New Class Inequality in Education - Essay Example

?Introduction Gender is a major form of social identification in most communities around the world. The condition of being male or female defines thesocial class a person belongs to in most societies and communities. From inception, the role of people has often been shaped by the gender of an individual. However, a lot of things have changed in contemporary society. This paper identifies three main ways through which gender affects identity and social relations in today's world. It will examine three main areas through which gender affects identity and how it affects identity. This will border around social classification, conflict within society and the social presentation of individuals. Social Classification Gender is viewed differently by different scholars and authorities in sociology. In this context, gender is seen as a system of identifying and classifying people into various contexts and components in the society. “Gender identity comes from the centrality of procreation to the reproduction of humankind and with it the sensitivity to sexual matters, biological manifestations of gender and social constraints impinging on gender relations” (Weinreich and Saunderson, 2010 p37). This implies that gender is about the role people play in family systems and family structures. Gender is based on the biological make-up of an individual. And when a person is classified in a given gender, that individual's role with the family and the wider society is shaped by the kind of gender that person has. That could mean a person's role to the family as a mother or father or classification as boy or girl demands certain kinds of social attributes and characteristics that is linked and connected to an individual or a person. The classification of people into social classes based on sex has historical roots connected with self conception and social perception (Unger, 2012). The individual has a tendency to view things based on how he is raised up. A person conceives himself or herself as male or female based on the sex that individual possesses. Based on that the individual builds some kind of perception of what is expected of him or her. Society also sets up some standards and targets for people based on their sexes. This is because when a person is perceived or viewed by society to be of a given gender, that individual will be expected to tow a certain line in society. And this shapes people's personality and also defines social polity. Personal characteristics of people are defined by their gender (Unger, 2012). However, in the contemporary society, people still define themselves on the basis of their gender and sex. This is because personal characteristics are still strongly defined by what people perceive to be normal and what people perceive to be abnormal. In most parts of the world, children are separated in schools based on their sexes. And people still marry and although there is a high degree of egalitarianism, people are expected to move along certain lines when they are married. Contemporary society inherited a system of classification from previous generations that classifies people into masculinity and femininity (Lee, 2011).This gives some kinds of tags that are automatically placed on individuals in society. Masculinity is associated with assertiveness, toughness and self-confidence (Lee, 2011). Thus, in most cultures a boy or man is expected to exhibit these traits. When issues occur, they are expected to hand it “as a man”. This is still the standard in most social systems and most social structures. On the other hand, femininity is connected with tenderness, sensitivity and submissiveness (Lee, 2011). Women are expected to move in that direction. If they go off the normal expectation, they are considered to be somewhat abnormal in most traditional systems and traditional set ups. Social classification has roots in privacy matters and people are often separated in private toilets and washrooms on the basis of their sexes. Prisons are divided on the basis of sexes and different people are kept together based on the gender commonalities they share. Social expectation also revolves greatly around sex. Individual views of life is often classified in most cases, in relation to sexes. Language still maintains some masculine and feminine tags. Some jobs are seen to be masculine and some adjectives still create that distinction. There are differences like actor and actresses, director and directrix amongst others. These reflect the gender segregation and classification that continues to exist in contemporary society. As people grow through puberty, they get to accept some of these tags and divisions in society and come up with various approaches and methods of integrating into the society by naturally tilting towards a given gender line that they belong to (Worell, 2012). Self definition and social classification modern society still exists and remain existent throughout most aspects of modern society. Social Conflict in Society However, gender has been seen as a modern battleground on which ideological conflicts are waged. Most feminist groups seek to fight for equality by using gender as a system of creating an ideological system that is rein of sexual differences and sexual classifications (Worel, 2012). Equal opportunities are advocated for by these feminists. Also, there are people who seek liberal marriage systems and structures like the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community which argues for same sex marriages and unions to be legalised. This calls for the blurring of sexual barriers that are shaped on gender lines and gender foundations. Social views are less dominant and people have had to accept certain changes in society in response to the demands of these parties in society (Worell, 2012). In contemporary society, various forms of languages that seek to place people in particular genders are gradually disappearing. For instance, words like “chairperson” is replacing the concept of “chairman”. Proponent of change often call such words and such conceptions as stereotyping as it seeks to put people in social systems based on their gender (Chrisler and McLeary, 2012). Gender detectives and activities that categorises people into strict gender classes are being challenged by these feminists and LGBT revolutionaries (Chrisler and McLeary, 2012). Gender-type of individuals are often challenged by these groups and this has been the main system of contention between these human rights groups and those who preserve the foundations of gender differences in the society. Several social agents on the other hand seek to preserve gender differences as a means of preserving their fundamental beliefs. For instance, religious groups still appeal for women to remain humble and adhere to the traditional family roles assigned to them (Blodgett, 2009). This is because religion has traditionally supported some degree of harmony and stability in the social system where the family is the fundamental unit of society and a family involves a man and woman who bear children and take care of them (Blodgett, 2009). These groups attack feminist groups and gender groups in support of the formation of role-playing families and social groups. This leads to some anti-transgender system where a human being is to be seen as a neutral non-gender person. Rather, traditional religious groups continue to demand some kind of action to preserve social structures where gender is central in defining the individual. These traditionalists and modern advocates for universal gender systems clash and there is an ongoing conflict between these views. Whilst the traditionalists support the maintenance of social systems and social structures based on the two genders clearly defined and roles defined, the liberals and universalists call for a system where people ought to choose how to express themselves without prejudice of gender. Feminist criticism of mainstream systems began in the 1970s to the 1990s where the traditional system of a full-time father and a part-time mother was abolished in favour of a system where men and women did equal work for equal pay (Roberts, 2012). Thus today, in the modern world feminist groups and entities have been fighting continuously to create a system where gender segregation is not seen in any way or manner. “Gender differentials are practised and reinforced by almost all social institutions. While on the one hand awareness of gender equality grows, the other hand, gender inequality gets firmly embedded in social fabric” (Ratha et al, 2011, p171). Therefore there is a clear case of a conflict between different interest groups who have different views of sex and gender. Gender is therefore a major area of contention where different people and different individuals come up with various representation and identification of what they believe in. Social workers in local communities therefore have an obligation to adjust their views and opinions about the wider community in order to accept the dominant view on gender in the community (Scourfield, 2007). This is because local gender perceptions are fundamental areas of conflict and if care is not taken, a social worker might end up getting involved in a major conflict and a major issue relating to a given sexual orientation or gender issue that might turn out to provide a very wrong impression and view of the community at large. Symbol of Flexibility, Modernity and Liberalism The third facade within which gender is viewed is in the context of liberalism and flexibility. Most communities around the world are known for being liberal and using gender depictions as a method of showing their level of progressiveness. Gender and sexual orientation gained prominence after the 1970s and this has been earmarked as feminist studies. Gender and feminist studies has the following core ideas and concepts at its heart: 1. System for modern liberalisation 2. Sex change and orientation change 3. Traditional V Liberal ideas 4. Freedom and authority (Stromquist, and Fischman, 2009). These three pointers provide some degree of modernism that seek to provide guarantees for civil liberties and human rights. To most people, gender reflects the extent to which a community allows people to do things without limitations or restrictions based on their sex or conditions. Non-conformist to gender matters are seen as protestants and are viewed as liberal and rebellious to the mainstream society (Psaltis and Duveen, 2006). They see themselves as freedom fighters who stand up against stereotyping. These freedom fighters and supporters of progressiveness view the changes in the positioning of males and females in order to promote same-sex ideas and feminism (Irwin, 2003). Thus, the society responds to the demands of these persons and individuals by adjusting to eliminate discrimination and differences. They accept them and integrate such changes into sex laws and discrimination laws. Most communities and countries are increasingly moving towards a system whereby gender-based affairs are quickly disappearing (Warren, 2003). This include the elimination and criminalisation of stigmatisation of gender oriented acts and people of non-straight sexual orientation systems. The role of men has also changed as a result of these progressive claims and demands by members of the society (Haywood and McAnGhaill (1997). The old system where men were to assume the position of heads of the family and work at a full time basis is fast disappearing. Women take up the same kinds of jobs and parenting is not of the form whereby women had to spend more time training and raising up children. Children are raised in a unisex manner and they are taught to respect and honour all sexes equally and also respect other sexual orientations. Children grow up without having to adhere to various elements of their sexual classification. Conclusion Gender played a significant role in identity in the pre-1950 society. Males and females were rigidly incorporated into groups and they were required to behave like members of that group based on their gender. Based on their biological components, they grew up to become members of one social system or the other. There are three facades through which gender is viewed in contemporary society. First of all, gender is viewed as a system of separating males and females. This is inherited from the traditional order that existed before 1950. Secondly, gender is a system of conflict within the society. It involves individuals in the social class that believe in gender segregation and those who stand up against that. Finally, gender is seen as a symbol of progressiveness and a measure of civil rights and equality in some societies. References Blodgett, J. (2009) Protestant Evangelical Literature Culture and Contemporary Society Darby PA: Greenwood Publishing Group. Chrisler, J. C. and McLeary, D. R. (2012) Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology London: Springer Haywood, L., Mac Anghalil, M. (1997) “A Man in the Making: Sexual Sensitivities within Changing Training Cultures” Sociological Review 45 (4) pp576 – 590 Irwin, S. (2003) “Interdependencies, Nations and Reshaping of Difference: Gender, Generation at borth” The British Journal of Society 54(4) pp565 – 584 Lee, J. W. (2011) Psychology of Gender Identity London: SAGE Publications Psaltis, C. and Duveen, G. (2006) “Social Relations and Congnitive Development: The Influence of Conversation Type of Perception of Gender “ European Journal of Social Psychology 36 pp407 – 430 Ratha, S. N., Pfeffer, G. and Behera, N. K., (2012) Contemporary Society: Structure and Process Delhi: Concept Publishing Group. Roberts. K. (2012) Leisure in Contemporary Society New York: CABI Scourfield, J. (2006) “Planning Gender in Social Work: The Local and National Dimensions of Gender Relations” Social Work Education Vol 25 (7) pp665 – 679 Stromguist, N. P. and Fischman, G. E. (2009) “Introduction – From Denouncing Gender Inequalities to Undoing Gender in Education” International Review of Education 55 pp463 – 482 Unger, R. (2012) Handbook of Psychology of Women and Gender Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons Warren, C. A. B. (2003) “Sex and Gender in the 1970s” Qualitative Sociological Vol 26 (4) Weinreich, P. and Saunderson, W. (2010) Analysing Identity: Cross Cultural, Societal and Environmental Contexts London: Routledge Worell, J. (2012) Encyclopedia of Women and Gender London: Elsevier Self Evaluation Learning Student Number: XXXXXXXXX Question Answered: D2 Using sociological sources and evidence critically explain three ways that gender affects identity and social relations in contemporary society. I understood the question to mean the identification of the three main ways that gender affects the contemporary society. In other words, I had to examine it from a context of the three main ways through which gender influences identity and social relations in today's work. There was little difficulty in preparing and planning the work. However, deducing the question requirements was a major challenge. I could not really understand the question in the beginning. However, after I broke the question down and drew a mindmap of what ought to be done, I was able to get a structured framework to commence the fieldwork. I attended all the taught sessions and I got a number of ideas of how sociology works and connects with the academic work. I was able to use most of the course materials as background readings. However, I could not really get most of the sources from the text books so I had to refer to other books on Google Scholar and also get some kind of journals from EBSCO's platform. I needed a lot of private study to understand the question. I had to learn about the historic factors and how women were marginalized in the ancient era. I had to read about how families were changed and modified and this involved a broad scope of work which culminated in a lot of findings. I therefore had to sift the work to find out what was relevant and what was not relevant. Eventually, I settled on the core ideas and concepts that had to be added and those that needed to be eliminated There would have been a deeper insight into sociology if I could get some more guidance from my supervisors. This would include inputs of cutting down ideas and concepts that I found from other journals and other sources that were not purely sociological. I found some sources on some psychological and other sources that were not purely from the field of sociology. I therefore had to add them because they made so much sense and they were relevant to the questions and topics under discussion. My performance could have been increased if I could have done some field work by questioning people. This is because I believe sociology is a science and it tests scientific methods. Although most of the journals used included scientific material, I think it would have been more appropriate if I could test people and conduct a survey to ascertain how people actually perceive gender in society. This would have tested the findings and given me a much more accurate view of whether the findings are genuine or not. However, in the absence of such field works, I was able to find important journals with current studies and findings that served the fundamental purpose of the study and helped me to find answers that I believe are relevant to the way gender and society shape identity and social relations. Introduction It is apparent that society from inception has been divided into various classes and hierarchies. For this reason, many people, particularly the downtrodden have sought to find ways and means of eliminating social classes to formulate “class-less” societies. Today's world is a product of many years of struggles and ideological quests to provide a solution to the need for a classless society where people get their best interest and their best needs. Many nations have evolved over the years and today' most nations are close to attaining this end. This paper will examine the extent to which identities in current societies are “classless” or not. To this end, the paper will examine the background of the class struggle and how today's world has become less categorised by class and social status. Background of Classes in Society Five hundred years ago, all societies had social systems and hierarchies that revolved around various powerful individuals. In Europe, the social hierarchy was based on the Church and the Nobility (Raff, 2011). The Church was seen as a divine institution with the power and authority to install and ordain kings. The kings and their nobility were seen as a class of people who were chosen by God to represent Him on earth. Thus, people gave them obedience and followed them to do things that were often in the best interest of the monarchs and the Church, but not the people. In this period around the end of the Medieval times, social identity was based on class. A person was either part of the nobility or part of the servant class. Roberts (2012) reports that the point where things changed significantly was when the Industrial Revolution commenced in Britain in the late to early 19th Century. This was the period where Britain was shaped by two major revolutions, the French and American Revolutions which questioned submission to a divine king. The two revolutions involved the rejection of a monarch and the institution of a republic. Britain on the other hand, got an internal metamorphosis based on the technological advancement and the emergence of the Middle Class who were commoners or nobles who were able to pioneer efficient systems of production. This led to the creation of a middle class that earned a lot of money through the mercantile system of Britain and the prosperity that came with it. Eventually, the nobility, commoners and the middle class created a spate of urbanisation and growth that led to the improvement of the British economy. Meanwhile the formation of the United States and France led to the creation of better systems of governance that were meant to promote the needs and interests of people through the rule of law, democracy and collective involvement. However, in these countries, social classes existed based on occupation, level of education, skin colour amongst others (Raffe, 2011). Classes in Contemporary Society The Second World War ended in major carnage and destruction. This led to the killing of millions of people and the nations of the world came together to form the United Nations to promote human rights and get governments to protect minorities and ensure uniform development of nations (Young, 2010). Although the UN was hijacked by the bipolar division between the Communist East and Capitalist West, both blocs had plans to create classless societies through their respective ideological views. In the 21st Century, there is an attempt by nations to create communities where the rights of all people including minorities and persons held to be inferior and excluded are guaranteed (Collier, 2010). The spread of democracy throughout the world has ensured that most nations are governed by authorities that are democratic and can run affairs in a system of equality and justice (Barma, 2010). Identities and Classlessness The quest for a fair and democratic system has created a process where people can get access to economic resources irrespective of their origins and circumstances. Anyone can enter almost any organisation or business sector as and when they want to (Collier, 2010). In classless societies, equal opportunities exist and different people are given the chance to live in a society that has a levelled playing field (Young, 2010). There is the social acceptable of people of all origins and cultures and societies are more accommodating of diversity and different views about life and other circumstances (Young, 2010). Power is distributed democratically and people can change the system through elections and there is equality and justice (Barma, 2010). Identities in society are classless because more than ever in history, people have a much more democratic system of governance and control. People in all societies around the world can do things as and how they please and they are accepted just as they are (Weville, 2012). In today's society, themes of equality can be checked through the various arms of government and in most countries, there are themes of equality that can be preserved in the media (Weville, 2012). Stereotypes can be challenged either legally or through various media outlets that can be used to vent out grievances and dissatisfactions that occur in various societies. Institutional structures are directed towards equality (Lefebvre, 2012). Organisations are ran and controlled by people who are held to a high standard of inclusiveness. All dynamic groups and minorities are protected under the law and there are rights that are guaranteed in various constitutions around the world. Civil society and civil liberties exist and this provides protection where necessary Karnnizzaman, 2013). Identities are not to be used as an excuse to bar people from various activities and various positions. People are to be treated fairly and equally in formal public sector institutions to private sector entities as well as other informal and semi-formal activities including sports and other leisure activities. Overt tags placed upon people are viewed as stereotyping and this leads to various forms of consequences (Tikhonova, 2012). This include legal possibilities and other social systems. This shows that circumstances in contemporary society are really different and are shaped by factors that have led to the changes and modifications of the society. Identities and Classlessness in Contemporary Society Kraus' social ladder theory involves the subjective perception of social ranks which exists in people's minds (Grossman and Huynh, 2013). This involve some mental pictures and inherent views of people which are not stated clearly and emphatically in most public discussions. For instance, people have various views on other people's lifestyle. Common elements and aspects of this include the fact that people use statistics to view other human beings and pass judgements on them. In cases like crime, education and intelligence, people have various stereotypes about others and use that to create some kinds of psychological barriers. Although these barriers are morally wrong, most people classify people negatively and use legally accepted means to cover up their actions to prevent legal penalties like court cases and other things. Racism is quite common in most societies. In some countries like the UK and USA, people of African origins like African-Americans and Afro-Caribbeans are likely to be stopped for violent crimes than White caucasian people. This means that in spite of the fact that there are legal guarantees, some people are still classified in some ways or forms and this leads to cases and issues like racial profiling other forms of discrimination. There is also the issue of social class alignments which involve various groups of people identifying with each other (Chiavouci, 2010). It is common for Anglo-Saxons in the United States to live together in the same neighbourhoods. African-Americans are likely to live in different areas whilst Hispanics are likely to live in different neighbourhoods. This creates a system where people are classified according to their locations and origins. Hence, certain things like police monitoring can be increased in a given area to meet the racist wishes of a given group of people. Wealth distribution also stands in the way of creating and maintaining a classless society (Cheng and Tracy, 2013). This is because wealth leads to a conceptual view of a given person in a social system. Hence, there is the tagging of a given people in a certain way and this creates various classes in the society. Education provides a basis for the creation of a civil society and a system that helps to deal with class differences (Ball, 2010). If education fails to attain its results, it leads to a system where people think in terms of their identities and there are different areas and aspects that this could stand in the way of creating a classless society. However, in spite of all these factors that ensure that there are some kinds of social classes in contemporary society, identities are becoming more and more classless (Curtis, 2013). Gender discrimination and racial discrimination are fast disappearing as there are laws that render them illegal and prevent them from becoming accepted in the society. There are also various activities that have been opened up. The media and other entities work to ensure that different societies are accepted as mainstream. The concept of multiculturalism has also played various roles in integrating people of different backgrounds into the mainstream society. Society is also increasingly becoming economic in nature. People are judged by what they earn and what they contribute to the economy. This is because just laws are seen to be the kinds of laws that accepts all people. And this means the ability of people to earn enough money to cover their essential bills is a central feature and theme in the definition of individuals' social statuses. There is more mobility and heterogeneity in today's society (Luijx and Ganzeboom, 2013). This is because more societies tend to have less stringent rules and regulations that discriminate against people on the basis of the skin colour and social status. Thus, there is a general trend towards an all-inclusive society that accepts all people and all persons as equals. Thus, to a large extent, it can be said that conscious effort has been made in contemporary society to ensure that people of all backgrounds are given enough representation and participation. This ensures that all persons of all possible backgrounds are able to do things according to their capabilities, rather than their socio-cultural statuses. Conclusion The evolution of social systems and social classes goes back to the eras before the Medieval period. Within that period, people were classified stringently based on their status and cycle of birth. This created a system whereby people's identity and destinies were shaped by what their social standings and/or their parents were. However, in the 21st Century, a lot have changed due to the modifications made by the Second World War and its attempt to create a more inclusive and all-embracing social system. In effect, more societies have laws against discrimination and racial profiling amongst other things. Due to this, there is a system in contemporary society where people are judged and examined by what they do, rather than who they are. This has shifted the contemporary world into a system that is much closer to a classless society. In spite of the effort to eliminate class, there are many societies that are still suffering from various forms of classifications and discrimination. Some societies are affected by some psychological prejudices that individuals in the society mete out against certain people due to their origins and skin colours. In other societies, the residential structures and earning capacities create various systems of discrimination that cannot be criminalised by law. Although the effort to make society and identities less classless, there remain some kinds of challenges that ought to be eliminated. In the meantime though, the world is much more classless than it has ever been at any point in history. And with time, there is hope that society will be less discriminatory and more accommodating of people of different social classifications. References Ball, S. (2010) “New Class Inequality in Education: Why Education Policy May be Looking in the Wrong Place” International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy 30 (3/4) pp155 – 166 Barma, J. (2010) Social Mobilisation and Modern Society Delhi: Mittal Publications. Cheng, J. T, Tracy, J. C. (2013) “The Impact of Wealth in Prestige and Dynamic Rank Relationships” Psychological Enquiry (2) pp102 – 108 Chiavauci, D. (2010) “Divided Society Model and Social Cleavages in Japanese Politics” Contemporary Japan Journal of the German Institute for Japan Studies October 1, 2010. Collier, J. F. (2010) Marriage and Inequalities in Classless Society Stanford: Stanford University Press . Curtis, J. (2013) “Middle Class Identity in the Modern World: How Politics and Economics Matter” Canadian Review of Sociology May 1, 2013. Grossman, I. And Hynh, A. C. (2013) “Where is the Culture in Social Class?” Psychological Inquiry 24 (2) pp112 – 119 Lefebvre, C. (2012) Introduction to Modernity New York: Verso Publications. Luijx, R. and Ganzeboom, A. B. G. (2012) “Patterns of Integrenerational Mobility of the Old and New Middle Class in Post-Industrial Society” Social Science Research Vol 41 (2) pp224 – 241 Raff, A. (2012) Britain – A Classless Society? Berlin: GRIN Verlag. Roberts, M. (2012) “Moral Reformation” Today's History February 1, 2012 Tikhonova, N. E. (2012) “The Lower Class in the Social Structure” Sociological Research 51 pp26 – 44 Weville, C. (2012) Classless: Recent Essays in British Films London: John Hunt Publishing. Young, J. (2010) The Vertigo of Late Modernity London: SAGE Self Evaluation Student Number: XXXXXXXXXXXXX Question Answered To what extent are identities in contemporary society increasingly ‘class-less’? I honestly had challenges trying to endorse and accept the kind of approach I used to answer this question. To a large extent, I thought the requirement of the question was to show how much I think and believe contemporary society is classless. To this end, I tried to find ways and means of identifying what classes in society is and its origins in history. I therefore delved into the history of discrimination and social classification. Then I began to identify ways through which social identity has been less restricted by the contemporary society through democracy, rule of law and multiculturalism. I had a few difficulties in completing the research because some of the factors and pointers in the research were not so straightforward. I found myself being verbose and less focused in some parts. However, I put together some elements and aspects of the research that seemed to have been quite good and good enough to explain the research question quite satisfactorily. A lot of the research materials on this course were read and used to provide the broad framework within which the study was conducted. I had to attend all the taught session and get all the resources available for the studies. Eventually, I was able to use them and integrate them into the study. However, I had to do a lot of private studies and private analysis. I used independent books and sources to come up with important answers and pointers to deal with the issues at hand. This led to the coordination of important affairs and the identification of important answers to the questions at hand. This study would have benefited from some good guidance on how to present the facts of the study. There is a sequence that might have been better than the sequence used. This is because there were various headings that could have segregated the different components and made them look very more convincing. However, that was missing and there would have been tremendous improvements if this was attained. More input in the area of added facts and statistical information would have helped to make the research much more convincing and presented a more solid case. This is because most of the findings were based on general and broad views that occur in most societies. However, with a strong statistical background and information about how things occur in different societies, the facts of the case would have been presented much more clearly. Also, there would have been some kind of credibility and informativeness if the research involved different comparative analysis and different findings to identify the main and core elements and aspects of various components of the research. Performance would have been improved if the scope of the questions were defined further. This would have involved the identification of a geographical area within which the study was to be examined. Studying things in a “contemporary” society provided a very broad framework and any kind of answer and analysis could have provided some kind of report. Hence, there is the need for some more focus like say London or the UK. Examples were taken from different parts of the world eg America, France etc without any degree of consistency or discipline. Read More