Power: Who Has It What Is It - Essay Example

Power: Who Has It? What Is It? A thorough knowledge on gender and power in relationships, and the manner in which cultural and social beliefs regarding gender are laid down and communicated is critical. The major concern of the social position of men and women is the patriarchal nature of the contemporary society. Men have virtually dominated all aspects of modern life ranging from leadership, work places, and even religion. This trend has over the years been enhanced by social controls that demarcated the traditional roles of men and women.

For instance, men were typically occupying leadership position in areas such as education, sports, religion and politics. On the other hand, women were confined to household chaos. In America, even though evolutionary approach indicate that gender roles have evolved over period of time, women still find themselves disadvantaged in a number of areas (Saha, 2011). Case studies indicate that women tend to earn less than their male compatriots in the same job level. Also, women find it hard to balance between parenthood and work.

Social control and power are concepts in gender studies that bear similarities as both of them are dynamic in nature. For example, women have over the years strayed away from social controls by carrying out roles traditionally reserved for men. Similarly, this power has been enhanced through education that has allowed both men and women to attend similar schools and participate in the same tests. Power comes with the ability to influence a group and not self. This definition has radically redefined traditional roles of men and women in the society.

Therefore, our duty today demands us to concentrate on the visible and invisible roles played by either gender in management of families and societal issues. Among the African Americans, for instance, a significant proportion of men have lost their power in the management of family’s affairs (Hutchinson, 2014). ReferencesHutchinson, S (2014). The White Family: A Case for National ActionSaha, L.J. (2011). Sociology of EducationClass notes – PowerPoint