| Lesson start ideas | Give a creative idea how to begin a lesson |
| Which subject | Sociology |
| What age group | College |
| What topic | |
| Quantity | 1 |
| Any other preferences |
Welcome to your Sociology class! Today, we're going to be discussing a topic that's both ubiquitous and often underestimated in its power: emojis. You probably use them every day in your text messages and social media posts, but have you ever stopped to think about the broader implications behind these tiny symbols?
As sociologists, we study how symbols and cultural artifacts shape our understanding of the world around us. Emojis may seem like a trivial example, but they actually hold a lot of power in terms of shaping our communication, our relationships, and even our sense of identity.
But where did emojis come from, and how have they changed over time? We'll take a brief walk through emoji history, starting with their origins in Japanese mobile phone culture and tracing their evolution into the global phenomenon that they are today.
Next, we'll dive into the sociology of emoji use. We'll examine the ways in which different groups use emojis, from the ways in which race and gender impact the kinds of emojis people choose to use, to the ways in which emojis can serve as signals of social identity and belonging.
Finally, we'll discuss some of the broader debates around emojis and their impact on society. Are they a democratizing force, helping people to communicate across linguistic and cultural barriers? Or are they a form of corporate control, perpetuating a kind of visual language that privileges certain emotions and ideas over others?
By the end of this class, you'll have a better understanding of how something as seemingly simple as an emoji can reveal deep insights about the complex systems of culture, identity, and communication that shape our lives as social beings.