Myth About Jewish Upward Mobility in the United States - Assignment Example

A) According to Brodkin, there is a myth about Jewish upward mobility in the United s. B) What is this myth? Why, according to Brodkin, is this myth inaccurate? Is a professor of anthropology, in her book, How Jews Became White Folks she uses a theory to explain how the Jews became white folks and how this has an effect on racism in America. The theory that Bodkin uses is based on her life (Fenstermaker 1). She explains how culture plays a big role in placing people in different classes in the society. This culture issue emerges due to capabilities of people, some are poor and provide labor to the rich. Brodkin has interest in racism and formation of identity. Jews from Europe are not recognized as whites, associations based on labor are formed to reduce racism. Jewish women formed associations to enable them earn income, become politicians, and be able to live as responsible wives in the society. This Jewish women were hardworking, these associations were important after the World war. Brodkin says in her book that intellectual Jews played a great role in Jews becoming whites, this brought about the Jewish culture. The Jews were motivated. The second factor that motivated the Jews was due to the fact that, the Jewish women had started their associations and becoming important people in the society. Brodkin uses two theories; Zygmunt Bauman and Antonio Gramsci to highlight how different classes in the society, racism and discrimination based on gender affected the emergence of the white Jews in America. She explains that this transition started from the past, despite the fact that its effect is has been realized recently. This myth is not inaccurate, but in my own views, I think Brodkin ’s work should be appreciated as a theory and more research should be done to disapprove this theory or come up with more theories. Brodkin explains that racism brought discrimination and the Jews did not have equal job opportunities as the whites. There were different schools for the two races, schools for the blacks were overcrowded with students. B) Name two massive government programs that, according to Brodkin, provided the real means of broad based upward mobility for Jews as a social group following World War II; explain how these two programs caused broad based upward mobility for many Americans. There were massive government programs that provided means of broad based upward mobility for Jews as a social group in World War II. The first argument was based on a child’s identity when he or she is born, this implies that if you have a dark color you are not considered as white. Many Jews had no identity due to the fact that their skin color was not white, different Jews decided to form groups and associations, this all in an attempt to give themselves a new identity in the society, this brought a positive feeling on these Jews and they were motivated to carry on with their daily activities (Brodkin 7). . Secondly, the American had an expectation on how the Jews should behave and relate with the other races in the society, this had a negative effect on the Jews, and their social life was expected to change to suit the needs of the Americans. Their mentality was that they were not white, this demoralized them (Brodkin 8). The Jews sought to be intellectuals and become hardworking in their jobs thus improving their living standards. C) Why does Brodkin call these programs Affirmative Action programs? How did they help to reduce and increase racial inequality simultaneously? . After the war, we understand that the Americans had not extended the education systems to the Jews, there was need for an affirmative action for equal education system to everyone, the Jews had an added advantage, and they became hardworking in school and increasing the number of intellectuals in the society. There was a riot to demand increase in payment of wages of the Jews. This motivated the Jews and they became hardworking people in the society. During these riots, many black Jews were fired. The Jews struggled for their rights .These affirmative actions were used as tools to increase the chances of the Jews becoming Whites (Foster 8). The affirmative actions helped to reduce racial inequality simultaneously in a number of ways, the educational affirmative action as a tool was important effective. This affirmative action made the Americans change how they treated the Jews, there was need for the education system to be equal for everyone in the society. Racism has started reducing and everyone had a feeling of belonging to. The black individual was admitted to European schools, there were few schools for the blacks, and this educational affirmative action was very effective. The affirmative actions increased employment opportunities because there was need for equal job opportunities to both the Europeans and the Jews. The living standards of the Jews improved. The affirmative actions reduced the rate of discrimination based on an individual’s race. Hospitals were used by both races, police forces had equal opportunities for everyone. Gender balance was appreciated and life was made easier for those that were discriminated based on their sex. D) How does Brodkin’s analysis of how Jews became white folks reveal the socially constructed nature of race? How does Brodkin’s analysis of the socially constructed nature of race relate to Dorothy Roberts’ arguments in Fatal Invention? The labor affirmative action was a factor in making sure that job opportunities were available to everyone, employees worked together in peace and harmony, and there was economic development. Schools were attended by both people, people were allowed to mix with others in social places without any groups being formed. Security was provided to low income earners, this benefit was given to everyone irrespective of their race. The government made rues to ensure there was no discrimination against the people. Brodkin analyses the socially constructed nature of race in relation to Dorothy Roberts’ arguments in Fatal Invention. Professor Dorothy Roberts claims that race is brought by social differences among people. She says that how people relate with each other is a factor that makes one be discriminated in the society. Those that are discriminated are not allowed to mix freely with others in public places, there are schools for the Jews and different schools for the Europeans. Dorothy thinks that politics bring racism, and that people are equal in all aspects in both biologic aspects and natural aspects. The political systems promote racism, when a group of people discuss about a certain race, they come with all sort of negative issues about that particular race. She argues that people are categorized politically and that color of the skin, height and hair color are just few aspects that determine how individuals are created. People occur naturally and God created everyone without differences, except for the physical characteristics, but racism comes from politics and how people think in life. Dorothy says that our society teaches us as we grow up that racism is biological. We were born without any idea of racism, but we grow up, we observe how other people practice racism and we adapt to their system of thinking. Dorothy says that racism is created to oppress other people in the society, racism promotes misunderstanding among people. Our cultural beliefs and practices dictate how we see racism. Brodkin says that the Jews gained strength when they started forming associations against the Europeans. The Europeans who did not give them equal education system. The Jewish women provided labor to the Europeans before the world war. After the World War, there were affirmative actions to fight for increase in pay for low income earners, and this was achieved although most workers had lost their jobs. These affirmative actions were effective because racism was gradually stopping. Education system was made uniform to everyone, black Jews were attending European colleges without any more discrimination. The blacks became intellectuals and very hardworking in their jobs. Racism was now a thing of the past for the Jew, these affirmative actions enabled the Whitening of the Jews. 2. A) What do West and Zimmerman mean when they argue gender is socially constructed and achieved in interaction? Doing gender in the Western Culture is based on the psychology of different people. In our daily lives we relate with one another and it is recommended that we respect everyone.. Don Zimmerman and Candace explain in their article. West and Zimmerman argue that gender is socially constructed and achieved in interaction according to Pascoe’s “Dude you’re a Fag. This argument means that gender should be appreciated and an individual’s behavior should be judged on the bases of success and failure. Every individual has his or her desired goal, the society has its expectation of how successful we should become (Pascoe 5). An individual has to work hard to reach the level of success as expected. This is referred as being accountable for your actions and behavior. Don Zimmerman and Candace gave a meaning of gender and differentiated it from sex. Sex is defined as being a female or a male, the sexual reproductive organs differentiate male from female. Gender is based on being feminine and another person being masculine. Gender roles should be practiced as expected by our society as large. Different gender groups are expected to behave differently in the way they relate with each other. Games and sports, jobs and conversations are expected to convey a message on what gender an individual is. Washrooms are built or separated for a specific gender to use. A man is the head of the house and the woman should perform house duties. Different professions are left only for males, females are not expected to dominate in some areas. All this arguments place individuals in a specific gender group. Deviation from one’s gender roles can place someone in a different gender. Everyone is supposed to be accountable for their actions and behavior. The body language of an individual appearance and the activities that one is engaged in, matters a lot. How do adolescent boys use homophobia to achieve a masculine gender identity in interaction? Adolescent boys use homophobia to achieve a masculine gender identity in interaction. People of a specific gender come up with ideas that they can belong to another gender identity, they try to fix themselves in the other gender, some people are respected and appreciated by the society, while other people are criticized by the society, they are assumed to be evil and as people who do not respect the specific genders that are in the society. These individuals are expected to be accountable for their actions and they face consequences. A fag is ridiculed especially in high schools. This demoralizes them. Some people alienate themselves from fags, call them all sort of names and even discuss them privately and in the public. These fags are affected emotionally and psychologically. They are constantly reminded that they do not fit in the society. Pascoe says that homophobia was viewed differently in schools of the white from those of the nonwhite. Among the black population, homophobia was seen in dances, where they danced differently from other individuals of the same gender identities. Clothing was another factor that was evidently seen among the blacks. These factors made the other students call them fags. Pascoe says, according to research that black students would not easily become fags compared to the whites. The black students who were assumed to be fags were disciplined by the teachers, this was wrong since most of them were innocent and did not have any bad intentions. Some black students were sent home because they were seen as threats to the society. 2. B) What do you think adolescent homophobia reveals about the social nature of masculinity? Homophobia is viewed in a variety of forms, in the social life; how they express themselves sexually, their emotional aspects among others. Homophobia is categorized based on racism and the sexual aspects of individuals. Religious groups say that homosexuality is sin and is not acceptable in the society. The government’s idea of homophobia is that it is a criminal act and there should be consequences. The government officials discriminate these individuals. Adolescent homophobia reveals a lot about the social nature of masculinity. Victims possess hatred, they think they are not needed in the society and they should not be allowed to live as normal people in the society. They hate themselves and the society as large for discriminating them. The Victims possess rage, they may do weird things to show that they are not happy with the way they are treated, some end up killing themselves. Victims are assaulted to give up their lifestyles. This is not a good way of treating others in the society. They should be allowed to fight for their lives and appreciated for that is their choice. These victims are blackmailed to be thieves and even terrorists, they are forced to stop their lifestyles, and this is bad image. They are taken to court and they can be jailed. Victims become fearful, they cannot mix freely with everyone in the society, and they fear being criticized. Religious groups discriminate them, they come to church, the next minute the church leaders think that they should not belong to the society. They are criticized because of their sexual orientations. The social aspects of these victims is greatly affected by the society, in hospitals an individual cannot allow a gay person to treat him or her, in games like football, they are not allowed to play. This is not right, they are human beings, and they need to be treated as normal people. Some people cannot dance with them, they think they are not good people. The victims cannot interact with others because of their situations. Efforts have been made to solve the homophobia issue. Associations are formed to protect these victims from being related to terrorism and other criminal activities. This a good initiative, they become secure and have a sense of belonging. An International day to combat homophobia, is another tool used to stop discrimination against the victims. People are asked to stop discriminating these people. They are encouraged to appreciate these individuals as part of human race. Work cited Brodkin, Karen. How Jews Became White Folks and What That Says About Race in America. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press, 1998. Print. Foster, Hal. Art Since 1900: Modernism, Antimodernism, Postmodernism. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2011. Print. Fenstermaker, Sarah, and Candace West. Doing Gender, Doing Difference: Inequality, Power, and Institutional Change. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print. Pascoe, C J. Dude, Youre a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. Print. Read More