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Reflection

During this semester, my eyes were open to many new situations. I was able to look at different scenarios and problems with fresh eyes. Sociology helps a person by placing them into someone else’s shoes. You begin to journey through some tough social issues that are present in today’s world including racism, sexism, gender roles, and sex. Before starting this class, I had opinions that I was pretty strong on. However, after being introduced to many of these hard topics previously listed, I was able to understand and take into consideration other people’s opinions. 

In my personal life, I know that sociology will help me take the time to really analyze different situations. I am able to take the time to appreciate each and every person for who they are including their history and their background. I have been able to realize that children are our future generation and that it is our job to teach them to accept everyone for who they are. 

A topic that stuck out to me during my time in Sociology 201 is both the media module and the race module. Both of these modules deal with people and our society’s views on these different people. It will always affect me the way that the media views women. The advertisements are always impacting our self-image, no matter if we realize it or not. Racism is also a problem that we, as a country, have been dealing with for centuries, which is also hard for me to realize. 

This class did bring hope for these social issues and in it I was able to find ways to stop the hurt and the negative effects. 

No matter what module or what topic, I can say that through this class I have learned so much about society, people, and myself that will forever change the way I see everyday things. 

Thank you, Dr. J!

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When talking about social movements, there is one great example of a social movement that broke through just this year. This movement was able to show one of the ways that a social issue can be brought to society’s attention. The Women’s March had brought women from all over together in order to fight for equal rights, respect, and dignity. This group of women was able to raise the energy for hope and equality. They were able to become solid in their group, while withholding the same goal. They sent a message to higher officials. This movement is a good example on a macro-level action that can be taken in order to fight a social issue (Halstead, 2017). 

According to an article by Jonathan Christiansen, he says there are four stages to social movements. These stages are Emergence, Coalescence, Bureaucratization, and Decline. Emergence is known as the first stage when a social movement in produced. In this stage there is little development and organization. The second stage in coalescence. This stage, according to Christiansen, is when “People in a community may complain to each other about a general injustice, but they do not come together to act on those complaints. . .”. The third stage is bureaucratization. This is when, “Social movements have had some success in that they have raised awareness to a degree that a coor-dinated strategy is necessary” (n.d.). An example for a movement in this stage is the Women’s March. 

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References:

Christiansen, J. (2009). Four Stages on Social Movements. EBSCOHost, 1-7. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from https://www.ebscohost.com/discovery/content/research-starters.

Halstead, J. (2017, January 26). 10 Things The Women's March On Washington Accomplished. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-halstead/10-things-the-womens-marc_b_14380660.html 

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In today’s world, most people do not know there is a difference between race and ethnicity. Many textbooks, even, use the terms interchangeably. However, Conley (2015) describes the differences between the two terms. He says that race is externally imposed, someone else defines it for you. Race is involuntary, you do not get to decide. Race is usually defined by what you look like, not by actual genetics. Race is unequal and exclusive. On the other hand, ethnicity is voluntary, you can choose to be Italian, even if you are only 1/8. You can be both Italian and Caucasian. It is not about being more powerful than others. 

According to Article I of the said Constitution, the purpose of UNESCO, The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Paris, “is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms ... which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the-Charter of the United Nations” (1978). In this case, there is no such thing as racism, there is only one race in the world. We are all equals. 

So, why is there such a thing as racism? According to the organization Racism.It Starts With Me., “We take on the views of people around us. A lot of our attitudes are shaped when we're young. When our family members or friends express racist opinions, it's common that we will take on those views ourselves. The problem is that, unless we do something about it, they can stay with us for a lifetime.” This is why a big way that we can work to end racism is by in the micro-level, working to teach our children and people around us to treat others, despite our differences, withe respect. Social institutions like the government, school, and the media should also teach viewers to show this respect and acceptance (Racism.It Starts With Me.org, n.d.) 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice. (1978, November 27). Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13161&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html 

Why are people racist? (2015, March 11). Retrieved April 19, 2017, from https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/resources/what-you-say-matters/why-are-people-racist

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According to McGrath from Forbes Magazine, “According to a new analysis of the wage gap by the National Women's Law Center, a woman who is starting her career now will earn $430,480 less than her male counterpart over the course of a 40-year career, if the current wage gap persists” (2016). #Feminists of the world are working hard to encourage equality, especially on the topic of income. Women are fighting to decrease the wage gap. McGrath says that women would have to work 51 years in order to earn the same amount that a men would make in 40 years. 

Conley (2015) says that feminism is consciousness-raising movement to get people to understand that gender is an organizing principle of life. The underlying belief is that women and men should be accorded equal opportunities and respect. Feminists are more concerned with the socially constructed differences between the genders. 

McGrath goes on to say that women minorities have an even harder time when it comes to making an income close to what a man would make. She says that the state with the largest wage gap is Louisiana. However, this is most likely because jobs in the oil industry are very popular there, and more men are prone to be involved in jobs like these. 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

McGrath, M. (2016, December 21). Why Being A Woman Can Cost You More Than $400,000. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2016/04/05/why-being-a-woman-can-cost-you-more-than-400000/?utm_campaign=forbes&utm_source=TUMBLR&utm_medium=social&utm_channel=Investing&linkId=23139650#7074aac22e3f

According to a new analysis of the wage gap by the National Women’s Law Center, a woman who is starting her career now will earn $430,480 less than her male counterpart over the course of a 40-year career, if the current wage gap persists. For many minorities, the losses are even larger: African American women will earn $877,480 less over those 40 years, Native American women will earn $883,040 less and and Latina women will miss out on a whopping $1,007,080 in lifetime wages.

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While looking for articles based on globalization, I realized that there are mostly negative thoughts attributed to it. In this short essay above, positive thoughts are used in order to describe what the main point of globalization is. The writer says, globalization is breaking down of borders so we can all come together. The author says that he feels as if he is the child of the planet. 

Thinking back to the videos on the Life of A T-Shirt, we see other countries struggling, while ours is thriving. We see children and women working in factories for long hours only to keep their family fed. However, we also see the prices of products decreasing. We see jobs being created. We see many more connections in other countries being made. We become friends of each other, not aliens. There are many pros and cons due to globalization, but there is not a simple way to stop it from happening. At this day and age, there is a large amount of trade due to the rising technology. 

No matter what your opinions on globalization is, it is important to be aware of both the positive and negatives in order to make an intelligent decision. 

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References:

Planet Money makes a t-shirt. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2016, from http://apps.npr.org/tshirt/

Globalization

My professor had us write this brief prompt in class yesterday and I thought it was worth sharing.

Globalization is the movement of society towards a global perspective, the breaking down of our arbitrary borders and territories so that we may view them as such. This is achieved through advancements in technology, the open sharing of knowledge and ideas, and a world-wide FAIR trading network. The world becomes a smaller place, a less secular place, when one can reach nearly any inhabited point in a day’s travel. This perspective has caused me to view myself as a child of the planet, where every man is my brother and every woman is my sister. It has also caused me to view all humans as responsible shepherds, caretakers of our planet. We are all obligated to contribute to the health of our environment, or only home.

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“Social class is more than just how much money you have. It’s also the clothes you wear, the music you like, the school you go to—and has a strong influence on how you interact with others. . .” (Keltner, 2011). In an article from psychological science, social class and its effects are discussed. Many psychological differences between people are due to their social class differences. For example, Keltner says that lower-income families rely more on other people for help. These families react quickly to help others in need. While wealthier families are more independent. However, lower-income families are also less healthy and struggle more with depression and anxiety (2011).

These psychological factors could be caused, however, by a third variable (Conley, 2015). This third variable is called a confounding variable. This variable explains the reason for this correlation. 

In the cartoon above, the social class structure is shown. This class structure is made up of the lower class, middle class, and upper class. The cartoon shows the wealthy at the top, the average Americans in the middle, and the poor on the bottom. It also shows directly social mobility. According to Conley, social mobility is the movement between different positions within a system of social stratification in any given society. This is shown by the cartoon characters climbing the ladder. This can happen when an employee receives an increase in paycheck.  

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

Keltner, D. (2011, August 8). Social Class as Culture. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/social-class-as-culture.html#.WPZ_Gojys2w

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In this very interesting and intriguing experiment, a couple decided to take eight volunteers from a local college and leave them in a completely dark room for exactly 60 minutes. They also took eight volunteers and put them in an illuminated room for 60 minutes. They then watched from an infrared camera what the volunteers did. They wanted to see the differences in deviance. According to Conley, social deviance is any “transgression of socially established norms” (2015). The type of deviance that was shown in this experience was purely informal deviance, or deviance that is not illegal, but just seen as wrong. The darkened room was supposed to enhance the volunteer’s ability to become more comfortable. The researchers were looking to see how the volunteer’s would react with no rules, no instructions, and with no ability to see the other people in the room.

The experiment showed that the people in the illuminated room talked more, moved around less, and sat an arm’s length away from each other. In comparison, the students in the darkened room talked less, moved around more, and touched each other multiple times. The volunteer’s were often found kissing! 

This experiment showed how social norms can be quickly overturned and when and what circumstances need to be met before someone would break these norms. 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

Deviance in the Dark experiment – Stuart McMillen comics. (2016, May 23). Retrieved April 18, 2017, from http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/comics_en/deviance-in-the-dark/

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In this country, women and men alike have had many changes in their gender roles. During the 1900s and earlier, women were thought of as primarily the cleaner, cook, and traditional “Mom”. As the war came, women were forced to get out into the workplace. Women were able to take the jobs that were used only for men. They were forced to do the “men’s work”. These gender roles, or according to Conley, the “sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as male or female” (2015), have changed. The once stay-at-home mom is now working, full-time, as the primary breadwinner. The full-time male worker now watches the children, cleans, and even cooks. This change has led to many new opportunities for men and women. These changes did not come easily, but have made things easier for the traditional family. 

Not only are gender roles relevant in the workplace, but we can find gender roles as soon as a baby is born. Conley argues that in our culture, as soon as a baby is born, they are dressed in blue or pink to represent their sex. Toys are designed primarily for a boy or girl and are also advertised to a specific gender. At this time, there has been much controversy with gender roles.  

The picture on the bottom is used as an exact example in the changes for men and women. It is very important to realize that the gender roles do not have to be  stationary, but have the possibility to be fluid. 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

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This specific article describes some very interesting, but culturally different, things that countries across the world do. For example, in Greece, children who lose teeth throw their lost tooth on the roof. In Colombia, children learn that there are only 5 continents versus the 7 that we learn about (Strutner, 2013)! These things seem weird to Americans, but in other countries these actions are completely normal. Conley also adds that in the United States it is normal, if not polite, to look someone in the eye while holding a conversation. However, in China, it is actually rude to do so. According to Conley, these actions could be called social “norms” which are how values tell us to behave. Although we may find these different culture norms weird or abnormal, we need to show cultural relativism or “take into account the differences across cultures without passing judgement or assigning value” (Conley, 2015). Even though countries do things differently, it does not mean that they are wrong or incorrect about their ways.

Many of these cultural differences are harmless, however, if you were to travel to, for example, England, you’re flipping someone off when you do the peace sign backwards. So, to be safe, while heading out to different countries, check out some of their culture norms, and make sure you aren’t saying/doing something that could be rude, or possibly illegal! 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

Strutner, S. (2013, September 14). 8 Cultural Differences Between America And Other Countries. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/14/weird-cultural-differences_n_3875360.html

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A new study commissioned by CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360°" found the stereotype of the schoolyard bully preying on the weak doesn't reflect reality in schools. The study was conducted this spring at The Wheatley School, in Long Island, New York. More than 700 students at the school were given a survey with 28 questions on aggressive behavior four separate times throughout the semester. Sociologist Robert Faris, who worked alongside “Anderson Cooper 360°", found that many students are involved in "social combat" as they jockey for status (Hadad, 2011).  They said that as the social status of a student rises, so does the opportunity for bullying or being bullied. According to Chuck Hadad, while speaking to Robert Faris about the study that was completed, he said told a story about a student who was surveyed. The student said, "No matter what high school you go to, what age you are, what social group you're in, you've been bullied and you are a bully. . . Once you start realizing that you can have ... higher social power by putting other people down ... that's, like, how people are moving up and that's how they're gaining respect."

According to Dalton Conley (2015), we could say that there is a correlation, or an association between social status and bullying. This means that there is “simultaneous variation in two varaible” (Conley, 2015). The study did not only uncover an interesting correlation, but it also lead to the school district realizes how much of a problem bullying is. Bullying is often hidden, and especially now with technology and the media, it is becoming an even bigger problem. Children are more than ever now thinking of suicide. 

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References:

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

Hadad, C. (2011, October 12). CNN study: Schoolyard bullies not just preying on the weak. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/10/us/ac-360-bullying-study/

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The first chapter that we learned about during my time in Sociology 201 was Thinking Like a Sociologist. Like a quote mentioned in module one, “I don’t always think like a sociologist, but when I do I make the familiar strange.” Making the familiar strange is exactly what sociologist is all about. In fact, to quote our textbook, sociological imagination is “the ability to connect the most basic, intimate aspects of an individual’s life to seemingly impersonal and remote historical forces” (Conley, 2015). By asking a seemingly familiar question like, why did I go to work today?, we can make the familiar pretty strange. You may start to answer that you went to work because you were scheduled to work, or, because you had to. The first response to actually ask yourself a question about something habitual that you do is the first step to thinking like a sociologist. However, let’s really dig down deep. You really went to work today because you need money, you need to provide for you family. The money that you earn is what will really get you to where you want to be in life. Without working the specific shift today, you wouldn’t have had the money to eat, wear clothes, or go to school. No one wants to work just because they were scheduled to but because they need to in order to survive. 

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References: 

Conley, D. (2015). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York, NY, United States: W. W. Norton & Company.

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Dear future students,

This class is intriguing, fun, but most importantly, useful. It is not just your average general education class, but so much more. Do not take this class for granted. Appreciate the kindness and tone of Dr. Jacobson. She will do anything she can to help.This class has information that can help you in your everyday life. The information does not just need to be used for assignments, but can be used in the future. 

So, what advice can I give you? Ask questions, stay involved, and finish your work early. Do not be afraid to think outside the box. Watch all of the assigned videos, pay attention, read the articles, and complete every discussion. Put all of your effort into the discussion posts! Make the posts meaningful and detail-oriented. As long as you show that you are trying and learning you will succeed.

I personally had an enjoyable time in this class and can tell you that it is not as important to focus on the facts and details of this class, but instead, focus on making connections and learning about different scenarios and situations. Your textbook is also extremely helpful for vocabulary words that you do not quite understand, or examples that you may need.  

The most important advice I can give you is to stay motivated. College is hard, stressful, and most of the time, filled with anxiety. Do not get down on yourself after a bad grade. Do not be upset if the teacher doesn’t like you, but instead, thrive on criticism and hardship. Think of the future and your future career, that is what is important. 

I wish you the best of luck and know that you will do great!

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Introduction

Hi everyone and welcome to my first blog! My name is Kadia Julian and through this blog we will explore all that I have learned through Sociology 201. This class is a general education course that will help me eventually receive a master’s degree in speech-pathology. As you will see through the following 12 posts, I learned a lot during this class about communication, social issues, and looking at the world in a whole new way.

Before we start, I want you all to know a little about who I am behind all the sociology talk. I enjoy hiking, the beach, traveling, reading, flowers, and baking. I especially love to spend time with my family outdoors. Right now I am a current student at HACC as well as Millersville University. I am involved in intramural volleyball and also have a job at a local grocery store!

Sit back and enjoy some new articles, facts, and most importantly, sociology. 

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