Chapter 14: Symbolic Interactionism

As I review Newman's text, I am drawn to a number of ideas and issues which were presented in such a way as to give the reader a nuanced understanding of them. I directed my attention specifically towards the first few chapters, seeing as they set a foundation for the remainder of the text. In Chapter 2, Newman introduces three perspectives on social order: the structural-functionist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the perspective which I found to be most enlightening, symbolic interactionism (Newman, 46).

Newman goes on to describe symbolic interactionism as a method which “explains society and social structure through an examination of the micro level, personal, day-to-day exchanges of people as individuals, pairs, and groups” (Newman, 52).

I was further intrigued by this perspective as I began reading about the social construction of knowledge, and ultimately, reality in Chapter 3. Though understanding the nature of reality is a lofty goal, symbolic interactionism aids in the journey by explaining reality as resulting from various causes and consequences (Newman, 58). Furthermore, its proponents suggest that our definition of reality is shaped by our interactions with other beings and that this personal vision of reality then serves as a foundation for each interaction we have, as well as our interpretations of life events.

Two Different Realities

One fundamental reason I was attracted to this perspective is that it applies to my every-day life. I can apply the theory in the form of a lens through which to see the world: each interaction, perception and reaction I have. The reality viewed through a symbolic interactionist perspective is drastically different than the reality viewed passively, or even subconsciously.

Whenever I am in a setting that involves myself and one or more individuals, I can begin to examine societal workings on a micro scale. Now, each time I wave at someone, I realize how easy it is to take for granted that the person I am interacting with understands my gesture. Whenever I make a reference to “going green,” I realize that I am contributing to the reality of the green movement, a larger conception of what constitutes reality. Furthermore, the perspective has shed light on the number of symbols in our society which, without shared understanding, would lead to severe difficulties in societal functioning – think stop signs, or the bio-hazard symbol!

Why Bother Putting These Lenses On?

theosophywatch.wordpress.com

The symbolic interactionist perspective is incredibly valuable in our daily interactions. It has allowed me to realize my role in the construction of what we collectively consider to be real, and how others incessantly influence my own conception of reality.

It is meaningful for me to understand reality in this new way. Questions of reality are timeless- Plato's allegory of the cave, depicted above, serves as a great example. Thus, I have found it important to keep an open mind about this experience we know as reality, and I am always keen to discover a new way of perceiving, and making sense of it. The symbolic interactionist model has allowed me to do so.

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 
http://theosophywatch.com/2012/10/08/the-monkey-trap/

Chapter 13: "A Nation of Immigrants Unsure About Immigration"

Though I was born in the US, I classify myself as a German-American. Both sides of my family have deep, German roots, and I am lucky enough to hold dual citizenship with passports from both Germany and the US. Since I was born on American soil, I do not have an immigration story to tell, however, my ancestors do, and their respective journeys from Germany to the US contrast drastically. These stories will thus allow me to examine differences between immigrant experiences and opportunities as a result of the then cohort and period effects in the US.

My Mother's Side

My mother's side of the family has been in America for five generations. Tracing back almost a century in family history required some research. With the help of family members and the wealth of information that lies in the depths of the interwebs, I was able to find documentation of my immigrant ancestors.

The Ellis Island website has a free service through which you can search through the Port of New York records. In using this resource, I found four of my ancestors, who all came from a small town in Southwestern Germany at the turn of the 20th century. (Source: ellisisland.org)

• Sophie Rechkemmer  
• From: Haberschlacht, Germany; Date of arrival: 1909; Age upon arrival: 21
• Emil Rechkemmer
• From: Haberschlacht, Germany; Date of arrival:  1911; Age upon arrival: 16
• Friederike Rechkemmer  
• From: Haberschlacht, Germany; Date of arrival: 1911; Age upon arrival: 18
• Wilhelm Rechkemmer
• From: Haberschlacht, Germany; Date of arrival: 1911; Age upon arrival: 25   

After finding my family, I became curious as to why these four, relatively young individuals would make the journey to a foreign land without their parents. I discovered that in the Southwest, many Germans were motivated to emigrate due to religious persecution, and were attracted to promises of religious freedom in America. This incentive was magnetized by socioeconomic benefits of emigrating.

At the turn of the century Germany was undergoing mass urbanization and was actually a magnet for migrants (pbs.org). However, along with the growth of the working class came the growth of military power. There were inequalities among classes which resulted in deep social divisions.

According to Jay Winter, a Cambridge historian, individuals congregated “in these huge meat-packing tenements... [living] under conditions which were evidently unjustified. And they were living perhaps a mile away from the Kaiser's palace, couple of miles away from Potsdamm, where the high command lived in these elegant palaces that you can still see today.”

A ship that carried migrants across the ocean in the 1900's
ellisisland.org 

The Rechkemmers likely had to journey to the port city of Hamburg in northern Germany, a trip which in itself could have lasted a week. After acquiring a ticket, the trans-Atlantic crossing could last as long as a month depending on weather and other conditions. Traveling then was no easy feat.

Just a few years after the Rechkemmers arrived in the US, the first world war began. Though I am unsure if any of my immigrant ancestors fought in the war, I do know that my great grandfather, John Rechkemmer, fought and died in World War II, as a second generation German, fighting for America.

Newman notes that “anti-foreigner sentiment tends to be more pronounced in places with a large proportion of foreign populations;” New York city certainly did at the turn of the century (Newman, 454). Furthermore, I could venture to guess that as new immigrants from Germany, they may have been met with prejudice due to America's political relationship with Germany at the time.

Despite the possibilities of resentment and distrust, my ancestors had moved to a land with a growing agricultural sector, with thriving industries, which led the world in iron and steel production, and where people in the cities could enjoy leisure activities. They had arrived in a land of opportunities. Their descendants now live in the small town of Fairbank, Iowa.

My Father

My father's story shows how immigration today differs from immigration at the turn of the 20th century.
After finishing his undergraduate degree in industrial engineering in Hamburg, Germany, (ironically, the city through which my mother's German ancestors left the country) he was given an opportunity to continue his education with a full-ride scholarship at Iowa State University. It was here that he met my mom.

lonelyplanet.com

In a way, my Dad is an immigration success story. He got a PhD in four years, found a job, got married, had kids, and worked his way up the ladder, eventually landing a position as CEO of the company. After years of renewing green cards, he finally made the decision to naturalize, and became a citizen of the United States in 2012. My father and I both got to vote in our first US presidential election this past fall.

His story differs from the Rechkemmers' in that he came to the country alone, and he came for the purposes of education, rather than presumable job opportunities. Immigration is now, technically, more feasible than ever. A trans-Atlantic journey can now take place over the span of one day. Unlike the Rechkemmers, my father has moved back and forth between Germany and the US. In fact, my family and I have lived in Germany twice! This would be a complete anomaly for immigrants in the 1900's.

Furthermore, my father is rarely, if ever, met with anti-foreign sentiments in the US. Though it pains me to say it, there is truth in the fact that my father is not met with criticism because he doesn't look like a foreigner. He is white, and the only thing which indicates difference is his German accent. In America, Latino/as are met with the majority of discrimination among immigrants, who now make up the largest proportion of legal immigrants in the US (Newman, 456). Indeed, it was far more likely for anti-American sentiments to be directed towards my family while we lived in Germany.

While their experiences clearly differ due to socioeconomic climates, both my father and the Rechkemmers shared in their search for opportunity in America.

Modern Attitudes Towards Immigrants

Although America is a country of immigrants, immigration is a recurrent point of debate in politics, and social responses to immigration have varied over the years. Newman sums it up nicely by writing that residents have a “love-hate relationship with immigrants” (Newman, 457).

Discussions regarding immigrants have been especially pronounced with the compression of time and space witnessed in globalization, making the global flow of individuals more rapid and efficient. What cannot be forgotten is that with people come beliefs, values and attitudes, and that individuals cannot be expected to assimilate to a new cultural landscape. Rather, the process of adaptation and adjustment is more realistic, and more likely to result in peaceful relationships between new immigrants and current residents.

Unfortunately, change is often a source of fear in tight-knit communities. Although each day, each moment, presents changes in our collective lives, the presence of an “other” is met with often severe cases of social anxiety. There is a fear that with the arrival of new beliefs, values and attitudes, that the old will be displaced. That immigrants will “encroach on property, clog the educational system, and soak up social benefits (Newman, 454). These grand assumptions stem from a disbelief in the functionality of coexistence.

In difficult times, immigrants become an outlet for anger. With the economic recession and the war in Iraq, the “rally 'round the flag” syndrome plagued America, leading to crackdowns on illegal border crossings in 2009. Anti-foreigner resentment surged after 9/11 with an epidemic of hate crimes, including violence against Sikhs, who are often mistaken for Muslims due to their turbans. (See this article for more information http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/history-of-hate-crimes-against-sikhs-since-911_n_1751841.html)

portland.indymedia.org

America is truly “a nation of immigrants unsure about immigration” (Newman, 459). But in a globalizing world where people are moving from one nation to the next more frequently than ever, a solution more beneficial to our society than violence and discrimination is needed. At the very least, tolerance should be promoted. As President Obama declared in yesterday's inauguration speech, “our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity,” and that “now, more than ever, we must do these things together, as one nation, and one people” (Obama, 201, telegraph.co.uk)

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9816372/Barack-Obama-Inaugural-Address-2013-full-text.html
http://www.enotes.com/1910-business-economy-american-decades
Jay Winter: http://www.pbs.org/greatwar/historian/hist_winter_02_germany.html
http://www.ellisisland.org/search/matchMore.asp?MID=10185915120888184480&LNM=RECHKEMMER&PLNM=RECHKEMMER&first_kind=1&kind=exact&offset=0&dwpdone=1

Chapter 12: Gender as Social Structure

Our society is organized around gender. Of course, gender is not the sole structure which dictates our lives. Many other groups, organizations, statuses, roles and cultural beliefs work alongside gender to create a societal framework that “adds order and predictability to our private lives" (Newman, 278). Such an organization is known as a social structure, and is quite fundamental to the functioning of society.

But what if this perceived order is truly chaos? What if the structure is the cause of suffering and exploitation? What if the mistreatment of women is the predictable part of society?

The current use of gender as a social structure has proved to have scarring effects on innumerable individuals worldwide. Unfortunately, the social structure which, arguably, allows individuals to thrive and for society to function properly, has allowed for gender inequality to persist for centuries.

Gender, specifically, is a framework through which individuals view society. All individuals within the structure are expected to follow gender's patterned guidelines. If they fail to do so, they may be charged by society with a violation of norms, or be shamed into fulfilling their prescribed role as defined by their genitalia. Though perceptions of gender and its applications in society have undergone changes over the years, it remains a major source of discrimination and hurt.

The subordination of women is one example of the gender inequality entrenched in our society. In fact, the “women's struggle to overcome economic, legal, and social inequality is no less relevant in the 21st century than it was in 1848" (Newman, 407). Patriarchal societies easily outnumber matriarchies, giving men, generally speaking, more privileges and a heightened influence in the world. This world view proves influential on an individual level, yet its reach extends to another degree. An understanding of gender as a social structure sheds light on the workings of modern societies, and how ideas of gender materialize on a global scale.

In viewing society through the framework of gender, it becomes apparent that a number of modern, transnational markets thrive on the basis of gendered lines humankind has created, specifically those which have been reinforced in the US. The two examples below will serve to bolster this line of thought.

Exploitation of Female Labor

djcadchina.wordpress.com

Since the mid 1990's, exports from Southeast Asia have been on the rise. Numerous factories in export processing zones (commonly known as EPZs) throughout the region have been established to meet market demands. The majority of these factories are owned and run by men, who hire young female workers to do unskilled repetitive work for low pay.

These are essentially patriarchal environments wherein gender determines the role an individual plays. “Women make up an estimated 70 percent or more of all EPZ factory workforces; but they are concentrated in the 'unskilled' and 'semi-skilled' job categories, categories which managers, not workers, define and redefine” (culturalsurvival.org).

Hours are long and wages are low. “Many of the girls are younger children of families that already have a son” (Hays, 2008). While families invest in sons and send them to school, females are sent to work in factories to earn money for a dowry. The subordination of women is thus reinforced in all realms of life.

The lists below showcases a number of stereotypes about the female gender and highlights managers' preferences for young females as factory workers (Rig, 1997). From these lists we can gather a better understanding of how a gendered framework can be translated from one society to the next.

• Physiological factors:‘Nimble’ fingers; Dexterity; Light touch
• Psychological factors: Patience; Concentration; Harder working; Passive and docile; Controllable; ‘Slow wit’; Higher boredom threshold
• Socio-cultural factors: Non-political; Less prone to unionization than men; Easier to sack than men;‘Fearful and shy’
• Situational factors: No dependents; No parenting responsibilities.

In the US, compared to men, “women continue to have much less earning power in the labor market” (Newman, 429). Unfortunately, the devaluation of female labor is a global phenomenon. The role gender plays in structuring society has clearly played a large part in determining the demographics of such factories. While the example of female factory workers in Southeast Asia is extreme, it shows the extent to which gender structures society, and how influential such frameworks can be.

Human Trafficking 

stopthetraffik.wordpress.com

Another prevalent issue in gender inequality is the objectification of women, and expressions of personal sexism in the form of sexual harassment and violence. Female objectification has arisen partially due to dominant cultural ideologies which devalue women “on the basis of alleged biological differences between men and women,” overlooking the role of societal forces (Newman, 437).

The most widespread and arguably most dangerous manifestation of female objectification and sexism is human trafficking for the sex industry. According to the US Department of State, “approximately 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors;” 70% of them are “trafficked into the commercial sex industry” (USDS, 2007).

Human trafficking is a worldwide phenomenon, transcending national boundaries, responsible for the flow of thousands of women from one location to another, against their will, subject to rape, sexual harassment and assault, in an industry largely controlled by males. Survivors may spend the rest of their lives recovering from deep mental and physical wounds, suffering from PTSD, depression, or STDs.

The large numbers of females being trafficked for purposes of the sex industry each year attests to the fact that gender distinctions continue to be deeply entrenched in societies around the world. In a world dominated by matriarchies, where women are preferenced, even prized, such a horrid industry would likely be unfathomable. Arguably, with the current dominance of capitalism, wherein capital is privately owned, and goods and services are sold for a profit, females are not only objectified, but more easily marketed as commodities. Have years of female subordination in more subdued forms, such as segregation in the workplace, inequality in education, the media and families, opened the doors for this commodification of women?

An Individual Encounter with Gender as a Social Structure 

familyinequality.wordpress.com

It would be naïve to assume that gender inequality is a thing of the past, that by defining myself as a female the world presents equal opportunities to me as it would a male, that I can expect equal pay, and never expect to be reduced to an object.

Each time I go to a public restroom I am categorized. Am I the stick figure with a skirt or pants? Whenever I fill out a questionnaire or application I am forced to place myself in one of two boxes, male or female. As a young female I am told not to walk alone at night, to fear the very society in which I live because due to my sex I am more likely to be a victim of sexual harassment.

As I child, storybooks and movies told me that when I was older, I would get married to a member of the opposite sex, and have children. I would become a housewife and, as a female, would spend my time cooking, cleaning and taking care of the kids, all free of charge, which my husband spent the day at work. It wasn't long before I realized that I wasn't going to follow these prescribed directions.

Our social structure depicts such gendered narratives through various institutions and organizations. Yes, these values are deeply entrenched in societal workings. Yes, women continue to be objectified and discriminated against despite calls for equality. However, in taking a step outside of the picture, putting your sociological glasses on, and seeing, perhaps for the first time, the frame through which we view the very scenes in which we live, we can cultivate awareness of gender as a social structure.

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

Hays, 2008: http://factsanddetails.com/Asian.php?itemid=2555&catid=62..

Anita Chen, Wall Street Journal, October 29, 1996
Rigg, Jonathan (1997).  Southeast Asia: The human landscape of modernization and development. London: Routledge
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/third-world-women-factories
U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report: 2007.
U.S. Department of Justice, Assessment of U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons: 2004.
http://www.cicatelli.org/titlex/downloadable/Human%20Trafficking%20Statistics.pdf

"I Have a Dream"

On August 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the famed "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC. His speech included the following quote:

"And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!"

However, fifty years later, "racial discrimination is still very prevalent in the lives of members of ethnoracial minorities" (Newman, 381).

This BBC story, featuring Clayborne Carson, one of the demonstrators at the March on Washington in 1963, discusses the changes America has seen regarding race and equality since the civil rights movement. Ultimately, the story focuses on the extent to which president Obama has brought America closer to MLK's vision. Does King's dream remain unfulfilled? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21034472


Sources:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

Chapter 11: Globalization as a Pathway to a Race-less World?

lindasandelpettit.com

In Chapter 11, Newman writes that "racial categories are not natural, biological groupings. They are created, inhabited, transformed, applied, and destroyed by people." (Newman, 362).

Over the course of human history we have seen this narrative unfold. For the purposes of this post, the United States will serve as an example. Race emerged as a means to differentiate between people of different skin color. In 1870, five races were included in the US census: White, Colored, Mulatto, Chinese, and Indian. Individuals were allotted one of these headings based on their complexion as well as their ethnic origin. With time, conceptions of race transformed, and so did the categories through which the conceptions were materialized. By 1890, there were four different racial categories solely accounting for Blacks, including Colored, Mulatto, Quadroon, and Octoroon. As we know all too well, these categories have been applied and integrated into the lives of American citizens in various ways throughout history. However, in consideration of the world's current globalizing climate, Newman's final stage in the life of racial categories is of particular interest, namely, its destruction.

Before we begin examining the destruction of race we must understand what exactly race is. Race is an abstract concept. It is not something that we can point to, write an equation for, or draw on a piece of paper. It is not universally agreed upon, nor does it transcend the limits of time and space. Rather, its definition varies from one social group to the next, and within each social group, the definition of race has fluctuated historically. All of these characteristics lead to the illumination of race as a social construct.

A social construction is a “process through which the members of a society discover, make known, reaffirm and alter a collective version of facts, knowledge, and 'truth'” (Newman, 56). Thus, race is not a scientific truth. It is merely an idea that is made true by people. Indeed, race was created by people. Therefore, it can be destroyed by them.

With the compression of time and space, and the increasing interconnection between people across the globe, the destruction of race as we know it is now more likely than ever. The increased movement of people across national boundaries has made it increasingly difficult to characterize a nation state based on its ethnicity or race. With a new ease of travel and the transcendence of national boundaries, people are more likely to be affiliated with more than one nation state. They may consider themselves Irish Americans, British Indians, or German Turks, for example.

Furthermore, the rising numbers of immigrants and frequencies of interracial marriages have led to a growing population of mixed-race individuals who fit into more than one category on the census. According to Newman, “more and more US adults feel comfortable simply shedding the ethnic identities they were born with and taking on new ones” (Newman, 361). Bolstering this argument, Susan Saulny from the New York Times notes that “many young adults of mixed backgrounds are rejecting the color lines that have defined Americans for generations in favor of a much more fluid sense of identity.” (New York Times, 2011). Could the blurring of racial boundaries, becoming more commonplace worldwide, lead to its transcendence?

Individuals are coming into contact with other people from different parts of the world, who have different conceptions of race, what it means, and how it is applied in society. The changing population has clearly thrown the viability of race into question. Whether or not there will be a complete elimination of the social construct we know as race is yet to be determined. What we can be sure of is that the social construction of race continues to undergo distinct changes, evolving at speeds perhaps faster than ever before.

Sources:

Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

Saulny, 2011: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/us/30mixed.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Chapter 10: Social Class and Inequality: What Poverty Looks Like

In a society, the poverty line, determined by the federal government, is an amount of annual income required for a family to “meet its basic needs” (Newman, 357). In 2012, “the official poverty line was an annual income of $23,021 for a family of four” (businessweek.com)

In order to bring the poverty line into perspective, I've created an imaginary family, who, for the purposes of this assignment shall be called the Socios. The Socios live in a Minnesota suburb, south of the Twin Cities, and represent a family of four: two parents who work, one seven-year-old child who attends elementary school, and one three-year-old who requires day care.

The Socios require a number of services and goods to function at a minimum subsistence level in society, i.e., the poverty line (Newman, 355). Of course, these elements do not come free of charge. In order to begin calculating the Socio family budget, I used the Economic Policy Institute's website (epi.org). Although their most recent data is from 2008, it allowed me to create a rough estimate of the expenses a family of four in rural Minnesota pays to get by:

$600 - Housing 
$500 - Food
$800 - Child Care
$400 - Transportation 
$550 - Health Care 
$200 - Other Necessities 
$3150 - Monthly Total

With a monthly total of $3,050, their annual expenses would amount to $36,600, a significant step up from the 2012 poverty line of $23,021(businessweek.com). So, what can we begin to cut out of the Socio's budget?

wikipedia.org

The Socios could reduce spending in the “Other Necessities” category by around $50 if they began shopping at second hand stores such as Goodwill for clothing and some household goods. They could also get rid of their cell phone plan, costing on average about $50 per month (business.time.com)

In order to subsist, the Socios could decrease the frequency of their regular checkups at the doctor, and dentist, only going in in the case of an illness, saving them around $150 per month.

grocerycoupons2012.com

The Socio's could reduce the cost of nutrition by cooking their own food, avoiding eating at restaurants and buying drinks at coffee shops, buying items on sale or using coupons at the local grocery store, and most importantly, buying nutritionally efficient foods –   peanut butter (calories consist of healthy fats and protein) instead of jam (less calories, and most come from sugar). The Socio's could also save by increasing their water intake and reducing intake of juices and sodas. This could amount to savings of up to $100 per month for a family of four.

In a rural suburb, it might be possible to find an in-home day care center with reduced costs, saving them up to $200. However, Minnesota is one of the most expenses states in the country for child care, ranking second in nationwide costs of center-based child care (startribune.com)

alanwebber.com

Cutting down on shower times, only running the dishwasher when its full, keeping their home a few degrees warmer in the summer and a few degrees cooler in the winter, and only using lights when needed could save the Socios around $20 per month, barely making a dent in their budget cuts.

Finally, if the Socio's were able to sell one of their cars, or even use public transportation, they could cut their transportation budget in half.

Below is a revised budget plan, taking all of the above options into consideration:

$600  --->  $580 - Housing 
$500  --->  $400 - Food   
$800  --->  $600 - Child Care
$400  --->  $200 - Transportation
$550  --->  $400 - Health Care
$200  --->  $100 - Other Necessities
$3150 ---> $2280 - Monthly Total

With a monthly total reduced to $2,280, I have reduced the Socio's annual expenses to $27,360. But this still exceeds the poverty line of $23,021 by about $360 per month! In order to make ends meet, the Socios would be forced to reduce their caloric intake, or move out of their current home. If one of the Socios quit their job to reduce transportation and child care costs, they would lose half of their income, and would no longer be able to pay for other necessities. If either of their children became ill, they would be forced into a financial crisis.

This is what poverty looks like.

Their quality of life would obviously be incredibly poor. Living from paycheck to paycheck, and being forced to live without things that a majority of Americans take for granted daily.... as I sit here typing on my laptop in the warmth of my own apartment. See what I mean? This kind of lifestyle contributes to a great deal of anxiety, and could even lead to more serious conditions like depression. The sense of hopelessness created by never having quite enough, according to societal norms, can easily lead to modes of thinking that spiral viciously downward.

Affluent families can afford to take time off work and use saved money to travel, buy presents for their children on their birthdays, and give them the security of having funds saved for their eventual college education. Affluent families have the security that they will one day be able to retire, with enough money in the bank to provide them with a comfortable lifestyle for the rest of their years on earth.

Living in such an environment would have severe implications for children. The 3 year-old in child care lacks contact time with his/her parents. The separation from parents, and connection with adults at day care center could likely cause a sense of confusion for the 3-year-old, and a sense of insecurity which could materialize in various ways throughout the child's life. The 7-year-old would also lack the comfort of always having a parent at home, yet would develop a sense of independence early on, learning to take care of themselves and perhaps their younger sibling also. Having many responsibilities at a young age could translate into dealing well with large responsibilities later in life. Knowing how little the children would have in such a household, they would be taught to appreciate the little things in life, a precious quality, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, if the parent's financial situation persists, statistics show that the children won't fare as well in the educational system as their affluent counter parts. Newman notes that the educational deck is stacked against poor people, and that “even if they graduate from high school, most poor children can't afford to attend college” (Newman, 340). Even then, if they do make it to college, the odds of their success are still significantly less than students from affluent families. Class structure is clearly translated onto the field of the American education system.

http://lygsbtd.wordpress.com

I cannot fathom how living at the poverty line, or even slightly above it, constitutes “subsistence.” In writing this post I have realized the endless hindrances in attempting to balance a poverty line budget, along with the various resulting hardships. It seems to me that even with a budget hovering above the poverty line, a family of four would be living in absolute poverty, unable to sustain a healthy existence.

Sources:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-09-12/us-poverty-rate-unchanged-record-numbers-persist
http://www.startribune.com/local/166351706.html?refer=y
http://www.epi.org/resources/budget/
http://www.jobsnowcoalition.org/reports/2010/cost-of-living2010.pdf
http://adage.com/article/special-report-american-consumer-project/necessities-consumers-live/230981/
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2012/CostofFoodNov2012.pdf
http://business.time.com/2012/10/18/47-a-month-why-youre-probably-paying-double-the-average-cell-phone-bill/

Assignment 9: The Contemporary American Education System as Factory

American Education Factory
illustrationsource.com

I liken the educational structure in the contemporary United States to a large factory composed of many parts. This factory, though made up of millions of individuals, exists above the individual level. In essence, the factory is a setting where these individuals can interact with one another, like parts of an intricate machine, forming relationships with one another, working together day in and day out. Each member of the factory is profoundly impacted by its detailed structure, though not necessarily in the same way. An illustration of how the factory has impacted one individual, however, will shed light on these inner factory workings.

Society of Sameness?

Like most modern factories, the educational system is based on algorithms and patterns. It is predictable and orderly, and thus the American educational factory, comes with a sense of regularity. This regularity is something I have taken for granted as a 15-year member of the factory. Each Saturday, I wake up and know due to regular practice, and reliance on factory patterns, that I do not have to go to class. It is a day off, and I am aware that I don't have to return to campus until Monday, just like last week and the week before. To remember the days of the week, and what I am supposed to do on these days, I have been encouraged by the factory to keep a planner. I may never have picked up a planner if it hadn't been for the factory, I may not have had any need for it. Nevertheless, I am now largely governed by whatever text is scribbled into the lines underneath a day's date.

With my sociological goggles on, looking at the factory from an outside perspective, I wonder how students avoid becoming incredibly bored, following the same routines week after week, fall, holiday break, spring, summer break, year after year. I then realize that the factory encourages us to believe that each semester, or at the very least, each year is wholly different from the last. We get to choose new classes (though our “choice” is limited by graduation requirements), and are given a new label based on our standing in the factory, freshman become sophomores, sophomores become juniors, and so on.

Sense the sameness?
Payne, 2012

It's a bit like Hostess desserts, all of which are made of some mysterious amalgamation of flour, HFCS, animal shortening, and soy lechitin, yet are disguised by variations in food dye, artificial flavoring, and the shape the ingredients are molded into, to make each product appear exciting, new and different.

In order to keep the dreamers, like me, in line, a number of organizations have designated homes within the American education factory. School districts, advanced placement programs and parent-teacher associations are all organizations which I have encountered through my many years in the factory. I have also been a member of different groups over the years, each of which has a predetermined function in the machine. I am currently working closely with a group at Hamline called the  International and Off Campus Programs Office which will serve to prepare me for studying abroad this fall.

Organization and Expectation:

Each organization, and each group in the American education system is composed of individuals. Each of these individuals has a status, and it is important to note that members of the same group need not share identical statuses. I currently hold the status of an undergraduate student. With status comes role expectations.

These expectations are outlined for students by a number of entities whose statuses define them as more powerful than the student body. Professors outline expectations in the form of syllabi, and the university outlines academic expectations in the form of the Hamline Plan. Role expectations are not by definition rigid or fixed – they can vary within a status. For example, while some professors allow the use of laptops or tablets in the classroom, others ban all electronic devices. In other classes, we are expected to turn in all of our assignments via an electronic device. Being an undergraduate student thus requires a level of fluidity.

Through expectations, the factory has assisted me in finding my niche. Over the years, the factory has given me opportunities yet has forced me to narrow my path. It is an expectation for college students to declare a major. This is a lot to ask for from a 17 year old high school graduate, but the system had given already me direction. After not doing so well on the AP Calculus exam, I knew that I would not under any circumstances be pursuing a mathematics related major. However, I only knew this because I was required to take a certain number of math classes during my high school career. Other early requirements which I truly enjoyed have led me to my current major. Thus, my life choices have been impacted by factory rules and requirements

Cultural Beliefs:

As my sophomore year of college ended, I debated leaving the education social structure all together. One of the reasons for this was the immense amount of pressure that is put on students in contemporary American education systems. As a recovering perfectionist, the pressure was magnetized. Not only did I have to maintain my GPA for the system, I was doing it for myself, for my future. Failure was not an option. This is a belief that I committed to memory, shaped by the numerous professors, advisors, and peers I had encountered in the factory. This is a slogan they display on oversize banners on factory walls. Of course, my inner perfectionist took a hold of it and ran. Nothing below a B was acceptable.

Again, sociological goggles in tow, the idea of being motivated by one of the 26 letters in the alphabet became sickening, almost as grotesque as the thought of the many individuals who value their self worth by a number on a scale. These are mere symbols! Yet the fear of failure looms.

Grades as determinants of salaries?
abcnews.go.com

So why am I still here, crafting a blog entry for a sociology class, for which I will be assigned one of those mysteriously powerful letters? Cultural belief is indeed a powerful thing. In America, it is widely acknowledged that having an undergraduate degree will make it easier to get a job, that education will bring opportunities, and acquiring a piece of paper embellished with a stamp, signatures, and some academic jargon will determine the life and fortunes that are ahead of you. Or is it more realistic to believe that the more money you spend on your education, the more successful you'll be?

Cynicism aside, education does determine your life chances and choices (Newman, 279). If I had not graduated from high school, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to continue my education. The chance to study abroad is one which I have had the opportunity to access via education. I have had chances to meet a number of beautiful souls whom I may have never had encountered had it not been for the education factory. Furthermore, it is a reality that a diploma will alter job prospects for me.

Each time I sign an attendance sheet, or turn in an assignment I am confirming my role as one tooth of a gear that is the student body. All teeth on this gear play an important function – their compliance is required for the continuous functioning of the mammoth factory that is the American education system. It is a social machine, a system which relies on the collective cooperation of all members involved, each gear, bolt and screw, has their place. Eventually, we gain a different status or function within the education machine, or perhaps, we leave it all together. Regardless, the contemporary American education factory impacts the lives of all who enter.

Couldn't resist adding this image from the movie, "Pink Floyd The Wall"
depicting a teacher forcing students through an educational meat grinder
\pyxurz.blogspot.com

Sources:
http://www.illustrationsource.com/stock/image/53619/business-school/?&results_per_page=1&detail=TRUE&page=8
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 
Amy Payne, 2012: http://blog.heritage.org/2012/11/20/morning-bell-can-hostess-save-the-twinkies-from-the-union/

http://pyxurz.blogspot.com/2012/03/pink-floyd-wall-page-4-of-4.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/story?id=6371073&page=1

Assignment 8: Constructing Difference: Social Deviance

Deviance is described as “behavior, ideas, or attributes of an individual or group that some people in society find offensive” (Newman, 273). Often times, the acts and behaviors of deviants are criminalized, further emphasizing the definition of deviant in any given society. In seeing the deviant publicly shamed, put on trial, medicated, or even hospitalized, the average American is reminded to act within the boundaries of societal norms.

One sociological theory for grappling with the subject of deviance is the labeling theory. Advocates of the theory suggest that “deviance is the consequence of the application of rules and sanctions to an offender” (Newman, 273). In punishing drug lords, serial killers, pedophiles, and thieves, law enforcement agencies have taken the first step in applying a new identity to these individuals, that of a deviant. Society, on a larger scale, however, is responsible for making the identity stick.

Figure 1: "Miracle" weight loss pill -
a quick solution for American "fixers"
forbes.com

In publicly displaying deviants being punished for their acts, usually dramatized in the form of popular media, a binary picture is framed: “us” vs “them.” American citizens follow the rules. Those who do not, can not be accepted in society. Let's face it, America is a “fix-it” society, and in this fast-paced environment, the quicker the solution the better (figure 1). If somebody isn't living their life according to the norms and values established in this society, they are imprisoned. If somebody is behaving in a way unacceptable to the general public, they are medicated. The divide between “us” and “them” grows stronger with each publicized case, and subconsciously reminds the average American of what constitutes normal behavior.

Like most black and white divides, the “us” / “them” binary is dangerous, often inaccurate, and serves the purpose of a powerful class of people. Human beings are too unique to be categorized into two boxes. Even the definitions of male and female in the realm of sex and gender cannot account for a  significant percentage of the population. When limited to two categories we are forced to make generalizations, which sometimes become stereotypical.

Furthermore, the “us” making decisions about what constitutes a deviant being, and how we should react to them is left to those with relative power in society, including doctors, police, lawyers, and policy makers. Because of their power, individuals in such positions are often considered immune to deviant behavior, despite the fact that individuals in such positions are human, and deviance occurs. What is most important to remember is that when deviants emerge in this class of society, the coverage of their actions differs tremendously from, say, a strung out meth addict. In some cases, their actions are not even publicized, with the intent of protecting the “us” / “them” division which our society relies upon for order. Most notably, it is highly likely that the labeling theory won't even come into play in such cases, and even if it does, the label is less likely to stick. For members of such powerful institutions, deviant behaviors are considered one time slip ups, quickly forgiven.

Figure 2: A public display of deviance
 in Redwood City, CA, 2004.
Paul Sakuma, AP

Perhaps the most important function of the “us” / “them” binary is to produce a sense of fear in citizens.  In making drug lords, serial killers, pedophiles, and thieves the subject of news coverage, they are often framed in ways which make them seem less than human. For example, Scott Peterson, charged for murdering his wife and unborn son in 2004 was described by his prosecutor as “the worst kind of monster,” a statement which was later published in the New York Times (Murphy, 2004). Depictions of deviant Peterson as monster were reinforced in magazines and on billboards around the country (Figure 2). Such statements serve two functions with both rely on fear as an emotion. The first is to evoke fear of the “other,” i.e. the deviants in society, and the second is to reinforce acceptable behaviors by invoking fear of the punishments associated with deviance.

Edward Said (1935 - 2003)
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg

In writing about the “us” / “them” division regarding sociological deviance, I am reminded of the  colonialist narratives discussed by Edward Said in Orientalism (1978). Said's argument can indeed be used as a paradigm to fit the current attitude towards deviants in American society. Said's criticism of orientalism begins with the presentation of an “us” vs. “them” binary, namely, the occident vs. the orient, East vs. West, or civilized vs. uncivilized. In order to reinforce the idea of an “other,” Said explains that orientalists shaped the orient in part by placing a label on their collective identity, regardless of how inaccurate it was. Furthermore, he suggests that such labels justified the colonization of the orient, shifting power out of the hands of the “other.” Though quite different in scope, the relationship between orient and occident depicted by Said is remarkably similar to that between social deviants and norm-conforming citizens in the US.

Perhaps we can learn from Said's critique of orientalism, and apply it to the field of sociology. How would a critical analysis change our perspective on social deviance and the construction of difference within America? In the end, we are all human beings, subject to nature, nurture, and societal forces. Like orientalism, deviance is a social construct. Keeping this in mind, thus engaging our sociological imaginations, we can be more aware of our participation in the labeling process of “deviant” behavior.

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

Said, Edward (1978). On Orientalism. New York: Vintage. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/10/national/10peterson.html?ref=scottpeterson&_r=0
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/08/15/dr-oz-battling-to-get-his-face-off-miracle-weight-loss-pill-ads/
Sakuma, AP: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4253292/ns/msnbc-deborah_norville_tonight/t/scott-peterson-billboard/#.UPQkK29X2So
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2004/710/cu4.htm

If you're interested in learning more about Edward Said's work, I encourage you to check out the 1998 film, On Orientalism, on YouTube:

Assignment 7: Representation of the Contemporary American Family in Television

A quick look through America's history reveals the many changes the state of the family as a social institution has undergone over time. Described by the US Census Bureau as a unit consisting of “two or more persons, including the householder, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption, and who live together as one household,” the family has proved to be a more controversial subject than is suggested by this definition (Newman, 209). Questions regarding marriages in particular have caused waves of debate throughout the country, raising questions about interracial marriages, same-sex marriages, and polygamy, to name a few.

Our very own families have been partially responsible for shaping our beliefs about what does and doesn't constitute a family. In addition, religious and educational institutions, as well as our race and gender, have contributed to our opinions regarding the contemporary American family. However, when we sit down on the couch at the end of the day to numb ourselves with prime-time television, we absorb images, whether consciously or not, which tell us what a family should look like. An analysis of family makeup in two particular TV series, currently broadcast to households nationwide, will shed light on the current representation of families in the media.

Modern Family

ABC's Emmy-award-winning show, Modern Family, is a comedy revolving around the lives of three related families. The shows central family is a white, upper-middle class family living in a suburban neighborhood. This description alone confirms the family's conformity to the paradigm of an idyllic family from America's past. Indeed, it consists of the husband and wife team Phil and Claire raising their 2 daughters, Haley and Alex, and their son, Luke. For being a “modern family,” the Dunphys appear to be quite “traditional” (i.e. white, heterosexual, married with children), just like those Newman refers to in the mythological “good ol' days” of American family life (Newman, 209).

The two other families in the show, however, begin to paint a slightly more realistic picture of contemporary America. Claire's father, Jay, is married to a much younger Latina woman, Gloria, who also brought her son, Manny, into the marriage. The probability of inter-racial and inter-ethnic marriages is rising- in 2008, 14.6% of couples who married consisted of two people from different racial or ethnic groups, compared with the 6.7% in 1980 (Newman, 202). America's high divorce rate, also increases the likelihood for children like Manny to have stepparents in their lives.

The third family consists of Claire's brother, Mitchell, his partner, Cam, and their daughter, Lily, whom they adopted from Vietnam. The inclusion of a family with a homosexual relationship in television, along with the perpetuation of same-sex marriage debates across the country, indicates a changing definition of marriage. There is hope that if individuals opposed to the inclusion of homosexual relationships in their definition of family begin to feel comfortable seeing such couples on TV, they may eventually become comfortable with the idea of such couples in the real world.

Parenthood

NBC's Parenthood cast picture
chicagonow.com

Parenthood, an NBC drama, revolves around the “very large, very colorful and imperfect Braverman family” (NBC, 2013). Zeek and Camille Braverman, an older married couple, have four children. All of these characters are white, heterosexual, upper middle-class individuals. Their eldest son, Adam Braverman, has a family that serves as a continuation of the so-called familial “golden age” (Newman, 209). He is married to a white woman, and has two children- one daughter, one son. With the inclusion of their dog, their family becomes a spitting image of American nostalgia.

However, among Adam's siblings, a more accurate portrayal of contemporary American families emerges. Crosby, his younger brother, is in a relationship and shares a household with African American character Jasmine, and their biracial son, Jabbar. This family exemplifies the steady increase, according to the Pew Research Center, of the share of births to unmarried women, at 41% in 2008 (Pew, 2010).

Daughter, Sarah, on the other hand, is a single mother of two children: Amber, who now lives on her own, and Drew, a high school senior. In a recent Pew Research poll, single mothers received little support from the American public. Findings suggested that almost 70% believe that single women raising children on their own is bad for society (NPR, 2011). With the predominance of negative attitudes towards single motherhood, TV characters such as Sarah Braverman may increase the acceptance of families such as hers.

Sarah's older sister, Julia, until recently, had a family much like Adam's- she shared a household with her husband and daughter. The adoption of Victor, a Latino, however, has brought some diversity into her otherwise “traditional” family. As in Modern Family, the show is raising awareness about trans-racial adoptions, unaccounted for in the family portrait of the glorified past.

Snapshot of a "traditional" 1950's family
http://carawaymuncefamily.blogspot.com/2008/07/portrait-and-poem.html

While both shows incorporate diverse, “contemporary” families into their plot lines, they still revolve around idyllic families of Western nostalgia. It is almost as if producers are dipping their toes in the waters, not yet ready to completely abandon the imaginary of a familial “golden age” in America, white picket fence and all. While these shows incorporate characters in bi-racial and same-sex relationships, in most cases, they are not married, and are not the core family around which the series revolves. Though the representations of contemporary families in these series aren't wholly accurate, they have broken a threshold to begin expanding existing frameworks, currently limited in scope, to include all American families, each unique in their own way.

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

Parenthood: http://www.nbc.com/parenthood/about/

Modern Family: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/modern-family/about-the-show

NPR, 2011: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/24/134031175/For-Single-Mothers-Stigma-Difficult-To-Shake

Pew, 2010: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/11/pew-social-trends-2010-families.pdf

Assignment 6: Impression Management and the Front & Back Stage Divide

I've lived in five different states in the US, and have lived in two different cities in northern Germany. I am well accustomed to the process of uprooting and re-grounding that has resulted from a number of moves both with and without my family. With each move I had the chance to start over, to create a new “me” in an unfamiliar place. I guess you could say I've had plenty of practice managing my impression -though that certainly doesn't mean I'm any master of it.

Newman describes impression management as the “act of presenting a favorable public image of oneself so that others will form positive judgments” (Newman, 195). Each time I entered a new school and was confronted by a sea of unfamiliar faces, this was my intent. I wanted to be accepted, and to eventually become part of the community alien to me.

I remember engaging in impression management most vividly as I transitioned from a small private school in Hamburg, Germany, to sophomore year in a large public high school in rural Minnesota. Walking into the school I experienced flashbacks of the cafeteria clique scene from Mean Girls- possibilities for impression management endless (2004). As an introverted being, I spent a lot of time observing my new cultural surroundings and began to focus on my appearance as my gateway to fitting in, or at least to avoid sticking out.

The popular students wore name brand clothing, easily identified by an embroidered animal seemingly marking its territory on their body. Wearing such brands became a way for me to project an image of sameness to my peers, in a time when all I wanted was to avoid being singled out as “that girl from Germany.” Perhaps the moose on my shirt would make me seem more normal.

Moose as Management
(polyvore.com)

I also used my hair as a method of impression management. I envied the popular girls who had perfectly straight blond hair. My solution was to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror, ironing my natural curls into straight, lifeless strands, only for the humidity or rain outside to immediately reverse the process.

The girl with the straight hair, wearing name brand clothing was not my true self, but rather, a front stage actress. Front stage, I maintained the high school appropriate appearance as I interacted with peers (Newman, 177). Back stage, however, I let my hair wave naturally, and wore whatever I felt comfortable in, thus violating the impression management performance I put on in school (Newman, 177). As I continued to play the role of the front stage actress, I began to loose touch with my true self, and the divide between front and back stage grew larger.

Soon after high school, I realized the potentially harmful consequences of using my looks to determine self-worth, and thinking that others did the same. However, impression management is an inescapable reality in a societal context. I now find my self managing my impression in different ways, and make a conscious effort to ensure that what I put on the front stage is not too distant from my true self backstage.

openskyyoga.com

As a yoga instructor I was taught to present a grounded, peaceful and nurturing energy to practitioners. In order to do so, I have make use of the back stage by creating a sequence for the class, cleansing the room, and preparing myself energetically. When students arrive, I place my mat at the front of the room, indicating via the use of space that I'm the instructor. I may also have a singing bowl or candles near the front of the room - props which also indicate my role. When the class begins, I use Sanskrit and anatomical terminology, language which I rarely use outside of this front stage context. I can also walk around the room, offering adjustments and modifications to poses, while the students stay on their mats. In this example, the use of props, space and language are emphasized, in contrast with the emphasis on appearance in the high school example.

Practices of impression management are inherent to our societal functioning. In a society where we are required to wear many hats, it is crucial to cultivate awareness of our innermost being which transcends these roles and the void of front stage faces. As we've been told time and time again: It's what's on the inside that counts.

Sources:

Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ_qXmxdgGM

Mean Girls. Dir. Mark S. Waters. Perf. Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Tina Fey. Paramount, 2004.

http://www.polyvore.com/abercrombie_logo/thing?id=16989146

http://www.openskyyoga.com/open-sky-classes

A New Norm?

Kyla Calvert, NPR

This post is inspired by an article I recently read on NPR's website about parents' dissatisfaction with the inclusion of yoga classes in elementary schools in Encinitas, California.

Link: http://www.npr.org/2013/01/09/168613461/promoting-hinduism-parents-demand-removal-of-school-yoga-class?sc=tw

David Newman explains that, after family, the American education system serves as the second most "powerful institutional agent of socialization" (Newman, 152). Because schools have the ability to shape children's values, perspectives, and self-concepts, it is, of course, expected that parents will show interest in what their children are learning in the institutions they are a part of. While, for the most part, institutions work together peacefully for the benefit of society, conflicts in interest do occur across institutional boundaries.

This article is an example of what can happen when two leading agents of socialization, i.e. the family and the school, come into conflict. A number of parents began protesting against the yoga classes due to their perceptions of yoga as being inseparable from its Hindu roots. One of the parents expressed that the yoga classes are "meant to shape the way that they view the world, it's meant to shape the way that they make life decisions" (Calvert, 2012). Despite criticisms, the classes have continued and there are plans to bring the yoga classes to all schools within the Encinitas district in 2013.

The article also highlights the uneasiness associated with changing norms in social institutions. Before the late 1800's when Swami Vivekananda spoke at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, yogic practices were unheard of in America. Now, you can find yoga studios in most cities around the country! And until recently, the concept of incorporating hatha yoga into school curricula was extremely rare. The creation of new norms in a society happens over an extended period of time- the adoption of alternative healing practices into American lifestyles is no exception.

Sources:
Newman, David (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life: 9th Edition. SAGE Publications. 
Calvert, Kyla (2013). Promoting Hinduism? Parents Demand Removal Of School Yoga Class. Jan 9, NPR.

For more about Swami Vivekananda: http://www.vivekananda.org/