Introduction to Sociology - Essay Example

Introduction to Sociology: Final Paper Question 1 The fact that development is a change of qualitative and quantitative features during the period of time is generally accepted. These changes over time have been reflected in the ideas of sociologists which will be considered below. The first idea of time-related changes is expressed by Heidi Hartmann and investigates the changes of labor division between the two sexes from the historic perspective. This idea suggests that the mentioned division has been developed in the course of history rather than given to mankind initially. As the time passed, patriarchal society system emerged which led to men’s control over the life and labor distribution between the families members. The author also provides evidences that this change lasts till the present day because, together with the feminist movement and gender equalizing, this division becomes less strict which evidences the changes through the time. (Hartmann, 1976). Richard Wilkinson considers the same idea from the perspective of equality and inequality which exist in any society. The author states that the shifts towards bigger and smaller income levels has not been sharp and has been a product of temporal changes within the society and economy development, which is another proof of the mentioned question. (Wilkinson, 2006). Michael Omi and Howard Winant prove the same idea from the racial perspective. They state that the relations between the racial groups in the US have been positively affected, however, there are cases (Phipps case) which evidence that the changes still go on. (Omi, Winant, 1994). Question 2 Quality of life, democracy and progress are influenced by numerous significant sociological concepts with will be tackled in this section. The concept of power is one of the primary ones for sociological science. It is traditionally referred to as the ability to control over the life of the country and society, but today this concept has expanded. It is possible to say that today people who are capable of exerting power due to personal features, skills and prestige are even more powerful, which is proved by the realms of everyday life. Power leads to certain activism – if people are dissatisfied with the results of governmental work, they start changing it from the lower level by means of movements and campaigns conducting. (Piven, 2008). The concept of opportunity is the determining one in terms of explanation of why success varies between certain people. Malcolm Gladwell reasonably notes that “individual merit” is the things that gives the best opportunity to reach success, and that everything depends on an individual and his or her use of the mentioned opportunity. (Gladwell, 2008). The privileges are the topic of the most intensive debates of the present day. Some people have more privileges, while the others have none of them, but the category of people who are unlimited in their privileges are celebrities. Their being important persons and product of capitalism development which means involvement of considerable amount of money demands their having privileges, which distinguishes them from “ordinary” people. (Kurzman et al., 2007). Question 3 Inequality is the thing which negatively affects the individuals and the society in any its forms. Inequality in the US, its high level aside, is seen in terms of welfare state concept and attempts to distribute welfare equally, whereas in reality the picture is that certain people or groups of people control and consume most of the resources of the state. This proves that inequality and consumption are interconnected in this case. (Firscher et al., 1996). Such important category of social world as gender relations is a debatable topic for a very long time. In this regard, the most mentioned problem is inequality or discrimination of women by men because the tendencies of historical domination of the male sex over the female one ae still strong within the modern society, though there are significant shifts towards the popularity-winning equality. (MacKinnon, 1989). From this perspective, the social world and the inequality may also be overlapped, including their interconnection, because inequality in this case becomes a stratum which places itself onto the gender relations in the social world. Samantha Power provides a connection of three categories – social world, inequality and consumption in the following way. The events which happened in former Yugoslavia prove the before mentioned: inequality is the problem of the Serbs’ biggest sufferings and damage from the combat actions, social world was damaged also by, firstly, killing many people and, secondly, by damaging the society structure leading to negative consequences, and it was reported that some participants consumed resources in bigger amounts that the locals. (Power, 2002). Question 4 Self-analysis is a peculiar activity which can also be done from sociological perspective. The first criterion for such analysis is sexuality. Pascoe, for example, states that sexuality is wider than just person’s orientation o attractiveness to the others, it means also certain private features and practices as well. (Pascoe, 2007). Kate Bolick, on the contrary, pays more attention to the traditional concept of sexuality from female point of view. (Bolick, 2011). I believe that I am a representative of traditional concept of male sexuality in all its senses and definitions because I do not tend to apply specific techniques or take unusual actions for any related purposes. From racial point of view, precisely from its geographical aspect, as per Chaplin’s suggestion, I also fit the description of an average citizen of my country with the correspondent appearance typical for this part of the world. (Chaplin, 1997). In this regard, the theory of race with its early findings can also be applied: I resemble to my mother, which would contradict with the early knowledge of the race and reproduction, but now this is not a problem anymore and I once again represent an average citizen. (Chaplin, 1997). Kate Bolick also gives an interesting idea of a certain class which she emphasizes is important for men. (Bolick, 2011). I believe that my class so far is neither too high nor too low – a usual student, and the fact which class I will represent in the future depends on my current efforts in my studies and practical skills mastering. Question 5 The video materials can improve sociological knowledge of the students by provision visual evidence of the information mentioned. The video material about Occidental College sex assaults emphasizes on the issues of the crime and punishment together with the responsibility of the certain persons in charge, in this case those taking care of the students’ safety. This video states that the system of sex assaults punishments is totally incorrect and does not work appropriately and that strict observance of the law and the work of the staff shall be severely controlled. (Allred, 2013). The second video reveals the concept of human efforts taken to transform the power. This is a contribution to the fact that power can and shall be exercised from the low level of society which shall be done by increase of protest conscious and formulating concrete demands and taking certain actions. In this regard, the persons with leadership qualities are in focus because they attract supporters who help them take the power initiative and perform necessary changes. (Moyers and Company, 2013). The video narration by Brian Steidle tells about the reasons of genocide on the example of the Sudan region, Darfur. The most obvious reason which may be the underpinning of the genocide is military activity, such as civil war, but the struggle for resources and turfs may prevail over political and other ambitions. The author states that, though there are laws and norms which define crime and correspondent punishment, the desire for material benefits makes people neglect human lives. (Z-Crimes, 2014). Question 6 The film “Making the Crooked Straight” provides basis for analysis of important sociological problems. The first one is fighting the poverty in the world. The idea of the film author Hodes is supported by Peter Singer who complements this by mentioning everyday-based charity. (Singer, 1999). The second problem is inequality. Peter Singer provides his solution in another article and states the following: the article considers the Black inequality, which is interrelated with the film’s country of concern – Ethiopia, where inequality is visible in any sphere of life. (Singer, 1989). The third problem is the value of life. While many people die in African countries from lack of water and food, some nations feel quite comfortable to kill animals in slaughterhouses in enormous amounts which, if desired, could also cover the demands of the poor of the mentioned region, which also is the problem of over consumption: if someone consumes more than the others, they, consequently, are in need for some things. (Schlosser, 2002). Robert Blackburn suggests that, as many African countries were European colonies, the minds of their inhabitants are still unable to realize that they are free at last which gives them the right to make their own decisions, and they may still hope for someone to do this for them which aggravates the mentioned problems. (Blackburn, 1997). The problem of religious tolerance is solved by Hodes’ having children of Muslim and Christian faiths, which positively affects understanding the concept of God rather than instigating religious conflicts. (Durkheim, 1912 [2012]). Works Cited Allred, G. Occidental College Sexual Assault Victims Fight Back. Video. 2013. Web. 04 June 2015. Blackburn, R. The Old World Background to European Colonial Slavery. 1997. Web. 04 June 2015. Bolick, K. All the Single Ladies. 2011. Web. 04 June 2015. Chaplin, J. Natural Philosophy and an Early Racial Idiom in North America: Comparing English and Indian Bodies. 1997. The William and Mary Quarterly, 54 (1), 229-252. Print. Durkheim, E. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. 1912 [2012]. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 205-219. Print. Fischer, C., Hout, M., Jankowski, M., Lucas, S., Swidler, A., Voss, K. Inequality by Design: Cracking the Bell Curve Myth. 1996. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 129-157. Print. Gladwell, M. Outliers. The Story of Success. 2008. New York: Hachette Book Group, 3-324. Print. Hartmann, H. Capitalism, Patriarchy, and Job Segregation by Sex. 1976. Signs, 1 (3), 137-169. Print. Kurzman, C., Anderson, C., Key, C., Lee, Y., Moloney, M., Silver, A., van Ryn, M. Celebrity Status. 2007. Sociological Theory, 25 (4), 347-367. Print. MacKinnon, C. Toward a Feminist Theory of State. 1989. London: Cambridge University Press, 215-234. Print. Moyers and Company. Encore: How People Power Generates Change. Video. 2013. Web. 04 June 2015. Pascoe, C. Dude, You’re a Fag. 2007. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1-217. Print. Piven, F. Can Power from Below Change the World? 2008. American Sociological Review, 73 (1), 1-14. Print. Power, S. A Problem from Hell. 2002. New York: New Republic Books, Print. Schlosser, E. Fast Food Nation. 2002. New York: Houghton Muffin, Print. Singer, P. All Animals are Equal. 1989. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1989, 148- 162. Print. Singer, P. The Singer Solution to World Poverty. 1999. Web. 04 June 2015. Wilkinson, R. The Impact of Inequality. 2006. Social Research, 73 (2), 711-732. Print. Winant, H., Omi, M. Racial Formation in the United States. 1986. New York: Routledge, 3-13. Print. Z-Crimes. The Devil Came on Horseback. Video. 2014. Web. 04 June 2015. Read More