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Social constructivism ir essay
Social constructivism ir essay
Constructionist theory sociology
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The article “Political Rhetoric, Immigration Attitudes, and Contemporary Prejudice: A Mexican American Dilemma” by Robert Short and Lisa Magana starts by explaining what social construction theory means. They explain that social construction theory is how individuals are perceived and characterized by the large culture. Sometimes the way these individuals perceive comes with stereotypes that either positive or negative. The article talks about those in power receive greater proportion the resource and is perceive in a better light. This only because they have political power, and they are the lawmaker within the society.
Why does Snip argue that race is a social construction and what are contributing factor of the changing definition of race and ethnicity? According to Snip race is a product of human beliefs, which carries certain ideology and political agenda. Snip, argues race is a social construction because there is no scientific evidence indicates whether race is real or not. He believes race is what individual believes about it and the concept of race constantly changing depends on context.
Genocide can be defined as acts of mass violence with the intent to damage or eliminate a whole based on ethnicity, race, or sometimes religion. A social construct is a theory that things are made from human interaction and understanding. Race and ethnicity can both be categorized as a social construct because they vary by culture, by geography, and how people classify or identify them. Many anthropologists study not only social constructions, but also the effect they have on the world. Genocide is one example of how social constructions can be perceived as dangerous to humankind.
The attempt for sociologist to advocate for the removal of racial categories in society would be grueling, there would be many subjects to consider. To remove racial lines is to hold every person to an equal standard. Destroying social construction which was built hundreds of years ago would in fact erase what the country was constructed on. There would be different views on taking away racial lines, being both positive and negative. How would these social changes come about in society?
Using myself as an example, When I was a child I never thought of myself to be more privileged than any of my peers around me, but at the same time I was raised in a home that put a lot of time and money towards letting me have a brighter future. I think the cause for this is that those who have additional advantages in life are raised in a way that it seems very normal, that the privileges they possess are unnoticed because there is not much to contrast them against.
Sociologists define race as a social construct because society has classified various groups of people based on physical characteristics such as skin color under the assumption that other characteristics would also be similar. This had occurred without any biological proof of correlation. This has also led to faulty belief systems such as racism, ethnocentrism, and the propensity for stereotyping. Fortunately, the intermarriages between races and subsequent procreation has helped cracked the facade of racial differences, at least those that aren't manufactured by society. I have a biracial niece whose father is black and mother is white.
They are unwilling to follow standards set by society, and make damaging conscious decisions such as using drugs or committing crimes. Rutger Bregman of “The Correspondent” illustrates more valid examples about the lower class, stating how they are usually the last to sign up for money management training and “when responding to job ads, the poor often write the worst applications and show up at interviews in the least professional attire” (Bregman 1). Although this might be true, the impacting cognitive effects from an impoverished upbringing can explain these behaviors. For the lower class, resting is a luxury and they are often exhausted by how much they have to work in order to pay the bills. The Atlantic states how “poverty 's stress interferes with our ability to make good decisions... because the short-term needs are so great and the long-term gains so implausible” (Thompson 1).
Scientists generally agree that there is no such thing as biological race, and yet race certainly exists; it had caused riots and revolutions. The way people see race is what creates race. In the south, during the Jim Crow laws and institutionalized segregation, Italians were often segregated with colored peoples. Now, few, if any, southerners would categorize them as anything other than white. If race can change with cultural attitudes, then it must be a construct.
There is no biological differences between different ‘races’. ‘There is no gene or cluster of genes common to all blacks or all whites. Were race “real” in the genetic sense, racial classifications for individuals would remain constant across boundaries.'' (http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs) These examples are social constructs because they are not natural.
Why do the powerful exist over the powerless, or why “white” are superior to other ethnicity, why being poor is
People who are financially stable compared to others are opportunities and considered to be more righteous. This gives them an excuse to disregard the poor and their rights. Political
Social constructionism Social constructionism places emphasis on the idea that reality is a product of the knowledge and perceptions that a group of people agree upon. It focuses on the construction of reality within groups (Robideau, 2008). For instance the meaning of what constitutes femininity may be similar across different South African cultures. This may serve as a guide for the South African communities, however with the progression of time, it is evident that the notion of femininity has evolved, which shows that reality is constructed through human relationships and interaction, and can change from time to time (Robideau, 2008).
Some examples of social definition may be that only Caucasians can be successful while African Americans or Hispanics are poor and live off the government. Today in our society, this has become a big controversy dealing with the new president we have recently elected. Different ethnicities believe that others are either better or higher up, or are worse and below them. People today do not believe that a person of a different race than the may be as equally qualified to fulfill an activity because of there race. I believe family plays a big role in this dimension, big families promote their children about their ways and they teach it to their children and so on.
Throughout history social scientists have been trying to examine the different parameters of race in terms of phenotypic characteristics, and cultural behaviors regarding the different groups that society construct’s. legally judges have had different rulings regarding the categorization of different ethnicities and groups within the United States. Many philosophers such as Kwame Appiah, and Scientists such as Dr. James Watson have had opposing arguments on the topic of race and whether it exists or not. In order to do so we need to examine the different definitions of race, and analyze them in order to see how race is a social construct, where people’s notions of race and their interactions with different races determine the way they perceive
Racism occurs when a minority group is defined, negative characteristics are associated with them, and they are kept at a disadvantage to others. The most interesting aspect of racism is how people justify making their classifications. Race is a socially constructed term. This means people of a society made up race without any real backing or evidence to do so. One’s race is based mostly on their physical characteristics like skin color or hair type, or lineage.