Inequalities

Essay #1

There are three theoretical frameworks that make up the study of sociology and ask the basic questions about society and how it is structured. Some of the main questions answered by these frameworks are how individuals relate to society, how social order is maintained, why inequality exists and how social change occurs in society. Two of the frameworks, functionalist and conflict theory, look at society from a macro point of view with society as a whole. Symbolic interaction comes from a more micro point of view looking at the individual within the society. All three of these theories look at how society is structured whether it is as a whole, fragmented into groups, or on the individual level.

The first theory, functionalist theory, has its origins in the work of Durkheim, who is interested in how social order is possible and how society remains stable. Social order is seen in this theory as everyone having their part to make society work. If everyone did not do their part no matter how big or small society would not work at its best and social problems then occur. Functionalist theory believes that social problems tend to come from instability in the social order, a breakdown in the shared values functionalist believe make up the social order of society.

The second macro sociological theory is the conflict theory. Coming from the work of Karl Marx, this theory looks at society as fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic resources. It is similar to the functionalist theory because it is also looking at society as a whole and how the whole group is shaped. Through this theory social order is seen as being maintained by domination, which comes from those with the most resources, meaning the rich rule the poor.

The third theory, symbolic interaction, looks at the relationships and interactions of people on the individual level. Individuals and society are seen as independent, which is the opposite from the first two theories. Symbolic interaction sees social order sustained through social interaction and adherence to socially constructed norms, which are constructed by the people and culture around you. Also, they see change as coming from evolving social relationships rather than how the first two theories see it as something bad because they believe change evolves from deviance from the norm.

All of these theories can be applied to multiply topics, some being socialization, deviance, and social class stratification. By looking at these three topics from each theories point of view, it enables you to see different ways society reacts to certain things. Some of the affects are similar between theories but differences are prevalent as well.

The first topic is socialization, or how people become who they are in a society because of individual learning process, formation of self or influence from society. According to functionalist theory, people pick up from society what is expected of them for a certain role in society. Also, formations of self values are instilled in a person which in turn reinforces social harmony because society is the one to create the values. With the values being instilled into the person, society then relies on conformity for the continuation of stability in society.

The other theory, conflict theory, looks at socialization a little bit differently. Society is still seen as what shapes an individual but from a different angle. Instead of people seeing what is expected of them by society, conflict theory says that aspirations are shaped by the opportunities society provides for the different groups. An example of aspirations being shaped based on the opportunities is very prevalent in the reading In Search of Respect:Selling Crack in El Barrio by Bourgois. With this story based in East Harlem, it shows how many of the men there turn being drug dealing in order to support themselves. For example on page 235, "None of the crack dealers were explicitly conscious of the links between their limited options in the legal community,....and their dependence on the crack economy for economic survival." This shows how in the community of East Harlem, the opportunities that are present to live may are what have shaped them into what they do.

Lastly socialization is looked at more individually with symbolic interaction theory. Instead of a society instilling values or norms in a person they are learned by those closest, for example children learning from their parents. Another example of how values are learned can be seen in the reading, Making It By Faking It by Granfield talks about how law students take on the identity of being a lawyer and all that comes along with that. One student is even quoted on page 124 as saying "I used to think that you could do good things for people...I don't think that anymore." This shows how the values of someone have been changed by the peers around them and the culture they are now in.

The second topic is deviance, and how society determines what is normal or acceptable in society. According to functionalist, deviance comes from strain in society, for example when social bonds are broken. A reading that was mentioned earlier, In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio shows how social strain can create deviance such as selling drugs. Philippe said on page 234, "You make more money here than you could ever make working legit." This statement shows how the social strain of minimum wage does not help people who need it get out of poverty.

According to conflict theory, deviance is defined and created by the dominate classes and they also control the repercussions for those who become deviant in society. As a result of the inequalities in class, deviance occurs by the lower classes. For example in the movie clip, Search for the Wrong Eyed Jesus, it shows mostly lower class men telling their story of what they did. Many of whom said it was the only thing to do where they lived, or it was expected of them, all of these things because they were lower class they were seen as more likely to be deviant. Deviance also tends to happen more in the lower class because those of the higher classes or the elite are hardly recognized for deviance and even unpunished.

In symbolic interaction theory deviance is seen as something learned by the individuals around a person and reinforced by acceptance to the group. Social labeling is also a cause, according to this theory, because once a person is thought of as deviant they act in a deviant way. This also says that with assigning the labels to other, you yourself are in turn producing deviance. In the reading by Rosenhan, On Being Sane in Insane Places, labeling is very prevalent. Throughout this reading it shows how just being in the abnormal environment of a mental institution makes a person "not