What kind of society should the United States strive to become - Essay Example

Week What kind of society should the United s strive to become In your view, does the increasing diversity of American society represent a threat or an opportunity Should we acknowledge and celebrate our differences, or should we strive for more unity and conformity What possible dangers and opportunities are inherent in increasing diversity The United States should strive to maintain our diversity. The diversity is where we get our greatest strengths. In a shrinking world, the influence of multi-cultural and multi-ethnic values and ideas is an asset that should enhance our ability to cooperate and communicate with countries around the world. Though it presents us with a unique opportunity, it has the potential to work against us if we fail to create a social attitude to accept these differences. There is a fine line we must walk to maintain our cultural differences without labeling a group as being different. Being set too far apart from the larger society runs the risk of many minorities becoming increasingly separated by prejudice and discrimination. The challenge is to incorporate and preserve multi-value systems without the attitude that can develop in a dominant-minority relationship. What are the differences between multicultural approach and the older, national approach to North American culture Are these two approaches mutually exclusive Why or why not The multicultural approach views our value system as a diverse set of qualities that defines what it means to be an American. The term mulit-cultural implies that the definition is broad and sweeping, encompassing numerous attitudes and beliefs. The older national approach assumed there were a set of traditional American values at the core of our society. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive. Minority groups adopt the prevailing core values of the society in an effort to become more American. Immigrants may develop values based on our constitution or Ten Commandments without rejecting their own unique perspective and cultural heritage. What is ethnocentrism Can you identify your own ethnocentric feelings Please provide a specific example. Ethnocentrism is the belief that our own values and standards are the true and correct ones and cultural differences are viewed as unusual or inappropriate. Ethnocentrism deems our own judgments and values as morally superior than others, which we view as primitive or barbaric. It is a trait that gives us the sense that 'I am right, they are wrong'. When I see an ethnic grocery store or market in a major American city, I am instantly repelled by the bizarre types of foods and what I perceive as unhealthy conditions. I may not even know what the foods are, but my knowledge that they are different is enough for me to develop the perception that they are inferior to my familiar cheeseburger and french fries. My ethnocentrism is making the judgment without regard to well-reasoned thought. Week 2 Define pluralism and explain the ways in which it differs from assimilation. Why has interest in pluralism increased How have contemporary theorists added to the concept of pluralism Pluralism is the process of maintaining distinct social groups that hold and preserve unique cultural differences and values. Assimilation is the process of becoming a member of another group through social contact. It assumes that when groups interact they will adopt mutual values and goals. Over time, the two groups will merge into one without noticeable differences. Pluralism recognizes that values and ethnic traditions are preserved within a group because they offer value to its members in the way of self-image and group power. Interest in pluralism has increased because real assimilation does not seem to be a practical reality. Ethnic identification has become more pronounced as America becomes more diverse and groups cling to and celebrate their ethnic traditions. It is becoming more accepted that the assimilation predicted by Park and others will not come to pass in the foreseeable future. It's important that the study of sociology includes and considers the diverse groups as independent centers of power that deserve respect and dignity. Though not mutually exclusive from the larger American society, they are a lasting and perpetuating force in society. More recent studies of pluralism indicate that it is not only persistent, but may be a continual process of recreation. By studying ethnic groups and culture, it becomes possible to see how the groups interact. Theorists such as Greely and Glazer have recognized the importance of pluralism to support political power and give members of the group higher self esteem through increased self-identification. The fact that the melting pot concept of assimilation has not happened has given researchers greater incentive to study the contributions our diverse groups make to our society. Week 3 Compare and contrast the contact situation for Mexico, the United States, and Canada. What important differences during the contact periods shaped the development of dominant-minority relations Though all three countries came in contact with white Europeans during the contact period, the development and process of contact was quite different from country to country. All three countries were inhabited by native Americans but the motives of the invaders differed. In the United States, the contact period was rapid, often hostile, and based on the acquisition of land. The invaders encountered small tribes without a strong social structure and the Europeans tended to totally dominate them. They aggressively conquered the country and institutionalized their values and traditions. This placed the native population at a marginal role in society. Canada's contact period was more stable and based more on respect for trade and toleration of their differences. The French adopted many native values and intermarriage was commonplace leading to greater assimilation. Mexico was heavily influenced by the fact the Aztecs had a highly organized and strong social structure. Though they were able to conquer the country, the invading Europeans soon assimilated the existing social values of the natives as they adopted and preserved them as their own. What is modern institutional discrimination How does it differ from "traditional" institutional discrimination Explain the role of affirmative action in combating each. Modern institutional discrimination is when institutions and organizations are structured such that it promotes discrimination. Though the organizations may appear and intend to be non-discriminatory, the rules, regulations, and standards favor the ruling majority. Means testing, educational standards, IQ tests, and pre-conditions place an ethnocentric viewpoint on many aspects of life, all designed to benefit the majority. The modern form of institutional discrimination differs from the traditional in that it is more subtle and covert. The traditional form was open and was often in the form of laws. Jim Crow laws and social traditions of prejudice were handed down through generations and attitudes toward the minority were well understood. The modern form may be overlooked as discrimination and go unnoticed by many people. Affirmative action programs have attempted to even the playing field for the injustice caused by traditional and modern institutional discrimination. Historically, minorities have been denied education opportunities. This was traditional, laid out by law and furthered through segregated schools, and lack of adequate educational funding. More recent impediments to minority education have been the IQ test, SAT tests, and inadequate bilingual programs which often placed their achievement behind the white dominated group. Affirmative action has addressed these issues. Week 4 Regarding contemporary black-white relations, is the glass half empty or half full The current status of black-white relations in America has left the glass half full, but the filling of the glass has slowed to a trickle. The first half of the glass was filled with good intentions, constitutional changes, and hope. The reality, however, is that ethnocentricity and modern institutional discrimination have slowed, if not stopped, the filling of the glass. Statistical data confirms the vast differences between the white and black population on economics, education, and real opportunity. Given the information and ideas presented in this chapter, speculate about the future of Native Americans. How likely is it that Native American cultures and languages will survive What strategies of development seem most promising The future of the Native Americans will probably be one revolving more around the reservation rather than assimilation into traditional American culture and society. Urban prejudice and strong Native cultural traditions will continue to present obstacles to Native people from working in a highly urbanized setting. Because of their traditions of storytelling embedded with strong symbolism, their language and traditions will remain intact. Yet, they will probably be relegated to a folk status and not as a basis for real interaction. One of the most promising opportunities for Native Americans is the supply of natural resources that the tribes control. In many areas, tribes are already exploiting the lands to promote tourism and especially casinos. They have also opened up new ventures in mining and energy exploration. Their future strategy will involve the promotion of their resources while remaining a pluralistic group. What is meant by the term "imagined communities" What social, historical, and political forces have contributed to the possibility of such communities Give an example of an imagined community. An imagined community is a group that is connected by social guidelines and encompasses those members who perceive themselves as part of that group. It does not have geographical constraints, is not mutually exclusive, and the members may be unaware of the structure of the community and its members. Rigid borders and constitutional laws drew America together. Though they were of greatly diverse backgrounds and cultures, the people imagined that they were a part of a larger community. If you own a Harley Davidson motorcycle you may consider yourself a biker. You are a member of a special group that has an imaginary common thread. Yet, the diversity of the group coupled with your lack of knowledge of its members makes it an imaginary community. Week 5 What images of Latinas are common in the U.S. society How do these images reflect the experiences of these groups Images of Latinas in America are often stereotypical and based in myth. Women are portrayed as hot headed, while males are portrayed as lazy and lacking a strong work ethic. It is not uncommon for our image of a Latina be one of a person who does not speak English and lives in the Southwest. The true experience of Latinas is often quite different from the popular image. Latinas are generally hard working, ethical, and as well educated as the dominating white society. Summarize the nature of contemporary immigrants from Asia in terms of their motivation for immigrating, their relationship to the U.S. job market, and their relationship to the communities and neighborhoods of their groups Asians have immigrated to America to seek increased opportunities as well as escape oppression and poverty in their country of birth, Many Asians that have been born in the U.S. are often mistakenly considered immigrants. They are a well-defined social group who are on average better educated than the general population. Though they are sometimes perceived as taking jobs from white America, they generally fair no better than the general population at employment or income. They are often a close knit community with a strong social tradition that places an emphasis on family. Neighborhoods often maintain a cultural identity based on their ethnic and cultural traditions. Will white ethnicity survive In what form What is symbolic ethnicity Is white ethnic identity becoming increasingly racial Why White ethnicity is becoming a relic of the past. White ethnic groups were easily assimilated into the dominant group and have done so successfully. Intermarriage has aided the decline of the concept of white ethnic. It will continue to survive in the form of celebrations and traditions handed down from ancestors, but will not be displayed in any meaningful social way. The process of identifying ones self as a member of a white ethnic group based on ancestral tradition, and little else, is known as symbolic ethnicity. The modern use of identifying a group, as related to their heritage, invokes racial identity into white ethnicity. Calling a person Italian-American preserves the concept of heritage and perpetuates stereotypical images even when the concept is imagined and has no basis in reality. Explain why the inclusion of "multiracial" category in the U.S. Census was opposed by organizations such as the NAACP and the National Council of La Raza. How is the hypodescent rule implicated in this political controversy The multi-racial classification on the U.S. census was opposed by the NAACP and La Raza based on their belief that that the multiracial category would lessen their census numbers. This results in loss of political power as well as access to government programs and benefits. The hypodescent rule had traditionally assigned race by the most subordinate race represented in the bloodline. If one parent or grandparent was black, all the offspring were also classified as black. This assured increasing numbers of the minority group from generation to generation. The loss of this rule places minority representation at risk and thus becomes a political issue. Explain the difference between education and enculturation. How does differential access to education determine test performance Give examples Education is the process that society uses to pass on its formal knowledge to certain individuals with access to education. Enculturation is the passing of culture from generation to generation. Education takes place in a formal setting to a limited audience, whereas enculturation is available to everyone that is interacting in the society. Enculturation may be used to teach children a proper time and way to speak to their elders and people in positions of authority. On the other hand, education would instruct the children on the correct sentence structure to use when speaking. Access to quality education is critical to attain test scores which will gain a student access to a quality university program. Access to differing educational standards may be due to unequal funding, or may be the result of political pressures. Bilingual education has recently come under political pressure and is seeing a decline. Immigrant students that have not yet reached fluency in English may fall behind in subjects such as math or science. Once behind, they are likely to stay behind and perform poorly on standardized tests. This approach favors the majority white population and those that speak the accepted form of English. Read More