Over the course of this class, I have learned a great deal about sociology and myself as a reader and writer. I was not expecting to learn sociology, but I am glad it was a part of the course as I gained much insight on how societies function and how we grow throughout the years. I have also improved my interaction with reading material, and how I handle the readings that initially seem dull. In addition, I have explored many ways to improve my writing process from start to finish.
The many essays I have written for this class has reflected the vast knowledge I have gained from the material we have read and seen throughout the class. As I prepared for my first in class essay titled “We Are Who (They Think) We Are,” I learned a great deal about socialization, more specifically, the agents of socialization. A few examples of those “agents” are parents, friends, media and environment. Furthermore, how a person shapes his identity is an age-long process, which starts during childhood and as he grows up, he starts to learn more and more from his surroundings, both in his own neighborhood and through a global perspective. For my first out of class essay, “Her Words, My Inspiration,” I was able to self-reflect on similarities between my own and the author’s, Rose’s, agents of socialization. Both of our mothers indirectly showed us the importance of having inner strength.
Next, for my second in class essay “Why is There Crime and Deviance?” I learned the difference between crime, which is carrying out an illegal act, and deviance, behaving in a manner that contrasts the social norm without necessarily performing an illegal deed. More specifically, we learned about the children living in poor suburbs around major cities, and how they do not have a good moral guidance from neither their homes nor their surroundings. In addition, I learned about juvenile crime for my second out of class essay “Stop Juvenile Crime.” I believe it is important to change the environment that these children grew up in, as they are heavily influenced by gang life and feel the need to commit criminal acts to survive. Also, we should work to change the juvenile’s the bad behavior once he is in detention so they can learn how to properly behave and live crime-free. Lastly, for my third out of class essay, I learned how different cultures around the globe “assign” different gender roles.
In terms of reading, I have gained much knowledge on how to properly absorb the information I am learning. I learned that it is crucial to define a focus question before reading because then I pay attention particular attention to information necessary for my essay. Before this class, I have already acquired the habit of annotating the books I am reading. I did not, however, annotate in accordance to the focus of my next essay. This is important to learn because it makes the writing process a great deal smoother, and it is easier to find quotes to provide examples and prove points.
I have gone in-depth with methods that improve my writing during this class. I truly appreciate the significance of creating an outline before writing the essay to make sure I know what points I want to make and organize my ideas in a fashion that will make sense to the reader. As I write, I am more aware of my reader and make sure the information is portrayed in a way that will make sense to the audience. I learned that the ordering of the paragraphs themselves is crucial, and within the paragraphs, whether or not the information is organized properly.
In the future, I can take what I have leaned about sociology and apply it to social science classes I decide to take. Also, I will be more effective in how I read difference material, making sure I attain the most information and useful information I can. Also, my essays will have better flow, and I will continue using the methods of writing we learned to produce a fluid and high-quality essay.
Gender roles, which are learned traits that determine how women and men behave based on their societal and cultural norms, is a prevalent concept all around the world. There are those who believe that biology is a major contributor in how people act in accordance to their sex, what physically sets them apart. However influential biology may be, cultural factors are the most important in determining how women and men should behave. Evidence of such influence is portrayed across the globe, and even though there is a potential for similarity, many defining aspects of gender roles in different cultures are very distinctive. The gender roles that divide women and men in the United States has changed over the course of its history, providing women with more equal rights. As more women join the workforce, they have voiced their rights, and in response, women are experiencing more equal opportunities and privileges as men. Nevertheless, women are still not treated equally compared to men. Many women are not receiving the same pay grade as their male counterparts, and some are still prone to encounter sexual harassment at work. In addition, with the growing number of working women in the workforce leads to the question of their success at parenting, and the possibility of the father assuming the role of raising the children. Journalist Katherine Lewis’ article “Gender Roles Change at Work and Home” reviews the results of the rising number of women in the workplace. Studies have shown that women who partake in jobs similar to men do not struggle with raising children properly. Fathers are also spending more time with their children, “almost two hours more than the 1977 average of 2.4 hours” (Lewis). Perhaps it is becoming more acceptable for men to help the women in the household, as that responsibility is diffused between fathers and mothers.
My mother, brother and me at Disneyland.
Here I am wearing very feminine clothes, and
my brother typically boyish.
Of course, the American culture has an immense role in how people assume their respective gender identity. As children grow up, they receive cues on how to “appropriately” act as a girl or boy from their parents. It is well established that men are the masculine type, meaning they are supposed to be independent and robust. The girls are treated more delicately, and their safety and well-being are more carefully protected. From a young age, girls are constantly hugged and given compliments on dress, whereas the boys are left to explore on their own and rewarded for participating in more athletic endeavors. As the children grow up, they encounter gender roles from their peers, as a boy could be taunted and excluded for acting in a feminine manner.
Gender roles are not as clearly defined as they once were in China. They are now combining gender roles for their children, a possible result from the one-child policy. Perhaps this leads the parents to raise a more well-rounded child to ensure his or her success. Some parents are teaching daughters to be independent and to pursue their dreams in a firm manner uncharacteristic of femininity, while others who gave birth to sons do not let them participate in athletic activities from fear of serious injury. All of these aspects can be a result of a growing sense of equality between men and women.
The nation is now accepting a more similar gender role for males and females. In response to this new concept, men and women are dressing and behaving similarly. A major contributor to the positive change in women’s status is the addition of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Women, where “Women enjoy equal rights with men in all spheres of life, political, economic, cultural and social, including family life.” The new law also reinforces that women should receive equal pay compared to the men. In addition, women have more rights concerning marriage, which, compared to many other cultures, is a right from which many women are excluded. There is a higher percentage of women in the workforce than even the worldwide percentage, and many are holding higher-ranking positions than ever before. The government itself is working to improve women’s education and literacy.
Almost in stark contrast, women suffer a great deal of inequality in Islam. Although the Qu’ran promotes the equality between men and women, scholars have interpreted its messages to suggest that men hold a higher ranking over women. Once example from the Qu’ran that scholars use to defend men’s power is that they are labeled as a woman’s “guardian.” They interpret this as men holding more authority over women, and they should be safeguarded. In turn, women are to be taken care of and should therefore be thankful and obedient to the husband. They should stay at home with the family while the man is the breadwinner. While One main dissimilarity between China’s new revolution and Islam’s culture is the iniquitous treatment of women in relation to marriage. Women of Islam possess almost no power in deciding who they want to marry, obtaining a divorce and holding custody rights of their children.
Women in Chile seemed to have gained more equality in many aspects over the years. They are able to get a better education and can be a part of the workforce. Also, while many men still believe that women should listen to their husbands, there are those who think otherwise. In a national survey, only a little above half the men who participated agreed that women obey their husband. Given the traditional view that women should comply with her husband’s commands, the number of men who oppose it is relatively high. Those who are part of the lower working-class still attain to the more traditional views; however, those who are more well-off are starting to break away from the conventional mold. They believe that women should indeed have jobs, and that men should participate in household activities to help the women who work.
The Arapesh tribe of New Guinea
There are cases that in more primitive societies, gender roles are not as clear-cut as many people in more developed areas are used to. In fact, some of the roles are reversed in these cultures. Most of the societies in New Guinea exhibit the belief that women are inferior to men, and it is the men who lead the communities as they hold more power in decision-making. They also are responsible for hunting and protecting the tribe, while the women stay at home and take care of the grounds and the children. There are communities that do not adhere to typical gender roles; a few of these tribes are the Arapesh, Mundugumor, Tchambuli, and Sambia. The Arapesh perceive both men and women to have feminine characteristics. They are both emotionally sensitive and passive. Both the father and the mother take care of the children. In contrast, the Mundugumore assign masculine traits to both sexes. Men and women are seen to have tough and aggressive personalities. Even more peculiar, the Tchambuli tribe “reverses” the gender roles, where the women are more masculine and the men are feminine, as they enjoy styling their hair and clothes. The women control the internal affairs of the communities, including the infrastructure and the economy. The last tribe, Sambia, introduces the idea of having a third sex, which pertains to those who are born with both sets of genitals. The distinction between sec and gender is crucial in understanding how the tribe handles assigning gender roles. Although they recognize three sexes, there are still only two genders. It is the parents’ decision to raise the child of the “third sex” as a male or female. The gender roles themselves are not unique to that of the rest of New Guinea. They hold an initiation ceremony for the men, and after this ceremony is completed, they hold more power in the community, especially compared to the women of the same age.
All around the world, gender roles are not as consistent as one might have assumed. In some cases, gender roles are blurred and more evenly distributed between men and women. In other examples, the roles are completely reversed, where women are celebrated for their “masculinity” and the men for showing “feminine” traits. Culture has a big position in determining a society’s gender roles.
An inside look on juvenile detention by Steve Mitchell
When people think of crime, rarely do they think of children offenders. It is evident, however, that juvenile crime is an issue in society today. The question that remains is whether or not these juveniles are mistreated by the justice system. This is a difficult question to answer, and there are many factors to consider in determining the effectiveness of the current system. In many cases, youths feel that they were pressured into or saw no better option than to participate in criminal behavior. After reading Mark Salzman’s True Notebooks and various articles on juvenile crime, it is evident that minors are not given the proper help they deserve to better themselves for their future.
Many of the youths in juvenile detention grow up in environments that enforce criminal behavior. It can therefore be hard to escape the appeal of a life of crime because leaders of groups like gangs often lead an attractive lifestyle amongst individuals living in poor inner-city areas. Elijah Anderson explores potential causes of criminal life in his book The Code of the Street, and why crime is so well established in these urban environments. Many of the children living in these surroundings do not understand how to properly handle situations, and instead “they learn that to solve any kind of interpersonal problem one must quickly resort to hitting or other violent behavior,” (E. Anderson 174). These children understand that power and violence is practically the onl y way to be successful and survive. Often times the parents in these homes are abusive because the only method they know to correct, and therefore punish, their child’s unwanted mannerisms is through violence. These kids will then bring this aggressive behavior to the streets. In addition to violence in the homes, children can be drawn towards joining gangs, where they may seek this lifestyle as a form of protection from other enemy gangs in neighboring cities or races. Many of the juveniles featured in True Notebooks, like Francisco, understand that many people living in these dangerous areas resort to a life of crime. For Francisco, “‘writing gives [them] a way of telling people what it’s like, growin’ up with violence all around, no positive role models, crazy shit happenin’ all the time at home,’” (Salzman 173). Salzman organized a writing class for a few juveniles at L.A. Juvenile Hall, where many expressed the challenges they faced growing up and participating in gang behavior. Some felt that once they understood the extent of their criminal behavior, it was ‘too late,’ since their gangs prohibited the option of leaving. Of course, it was the youth’s decision to partake in criminal behavior. People should, however, become aware of these youths’ backgrounds before condemning them as ‘hard criminals.’
The juvenile justice system does not seem to make an appropriate effort in treating juveniles with the help they deserve. Many are therefore mistreated and are not given the opportunity to change themselves for the better. In general, people are now more inclined to punish the juveniles for their actions rather than help them improve their behavior. David Anderson’s article “When Should Kids Go to Jail?” describes the injustices exhibited by the judicial system. In fact, a few juveniles are even condemned because they “look like ‘hard-core’ juvenile career criminals… [Legislators] required juvenile courts to impose determinate or mandatory minimum sentences based on the severity of the crime rather than the needs of the offender,” (D. Anderson 77). These legislators, on the other hnd, are spending much less time focusing on ways to uncover the reasons that reinforced these bad behaviors. Legislators should consider the juveniles’ childhood environment as a possible explanation for their misdemeanors and work to create a better environment to promote a healthier and crime-free lifestyle.
Furthermore, it seems that prosecutors, now mostly in charge of the decision to send the offenders to juvenile court or adult court, are discriminating against minority youth, as described in an article written by Building Blocks. They are quicker to try a juvenile in the adult system if they are a part of a minority group, providing them with “little or no hope [of] education or any form of rehabilitation. This is tantamount to throwing away their lives and giving up all hope for their future,” (Building Blocks 75). These juveniles should receive the same treatment as others charged with similar offences. When they are tried as adults, even the majority who are found not guilty will be released immediately after the trial is over. The problem is that many will therefore not be rehabilitated and will continue criminal activity. In addition, those who are charged with more serious offense are not given decent attorneys to plead their cases. Salzman was shocked at the brevity of the case presented by the lawyer of another one of his students, Kevin, and he “assumed [he] must have heard [Mr. Kinion, the lawyer,] wrong; he couldn’t be finished. He had called only one witness, someone who was not even connected to the case on trial. Wasn’t Kevin going to testify?” (Salzman 284). Although murder should never be taken lightly, Mr. Kinion’s performance was more than underwhelming, and perhaps Kevin’s case would have had a different outcome if he had been provided with a more enthusiastic lawyer. Without the proper support from the justice system, these juveniles cannot be represented properly and given the opportunity to show their growth as a person in court.
Once a juvenile is in juvenile detention, they are, or should be, given proper care for rehabilitation; yet despite treatment, a problem likely remains in the environment, not just the individual. Once rehabilitated, the person will still return to the same hostile environment, which could reinforce the previously instilled criminal behavior that the child worked so hard to suppress and alter while in detention. When asked if Francisco’s opinion about gang behavior changed, he agreed. Nevertheless, he does not think it will “solve anything. What [they] think in [there] don’t matter to people on the outs,” (Salzman 250). While some are changed, many will find it challenging to resist the criminal life they led prior to detention. They may not know other means of survival, since many come from poor families. Furthermore, being part of a gang increases the difficulty of leaving street life, since many expect the youths to continue after their return home. They would have to work extremely hard to oppose these gangs because it could be life-threatening to abandon their former comrades. Enemy gangs could still recognize the youth as their adversary, and without the protection of his own gang, the youth would be relatively defenseless. One possible way to prevent this, and possibly avert criminal behavior altogether, would be to provide a better environment in the home. Social workers could intervene “in the lives of children and teenagers ‘at risk’ of delinquency in hopes of averting criminal behavior before it starts. Research documents some success,” (D. Anderson 79). These children may be subject to less abuse, and experience less violent forms of punishment, therefore decreasing their chances of acquiring aggressive mannerisms. While intervention may not immediately affect gang activities, perhaps it can reduce the number of youths who choose to become gang members. Hopefully, over time, these gangs and other criminal groups will attract fewer youths.
Improving the mechanics of the juvenile criminal justice system is important. There should be more focus, however, not only on improving the trial process itself, as in providing better defense attorneys and preventing racial discrimination, but also improving the environment for these youths. Many learn from their surroundings, and are trying to survive in their harsh reality. However, if people could work to change that reality, fewer children will participate in criminal activities.
