serve, and how does it help society maintain stability and order? Are there any manifest and latent functions of celebrity gossip? And are there any dysfunctions in it?
Conflict Theory - What forms of inequality are revealed in celebrity gossip? In particular, what does it have to say about class, race, gender, sexuality, or other inequalities? Whose interests are being served and who gets exploited? Who suffers and who benefits from celebrity gossip?
Symbolic Interactionism - What does celebrity gossip mean to society as a whole? What does it mean to individual members of society? Can gossip have different meanings for different individuals or groups of individuals? How do those meanings get constructed in interaction? And how does celebrity gossip shape and influence our everyday lives?