The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Example for Free

The Social Construction of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender Essay Socialization is the unequal distribution of power, wealth, income and social status between individuals and groups. This distribution is not random, it is patterned and structured. Three important axes of global inequality are gender, race and ethnicity, and class. These inequalities are on a global scale and are found in virtually all societies. It wasnt until relatively recently, however, that a caste system developed to include race and ethnicity among class and gender. Since imperialism and the conquest of the Americas, a number of social changes have occurred, and, as a result, the dominant groups today are not only higher in the social order, in terms of rank, but they are considered better as well. According to Winant, there are two main concepts of race, race as an ideological concept, and race as an objective condition. Barbara Fields, one of the main supporters and activists for the race as an ideological concept theory, explains the concept of race as [a] concept [that] arose to meet an ideological need; its original effectiveness lay in its ability to reconcile freedom and slavery. Remember, Africans werent the only slaves, Asians, for example, were slaves too. This created a distinction between the white slave owners and all other races, and this was acceptable because their slaves were lower than them, according to Fields theory, so it was okay to enslave other humans. Winant says that, Sociopolitical circumstances change over historical time, racially defined groups? [achieve] mobility or [remain] mired in poverty, and so on. If race is considered an objective condition it doesnt allow for the reconceptualization of race, one simply is ones race. Most early theories of race took this stance and Stephen Jay Gould, as recently as 1981, has made similar claims. However, it is impossible to support such a theory on a number of grounds. First, its been scientifically proven that there are more genetic differences between a single race then there are between different races. Second, it doesnt allow for any change ? certain races will always be lower than other races. There are social beliefs which are present today that place social stigmas on people who are affiliated with certain ethnicitys. Yen Le Espiritu puts forth the argument that The exercise of political-economic domination by racial elites always involves attempts to objectify the subordinate group by branding subordinate groups as alternatively inferior, threatening, or praiseworthy. An example that is taking place today is that cosmetic surgery being performed on Asian-American women, as Eugena Kaw points out in her article. In particular they are making changes to their eyes and noses to look more ideal. Is that okay though? Should one groups sense of ideal be forced upon another group? Many of the Asian-American women surveyed said their reason for undergoing cosmetic surgery was to form their own personal form of beauty. But why then did these women all undergo similar surgeries to ? correct how they look? Class is the one social construction that has existed since the beginning of history. There have always been those who oppress and those who are oppressed, from the serfs and lords of the middle ages to the bourgeois and proletariat of today (According to Marx). The distinction of class today is different than its been in the past though. It used to be based on your heritage, but today it is based on capital, the more you have the higher and better you are. Many people feel that cultures that veil women, such as Muslims, make them suffer psychological and socioeconomic consequences. Homa Hoodfar discusses how the west equates veils with ignorance and oppression in her article. But throughout historic time and place, there has been a clear division of labour in the allocation of economic tasks between men and women. This division has always been partly justified in terms of? biological differences. However, many feminists argue that we learn, through culturally specific socialization, how to be masculine and feminine and to assume the identities of men and women. Due to that fact that many societies proclaim masculine characteristics to be more socially ? useful and generally ? more important than feminine ones, a social structure often results where there are highly unequal gender relations. Even if women attain social/political rights equal to those of men its unlikely that all the sources of oppression of women will be removed. How is that fair?! We are more biased today than ever before, at least there was some justification during the middle ages for why women couldnt be knights. But today mental capacity should be the major basis in the workplace. Why are women so under represented in government? Why do they get paid less than 80% of what men get paid to do the same job? Why are women discriminated against today? Essentially, the social constructs of race, gender, ethnicity, and class are all the same thing. They all are ways to divide people and put certain people on top. Not unlike capitalism where someone is on top and others are on the bottom (its also not surprising that the way we view the four social constructs changed around the time that capitalism was being developed). Now that we have this whole in group out group view of society, can we ever go back to being color blind? Can we go back to people being distinguished based on who their allegiances are to or their character? The way we view the social constructs of society need to change. Peoples arbitrary biases shouldnt prevent someone from getting a job! Its ludicrous to assume that because of the color of ones skin, or ones sex that someone is worse and lower than you. The very fact that there are still people today who see the white mans burden shows how backwards we really are, even in todays modern society. We need to stop segregating each and every individual as a collective of whites, blacks, men, women, Jews, Christians, etc. and start living as Americans because thats the only way that social progress will ever be made.

Analysis of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Jane Austen Pri

Analysis of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Pride and prejudice is a novel set in the late 17th Century and was written by author Jane Austen. The novel is based upon the theme of marriage and social settings of the 17th century. The novel is set in an era where women where 2nd class citizens and were inferior to men. This is ever so prevalent in the novel. In the time of which the novel is set women were not meant to meddle in men’s affairs theses included involving in politics, participating in financial affairs this disabled the women to be independent. This did not allow women to play a greater role in society, in fact women were supposed to â€Å"bore birth and bring up and look after the children†. This was there only role society which was dominated my men. A women’s objective in life would’ve been to look for a wealthy husband who may not have necessarily have loved her. This would enable the women to have a secure future. The first line of Pride and Prujudice sums this up â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† The problems which arise in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† are that Mr Bennet has five daughters and no sons. This may be the reason why Mrs Bennet is obsessed with getting her daughters married. â€Å"A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!† Mrs Bennet always mentions the amount the possible candidate earns a year this shows that the financial aspect is vitally important as it ensures there daughters future security. Because Mr Bennet has only daughters there will be inheritance given to the daughters as there are not male but will be give to the closest relat... ...sal. Lastly both of the men are shocked to realize that Elizabeth rejects their proposals. The Character Elizabeth is a strong, free thinking women in the novel, and does not believe in the traditional ways of doing things. She believes that a person should marry for love, which was recognized at the time at which the novel is set. I think the Jane Austen’s opinions are portrayed in her characters as a means of displaying that traditions some times are wrong. Elizabeth has characteristics of feminism. This shows that Jane Austen was ahead of her time, because she believed that women could be free thinking and independent and still live a good life. This is portrayed in her characters as Elizabeth eventually is loved by Darcy for who she is even though Darcy recognizes the fact that Lady Catherine De Bourgh will take it upon insult him Marrying her.

Explore the Theme of Monstrosity in Frankenstein Essay

Montrosity is a key in Frankenstein, and it affects both the Creature and Victor, whilst at the same time , Shelley argues that society is monstrous through injustices of the time and the social conventions. Frankenstein could be said to be the monster himself- when he says â€Å"miserable monster† whom â€Å"I had created†, we see Shelley implicitly suggest, through the alliterative phrase, that just as â€Å"Adam was created in God’s image† so too was the Creature born in the image of Victor. Moreover, the idea that Frankenstein is himself the monster is reinforced by â€Å"or rather cell†. â€Å"Cell† refers to a prison cell, and is used symbolically to represent the idea that just like a cell is for criminals, who perform acts of monstrousity, so to is Frankenstein the â€Å"criminal† commiting an act of â€Å"monstrosity†. On the other hand, we could argue that it was not so much the act of creation that was monstrous, but rather Frankenstein’s reaction. By writing â€Å"I ran out of the room† we see Victor perform the ultimate rejection, and therefore, shunning the responsibilty that exists in the binary between â€Å"Parent† and â€Å"Child†- as John McRae argued. It is interesting to note that Frankenstein rejects the monster because of an innate selfishness- â€Å"the beauty of the dream vanished† implies that Frankenstein’s physical conception does not equal that of his mental conception, and that because Frankenstein’s plan are in disarray, his rational scientific methods- â€Å"I selected†¦in proportion† show this- are replaced by emotional responses; which for him, is territory unknown- in the same way Walton seeks to â€Å"ascertain the secrets† or how the Creature wants to understand human behaviour at the De Lacy’s. Thus, we see a connection between Victor and the Creature- whom he describes as â€Å"miserbale monster†. Furthermore, the fact that Frankenstein can only respond to the Creature’s birth in empirical, scientific observations- â€Å"pearly white teeth, dull eyes†- constrasts with Elizabeth’s response to William’s death- â€Å"O I have murdered my child†. By portraying Elizabeth in a positive light- she forms an emotional response, which juxtaposes with the sterile feelings of Frankenstein at the conception of the Creatue, Shelley implies that women present a greater degree of humanity- and thus criticises the male dominated society on education- whilst they may read â€Å"Shakespeare† and â€Å"Agrippa†, women will be worldly-wise, (no doubt influence by her feminist mother) and that they are necessary to prevent monstrosities. This idea of the female role is reinforced by the fact that as the novel progresses, the women are slowly being removed- first his Mother, then Justine and then Elizabeth- â€Å"I saw Elizabeth†¦held the corpse of my dead mother†. This presents Frankenstein’s mental degregation and ultimately, the ctalyst for the mosntrous act- so Shelley presents the idea of a dichotomy between man and women- Darwin supported this by suggesting the hierachy of reproducion- man and woman is better than man alone. However, it could also be argued that Frankenstein’s settings augment his monstrousity- we see a sense of isolation- â€Å"solitude† is repeated, implying that by imposing self-exile, Frankenstein detaches himself from society and its rules and that he has become an â€Å"outsider† (McCrae)- much as the monstrousity that Victor calls the Creature, is also an outsider. Indeed the connection between the two is best examined by the Shelley use of the mountain-top- â€Å"Chamonuix, where I saw him†- which alludes to the idea of the Creator and Creation meeting (Hayward), both as equal, with both, arguably as montrous, Victor for abondoning the Creature, and the Creature (for Victor) a representation fo his failure. By using â€Å"Solitude and â€Å" Filthy Workshop of Creation†, Shelley implies that this isolation leads to thoughts of monstrousity- Godwin influecned her argiung it â€Å"was a nusery of madmen†. This separation from society is symbolic too. If Geneva is â€Å"Eden†, then by extending against the limits of knowledge-â€Å"if no man broke the rules† suggests no remorse- he cut himself off, much like Lucifer in Paradise Lost- and thus, Shelley implies that this inner monster within Frankenstein and all of us, can only be restrained by a balance- whether, male or female, or equal laws. The idea that the monstrousity is within Frankenstein (and therefore us) is suggested by â€Å"wildness in his eyes†- he claims the Creature to be â€Å"wild†, but if the eyes are â€Å"windows to the sould†, Shelley suggests and innate montrosity in him (and us); an â€Å"id† that is the carnal desires. This contrasts the idea of the Monster’s â€Å"dull eyes†- which challenges the idea that the Creature is the monstrosity- this challenge is the reason why Shelley uses the Chinese Box Narrative- the various â€Å"narritve eyes† makes us formulate our own judgement. In fact, the Moster, may be the most human of us all- he â€Å"imitates the physiognamy and manners† in the same way that Justine did, yet both are treated unfairly. This idea of an unfair treatment alludes to Shelley’s belief that monstorusity exists in society- so whilst we can say it was Victor’s nature to be monstorus (and that society placed limits to prevent this), the nurturing of him within society is what leads to the monstrosity arguably. In the case of the Justine, the irony is that she is treated â€Å"un-JUSTlY† contrary to her name- which perhaps could be Shelley’s sly reference to her desire for female eqaulity (influenced by Wollstencraft –the feminist motehr) – a name is afforded to all, and Justine’s name contain’s justice- therefore, when she â€Å"is found guilty†- there is a trangression of nature, in the same way that Frankenstein transgresses nature by creating life. This presents the idea that society is too quick to judge- just as Frankenstein believes â€Å"seemingly to grab me†, Justine is quickly found guilty- regardless of Elizabeth’s plea- no wonder Shelley present s the law in such a negative light- â€Å"judge†¦meddle in the dark side of human nature†, because it is flawed and makes rash decisions. Thus, we see Shelley regard society as the monster. To conclude, monstrosity is pervades throughout the novel, affecting all characters and being influenced by setting and society. Yet, in the same way that the Creature was Frankenstein’s creation, the novel coould be seen as her monster-shunned by contempories but exposing the reatiy of monstrosity within us all.

What Not to Wear on Graduation Day

Deciding what to wear for graduation requires more than merely picking up your cap and gown and making sure you put on the tassel correctly. You have to choose something to wear under the academic garb, too. Theres no dress code, but you dont want to wear something thats so uncomfortable you cant enjoy yourself. What you end up wearing will ultimately depend on your personal taste and the style of the time. No matter the trend, there are a few major fashion donts that you probably want to avoid, for practical purposes, once Pomp and Circumstance starts playing. Uncomfortable Footwear If you are going to buy some new shoes for graduation, make sure you break them in before graduation day. Even if they feel comfortable at first, wear them around your room or apartment for a bit. That way, you can stretch them out and make sure they really are comfortable. Shoes that youve never worn before are the height of discomfort. True, treating yourself to a new (and cute!) pair of shoes might be the special splurge you feel you deserve after your years of hard work in school. But youll likely be on your feet most, if not all, of the day. If you want a pair of shoes to help you stand out, go for bright colors that your friends and family can see beneath your graduation gown. Comfort, however, should definitely take priority, no matter if your shoes are old or new. You dont want to be hobbling around with blistered feet on a day when you should be jumping for joy. Wrong Weather Wear Nothing is worse than clothes that are inappropriate for the weather. If youre going to be graduating when its 100 F outside, dress for the occasion. You dont want to faint from heat exhaustion  or wear something that will show sweat (youll take pictures both in and out the graduation robe, too). Be smart about what the weather is and how you need to dress. Being Underdressed or Overdressed Clothes that are too formal, or not formal enough, will make you feel out of place when you should feel relaxed. Wearing jeans to your college graduation probably isnt a smart choice, but a ball gown isnt quite right, either. Aim for business or business casual for the ceremony. That means a nice dress, nice pants, nice shirt/blouse, and nice shoes. An Outfit Thats Unflattering in Photos Be careful about clothes that wont look good in pictures. If you arent sure what style to pick, going for a classic and classy look is always wise. After all, you dont want to look back at your graduation photo and wince at your wardrobe choice. Pick something nice and professional that looks good on you, which will represent you well over the years. Anything Inappropriate or That Might Get You in Trouble Youre ready for the next step, but youre still a college student for the day. Any poor decisions you make could still lead to serious consequences with the administration. Wearing clothing with an offensive slogan or putting an offensive or inappropriate message on your graduation cap might seem amusing to you, but not to the administration. Also resist the urge to go entirely nude under your robe. After everything youve done to earn your degree, dont sabotage your chance to celebrate it.