Portrayal Of The Criminal Justice System - 1308 Words

deter criminal activity because of their ability to depict anti-criminal behavior in an attractive manner. Overtime the media, whether it be by film, television, news etc., has provided its audience with different depictions of the criminal justice system. Some themes continue to reappear while others vanish due to unpopularity. Typically, all media outlets seek to produce the most trendy and entertaining perspective of what it intends on representing. As a result, the portrayal of the criminal justice system for instance, is often times unrealistic. However, some sources of media hold authenticity to a higher regard and aim to produce a more sufficient illustration. Ultimately though, viewers are more attracted to the more exaggerated and dramatic representation, prompting creators, directors and writers to display their work in a specific manner. Unfortunately, these inadequate portrayals sometimes become what many viewers see as reality. Additionally, the popular depiction of the criminal justice system is that it is inefficient and is in a dire need of reconstruction. The news in particular reports most frequently on violent crimes such as racial dispute, gang violence and other street oriented lawlessness. There are a few different consequences that rise from the overrepresentation of violent crimes. One is that it instigates unnecessary fear of the public and the crime problem in general. Another is that it promotes racial tension between different groups stirringShow MoreRelatedMedia Portrayal Of The Criminal Justice System945 Words   |  4 PagesMedia Portraying the Criminal Justice System Different forms of media, such as television, films, books, and newspapers, have similar ways of portraying the criminal justice system. The media constructs representations of crime and justice and in doing this, it presents an often dramatized representation of the criminal justice system; and this does not just influence on the public’s lay view of crime but also for criminal justice experts (Marsh, 2014). In the media it is commonly known that theyRead MoreRacial Segregation And Popular Culture1676 Words   |  7 Pages The unreliable generalizations and disturbing portrayals of members in a racial group contribute to the justification of unequal treatment in various systems that impact people in the society negatively. Racial biases exist unconsciously in our attitudes. This leads to actions that are negatively interpreted in our cultures and diffuse in the media, which in turn, form prejudice and discrimination that structure systems to target minority groups. The two most frequent racial stereotypes in culturalRead MoreThe Inside Out Program : The Media s Portrayal Of Criminals947 Words   |  4 Pagesdelve into the prison system through the interactions and discussions between the local inmates or classified â€Å"Inside† students. When explaining the program to the average person, some would express interest and curiosity or having a class in a correctional institution; others were weary and even asked why one would decide to take a class full of â€Å"hardened† criminals. This i s what I thought as well when first hearing about the course. From the media’s portrayal of criminals, bombarding news viewersRead MoreAnalysis Of To Kill A Mockingbird1693 Words   |  7 Pagesare discussed. In general, the audience gets a full overview of the criminal justice process; however, the process isn’t portrayed in full accuracy. At the beginning of the movie, we hear of a grand jury charging Tom Robinson. The role of grand juries is to decide if there is enough evidence to indict a criminal defendant, meaning, is there enough evidence to charge them and go forward with a trial (Budziak). Therefore, this portrayal was fairly accurate. However, we never hear of an initial appearanceRead MoreBlack Americans Receive A Stricter Punishment Than White Americans Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesand sentenced to death at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts (Kerby 2).† Portrayals in the media have depicted black men as thugs and common crim inals; these negative stereotypes demoralize men of color and allow society to believe and internalize this destructive thinking. The racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system are an indirect consequence of the portrayals of African American men that circulate in society. Because of racial disparities that occur inRead MorePublic Perception of the Police Essay1471 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract The media portrayal of policing is filled with both positive and negative representations of police work. As a result, a complex relationship exists between media consumption and public attitudes towards the police. The purpose of this study is to test the impact that media consumption has on attitudes toward police misconduct. The research design proposed for use in this study would be the experimental design, a two-group, posttest-only, randomized experiment. Introduction TheRead MorePositive and Negative Publicity in a Case Trial1295 Words   |  5 PagesMedia publishes both positive and negative aspects regarding a criminal case, and with Milats’ case, the media focused highly on negative publicity. As Ruva, Geunther and Yarbrough had found that both positive and negative media realises can influence the jury in different ways, it provided an understanding into the different types of media representation surrounding a case. The different types of media representation will influence ones memory, and pre-trial publicity can cause errors in judgementRead MoreComparing Media Images Of Criminological Research Essay1712 Words   |  7 Pagesaffected comic book stories, those stories are where the shows and films get their material from. They are not exact retellings but they are very closely linked. The creators of Marvel ©, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, showed the world a place where â€Å"’justice’ depended on how characters used t heir power responsibly for the greater social welfare† (Adkinson, The Amazing Spider-Man and the Evolution of the Comics Code: A Case Study in Cultural Criminology). Marvel has always been challenging the norm andRead MoreThe Media And The Criminal Justice System Essay1260 Words   |  6 Pagesperceptions that our criminal justice system is lacking in areas of proper sentencing and protecting the viewers. All this is based upon what we see in the media is the information reliable or not? I say this because of hearing about news personality lying about their experience only to booster the networks rating. When the criminal justice system has contact with the media, most will withhold information or give misleading information to justify the capture or conviction of a criminal. So not only areRead MoreReal Courts vs Fictional Courts1145 Words   |  5 Pageslawyers cannot measure up to the models portrayed in popular culture such as movies and television, says David R. Papk e, the R. Bruce Townsend Professor of law and professor of liberal arts at IUPUI. Papke is nationally recognized as an expert on the portrayal of the legal profession in the visual media. The topic has been the focus of several of his recent projects. Less than half the population has consulted a lawyer, Papke notes, and a very small proportion has seen a live courtroom trial. Most people

Depression Disorder And Its Causes - 1100 Words

Depression Disorder and Its Causes Miami Dade College Depression Disorder and Its Causes A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the person with the disorder and those who care about him or her. A depressive disorder is not the same as passing blue moon, it is not a sign of a personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. People with depressive illness can get better by â€Å"pulling themselves together†, without treatment, this disorder can get worse and can last for weeks, months, or even years. (Tsuang MT, Faraone SV. The genetics of mood disorders. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990) Everybody has low moods on occasion. Whether you get a bad grade in school, a lower raise than you expected, a fight with a loved one, or a death of a beloved pet – there are countless reasons why a person will feel sad or for a while because of something that has happened to him or her. This is often when people say. â€Å"I’m depressed† – and others understand what they mean. But as long as the feeling never interferes with your ability to function in daily life and goes away within no more than, say, a couple of weeks, it’s not medical depression. The term â€Å"situational depression† is sometimes used to describe depression brought on by a significant event in your life. The death of a loved one, losing your job, a divorce and similar major life events canShow MoreRelatedDepression : Causes And Consequences Of Mental Disorders989 Words   |  4 Pagesconsistently found as an association with mental disorders (Poongothai et al., 2009; Shaji et al., 1995). Patients with major depressive disorder also suffer from many co-morbidities (Kessler et al., 2010). The resultant high health expenditures cause low financial status (due to high health expenditure) (Stoudemire, Frank, Hedemark, Kamlet, Blazer, 1986). Low income is both a consequence and a cause (Sareen, Afifi, McMillan, Asmundson, 2011) of mental disorders. In the Chennai Urban Rural EpidemiologicalRead MoreDepression Essay : Depression : The Causes Of Depression893 Words   |  4 PagesDepression Depression affects many people in today’s society for a number of reasons. Depression is a serious disorder, numerous people are affected by it. However, there are places to go that give help that people with depression need. To begin, depression is a disorder that affects a great deal of people. According to Mayo Clinic, â€Å"Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest† (â€Å"Overview,† n.d.). There are many causes to why people have depressionRead MoreEssay Bipolar Disorder1447 Words   |  6 PagesBipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness affects about 1.2 percent of the U.S. population (8). It is defined by fluctuating states of depression and mania throughout ones life. Those who are depressed may be restless, irritable, have slowed thinking or speech, decreased sexual activity, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, suicidal thoughts as well as other changes. Those in a manic state may have increased activity or energy, more thoughts and faster thinkingRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of A Depressive Disorder1591 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is a depressive disorder? â€Å" A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the person with the disorder and those who care about him or her.† (Psychology Today) The term depression in psychology is more than just sadness. â€Å"People with depression may experience a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleeping, lack ofRead MoreEssay Psychological Causes of Depression702 Words   |  3 PagesPsychological Causes of Depression The actual causes of depression are still unknown today but there are a few theories that could help explain them. It is widely believed by psychologists and scientists that all mental disorders are brought about by a complex correlation of psychological, biological, and social factors. A serious loss, chronic illness, relationship problem, work stress, family crisis, financial setback, or any unwelcome life change can ignite a depressive disorder (PsychologyinfoRead MoreClincal Depression Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesClincal Depression Depression is a very common disease that will affect a large percentage of the population at some point during their life span. At least 10% of all people will suffer from a major depressive disorder, while even a larger percentage will suffer from some type of mild depression. It is a serious disease that has been linked to other physical and mental illnesses. It has also been a cause of death in numerous cases due to suicide and heart disease. The most disturbing factRead MoreDepression : A Complex Biological Illness Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pages Depression is a mental disorder that is a feeling of sadness that can interfere with daily life for a person and the family and friends of the person. The some of the major signs or symptoms of depression are thoughts of suicide, loss of interest, and appetite changes. There are many things to know about this disorder such as what the it is, what causes it, who is afflicted by it, how it is diagnosed, and what treatment is available . According to a research, â€Å"depression is a complex biological illnessRead MoreThe Major Categories Of Disorder1063 Words   |  5 PagesSome of the major categories of disorder include the following: †¢ Anxiety Disorders †¢ Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders †¢ Dissociative Disorders †¢ Feeding and Eating Disorders †¢ Mood Disorders †¢ Neurocognitive Disorders †¢ Neurodevelopmental Disorders †¢ Personality Disorders †¢ Sleep-Wake Disorders †¢ Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorders †¢ Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders †¢ Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders Mood Disorders Mood disorders consist of a widespread range ofRead MoreMental Illness : A Mental Disorder1463 Words   |  6 Pagesbehavioral disorder. This means that around 510,600,000 people suffered from some form of mental or behavioral disorder in 2010 alone. Now, with all this information we must first ask, what is a mental illness? The definition given by the National Alliance of Mental Illness, or NAMI, states that â€Å"A mental illness is a condition that impacts a person’s thinking, feeling, or mood and may affect his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis.† Many psychological disorders are developedRead MoreCauses, Symptoms, and Treatments of Unipolar and Bipolar Disorder936 Words   |  4 PagesCauses and 2 Unipolar and bipolar disorders are fairly common and they can have devastating effects to an individual. There has been much study and documentation on these disorders. This paper will review the causes of both unipolar and bipolar disorders. The symptoms of both of these disorders will be highlighted and discussed. Treatment options will be reviewed that are available to individuals who find that they are suffering from these disorders. Unipolar disorder is characterized by an individual

Marketing Plan Strategy Of Boost Juice Free Sample

Question: Disucss about the Marketing Plan Strategy of Boost Juice. Answer: Introduction Marketing is considered as a core function of the business management. The business strategies of a company rely heavily on its marketing strategies. The purpose of any business is to expand its customer base. The profit of an organization are not increased by technology, infrastructure but it is solely dependent upon the customer base and their satisfaction. Therefore, the basic idea of marketing is to create a customer-driven organization wherein the customer satisfaction is given supreme importance. In the present business scenario, the competition among the business organizations has drastically increased. Therefore, the importance of marketing methods has also increased in expanding the market share and retaining the previous customers. The fundamental goal of the marketing strategy is to increase the sales and enhance the brand awareness for the company (Ferrell Hartline, 2013). The marketing strategy encompasses several short-term and long-term methods that are focused on upl ifting the situation and the profitability of an organization. The most fundamental part of the marketing strategy is the marketing mix which refers to the tools and techniques that can be used by the company to influence the consumer behavior and pursue its marketing objectives. Traditionally, the marketing mix refers to the four major aspects which are manipulated to pursue the marketing strategy. At present, the marketing mix is extended to eight aspects, namely, product, prices, promotion, distribution, partnerships, people, processes and physical evidence (Belohlavek, 2008). In this essence, in this report, the marketing strategy of Boost juice is evaluated in the Australian market. In the initial section of the report, the history and the background of the company has been covered. Subsequently, the marketing strategy of the company has been evaluated by the examination of its marketing mix. In the later section, a few recommendations are made to the company to enhance its mar keting methods. Boost Juice Bars is an Australian retail organization that deals with various health products such as juice, smoothies and protein and energy drinks. The company was founded in 2000 in Australia by Janine Allis and today has presence in several countries across the globe. Boost is famous for providing healthy and fresh diet products to the customers has reached sales of over $ 2 billion. The company came into existence when during an American trip, the companys founder examined that the fresh juice bar market is developed in several countries, yet in Australia there are very few juice bar companies despite its healthy and outdoorsy lifestyle. Later, Janine Allis founded the company after development of a business plan, structure and ethics. The first store of the company was opened in Adelaide and there Janine worked everything from making drinks to serving customers. This helped her to study the consumer taste and their preference. Moreover, she also acquired in-depth knowledge of t he market and the logistics involved. The company grew in size and several different stores were opened in different places. The company also hired help and extended its staff due to the increase in the operations (Boost, 2017). Marketing Mix of the Company 8 Ps The marketing mix is the fundamental concept of marketing wherein the marketing methods are systematically applied to enhance the product sales. In the marketing process, the marketers conduct the research about the characteristics of the market, select a target market and develop a marketing strategy. In order to increase the sales, there are some demand-inducing variables which constituents the marketing mix of the company. The classical marketing mix has four variables (Product, Price, Place and Promotion); however, in the recent years expanded into eight Ps of marketing with changes in the business environment. In the below section, the marketing mix of Boost Juice is evaluated. The company offers various health food products. It includes high quality fruit juice, smoothies or juice bars. The company has always focused on quality of the products and incorporated fresh fruit juice blended with yoghurt and healthy smoothies. In the recent years, in order to tap the health-conscious customers, the company has introduced several products such as high protein, super-food, tropical and spirit. The company has made a motto to make all its products from natural ingredients and low fat. The company avoids unnatural products, artificial flavors and sweeteners or preservatives. It has also developed its product according to its target customers. The regular smoothies of the company are filled with the natural nutrients whereas the Super Smoothies are designed to maximize the benefits by adding various Boosters. It has also introduced products in accordance with the customer taste such as tea lovers. In different locations, the company has customized its products to sui t the local tastes. Boost has introduced several tailor-made products which are developed according to the local taste and needs (Boost, 2017). In its marketing strategy, the company has kept the prices of all the menu items low. It is done in order to attract more customers and compete with other food and beverage companies such as Coke and Pepsi. However, keeping the prices low has reduced the profit margins of the company (Prowd, 2013). Boost Juice acknowledges that different customers in different corners of the world have different taste, values, customs, purchasing power and habits. The company ensures that its promotional strategy in the foreign markets is different from its local strategy and adapted according to the local market needs. The promotional strategies are also developed according to the purchasing power, media habits and consumer interest in the local region. In its expansion, the company follows the strategy of franchising. In this strategy, it chooses the prominent and the experienced market players of the local region, who have intensive knowledge of the local market. However, the company also focuses on maintaining the integrity and the brand message of the organization (Boost, 2017). Moreover, with its foundation the company has followed a unique marketing approach of above-the-line and below-the-line marketing. As a result, within five years of its inception the company has arrived at 94% market awareness. The above the line marketing of the company includes the use of social media, television and the radio campaigns. In contrast to it, below the line methods include, e-mail marketing, engaging website, media coverage and customer service (Boos Study Kit, 2015). Boost Juice has adopted the strategy of franchising as its distribution strategy. About 70% of the Boost Juice outlet is franchised to different distributors. It is the method of expanding the outreach to the customers by leasing the business model and the brand name for a specific period of time to other businesses (Switzer Daily, 2009). Boost Juice has developed partnership with Bain Capital a private equity partner (Fitzsimmons, 2014). In addition to it, the company has also formed a new partnership with AIA Australia (IFA, 2016). In the marketing mix, the people refer to the founders, employees and the culture of the company. As per the love life philosophy of the company, it tries to give an exceptional experience to the customers. Therefore, the company has constructed attractive stores with vibrant colors to give exceptional consumer experience. The company is also focused on providing exceptional customer service to all the customers. The process of the company refers to the service delivery, complaints and the response time of the company. The company is very focused on providing exceptional customer services to its customers. The service quality is exceptional, the customers complaints are resolved quickly and the response time is also fast. The physical evidence of the customer experience with the company can increase the sales of the organization. It refers to the user stories, recommendations and the general buzz around the organization. In this regard, the company has well-maintained its website and shares the stories of the customers and their experience in social media with the organization. The company also tries to create buzz by tapping the current social trends. Contemporary Issues and the Competition Due to the advancements in the times and the changing consumer behavior, the marketing management of the business organizations has also undergone drastic changes. Due to the advancements in technology, the outreach of the companies has increased; however, several issues have also emerged due to increase in accessibility of the information. The companies have to maintain their brand image and social responsibility. They cannot consider themselves as entities which are completely separated from their social responsibility or consider that their main objective is profit making (Shankar et al., 2012). As a result, the companies have considered taking several actions to give back to the society where they are operating. Boost Juice also take several initiatives to control their emissions and minimize the negative impact on the environment. The company has introduced different versions of the paper cups which are manufactured from renewable and the sustainable resources. Moreover, the com pany uses non-toxic and food-safe inks which are not harmful to the environment. Along with it, the company has actively participated in several charity and philanthropic activities (Boost Juice, 2017). Moreover, social media also has changed the dynamics of the business environment. The business organizations can instantly connect with their customers and the target market. However, these customers can also connect with each other and provide their feedback and reviews to a larger audience. Therefore, it has become essential for the business organizations to focus on the customer experience and satisfaction each and every time. Furthermore, the companies can also use the social media to study the market trends and the customer preferences. They can also instantly promote their services, products, offers and discounts with social media. Other technological advancement also assists business organizations to increase their operational efficiency and productivity in business. For instance, the companies can automate the processes to minimize the human error. It also reduces the operational costs to the companies (Ferrell Hartline, 2013). However, with the technical advancements, the connectivity of the people and consumers has also increased. Before making the purchase decision, the customers evaluate the product options and then determine which product he has to buy. It has drastically increased the competition among the business organizations. The companies also integrate ethical principles and social marketing to increase their brand value (Fifield, 2012). Recommendations for Formulation of Marketing Strategy In the following section, several recommendations are made so that the business organization can enhance its marketing strategy and attain a larger market share. Boost Juice is focused on providing healthy juices and smoothies to the customers. The competitive advantage of the company is its focus on the health products. However, the product range of the company is limited. Therefore, the company must focus on developing its product range. Boost Juice can offer health food salad, wholegrain bread and its sandwiches to include variety in its product offering (Hill, 2012). The price of the products is comparatively low in comparison to the product value. The company is offering the products at low prices so that it can attract more customers. However, the profit margin of the company is comparatively low. In this essence, the company can provide a detailed product range wherein the products with additional features can be sold at a higher rate. The company uses a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote itself. It uses broadcast media like television, radio and social media to connect with the customers. Boost Juice can enhance its promotional strategy by incorporating its philosophy in the marketing campaigns. It should focus on the use of vibrant colors and sports in its marketing campaigns. It can also join hands with other sports organization or adventure companies to promote its products (Hill Jones, 2009). In its distribution strategy, the company should focus on developing its retail outlets in places known for outdoor sports activities such as beaches or sports clubs. Moreover, the company should also develop a few outlets in the office colleges or youth clubs to tap the market of young generation. In order to expand its business, the company should initiate partnerships with other health product companies. Being a big organization, it can acquire small companies which are focused on healthy diet and food products. It can also work on creating partnerships with financial firms and companies to increase its financial robustness. In the present competitive environment, human resources are considered as a vital asset in the development of the competitive advantage. They represent the company and interact with the customers. The company should focus on developing its human resources to compete with other organizations in the same industry. The service professionals of the company should be provided training to provide the customer excellent services in its retail outlets. Moreover, the company should also invest in attracting the best talent in the industry by providing better remuneration and attractive salary packages (Partridge Sinclair-Hunt, 2005). The process of the company can be enhanced by implementation of technology and technically-advanced machinery and equipment. The company should focus on the implementation of a strategy so that no customer is dissatisfied with the services and the customer service professionals are prompt to enhance their experience with the company (Partridge Sinclair-Hunt, 2005). In order to increase the physical evidence for the product, service and quality, Boost juice can initiate an online blog. The company can share its own experience or the experience of the customers in this blog. Additionally, the company can also establish promotional videos wherein the company can connect with its customer base through online mediums. Boost Juice can share its philosophy, vision and connect it with the Australian community. Conclusion Conclusively, it can be stated that Boost Juice has targeted a niche market in the Australian community and tapped on the health conscious customers. The company was founded in 2000 by Janine Allis when she found that there is no food product for the health conscious customers in Australia. In the founding years, she conducted marketing research and examined the customer behavior by directly dealing with the customers. The company expanded in different countries as well as in Australia through franchising. Moreover, it extended a specific marketing mix to attract maximum customers. It has also implemented the strategy of keeping the prices low to attract maximum customers. The company focuses not only on providing excellent quality products but focusing on a very different consumer experience. In this direction, the stores are painted with vibrant colors and front desk professionals provide excellent services to the customers. In the report, it is recommended that the company increas e its number of outlets in places with maximum young population. In its promotional activities, it can start blog and posting promotional videos. References Ferrell, O.C., Hartline, M. (2013). Marketing Strategy, Text and Cases. Boston: Cengage Learning. Belohlavek, P. (2008). Unicist Marketing Mix. Blue Eagle Group. Boost Juice. (2017). The Boost Story. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.boostjuice.com.au/about Boost. (2017). Why Pick Boost. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.boostjuice.com.au/why-pick-boost Boost Study Kit. (2015). Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.boostjuice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Boost_Study_Kit_2015.pdf Prowd, J. (2013). Boost's pricing problem. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.intelligentinvestor.com.au/2013/07/boosts-pricing-problem Switzer Daily. (2009). Franchising as a Distribution Model. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.switzer.com.au/small-business/business-management/systems/franchising-as-a-distribution-method/ IFA. (2016). AIA makes product enhancements, partners with Boost Juice. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.ifa.com.au/news/15635-aia-makes-product-enhancements-partners-with-boost-juice Fitzsimmons, C. (2014). Boost Juice founder Janine Allis in partnership talks with Bain Capital. Retrieved 27 January 2017 from https://www.afr.com/leadership/entrepreneur/boost-juice-founder-janine-allis-in-partnership-talks-with-bain-capital-20140506-jya8p Shankar, V. et al. (2012). Handbook of Marketing Strategy. Edward Elgar Publishing. Ferrell, O.C., Hartline, M. (2013). Marketing Strategy, Text and Cases. Cengage Learning. Fifield, P. (2012). Marketing Strategy. Routledge. Hill, M. (2012). Marketing Strategy: The Thinking Involved. SAGE. Hill, C., Jones, G. (2009). Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Boston: Cengage Learning. Partridge, L., Sinclair-Hunt, M. (2005). Strategic Management. Hertfordshire: Select Knowledge Limited.

Joy Luck Club Essays (951 words) - Chinatown, San Francisco

Joy Luck Club Every person comes to a point in their life when they begin to search for themselves and their identity. Usually it is a long process and takes a long time with many wrong turns along the way. Family, teachers, and friends all help to develop a person into an individual and adult. Parents play the largest role in evolving a person. Amy Tan, author of the Joy Luck Club, uses this theme in her book. Four mothers have migrated to America from China because of their own struggles. They all want their daughters to grow up successful and without any of the hardships they went through. One mother, Suyuan, imparts her knowledge on her daughter through stories. The American culture influences her daughter, Jing Mei, to such a degree that it is hard for Jing Mei to understand her mother's culture and life lessons. Yet it is not until Jing Mei realizes that the key to understanding who her mother was and who she is lies in understanding her mother's life. Jing Mei spends her American life trying to pull away from her Chinese heritage, and therefore also ends up pulling away from her mother. Jing Mei does not understand the culture and does not feel it is necessary to her life. When she grows up it is not "fashionable" to be called by your Chinese name (26). She doesn't use, understand, or remember the Chinese expressions her mother did, claiming she "can never remember things [she] didn't understand in the first place" (6). Jing Mei "begs" her mother "to buy [her] a transistor radio", but her mother refuses when she remembers something from her past, asking her daughter "Why do you think you are missing something you never had?" (13) Instead of viewing the situation from her mother's Chinese-influenced side, Jing Mei takes the American materialistic viewpoint and "sulks in silence for an hour" (13). By ignoring her mom and her mom's advice, Jing Mei is also ignoring some of the similarities between her and her mother. Suyuan has also rejected some of the Chinese traditions. Suyuan rejects the women-repressive Chinese traditions when she tells her daughter that she "believed you could be anything you want to be in America" (141). Suyuan continually tells Jing Mei her "Kweilin story" as a child, the story of the origins of the Joy Luck Club as well as her mother's past hardships. Yet despite the importance of the story and the events constituting the story to Suyuan, Jing Mei "never thought [her] mother's Kweilin story was anything but a Chinese fairy tale" (12). The story would have the same meaning to Jing Mei as if she were being told the story of Sleeping Beauty, or some other American bedtime story. When Jing Mei recognizes the similarities between her mother and herself she begins to understand not only her mother but herself as well. There are subtle connections and likenesses from the beginning between Jing Mei and her mother that Jing Mei does not see. The book commences with Jing Mei taking her mother's place at the mah jong table, creating a similarity between them from the beginning. Suyuan dies two months before the start of the book, and therefore is not able to tell the stories. Jing Mei has learned and must tell her stories in her place, forming another parallelism between mother and daughter. Because Suyuan is dead, Jing Mei must act in place of her mother when she goes to meet her Chinese sisters in China. Throughout the book Jing Mei takes the place of Suyuan, showing she and her mother have a unique link even with the barrier of the living world. Jing Mei finally begins to realize her identity and past when she travels in place of her mother to China to meet her two twin sisters. Suyuan had to make the hard decision to leave her twin babies on the side of the road in hopes some kind stranger would take them in, that way she would not have to see them die. Suyuan searches for her babies all through her life in America, sending multitudes of letters; they finally get in touch with her two months after she has died. Because her mother is not alive to meet her children, Jing Mei takes her place and the trip enables her to finally recognize her Chinese ancestry. The minute she enters China she "feels different" and can realize that she is "becoming Chinese" (306). At fifteen Jing Mei believed she was only

Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education

Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education Introduction Different scholars look at education functions from different perspectives depending on the theory they deploy in interpretation of their perceived features of education. The theories that tend to explain the sociological functions of education are collectively termed as sociological theories of education.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Young posits that sociology of education entails the study of the manner in which public institutions coupled with individuals experience the various impacts of education alongside its outcomes (1995, p.21). On the other hand Floud, Halsey and Martin (1956) claims that it â€Å"is mostly concerned with the public schooling systems of modern industrial societies, including the expansion of higher, further, adult continuing and education† (p.12). People h ave, over the years recognized education as the most fundamental way of overcoming various handicaps in the society with the capacity to make the society achieve higher equality coupled with acquiring wealth. They have also claimed to have the ability to improve the social status of individuals. Educational scholars strongly believe that through education children are able to develop to their full potential. Additionally, people view education as having the ability to make people from challenged background to rise to higher social classes. In this context, Sargen argues that education is â€Å"perceived as one of the best means of achieving greater social equality† (1994, p.30). Some sociology scholars argue that any properly formulated educational system has the ability to achieve this purpose precisely. However, as Bourdieu reckon that other sociologists have â€Å"a particularly negative view, arguing that the education system is designed with the intention of causing rep roduction of social inequality† (1990, p.47). Putting into perspectives the various scholarly approaches in the interpretation of the purposes of education, especially bearing in mind the social changes impacts of education, the modern perceptions of education attracts mixed reactions. It is in this regard that various sociological theories of education become significant as one of the subtle ways of determining the direction of modern and future educational policies.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The work on moral education by Emile Durkheim pioneered systematic studies on educational sociology. His work looked at the education as a platform that constitutes organic solidarity within the society. Max Weber, on the other hand, perceived education as a tool for political manipulations. After the Second World War came to a halt, the subject of sociology of educat ion acquired renewed interest. This renewed interest shifted from â€Å"technological functionalism in the US, egalitarian reform of opportunity in Europe, and human-capital theory in economics† (Sullivan 2001, p.893). The concepts of human capital were widely necessary particularly by putting into consideration the fact that increased industrialization created divisions of labor and hence the necessity for a given way of hierarchically dividing labor inputs into the industries. Education level emerged as one of the subtle ways of accomplishing this endeavor: people with low education predominantly serving as manual workers. Education results into stratification of social classes and forms an impeccable tool for ensuring social mobility. Nevertheless, some scholars argue that education produces only limited social mobility. According to Heath and Cheung, â€Å"statistical and field research across numerous societies showed a persistent link between an individuals social clas s and achievement suggesting that education can only achieve limited social mobility† (2007, p.89). The 1960s saw the collapse of functionalism approaches in education. The concept of education as a good that people cannot mitigate suffered a fair deal of challenges. One of such challenges was the one placed by neo Marxists, who proclaimed that â€Å"school education simply produced a docile labor-force essential to late-capitalist class relations† (Ogg, Zimdars Heath 2009, p.783). The various ways of looking at the societal impacts of education predominantly lie squarely on a number of theories. Among these theories are conflict theory and structural functionalism. Social functionalism theory claims that the society inclines towards an equilibrium that tends to inculcate social order.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories and How They Contribute to Our Understanding of Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People look at education analogously to the human body, which comprises of various organs that must function harmoniously for maintenance of a healthy body. In this regard, social functionalism sees institutions such as education within the society as mainly intended to socialize kids. Opposed to social functionalism, conflict theory claims, â€Å"society is full of vying social groups with different aspirations, different access to life chances and gain different social rewards† (Furze Healy 1997, p.23). According to this theory, people characterize the society based on relationships that are predominantly sub-ordinative, oppressive, dominative, and exploitive in nature. The two theories have different opinions with regard to the functions of education in the society as portrayed by activities carried out in the schools. This paper compares these two theories coupled with the unveiling of the contrasts in the claims that exist between them with re gard to the way educational or school activities are perceived in the two schools of thought. Nevertheless, it begins by presenting an overview of each of the two theories. Overview of Conflict theory With regard to conflict theory, the relationships that guide the society are exploitative, subordinate, oppressive, and dominative. This theory thus anticipates teachers to expect students to have some background experience of middle-class life right at home. The conflict theory posits that reproduction of these predetermined functions end up exacerbating or rather reproducing existing inequalities from one generation to the other. Unfortunately, this is widely a misconception since people come from different backgrounds and hence making such an assumption is largely fallacious. As Young reckons, â€Å"Some children are expected to help their parents after school and carry considerable domestic responsibilities in their often single-parent home† (1995, p.47). Anticipating studen ts to be involved in helping in the domestic chores compounds the responsibilities of the students hence making them suffer from deterred academic success in schools.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the conflict theorists, the way educational activities have been structured clearly point to the fact that education serves as a way of further widening the social class gap. For instance, in most countries schools are funded by property tax, which means that in localities where the residents are rich the schools are heavily funded than poor and marginalized places (Jacob 2001, p.10). Heavily funded schools in return seek the services of the best teachers and the students eventually perform far much better than their counterparts in other marginalized regions. By doing this, the conflict theorists argue that the system of governance in schools prepare the students for the unfair life ahead of them. This is because the students from the best schools have the highest probability of securing positions in the best colleges in the country while those from the poor backgrounds hardly make it to colleges therefore only seeking positions in technical institutes and vocational t rainings. Students who gain access to the best training in the best colleges end up getting jobs in the corporate world while those who train in vocational and training institutes become manual laborers (Sullivan 2007, p.893). This is enough proof according to conflict theorists that education serves to widen the social class gap further and propagate further discrimination based on class. Education functions as a way of instilling an ideology to the poor people in the society to accept their situations and rather than blaming the authorities to blame it on themselves. This is what the conflict theories term as the ‘hidden curriculum’ in education (Giddens 1991, p.116). School activities, such as sorting students based on their academic abilities, serve to prepare them to accept their social place. This, in return, maintains the status quo in the society. The oppressed people, in this case, do not find the need to struggle to and be free from the poverty that engulfs th em since they consider it as their fate. According to Anderson and Taylor (2009), they even start counting themselves lucky for the little that they have (p.19). Conflict theorists argue that the composition of the tests intended at sorting the students is in most cases, discriminatory as far as the questions involved are concerned (Bassile 2011, p.263). This can be termed as discrimination based on class or even ethnicity. For instance, a class test may include a question such as the following: Which of the following instruments form part of an orchestra? A) Guitar, B) Violin, C) Trumpet. D) None, E) All. This question can be classified by the conflict theorists as among those that propagate or portray racial discrimination. The fact that the question requires the students to get a definite difference between an orchestra and a band is one of the claims. The second thing is that the question is trying to portray the orchestra as superior, considering that it is in most cases prefer red by the elites and the rich people (Bassile 2011, p.262). A conflict theorist would in this manner consider this school activity as revealing to the students the discriminative nature of the outside world and perhaps indirectly propose that the students struggle to align themselves with the favored class by working hard in school. Competitions in schools, whether inside or outside the classroom, introduce the student to capitalism according to the conflict theory. When a student is recognized and rewarded for performing exceptionally either in extra-curriculum school activities or in classwork. This makes the student feel that he/she is better than the others (Sadovnik 2007, p.12). Competitions in the schools are therefore regarded as unfair by the conflict theorists considering that they make the less privileged feel so. The researchers and proponents of this sociological theory of education found out that â€Å"Where teachers have softened the formality of regular study and in tegrated student’s preferred working methods into the curriculum, they noted that particular students displayed strengths they had not been aware of before† (Wilson Wyn 1987, p.137). Softening of the formalities in education infers that teachers deviate from the traditional curriculum as determined by the state. The reason for departure is principally rested on the belief that what the state perceives as to entangle â€Å"knowledge† does not necessarily have to make subtle impacts in the students future career life and hence not vital to teach in school settings. The state determined knowledge is thus more often than not non-useful to students and hence majority of them find it pointless to learn such knowledge. Wilson and Wyn, proponents of the conflict theory, laments, â€Å"students realize there is little or no direct link between the subjects they are doing and their perceived future in the labor market† (1987, p.120). In this context and congruent w ith the conflict theory, the bottom line lies in teaching exactly what the students anticipate to be widely involved in the future. Unfortunately, such desires emanate from segregated interests, which one cannot harmonize for teaching groups of students who might be interested in similar interests. No two personalized interests can coincide. From a different context Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor assert that â€Å"irrespective of their academic ability or desire to learn, students from poor families have relatively little chance of securing success† (1988, p.12). It is perhaps with this argument that the oppression, subordination, dominations and exploitation concerns in the conflict theory become eminently significant. Bearing in mind Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor priory mentioned argument, it perhaps sounds plausible also to argue that, as the students who come from poor backgrounds struggles to succeed academically with little success, those from middle class backgr ounds would employ less effort to achieve their academic dreams. Sargent concurs with this argument. He, further, adds that â€Å"The federal government subsidizes ‘independent’ private schools enabling the rich to obtain ‘good education’ by paying for it† (1994, p.111). With the cute educational backgrounds, children coming from rich backgrounds financially, have more ample opportunity to excel in education and hence in future careers. Rich children also have higher probabilities of acquiring gigantic rewards in the future as opposed to the poor children. Conflict theorists view this as a way of continual and acerbating of existing inequalities in the society, which people claim to alleviate, in contrast education systems. Conflict theory furthermore, perceives education systems as mechanisms of aggravating social privileges among the elites only. The continued dominance by a single class of people is what conflict theorists’ term as social r eproduction. Social reproduction takes place due to educational ideologies held by the groups that dominate the society. The position held by conflict theorists is perhaps crucial by considering the question of the quality of education available to the two divides: the poor and the rich. Consequently, from the perspectives of the conflict theory, the idea of equal availability of quality education for all serves nothing more than just a myth. To this end, Wright is concerned that â€Å"the effect of the myth is to†¦stop them from seeing that their personal troubles are part of major social issues† (Sargent 1994, p.92). It is thus unsubstantial to argue that only what impairs people from achieving their dreams lies squarely on their inability to work towards their goals. However, many other inequalities exist that perpetuates the ability of less advantaged members of the society from achieving their dreams in education. Many parents sacrifice to ensure that their children achieve their best in their academics. Even though this sacrifice is essential, conflict theory insists that it is not the sacrifice that matters but rather the elimination of existing social discrepancies in terms of equal accessibility to quality education. Conflicts theorists look at the poor and hence less advantaged members of the society as the victims of what they term as victims of confidence trick. These victims of confidence trick â€Å"have been encouraged to believe that a major goal of schooling is to strengthen equality while, in reality, schools reflect society’s intention to maintain the previous unequal distribution of status and power† (Breen Goldthorpe 1997, p.299). As a result, conflict theorists are opposed to the idea that education is available to all without prejudices pegged on some way of discrimination of some members of the society. They also fail to strike to a consensus to the argument that education acts as a mechanism for ensuring fare distribution of wealth and achievement of equal societal status. Social functionalism theory Social functionalism theory looks at the educational system as analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for cute bodily health. Social health infers that the society lives in a socially ordered environment. Social order is normally assured where the society generally appreciates the moral values that are usually applicable and binding all members of that society. The concerns of the structural functionalism theory tend to foster continual of certain predetermined functions that particular members of the society must accomplish for sustained realization of the roles of society from generation to generation. In this context, structural-functionalist theorist proactively believes that the existence of social institutions such as educational institutions seeks to socialize teenagers and children in general (Heath et al. 2001, p.39). In structural functional ism theory, the educational system is analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for good bodily health. Social health infers that the society lives in a socially ordered environment. According to Heath, â€Å"socialization is the process by which the new generation learns the knowledge, attitudes, and values that they will need as productive citizens† (2003, p.301). Despite the fact that the curriculum explicitly proclaims this objective of education, more often than not, people achieve it through a curriculum that they may regard as â€Å"hidden curriculum†. The hidden curriculum encompasses â€Å"a subtler, but powerful, indoctrination of the norms and values of the wider society† (Harker 1984, p.164). The school environment, according to the functionalism theory, seems more often regulated in such a way that students unconsciously learn these behaviors prompting the students to accept and internalize them. The labor market is dynamic. People enter and leave, giving rise to vacancies that people must fill, so long as they possess certain attributes and qualifications. Education systems serve to produce such persons. As Bourdieu (1977) puts it, school serves yet another function entailing â€Å"sorting and ranking individuals for placement in the labor market† (p.89). The sorting and ranking process results in the placement of individuals with high performance in training for the most crucial jobs: mainly the ones entangling decision-making. On the other hand, those with low performances find themselves ranked to train in chores that demand less intellectually with repercussions of being rewarded less. Ranking of people following the functionalism theory attracts a myriad of criticisms. For instance, Henry, Knight, Lingard and Taylor argue, â€Å"to believe that ability alone decides who is rewarded is to be deceived† (1988). This argument is perhaps significant since the disparities exis t between various educational settings. Using performance indicators such as the scores arguably do not necessarily reflect on the capacity of students. It is thus unfair to set performance indicators in schools as true reflections of the performance of the students. Meighan and Siraj-Blatchford (1997) accepts this argument and adds that â€Å"large numbers of capable students from working-class backgrounds fail to achieve satisfactory standards in school and therefore fail to obtain the status they deserve† (p.103). One of the factors that may impeccably deter some students from portraying their abilities through performance indicators includes deferring experiences at home. As a way of example, some functionalism theory proponents believe that children from working-class families are insufficiently equipped with strategies to cope with school challenges. Jacob happens to be one of such scholars and posits that performance indicators are not true reflectors of childrenâ€⠄¢s abilities since â€Å"the middle-class cultural experiences that are provided at school may be contrary to the experiences working-class children receive at home† (2001, p.34). The performance indicators more often sieve individuals from working-class by making them remain at the working class just like their parents. This way, there is the mobilization of social reproduction of inequalities. Now, the concerns of functionalism theory take us back to the concerns of social reproduction. In this context, Sargent (1994) confirms this trend. He proposes, â€Å"†¦that schooling supports continuity, which in turn supports social order† (p.99). The repercussions of using performance indicators in grading students abilities is to taint some students as educational failures which social functionalism theorists argues that it prejudices people within a society. Since functionalism theorists insists that the social order must be sustained, it intrigues to think of why wo rking class people would fill satisfied in remaining at this level from one generation to the other. According to Bessant and Watts, the existing discrepancies in education between various classes of people â€Å"maintains social order and continuity which is what most people desire† (2002, p.13). However, arguably, social functionalism theory is inconsistent and challengeable since the question of why one class of people would prefer and fill satisfied in a while at that class is a recurring one. School activities such as examinations, group work, sports, debates and other activities aimed at preparing the student to attain the necessary skill to serve as the social being that a human being is. The spirit that is achieved in these activities is aimed at enabling the students to get the necessary skills also to rise in the social ladder (Apple 2000, p.24). To this extend, structural functionalists posit that education is aimed at facilitating social mobility and consequently helping in the closing of the social class gap. The spirit of competition which is introduced to students in school is supposed to enable them to work hard as the rewards of hard work go up with personal efforts. In this sense, education assists the students and arms them with the necessary capabilities to face the world as it is. Structural functionalists contest the claim held by conflict theorists that activities aimed at sorting students and rating them according to their capabilities are flawed and instead encourage further discrimination (Jacob 2011, p.36). According to the structural functionalists, these competitions are fair since they place the students at level ground and give them the chance to work their way up. The nature of interactions that students experience in educational facilities is important in the effort to eradication discrimination of any sort. Students from varying backgrounds and ethnicities meet in educational facilities and interact freely with each oth er. This teaches them the need to be tolerant to people from other walks of life or even those that one perceives to be different (Apple 2000, p.43). In reaction to the question of there being schools that include only students from a given background or ethnicity and how the nature of this interaction helps in creating tolerance, structural theorists argue that there are hardly such schools where only one social class or ethnic group is represented and add that there is the inclusion of exchange programs in school curriculums which aim at handling that exception. The school curriculum according to the structural functionalists is specially designed to ensure that the lessons offered in schools help in the transmission of the core values that are required for the student to succeed in the society. Other activities such as games and club activities facilitate in this by creating platforms where the level of achievement of these core values is tested (Sargent 2004, p.34). For instance , education aims at ensuring that the students embrace courageousness and a game competition such as football gives the student the avenue to test such courageousness. Another key value that school activities aim at giving to the students is what structural theorists term as personal liberty, this is the ability to function independently and be in a position to choose what is right at the right time. Comparing and contrasting structural functionalism and conflict theories As discussed in previous sections, social functionalism theory entangles looking at the purpose of educational systems as mechanisms of socialization of people. On the other hand, conflict theory looks at the institutions from the angle of serving as to adapt and respond congruently with the behaviors of students as dictated by certain moral norms (Basile 2011, p.266). According to conflict theory, these institutions do not necessary follow the traditional curriculum, but rather they follow a hidden curriculum char acterized by some societal dictated forces, which warrants the departure of curriculums from the state established curriculum. Social functionalism theory predominantly restricts its concerns to the manner in which universal education is adapted to satisfy the myriad of needs of the society. Manifestation objectives of educations form the solid foundations onto which functionalist theory pegs itself. These objectives principally focus on the need to pass on basic skills and knowledge from one generation to another. The founder of the theory: Durkheim sighted out latent roles that any educational system deserves to accomplish. According to him, education has the noble aim to ensure socialization of people into one single mainstream. He referred to this form of education as â€Å"moral education.† According to Bowles and Gintis (1976), moral education aids in forming â€Å"more-cohesive social structure by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, which echoes the his torical concern of â€Å"Americanizing† immigrants† (p.103). From functional theory perspectives, education also has vital roles in ensuring transmission of social control coupled with core values of the society. Some of this educational values which various educational systems, for instance, the American system follows includes the various characteristics, which foster economic systems and political systems, which in the first place served to fuel American education. Consequently, students get rewards for sticking to deadlines, schedules authority demands and while not negating following given guidelines keenly. Perhaps one of the dominant characteristics of functionalism theory is the concept of individualism. With regard to Wright, â€Å"individualism embraces an ideology that advocates for liberty rights or dependent action of the individual† (1959, p.105). Compared to some others parts of education, American education seeks to reward the best individual amon gst groups of competitors. This approach doe not only apply to curricular activities but also to extracurricular activities. As a repercussion, even the educational activities that call for collaborators effort such as football must have a singling out of the player of the season or even year. Arguably, functionalism theory of educations seeks to inculcate the spirit of self-esteem as opposed to social esteem. Learning about the necessity of competition is yet another vital characteristic that functionalist theorist sees as important. The spirit of competition is perhaps one of the essential traits of capitalistic economic constructions. Students learn at early stage to compete for the best score, winning for an athletic challenge among other games. Consequently, there is the reproduction of competition altitude down from generation to generation. The fruits of engaging in some competitive task have always had some reward attached to it acting as a motivator. In schools, it takes so me form of presents. Arguably, the functionalism theory tends to advocate for capitalist systems in which the main driver of the economy is some anticipated gain either in terms of profitability or in kind. Additionally, as Sadovnik laments, â€Å"schools overtly teach patriotism, a preserver of political structure† (2007, p.91). In fact, this is extremely crucial from functionalist point of view since it fosters continued existence of established societal norms then truncated down to subsequent generations. Social functionalism theory advocates for rankings of students based on their abilities. This way the students can then undergo training on different area to which they are well suited for the economy to leap most from their contributions. In this end, the ranking of student takes place based on some merits. Bernstein (1977) claims that â€Å"Societys needs demand that the most capable people get channeled into the most important occupations† (p.27). With regard to social functionalism perspective point of view, schools have the noble role to ensure that they select the most able people from the massive population early enough. To achieve, they give out these tests. Hence, at an early age, students learn to appreciate their abilities in comparison to their colleagues. Unfortunately, tests more often than not end ups instilling some negative spirit of ‘I cannot’ amongst some students. However, as Bourdieu and Passeron (1990) reckon that â€Å"those who score highest on classroom and standardized tests enter accelerated programs and college-preparation courses† (p.37). Many functional theorists’ advocates for this approach referred as social placement. Among such theorists includes: Wilbert Moore and Talcott Parsons, among others (Ball 2004, p.7). Majority of these sociologists scholars are inclined to a perception that social placement is vehemently crucial in society. Upon realization of the sorting process, accordi ng to social functionalism theory, the nest purpose of education entails networking. Networking, according to social functionalism theorists, is a vital tool with the capacity to foster interpersonal connections. In fact, social functionalism sociologists claim that this networking is an inevitable constituent of any well-formulated educational system. Right from colleges and or in high school, students have a network with colleagues in similar grades, majors or classes. These networked programs more often have got the chances often ending up being professional or at some times remaining as personalized. In this end, education serves to match various groups of people within the society. One drawback of these networks stands out because the various networked groups have certain attributes and ways of conduction of their academic affairs that characterize them. Hence, they may hinder free flow of information and knowledge to other networks. Nevertheless as Apple (2000) reckons â€Å" Sociologists primarily interest themselves in how sorting and networking lead couples together of similar backgrounds, interests, education, and income potential† (p.45). Arguably, people place immense concerns to the networking function of education to the extent that parents and guardians object and regulate the choices of colleges available to students. The main aim of limiting these options being predominantly inclined on the perception that kids should only attend colleges where they would find their perfect matches. Proponents of the functionalism theory tend to advocate for the sarcastic two-fold roles served by education, which entangles changing of cultures coupled with preservations of cultures. â€Å"As students move through colleges, as well as beyond, their liberty increases, as they encounter a variety of perspectives† (Fine Weiss 1998, p.39). Borrowing from this line of view, it is perhaps subtle to argue that less educated persons are largely conservati sm while their educated counterparts are incredibly liberal in nature. A heavy emphasis lies on the higher education to inculcate the spirit of research. This has the capacity to make students subjects of changing values and initiators of knowledge evolution. From the functionalism dimension, education then serves to preserve coupled with skills and knowledge transmissions. In this end consequently, education is merely a transforming tool for the society. Somewhat controversial and yet debatable function of education pegged on functionalism theory entails the argument that education fosters family placement of people. Despites the imminent controversies surrounding this function of education, perhaps its advocating is critical since the modern curriculums incorporate various aspects that would foster family placement of people going through such curriculums. Such aspects include sexuality, development of careers and discipline. However, a good number of parents opposed to this funct ionalism function of education opts for home-based–schooling for their children or alternatively place them in privately established schools that are run consistently with values they advocate. Opposed to the above concerns of social functionalism theory of education conflict theory â€Å"†¦sees the purpose of education as maintaining social inequality and preserving the power of those who dominate society† (Henry, Knight Lingard 1988, p.15). The conflict theory consequently indebts itself to concerns of social order. Conflict theorists claim that education has a principle and noble role in fostering social order. In this context, and in the most general sense, conflict theorists widely concur that education emerges as one of the tools that erode the concepts of status quo rather enhances the spread of social inequality. With regard to Sargent, these inequalities are acerbated by the fact that to some extent educational systems serves to create ways of segregatio n of the broader society population into social classes (1994, p.89). Members belonging to the lower social classes are more often accustomed to remaining obedient workers. As a way of comparison, both theorists strike to a consensus that education produces some kind of sorting. However, they immensely fail to agree on the manner in which education enacts such a sorting process. Sociologists who subscribe to functional theory of education argue that education sorts based on merit. On the other hand, conflict theorists posit that education systems seek to sort people based on ethnicity coupled with distinct classes. As Ball, Maguire, and Macrae (2000) notes â€Å"conflict theorists, proclaim that schools train those in the working classes to accept their position as a lower-class member of society† (p.57). This province of thought, on the other hand, as referred by subscribers of conflict theory, is a â€Å"hidden curriculum† that education serves to uphold as part of i ts roles. In the two theories, formal education guided by curriculum preset by the state forces produces some kind of social imbalance. For conflict theorists, a clear difference exists between schools located in two contrasting regions. For the regions occupied by the rich, schools receive excellent funds and hence stand better chances of attracting the best staff to administer the curriculum. On the other extreme, those schools situated in the poor regions have lesser funds available to them and hence attract moderate staff. With these differences in mind, conflict theorists argue that such differences end up reflecting themselves in the performance of students in schools. More sad is the fact that poor performance at the elementary level somewhat determines the destiny of the individual concerned. Maguire, Wooldridge, and Pratt-Adams agree with the line of thought and lament that â€Å"students who attend high-class schools gain substantial advantages in getting into the best co lleges and being tracked into higher-paying professions† (2006, p.109). These advantages of attending high-class schools are largely unavailable to students who attend less affluent schools. Conflict theorists claim that more often than not such students end up in technical and or in vocational training centers. Worse, still, once this kind of imbalances is established within a society, it normally is truncated from one generation to another. In this context, therefore education serves to maintain the dominance of wealthy and affluent members of the society in leadership of almost every sector of economy. Additionally, the functional theory also appreciates the likelihood of formal education to foster existence of social imbalances. In the course of ranking people based on their abilities, some imbalances are produced which in one way or another ends being truncated down to subsequent generations once they are established. From the preceding discussion in previous sections, pe ople have argued that the net effect of measuring student’s abilities through performance indicators such as tests is to produce some sort of prejudiced indication of the abilities of the students. Background characteristics of students play pivotal roles in determining the performance of the students in schools. Since these backgrounds are eminently valid for deferring number of students, this variation reflects itself in their performance. Arguably, the standardization of performance indicators without relative or correlation factors to accommodate the variation in the backgrounds of student produces some imbalance. In this regard, educational system tends to favor the advantaged people in the society. People who subscribe to conflict theory in unison agree on the capacity of the economics status of the affluent members of the society to favor them in economic terms and hence can afford best education. As this is not enough favor, testing procedures deployed in schools also tends to favor the affluent members of the society. The poor consequently suffer twin challenges. In fact, intelligence quotient tests are among the testing procedures that proactively favors the affluent class of people. Intelligence test happens to be one of the tests employed to segregate students in terms of their abilities based on the scores recorded from these tests. Other than inability to produce standardized results tests since they do not appreciate the differences among those they test for intelligence, Bourdieu see more trouble being acerbated by such tests, Bourdieu (1977) claim that â€Å"tests, which claim to test intelligence, actually test cultural knowledge and therefore exhibit a cultural bias† (p.69). This perhaps presents a paradox, since people believe education to serve as the tool for a breakdown of cultural biases and in the modern age: promote global cultural diversity. Again, even though modern educationists claim that education is predominantly c ulturally neutral, this is perhaps not the case based on both conflict and social functional theory of education. It is evident from the theories that education bases itself on some background knowledge. This background knowledge often is culturally sensitive. Arguably, this thinking posses substance since the very initial knowledge that helps an individual to attach meaning to the environment he or she lives is based on the characteristics of this environment that one is put in immediately after being born. People who have differing artifacts dominate this environment. The construction of these artifacts differs based on people’s culture. Considering the differences and similarities in the concerns of the two theories of education, perhaps one can establish a compromise between the two that mitigates the imbalances and foster the positive aspects of each of the theories. This way we can challenge our understating on the role of education and settle on mechanisms that would p erhaps call for adopting a mechanism for ensuring that the education and its testing procedures end up being more reflective of the abilities of the students both academically and in extracurricular activities. There may be many ways of mitigating the imbalances. However, some of them would entail the provision of correlation factors in the scores recorded by students upon conduction of various tests on them such as intelligence tests while attempting to sort them out. These correlation factors need have factors that help to accommodate the various differences existing among students among them cultural differences, and economic differences among others. This way perhaps the dominance of one group of people in the best jobs would cease and hence produce a better equal society. There would be the mediation of the traditional role of education to maintain some discriminatory social order. Consequently, introspecting the roles of education from varying dimensions: from functional theor y or conflict theory would lead to striking to neutral point at which the role of education in the society would end up to foster equality other than propagating inequality. Conclusion The paper has dedicated itself to scrutinizing social functionalism and conflict theories of education. It has clarified how social functionalism theory entangles looking at educational system as analogous to a human body, which has many organs that must function in harmony for good bodily health. Any institution within the society that indebts itself to social harmony infers some sort of social order (Jones 2003, p.47). As revealed, there is the assurance of social order where the society generally appreciates the moral values that are generally applicable and binding all members of that society. The theory brings education into the picture as to whether it may profile such a role. The conflict theory, on the other hand, encompasses looking at education purpose from the dimensions of being a contribu tor of relationships that guide the society. Based on perception, the relationships are exploitative, subordinate, oppressive, and dominative in nature. A comparison of the two theories reveals that functional and conflict theories of education reveal existence of some social imbalances in their concerns. Education makes people climb up their social ladder by breaking down the barriers that may impair people from accomplishing this noble ability. With this regard sociologists, such Sargen argues that education is â€Å"perceived as one of the best means of achieving greater social equality† (1994, p.30). While some sociology scholars argue that any properly formulated educational system has the ability to achieve this purpose precisely, as the paper discussed others believe that education in one way or another introduce inequalities. These inequalities are reflected in the dominance by some affluent social class members in the control of major jobs that be regarded as the bes t in terms of rewards. The paper has also proposed how careful scrutiny of the concerns of the two theories may help in understanding education better. In this end the paper has argued that introspecting the roles of education from varying dimensions: from functional theory or conflict theory would lead to striking to neutral point at which the role of education in the society would end up to foster equality other than propagating inequality. References Anderson, M., Taylor, H., 2009. Sociology: The Essentials. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Apple, M., 2000. Official Knowledge: Democratic Education in a Conservative Age. London: Routledge. Ball, S, Maguire, M., Macrae, S., 2000. Choice, Pathways and transitions Post-16: New youth, new economies in the global city. London: Routledge. Ball, S., 2004. The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Sociology of Education. Abingdon: Routledge. Basile, G., 2011. â€Å"Implications of Sociological Theories for Brand and Consumer Relationship Studies.â €  International Journal of Management Studies, 13(3), pp. 261-269. Print. Bernstein, B., 1977. Class, Codes and Control Vol. 3. London: Routledge. Bessant, J., Watts, R., 2002. Sociology Australia. Sydney: Allen Unwin. Bourdieu, P., Passeron, J., 1990. Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture. London: Sage. Bourdieu, P., 1977. Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bowles, S., Gintis, H., 1976. Schooling in Capitalist America. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Breen, R., Goldthorpe, J., 1997. â€Å"Explaining Educational Differentials: Towards a Rational Action Theory.† Rationality and Society, 9(3), pp. 275-305. Print. Fine, M., and Weiss, L., 1998. The Unknown City: The Lives of Poor and Working-Class Young Adults. Boston: Beacon Press. Floud, J., Halsey, A., Martin, F., 1956. Social Class and Educational Opportunity. London: Heinemann. Furze, B., Healy, P., 1997. Understanding society and change in Stafford, C. and Furze, B . (eds) Society and Change (2nd Ed). Melbourne: Macmillan Education. Giddens, A., 1991. Introduction to Sociology. New York: W.W. Norton Company. Harker, R., 1984. On Reproduction, Habitus and Education in Robbins and Pierre Bourdieu Volume II. London: Sage Publications. Heath, A., Andersen, R., 2003. â€Å"Social Identities and political cleavages: the role of political context.† Journal of the Royal Statistical Society series, 166 (8), pp 301– 327. Print. Heath, A., Martin, J., Beerten, R., 2001. Old and New Social Class Measures: A comparison of pp 226-243 in D. Rose and D.J Pevalin (eds) A Researcher’s Guide to the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification. London: Sage. Heath, F., Cheung, S., 2007. Unequal Chances: Ethnic Minorities in Western Labor Markets. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Henry, M., Knight, J., Lingard, R., Taylor, S., 1988. Understanding Schooling: An Introductory Sociology of Australian Education. Sydney: Routledge. Jacob, A., 2001. Research links poverty and literacy. New York: ABC Radio Transcript. Jones, K., 2003. Education in Britain: 1944 to the present. Cambridge: Polity Press. Maguire, M, Wooldridge, T., Pratt-Adams, S., 2006. The Urban Primary School. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Meighan, R., Siraj-Blatchford, I., 1997. Sociology of Educating (3rd Ed). London: Cassell. Ogg, T., Zimdars, A., Heath, A., 2009. â€Å"Schooling effects on degree performance: a comparison of the predictive validity of aptitude testing and secondary school grades at Oxford University.† British Educational Research Journal, 35(5), pp. 781-807. Print. Sadovnik, A., 2007. Sociology of Education: A Critical Reader. London: Routledge. Sargent, M., 1994. The New Sociology for Australians (3rd Ed). Melbourne: Longman Chesire. Sullivan, A., 2001. â€Å"Cultural Capital and Educational Attainment.† Sociology, 35(4), pp. 893-912. Print. Wilson, B., Wyn, J., 1987. Shaping Futures: Youth Action for Liveli hood. Hong Kong: Allen Unwin. Wright, M., 1959. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Young, M., 1995. Knowledge and Control: New Directions for the Sociology of Education. London: Macmillan.

Combahee River Collective in the 1970s

Combahee River Collective in the 1970s The Combahee River Collective, a Boston-based organization active 1974 to 1980, was a collective of black feminists, including many lesbians, critical of white feminism.  Their statement has been a key influence on black feminism and on a social theory about race.  They examined the interplay of sexism, racism, economics, and heterosexism. As  black feminists and lesbians, we know that we have a very definite revolutionary task to perform and we are ready for the lifetime of work and struggles before us. History The Combahee River Collective first met in 1974. During â€Å"second-wave† feminism, many black feminists felt that the Women’s Liberation Movement was defined by and paid exclusive attention to white, middle-class women. The Combahee River Collective was a group of black feminists who wanted to clarify their place in the politics of feminism and to create a space apart from white women and black men. The Combahee River Collective held meetings and retreats throughout the 1970s. They attempted to develop a black feminist ideology and explore the shortcomings of â€Å"mainstream† feminism’s focus on sex and gender oppression above all other types of discrimination, while also examining sexism in the black community.  They also looked at lesbian analysis, particularly that of black lesbians, and Marxist and other anti-capitalist economic analyses.  They were critical of essentialist ideas about race, class, sex, and sexuality. They used techniques of consciousness-raising as well as research and discussion, and the retreats were also meant to be spiritually refreshing. Their approach looked at a simultaneity of oppressions rather than ranking and separating the oppressions at work, and in their work is rooted much of later work on intersectionality.  The term identity politics came out of the Combahee River Collectives work. Influences The name of the Collective comes from the Combahee River Raid of June 1863, which was led by Harriet Tubman and freed hundreds of slaves. The 1970s black feminists commemorated a significant historical event and a black feminist leader by selecting this name.  Barbara Smith is credited with suggesting the name. The Combahee River Collective has been  compared to the philosophy of Frances E.W. Harper, a highly educated 19th-century feminist who insisted on defining herself as black first and a woman second. The Combahee River Collective Statement The Combahee River Collective Statement was issued in 1982. The statement is an important piece of feminist theory and description of black feminism.  A key emphasis was on black womens liberation: Black women are inherently valuable.... The statement includes the following points: The Combahee River Collective is committed to fighting race, sex, and class oppression, and also recognized oppression based on sexuality.  These were analyzed not just as separate forces, but interacting forces. The synthesis of these oppressions creates the conditions of our lives.As black feminists, members struggle alongside black men to fight racism, but against black men to fight sexism.If black women were free, everyone would be free, because that would mean all systems of oppression had been destroyed.The Collective would continue to examine politics, including racism in white women’s feminism.  But eliminating racism in white feminism, they said, was the work and accountability of white women.The members believe in the organization of work to benefit workers instead of bosses. The statement recognized many forerunners, including Harriet Tubman, whose military raid on the Combahee River was the basis of the name of the collective, Sojourner Truth, Frances E. W. Harper, Mary Church Terrell, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett - and many generations of unnamed and unknown women.  The statement highlighted that much of their work was forgotten because of the racism and elitism of the white feminists who dominated the feminist movement through history to that point. The statement recognized that, under the oppression of racism, the black community often valued traditional sex and economic roles as a stabilizing force, and expressed understanding of those black women who could only risk the struggle against racism. Combahee River Background The Combahee river is a short river in South Carolina, named for the Combahee tribe of Native Americans who preceded the Europeans in the area. The Combahee River area was the site of battles between the Native Americans and Europeans from 1715 to 1717. During the Revolutionary War, American troops fought foraging British soldiers there, in one of the last battles of the war. During the period before the Civil War, the river provided irrigation for rice fields of local plantations.  The Union Army occupied a nearby territory, and Harriet Tubman was asked to organize a raid to free slaves to strike at the local economy. She led the armed raid - a guerilla action, in later terms - which led to 750 escaping enslavement and becoming contraband, freed by the Union Army.  It was, until recent times, the only military campaign in American history planned and headed by a woman. Quote From the Statement The most general statement of our politics at the present time would be that we are actively committed to struggling against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression, and see as our particular task the development of integrated analysis and practice based upon the fact that the major systems of oppression are interlocking. The synthesis of these oppressions creates the conditions of our lives. As Black women, we see Black feminism as the logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face.

Obesity Epidemic in America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Obesity Epidemic in America - Research Paper Example The causative factors of obesity are, lifestyles, eating habits, genes, workplace conditions, hormonal metabolic factors and recreational practices. Consequences of obesity include ailments, mental and emotional disorders, negative psychological outcomes, and hinders individuals’ performance. Obesity prevalence varies significantly across ethnic and racial disparities as well as socioeconomic status in the American population. In conclusion, obesity can be alleviated using pharmacological intervention, energy variation, public education, behavioral therapy, community-based initiatives and political-oriented solution. Introduction Obesity, weight gained or overweight has remained a contingent issue for a considerable time in health care, among scholars, the US Government as well as the community at large. Obesity is one of the most prevalent health care issues, which is causing worries in the United States. Obesity rates have relatively amplified over the years with its effects experienced in various population groups, and states. To offset the ever-increasing rates of obesity, it is important to evaluate the causes and effects of obesity in the American population. In view of this, obesity is associated with a number of negative physical and psychological consequences. It is attributable to several diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, psychological disorders including withdrawal syndrome, and overall personal degradation. On the other hand, obesity is caused by a range of factors, which include eating habit, sedentary work, genetics, inert recreation and individuals lifestyle just to mention but a few. In this paper, obesity is analyzed at length with respect to its prevalence, causes, consequences, and ways of solving the epidemic. Prevalence Several researches conducted on the prevalence of obesity in America indicate that the rates at which individuals are becoming overweight are ever increasing. In the period between 1986 and 2000, s evere obesity prevalence shifted to the proportion of 1 in 50 Americans from former status of 1 in 200. Besides, extreme obesity has greatly increased at an approximate rate of twenty percent in adults. Decades ago, obesity was a significant health issue among adults, but the situation has changed with time to include adolescents and children. Recent researches reveal that fifteen to twenty five percent of adolescents and children in America are obese with about nine million children aged above six years being obese. According to CDC’s data and statistics on obesity in America, obesity has dramatically increased over the past twenty years and rates remain high. In 2010, state based obesity prevalence ranged from twenty-one percent to thirty four percent in Colorado and Mississippi respectively. All states had obesity prevalence above twenty percent. Thirty six states had twenty five percent or more prevalence with states such Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana Michigan, Kentucky, and Oklahoma having thirty percent or more prevalence. Regional prevalence was a follows; South 29.4 %, Northeast 24.9 %, Midwest 28.7 % and West 24.1 % (CDC, 2012). The findings of the analysis conducted, in 2009-2010 in the US indicate that, approximately forty-one million women and over thirty-seven million men aged twenty years and above were obese. Amidst children and adolescents aged two-nineteen years, about seven million boys and

Module 2 Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 2 Case - Essay Example Several techniques of collecting data on the system requirements have been identified and applied. Among those techniques, the interview method has proven most effective. The advantage of the interview method over the other methods is that, it offers the system analyst a hence to get inclusive responses from the departmental heads. This ensures that all the aspects of the various departments in the firm are integrated into the system. This document outlines some of the steps to be followed in the interview process. The first step in an interview is to select the interviewees. To ensure that helpful information is obtained, different stakeholders should be involved in the interview. Some of the stakeholders would include managers, company employees and the general end user of the system. By selecting interviewees from different departments/ niches, reduces chances of biases in the information obtained. Once the interviewees are selected, the next step would be the development of the interview questions (YouTube, 2015). The questions should be developed such that they are free from ambiguity, and they use a language that can easily be understood by the interviewees. The questions can be either structured or unstructured. The structured type of questions attracts specific and straight to the point answers, whereas the unstructured questions remain open to the respondent to give any answer/ or view. For the purpose of efficiency in data analysis, the bigger percentage of the questions should be structured. The structured questions are appropriate when the expected data from the interview requires analysis to identify some patterns. On the other hand, the unstructured questions are relevant to a scenario where the opinion of the respondent is required. This offers the interviewee a chance to use any words to respond to the question asked. This makes the analysis of the unstructured qu estions difficult as compared to their

The Seattle Times Essay Example for Free

The Seattle Times Essay In one of the letters sent to the editor of The Seattle Times, one sender wrote â€Å"when someone uses binoculars to spy into his or her neighbor’s home, it is the same as crawling through the grass to peer into a window† as a reaction to the story about women blocking their windows with newspapers so as to keep peering neighbors out (Letters to the Editor: Creepy Couple Should Leave Neighbors Alone). The reaction of the letter-writer is guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"false analogy† wherein spying through binoculars is treated analogously with crawling in the grass in order to peer into a window. It is not valid to treat the use of binoculars for spying and peering into the windows after crawling in the grass as the same simply because these two things are entirely different. Peering into the neighbor’s window is far graver because the person behind the act is guilty of trespassing whereas spying through binoculars does not necessarily imply trespassing. In John McCain’s â€Å"Strategy for Victory in Iraq,† the post states that McCain â€Å"supported sending reinforcements to Iraq to implement a counterinsurgency strategy† at a â€Å"critical moment† when violence was at its peak â€Å"after four years of badly conceived military strategy. † The post then claims that the strategy â€Å"paid-off† in March of 2008 as violence considerably decreased. The post goes on to attack McCain’s presidential rival, Barack Obama, by saying that such â€Å"gains would be lost† if the policy of Obama of â€Å"withdrawing most of our troops† and leaving behind only a â€Å"small strike force† is implemented. The reason being argued to that claim is that Obama’s policy is the same strategy that failed in 2006 (Strategy for Victory in Iraq). Such line of reasoning is guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"questionable cause† or of â€Å"confusing cause and effect. † The fact that the decrease in violence in Iraq came after the counterinsurgency strategy suggested by McCain after 2006 does not necessarily mean that his strategy is ultimately the cause of the decline in violence. Moreover, even if it be granted that McCain’s strategy in the past did succeed and has been the primary reason behind the decline in Iraqi unrest, it is not necessarily true in all cases in all times. Conversely, the withdrawal of troops in Iraq does not necessarily mean that a rise in violence will certainly follow just because of a precedent which does not even clearly establish a firm connection between McCain’s strategies and the decline in Iraqi violence. In one of the blogs in the Los Angeles Times, Michael McGough makes the observation that â€Å"a majority of Americans would be willing to vote for a gay or lesbian candidate† because a recent poll indicates so. The statement is guilty of hasty generalization and appeal to popularity precisely because the author makes the poll as the basis of the general claim that a majority of Americans are willing to elect either a gay or a lesbian politician. Just because a poll with a few thousand of individuals as samples indicates that there are more Americans willing to elect a gay or a lesbian individual than those who do not favor that as far as the size of the sample is concerned does not necessarily hold true for the rest of the America population—a population millions more than the sample size of the poll. Further, just because the proposition is popular for a few thousands does not necessarily mean that it holds true for the majority of the larger American population. Lastly, many advertisements are guilty of the fallacy of â€Å"wishful thinking† since a number of these advertisements portray before the public the image of, say, the physique they should have and that, once buying the product being endorsed, the viewing public will have the same physique and image as the ones endorsing the product. For example, Nike has been advertising their products through the years with the use of athletes as product endorsers. In television advertisements, athlete-endorsers are shown wearing Nike products while performing in their sport. It is as if the viewers are being told that they can be like the athletes if they wear Nike sports products. References Letters to the Editor: Creepy Couple Should Leave Neighbors Alone. (2008). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://seattletimes. nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008135620_monletters25. html McGough, M. (2008). The Cleaverization of Michelle Obama. Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://opinion. latimes. com/opinionla/2008/08/the-cleaverizat. html Nike Advertising. (2004). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://xroads. virginia. edu/~CLASS/am483_97/projects/hincker/ad. html Strategy for Victory in Iraq. (2008). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from http://www. johnmccain. com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8. htm