Week 11 Sociology CD - Essay Example

College: The least industrialized countries are characterized by a high population growth rate because of cultural significance attachedto fertility rates. In addition, improved technology has reduced mortality rates hence a constant increase in population. Upcountry population is pushed by factors like few economic opportunities and poverty to leave to urban centers. On the other hand, the pull factors in the urban centers include job opportunities and higher wages. Despite the overcrowding, impoverishment and filthy living conditions experienced in slum areas in developing nations, people prefer endurance than living in the rural areas.

Functionally, despite being at the lowest level of the urban heap, slum dwellers are in a better position economically as compared to their rural counterparts because they have access to urbanization benefits. For instance, in Brazil, 25% of the Amazonian tribes living in the rural areas are classified as poor while only 5% of those living in urban centers are considered as poor. To reduce rural to urban migration, the government and non-governmental organizations should decentralize the industrialization process to ensure even distribution of economic opportunities to both rural and urban dwellers.

Slums are characterized deteriorating housing conditions that have the lowest rent in the entire urban center. In most cases they are located next to industries and their aim is to maintain workers access to work. The rich are the landlords but take advantage of growth in urban population to put up substandard structures that are used by low income earners. Urbanization undermines the development of kinship and neighborhood ties that are the foundation of social solidarity. City dwellers create communities through shopping in the same stores and becoming regulars ion certain restaurants.

On the other hand, they protect themselves from intrusions through non-involvement and diffusion of responsibility. However, rural communities are very involving and take individual interest and responsibility over their relatives or neighbors woes. Vast migration to urban centers is solely in pursuit of economic opportunities. Decentralization of industries and adoption of technology to improve efficiency in production is likely to increase income for the rural dwellers hence alleviate the need for migration.

References Henslin, J., (2002). Essentials of Sociology: A Down-To-Earth Approach, Allyn and Bacon.Nusca, A., (2012) You’re better off in a slum than in the country http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/youre-better-off-in-a-slum-than-in-the-country/286852012, Retrieved on 7 March 2013