For this assignment, you will think about how the complex division of labor required for the production of simple objects creates an interdependent society.

1.     For this assignment, you will think about how the complex division of labor required for the production of simple objects creates an interdependent society.  You will write a 250-word essay identifying and discussing the wide range of people involved in the production, distribution, consumption, and use of an object, choosing from the following: Chemistry textbook, soccer ball, disposable plastic fork, or bottle of hand sanitizer.  You should discuss both individuals and groups, including businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and government bodies, involved from the conception of the object to its consumption.  The goal is to think of as many people and groups involved in the production and consumption of the object as possible, drawing on Durkheim’s concept of organic solidarity.

2.     For this post, you will read and/or watch Then President Barack Obama’s Remarks on Trayvon Martin from July 19, 2013 (Full text and video below). You will write a 250-word post discussing how Obama’s speech connects a) to W.E.B. Du Bois’s concepts of the veil, double consciousness, and the color line and b) his dual concern with structural- and individual-level explanations for problems experienced by black Americans.  You should identify the particular passage(s) that you are discussing and then explain how Obama’s remarks exemplify Du Bois’s concepts and concerns.  The goal is to show how Du Bois’s theories remain relevant today.