Essays On Sociology

Sociologicaltheorycreateswaystounderstandthesocialworldbyhavingdifferenttheoriesto explainunderstandsociallife.Itaidstomakesenseofthissocialworld.Itdrawstogetherawide rangeofperspectivestohelpprovidethefullestpicture(Macionis&Plummerp36)Itshowsthat onetheorycanexplainsomethingthatanothercannot.Myaimistoanswerthisquestionwith referencetobothfunctionalismandconflicttheory.Thiswillbedonebycomparingandcontrasting boththeoriesinrelationtotheirperspectivesonbothsuicideandgenderdiscriminationassocial issuesrelevanttothisdayandage.Functionalismandconflictperspectivesarebothmacrotheories. Thismeansthattheyfocusonthebigpicture,forshowmorecontent

(Turner,p.112)Functionalanalysisestablisheditselfasawayof'bringingtolightthesignificance oftheinstitutionalorderandconnectingitwiththeunintentionalconsequencesofsocialaction.

(Turner,p121)Onpage35ofBacketalitstatesthatDurkheim'sargumentisthatclassificationisa processof'marking–off',ofshowingthingsthatarerelated,buthavedistinctpointsofdifferenceto another.Functionalismassumesthatsociety'ssocialinstitutionsperformimportantfunctionstohelp ensuresocialstability.Rapidsocialchangethreatenssocialorder,butslowsocialchangeis desirable.Durkheimbelievedthattheindividualhasnowayoflimitingpassions,sothemoral authorityofsocietymustdothisIndividualaspirationsarelimitedtwoways,bysocialisationand socialintegration.Socialisationhelpsuslearntherulesofsocietyandtheneedtocooperate.Social integrationallowsustointegrateintosocietyandreinforceourrespectforitsrules.Theseboth,as statedbyDurkheimcreateastrongcollectiveconscience.Suicide,asanexampleofasocialissue,is explainedwiththefunctionalismperspectivebynotfocusingontheindividualunhappiness,but insteadonthegroupratesofsuicideresultingformexternalforcesThismaybecausedby normlessness,whichmayresultfromperiodsofrapidsocialchange,andpeoplefindithardand unclearabouthowtodealwithproblemsintheirlife.Thisfrustration

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WhatisSociology?Afterreviewingthearticletitlesgivenforthisfirstassignment,Ibelievethey indicatethatSociology,generallyspeaking,isnotonlyastudyofdiversityorcommonalityintraits amongpeople;itisalsoascienceaboutfactorsinaperson'slifeandhowthesefactorsculminate responses.Interestinglyenough,itstopicsofconcernseemtobedirectlydeterminedbycurrentand commoneventsoftheworldThroughtheinventionandexpansionofnewideas,populartrendsand fashionsthroughtime,Sociologyadaptstoresponsiblytoservicetheverysubjectsofinterestit studies;for,eventheslightestchangeofaperson'sdailyexperiencecanhaveaninsurmountable impactonattitude,personalgrowth,familyshowmorecontent

HowhasSociologychanged?AccordingtotheMerriam–WebsterOnlineDictionary(2010), Sociologyisreferredtoas".thesystematicstudyofthedevelopment,structure,interaction,and collectivebehavioroforganizedgroupsofhumanbeings"(para.1);however,thetransformable qualitiesofthissciencearenotrepresentedbythisdefinition,astheyshouldbe.Tobestunderstand thesechanges,wemustfirstconsiderchangeswithinpeopleasstudyobjects;foraspreviously stated,Sociologychangesinwayswhicharecommensuratetochangesintheworldaroundit. Forexample,duringthe1970's,singleparenthouseholdsdidexist,butthesearrangementswere consideredtobetheexception,nottherule.Incontrast,today'sfamilystructuresareasdiverseas thepeoplewithinthem.Giventhatithasbecomeroutineforsomeparentstoliveseparately,and couplesofsamesexmarriagesarenowcommonplace,uniqueareasofconsiderationhaveopened upandareinneedoffurtherscrutiny.Throughupdatedtheoriesandadvancedequipment,inventive techniqueshavebeenappliedtostudypeopleadjoinedtothemodernizedworldtheylivein.Also, socialscienceshavefundamentallyalteredtheirbeliefsofacceptabilityandacknowledged

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Socio–Autobiography

(Whatmylifeis–whatImakeofitwiththehelpofBiologicalandaSociologicalMix–Asliceof myoflife)

Author:NancyGutierrez

WrittenformySociologyClassCultureandSociety

Instructor:JoanMcGowan

Myfamilytraditionsandvalueshaveinfluencedmybiologicalandculturalviewsandvalues.My lifeandcareergoalsbearresemblancewithmyparents'lifeandexpectationsinfluencedbyclass andculture.YethavebeenstructuredbySociologicalconcepts.

TheolderIbecomethemoreIclearlyfeellifeisbeginningtomakesense.Lookingbackatmy childhoodIfeelasIwaslivinglifeallwhilebeingcontainedIwasborninTexasandraisedin Indiana,inatownwherespeakingSpanish...showmorecontent...

Hispaniccultural)orthenames.AllIknewwasthattheyweremakingmewishIhadbeenborninto anotherculturejusttofitin.IsoonrealizedtheywereignorantoutoflackofEducationonDiversity andRace.Theywereprejudiceandtheyshowedsignsofbeingethnocentric,theyassumedthattheir owncultureandwayoflifewassuperiortoallothers(Schaefer,2009)Itookituponmyselfto educatemyself,realizingthatchangestartswithme.(TCO5,6,7&8)

AsIsithereandworkmywaybackwardsthroughlife'schallengingfaces,Ihavetoalsoincludeifit hadnotbeenforthoseindifferencesIwouldnothavepersuadechangewithinmyownlifeMylife athomebecamemoreandmorechallengingandIstruggledtogainperspectiveofwhomIhad allowedotherstomoldmeinto.Ibecameverydefiantinthemarriageandmyhusbandatthetime wasveryintoleranttowardsdifferencesinchangeofwhathewastaughtweregenderrolesthatwere setinstone.Hebecameabusiveandharshtowardsmylearningandeducatingme.Makingit impossibletocreatearolemodelwhomwouldteachmysonthatmindsetsarebreakableanditis bettertochallengethemifonefeelstheyareunjustandusedtoholdonedown.IlearnedIhadtogo aroundratherthanthroughforthetimebeingandfoundEducationalprogramsthatwouldaidmein makingthispossibleIplayedalongwithhisgender

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Sociologyemergedintheeighteenthcenturyafteraperiodofintensecultural,socialandeconomic changes.Aspeoplebegantotrytounderstandthesechanges,therecameaperiodcalledthe Enlightenment.ThisisalsoconsideredbyHamilton(1992)tobea"timecharacterisedbythe developmentofdistinctivelymodernformsofthoughtaboutsocietyandtherealmofthesocial." TheEnlightenmentencouragedanewwayofthinkingmarkedbyapplicationofreason,experience andexperimenttothenaturalandsocialworld.Sociologistsapproachedthestudyofsocietyand changebyusingscientificmeansastheywereinspiredbytherecognitionofthevalueofscientific principlesandproceduresshowmorecontent

Theybelievethatsociologyisascienceasitisbasedontheprinciplesadvocatedbytheearly scientistsandsharescommonassumptions.Positiviststronglybelievethatonlysciencecanprovide anobjectivetruthorfacts,andagoodexampleofthisisDurkheim'sstudyofsuicide,inwhichhe provedthatsociologycanrelatetoscientifictopics.Themetanarrativeofsciencewhichexistedin thepast,toacertainextentshowshowitwasusedbyearlysociologistsasaconceptualframework fortheirwork,thereforeadoptingscienceasitwasconsideredtooffermorescopethanreligion.

AugusteComteisconsideredthefoundingfigureofpositivism,andwasinspiredbytheneedto makesenseoftherapidsocialchangebroughtaboutbytheindustrial,agriculturalandpolitical revolutionstakingplaceacrossEurope.Astheybelievethathumanbehaviourisdeterminedby socialconstructionsbeyondtheircontrolsuchaslawsandsocialfacts,positivistsclaimthesearea productofthewayinwhichsocietiesareorganised.Therefore,theybelievethatsociologyshould beascientificdisciplinebasedonlogicandmethodsofthenaturalsciences.Whenpositivist sociologistscollectinformationanddatafromthesocialworld,theyusuallydosowitha hypothetico–deductiveapproach,whichisconsidereda

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EssayonSocialization

SocializationSocializationistheprocessbywhichcultureislearned;alsocalledenculturation. Duringsocializationindividualsinternalizeaculture'ssocialcontrols,alongwithvaluesandnorms aboutrightandwrong.Socializationisacomplexprocessthatinvolvesmanyindividuals,groups, andsocialinstitutions.AGENTSOFSOCIALIZATIONTherearefourmainagentsofsocialization family,school,peergroups(friendsandcollogues),andmassmediaThefamilyisthesinglemost importantagentofsocializationbecausethefamilyisthefirstandmostcontinuoussocialworldfor infantsandchildren.Thefamilyprovidesthechild'sinitialsocialidentityintermsofrace,religion, socialclass,andgenderIntime,showmorecontent

Thepeergroupshareswiththeschooltheimportantfunctionofallowingthechildtobeawayfrom thefamilywherethechildlearnsdifferentmodelsofbehavioraswellaswellasnewrelationships andvaluestheymightnothavelearnedintheirfamilylife.Peergroupsalsoallowtheopportunityto discussintereststhatadultsmaynotshare(clothes,music).Thepeergroupalsoteacheschildren howtodealwithconflictsTheagentsofsocializationdiscussedabove(family,school,andpeer group)areallinvolvedininteractiveandpersonalcontact.Massmediaontheotherhadarevarious impersonalmodesofcommunicationintendedforlargeaudiences(e.g.,radio,television,motion pictures,newspapers).Massmediacanhaveanenormouseffectonourattitudesandbehavior.The mediainfluencesocializationbyprovidingadditionalandalternativerolemodelsaswellassocial normsandvaluesItappearsthatmostinfluentialmassmediumtodayistelevisionApositiveview oftelevisionisthatitprovidesanexcellentmediumofinstructionandanentertainingwayof expandingthehorizonsofchildrenbyexposingthemtoplacesandeventstheymaynotbeableto experiencefirsthandThenegativeviewoftelevisionisthatitmakeschildrenmorepassiveandless likelytousetheirimagination;itstressestheunrealisticnatureofmany

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Sociologyisafieldwhichdevelopedoveramillenniaago,butitwasnotuntilthenineteenth centurythatitcameintotheforeasabonafidesocialscience,inneedofitsownclassificationapart fromothersocialsciences.Sociology,'thestudyoftheprocessofcompanionship';(pg.396, Ambercrombie,Hill,Turner),isadiscipline,whichisnotexclusivelyindependentinandofitsself, yetborrowsfrommanyotherdisciplinessuchas:history,geography,andanthropology

'Americansociologyisfundamentallyanalyticalandempirical;itproposestoexaminethewayof lifeofindividualsinthesocieties…preferstoexplaininstitutionsandstructuresinterms ofthebehaviorofindividualsandthegoals,mentalstates,...showmorecontent...

Apowerfulgroupisusuallyabletocoerceormanipulatesubordinateclasses(throughforce,threat offorce,withholdingofjobs,orothermeans)becauseofthedominategroup'sinfluenceoverbasic institutionsinthesociety(suchastheeconomy,government,courts,andpolice)(pg.88,Kerbo).';

Thecritical–conflicttheorist,IfeelisthemostplausibleisKarlMarxandhisMarxianviewofsocial stratificationandinequality.Marxviewedcapitalismasamodeofproductionthatresultsinthe exploitationandvirtualenslavementofthewagelaborerbytheownerofcapital.'Marxrecognized variousmodesofproductionandconsideredeachtobeassociatedwithaparticularsocialstructure (pg348,Marx)';Capitalismasamodeofproductionconsistedoftwofactors,themeansandmodes ofproduction.Themeansofproductionincorporate'thematerial,instrument,andproductof labour,';andthesedeterminetherelationsofproductionwhicharethe'relativeposition[s]ofthese individualgroups';tooneanother(pg161,Marx)Capitalism,Marxbelieved,wasfueledbygreed forincreasedwealthattheexpenseoflaborersandtotheultimatedestructionoftheentiresystem. Marxsaidthatcapitalismwould,'createbourgeoissociety(pg.363,Marx).';Thecombinationofthe influenceonthesocialstructureandstructuralchangesproducedthesocialstructurethat fundamentallycharacterizes

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ReflectionInSociology

AftertakingaSociologyclassthissemester,Ilearnedalotofaboutthedifferenttopicsandconcepts inthiscourseandhowtheyarerelatedtooursociety,whichhaschangedmyperspectiveaswellas howIviewandseethemeaningofmysurroundings.Iwouldalsothinkaboutwhatwouldbegoing oninsideaspecificperson'smindandhowheorshewasfeeling.Afterlearningaboutdifferent conceptsinSociologyandwatchingthevideospresentedinclass,itbecameeasiertojuststopand thinkaboutaperson,wonderwhothatpersonwas,andbecuriousaboutthatperson'slifestory.We passbypeopleallthetimeeveryday,butweneverreallyknowwhatisgoingonwiththemand don'treallythinkaboutitorcaresinceitissoshowmorecontent

Itiscrazytohearthatthetoprichestpeopleinthisworldhavethesamewealthasthepoorest3 billionpeopleinthisworld.Eventhoughrichcountriesaregivingaidtopoorcountries,thehuge gapdifferencebetweentheirwealthisduetolargecorporationsformrichcountriestakingmore moneyfrompoorcountries,andthisreallyexplainsalotwhypoorcountryneverhavethechanceto actuallythriveThethoughtthatpoorpeopleshouldbeabletocomeupfromwheretheycamefrom, whichisathoughtinmanypeople'sminds,especiallythosewhohavemoney,isn'tallthatsimple. TheactivitywehadtodoforhomeworkwiththeSortingPeoplestoodouttomeaswellandmade merealizethatclassifyingandjudgingpeoplebasedonhowtheylookandguesswhattheirraces andethnicitiesaresolelybyappearance,isnottherightwaytocategorizepeople.Ilearnedthatthe majorityofmyguesseswerewrong,andafterreadingaboutthepeople'sminibios,Ithenrealized thatpeople'sracesandethnicitiesarenotdeterminedbytheirphysicallooks.Appearancedoesn't alwaystellyouaboutsomeone'sancestryorself–identitiesofthemselves."Race"cannottellwhere someonecamefrom,whattheyaregoodat,orevenhowtheirpersonalitiesandbehaviorsarelike Itwasalsoveryinterestingtolearnaboutdifferentcultures,especiallyduringthemovieswe watchedinclassaboutadoption.Itshowshowculturealongwiththebeliefs,

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SociologyInSociology

Sociologyisthestudyofgroupsofpeopleandhowsocietyinteractswiththem.Therearemany peopleouttherethathavedoneresearchorcontributedinsomewaytosociology.Notjuston people,butthingslikereligions,countries,genders,race,andmanymore.Manythingsplayinthe roletoformusandoursociety.HereinAmerica,wehaveTrumpasourpresidentandweeat burgersandfrenchfries,butoverinjapantheygrowlotsoftheirownfoodandeatitlikepotatoes withvegetablesandchicken.Differentthingshappenaroundtheworldandwejustcan'tseemto thinkthereisotherthingsouttherethanwhatwejustdoorwhatwecallourselvesandsoforth.We don'tthinkabouthowoursocietyaffectsusandhowweaffectsocietySocietycanaffectusina positivewayorevenanegativeway.Apositivewaysocietycaninfluenceusisifthepresidentsaid allschoolsintheUnitedStateshavetohaveextracurricularactivitiesandthegovernmentwillfund it.ThiscouldbegreatforapoorboyinSanJoaquin,Californiawhoreallywantedtobeonthetrack andfieldteam,buthisschooldidnothaveitbecausetheycouldn'taffordit.Thiswouldhavekept himoutoftroubleinthepast,butwhenitfinallywasavailablebythegovernment,hejoinedandit kepthimoutoftroubleandheworkedmuchharderinschool.Anegativewaysocietycanimpactus isObama'shealthcareact.Nowthattheyaretryingtogetridofit,manypeoplewillhavetogo without

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