Quick 3-5 paragraph discussion

I’m studying for my Sociology class and don’t understand how to answer this. Can you help me study?

These are the instructions (it has to be 3-5 paragraphs and like 2 references in APA)

Discussion Board Question 5:

Part A) Explain what is meant by the “social construction of ethnic group reality”.

Part B) Compare and contrast explanations of ethnicity and ethnic relations given by these symbolic interactionist theorists: W.I. Thomas, G.H. Mead, Cooley, Park and Blumer.

Part C) Explain the following concepts: contact hypothesis, scapegoating theory and the normative approach. Watch the following video:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html

(NOTE: you may have to type the above address into your browser.)

How are the concepts discussed in Part B illustrated in this video?

Solution:

Part A) The social construction of ethnic group reality refers to the idea that ethnic groups are not fixed, objective categories, but rather are shaped and defined by the societal and cultural contexts in which they exist. The realities of ethnic groups are constructed, or created, through the interactions, beliefs, and perceptions of individuals and communities.

Part B) W.I. Thomas and G.H. Mead were both symbolic interactionist theorists who believed that individuals create meaning through their interactions with others and the symbols they use to communicate. Thomas argued that individuals define their own reality through their interactions with others, while Mead emphasized the role of language and symbols in shaping how individuals perceive and understand their social world.

Cooley, Park, and Blumer were also symbolic interactionist theorists who focused on how individuals create and maintain social order through their interactions with others. Cooley argued that individuals develop a sense of self through their interactions with others, while Park and Blumer emphasized the role of social institutions, such as the media, in shaping social reality…………..